Calls to strengthen the new Scottish Fiscal Commission have been narrowly voted down at a Holyrood committee.
MSPs on the Finance Committee have been scrutinising the Scottish Fiscal Commission Bill, which would put the body on a statutory footing.
The committee previously recommended that the independent body should produce official economic forecasts rather than ministers.
But amendments put forward by Conservative MSP Gavin Brown to that end were voted down by four votes to three after the committee heard evidence from Finance Secretary John Swinney.
SNP committee convener Kenneth Gibson voted with fellow SNP MSPs Mark McDonald and John Mason and independent MSP Jean Urquhart to block the amendments.
Speaking after the committee, Mr Brown said: "Today is a poor day for the Parliament, a disastrous day for the finance committee and bad news for the scrutiny of Scotland's finances.
"Several committee members reversed their position from an agreed finance committee report just a few weeks ago.
"Last month they agreed that the Scottish OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility), known as the Scottish Fiscal Commission, should produce the official tax forecasts and report on the long-term sustainability of the public finances.
"Today, they rejected amendments designed to achieve those ends.
"The stark contrast between what the finance committee agreed in its report and what certain members argued today is staggering.
"We are left with a bill that creates an advisory body instead of an independent scrutiny body."
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