Communities Committee
The Committee took evidence on the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2006, in particular provisions relating to access to buildings.

Education Committee
Stage 1 evidence on the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill came from the Scottish Child Law Centre, Disclosure Scotland and Deputy Education Minister, Robert Brown.  The evidence from the Scottish Child Law Centre echoed the evidence given at the last meeting, in that they were calling for the Bill either to be radically amended or halted.  Some of the concerns raised, however, were addressed by the Deputy Minister.  The Committee will consider its report in two weeks' time and it is likely that some of the concerns raised will be in the final report.

Members also considered two pieces of subordinate legislation: the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the Waste Management Licensing Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (both negative instruments).  Being content with the instruments, the Committee agreed to make no recommendation to the Parliament.

Stage 2 of the Crofting Reform etc Bill was also completed.

Health Committee
Last week's meeting considered a letter from the convener of the European and External Relations Committee regarding the EU Commission's legislative and work programme 2007, and further considered a draft report on the Health Board Elections (Scotland) Bill.

Justice 1 Committee
Members took evidence from Executive Officials on the Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Bill .  The evidence centred on how the formation of the Bill was arrived at.  There was also some discussion around the possibility of retrospective compensation.  Further evidence will be taken this week from asbestos campaigners; victims' solicitors; and representatives of the insurance industry.

Public Petitions Committee
Petitions heard last week included one on the protection of children from abusive parents, submitted on behalf of the Mothers for Justice Campaign, by The Sun newspaper.  The petitioner's concerns were for her children who were granted access to their father, despite the father's convictions of abuse and sexual offences.  The Committee agreed that some of the issues raised were now covered under the family law legislation.  However, it was agreed that it would raise the issue officially with the Scottish Executive.  Other petitions included one from the Scottish Catholic Observer on the act of blessing oneself and one on public subsidy in relation to the provision of affordable housing.

Subordinate Legislation Committee
Last week's meeting began by welcoming Janis Hughes (LAB) as a new member of the Committee and electing Kenneth Macintosh (LAB) as the new Deputy Convener.  The Committee then went on to consider the delegated powers in the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill as amended at Stage 2. The structure of the Bill was amended at Stage 2: on introduction, it provided for "pre-adoption, adoption and post-adoption" services; these services have now been brought under the generic term "adoption support services".  This has enabled the delegated powers which were particular to one type of service to be removed.  Other sections have been shifted to what the Executive considers to be a more logical place.  The Committee was content with these changes.

Audit Committee
Enterprise & Culture Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
European and External Relations Committee
Procedures Committee
Standards Committee