The Scottish Government

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ISBN 978 0 7559 1857 7 (Web only publication)
This document is also available in pdf format (280k)

Contents

Preface

1. Decision-Making in the Scottish Government
Introduction
Collective Responsibility
Arrangements for Supporting Collective Decision-Making

2. Collective Responsibility and the Role of the First Minister
Collective Responsibility within the Scottish Government
The Role of the First Minister

3. The Decision-Making Process
Decision-Making Mechanisms
Minutes to Ministers
Ministerial Meetings
Meetings Convened by the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth or the Minister for Parliamentary Business
Cabinet Sub-Committees
The Scottish Cabinet

4. The Scottish Cabinet
Introduction
Membership of the Cabinet
Meetings of the Cabinet
Cabinet Business
Clearing Proposals with the Cabinet in Correspondence
Preparing the Agenda for Cabinet Meetings
Preparing Papers for the Cabinet
Circulating Papers
Recording the Decisions Reached
Protecting the Confidentiality of Cabinet Papers Etc

5. The Cabinet Secretariat

6. Conclusion

Annex A: Cabinet Approval of Proposals for Primary Legislation

Annex B: Consultation with the Law Officers

Note:References in the guide to "the Cabinet" are references to the Scottish Cabinet. References to "the Scottish Ministers" include the Law Officers; References to "Ministers" generally include the Scottish Cabinet Secretaries, other Ministers and the Law Officers unless a different meaning is intended from the context.

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