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In rising to speak to this amendment I am seeking to solve a problem in the future. We have no indication of when the budget will be next year. We assumed it would again be in September. If not, we will worry about that problem then. For the moment, our information is that it will be at the same time next year. Budgets are usually for a year at a time, and that is the basis on which this amendment was put.

Mrs Carnell: We made it clear that we were going earlier next year.

MS McRAE: Our information was different from that. The further problem that I would like to anticipate now, whilst looking at this amendment, is the problem that is raised this year and the timing of the estimates report. If our annual reports are still due on 30 September this year we run into the problem of having sufficient time for the Estimates Committee to read the reports, review estimates and then subsequently report on 31 October. I am anticipating that, after discussion with my colleagues, we may be seeking some commitment from the Chief Minister that perhaps this year, as far as possible, the annual reports could be in by either 15 September or the end of that sitting week. After the budget we will explore this issue further. This was specifically why this amendment was raised. It was raised to improve the review process. Even if we move to a different review process, we will no doubt need to report again in October in anticipation of a November sitting - - -

Mrs Carnell: Why?

MS McRAE: Because we have so few sitting days, Mrs Carnell, that any report - - -

Mrs Carnell: The budget will be passed, already.

MS McRAE: It does not matter. Whether a budget is passed or not, in the other process that Mr Kaine is talking about you can still have a review that incorporates annual reports and looks at the previous year’s work.

Mrs Carnell: But then it does not matter what the times are.

MS McRAE: No. In my book the time element still comes into account because in each instance you have to allow the Government fair time to respond to a report, which is exactly why we get into problems with the Estimates Committee reporting on 31 October within two weeks of subsequent sittings and then - - -

Mrs Carnell: But that is because that is when we will pass the budget.

MS McRAE: No, not entirely. It is also to do with the number of sitting days that are available for a government to respond. I accept that you might have a different opinion on that, Mrs Carnell. I know that that puts extra pressure on the Government response to an estimates report. But, either way, this amendment will assist the process of Assembly review of annual reports, whether it be for an estimates report or a further over-the-shoulder review, as Mr Kaine states. It raises the problem that we will be facing this year in anticipation, and I will be following that up again by letter. I commend the amendment to the Assembly.

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