Scottish Parliament Committee News
 Issue 195, 19th September 2006

 

Audit Committee
The Committee took evidence for its enquiry into the AGS report, "A first stage review of the cost and implementation of the teachers' agreement, A Teaching Profession for the 21st century".  In addition, the Committee received and considered evidence on two Section 22 Reports regarding Scottish Enterprise and Inverness College.

 

Communities Committee
The Committee undertook its 3rd day of Stage 2 consideration of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill.  The Committee was particularly exercised around the issue of affordable housing.  Key amendments coming up this week will be around the issue of Third Party Right of Appeal (in one guise or another).

 

Education Committee
A number of petitions referred to the Committee were considered.  Their topics included rural school closures in Angus and children's safety on buses.  The Committee also agreed how it would scrutinise the draft National Plan for Gaelic and considered a written response from Education Minister, Peter Peacock, on the Early Years Inquiry.

 

Enterprise & Culture Committee
The Committee heard from Finance and Public Service Reform Minister, Tom McCabe, and Dennis Canavan (IND) on the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Bill.  Members expressed some concern on the level of research support available for backbench MSPs promoting their own Bills and had some concerns over the danger of symbolic legislation.  The Committee will consider the first draft of the Stage 1 report next week.

The Committee also considered amendments on the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill, including those on supporting low income debtors.

 

European and External Relations Committee
Last week's meeting took evidence on the European Commission Green Paper on its energy inquiry.  It focused particularly on energy conservation, as all other aspects are Reserved.  Jim Wallace (LD) gave the Committee an update on his reporter-led inquiry into the transposition and implementation of European directives in Scotland.

 

Finance Committee
A draft report on the Accountability and Governance Inquiry was agreed.  Some changes to the draft were disagreed to (three by division) and Mark Ballard (GRN) dissented to some of the findings and recommendations.

Members also agreed a paper from the Committee's budget adviser, Prof Arthur Midwinter, concerning the budget process 2007-08 and agreed guidance for the subject Committees.  The Finance Committee will ask the subject Committees if:

  1. They are satisfied with the responses from Ministers to their recommendations for the 2006-7 budget;

  2. They wish to make any comments on the budgetary changes reported in the "New Resources" section;

  3. They wish to recommend any transfers of funding between programmes within its portfolio, with an explanation for the proposal;

  4. They have any proposals for improving the quality and relevance of financial and performance information in the Draft Budget which could be considered after the 2007 election;

  5. They wish to make any recommendations in budget proposals to its successors in 2007.  Is there any programme with a clear need for additional expenditure, or which members think is over-funded?

The Committee also took evidence on the Financial Memorandum on the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill from Scottish Executive officials. Members were interested in the level at which fees will be set, links to the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill and the need to identify a better mechanism for tracking the costs of projects.

The Committee agreed its draft response to the Subordinate Legislation Committee Inquiry on the Regulatory Framework in Scotland. Whilst there is a subordinate legislation tracking service, which is operated by Subordinate Legislation Committee clerks, it is difficult for those clerks to know which instruments would particularly interest the Finance Committee, so a key concern for members was that in practice it would be easier for the Bill team to alert the Committee to relevant instruments.

 

Health Committee
A paper on mainstreaming equalities in relation to the Health Board Elections (Scotland) Bill and the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill was considered.

 

Justice 1 Committee
More evidence on the Scottish Criminal Records Office Inquiry last week, with both the Lord Advocate, Lord Boyd and the Minister for Justice, Cathy Jamieson before the Committee.  Lord Boyd said that, in his opinion, there would be difficulties in the SCRO Officers at the centre of the inquiry being called to give evidence in future trials due to the notoriety of the McKie case which now reflected on them.  Cathy Jamieson defended the decision to settle Ms McKie’s legal action against the Executive out of court as the best way to move the issue forward.  The Committee agreed to consider its report into the Inquiry in private.

 

Justice 2 Committee
The Committee continued evidence taking on the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Bill from Reverend Graham Blount of the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office and Ivan Middleton of the Humanist Society of Scotland - both of whom ended up singing from the same hymn sheet (if you'll pardon the pun).  Evidence was also taken from Mandy Miller of Debenhams, Edinburgh and Sheila Govilpillai of Debenhams, Leith; and David Ramsden, the Chairman of Deregulate.  The Committee then moved on to consider the main themes arising from the evidence session which will inform the drafting of its Stage 1 report.

 

Local Government and Transport Committee
Last week's meeting continued to take evidence on the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1, hearing from a number of groups with experience of the existing system for authorising transport projects, including the Waverly project.

  

Procedures Committee
The Committee took evidence on the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill from Transport Minister, Tavish Scott; the Bill Team Leader; and Executive officials.

Also on the agenda was a paper on outstanding issues in the Consolidation Bill Procedure Inquiry.  Members agreed to recommend that the current prohibition on debating Consolidation Bills in the Chamber at Stage 1 or Stage 3 (Rules 9.18.5 and 7) be qualified by the addition of the word "normally"; and that, while there should be no formal cut-off point for the introduction of Consolidation Bills, they should be introduced earlier rather than later in the Parliamentary session.  The Committee also agreed that it should remain possible for any MSP to introduce a Consolidation Bill, and to seek further clarification on the question of whether the definition of a Consolidation Bill should be amended to refer only to enactments.

 

Standards Committee
Last week's meeting agreed an application to establish a cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on Scotland’s financial future.

 

Other Committee Homepages:

Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
Public Petitions Committee
Subordinate Legislation Committee

                   

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