Scottish Parliament Committee News
Issue
204, 12th December 2006
Audit
Committee
The Committee received briefings from the Auditor General for
Scotland on the AGS reports entitled "Informed to Care – managing IT
to deliver information in the NHS in Scotland" and "Catering
for patients: A Follow Up report". It agreed to consider its
approach to both reports at its next meeting.
Additionally, the Committee considered a response from the Executive on the AGS report "Scottish Executive: an overview of the performance of transport in Scotland" and agreed to write to the Executive seeking clarification on a number of issues.
The Committee then took evidence for its inquiry into the AGS report entitled "Community Planning: an initial review" and considered arrangements for its inquiry into another AGS report: "Relocation of Scottish Executive Departments, Agencies and NDPBs".
Enterprise
& Culture Committee
The Committee received a presentation and took evidence on the
Executive’s employability framework and strategy to reduce the
proportion of young people not in education, employment or training.
Members also considered new material in relation to the petition from the Scotsman newspaper asking for the golden eagle to be established as the national bird of Scotland. The Committee decided to take no further action on the petition, but to write to the Executive on the procedure of the establishment of a national symbol.
This was followed by evidence on the Scottish Register of Tartans Bill. The Committee agreed to write to the Executive expressing concern that it had not provided evidence to the Committee. It also agreed to ask the Executive what involvement it has had in discussions between the current tartan registers in existence and what suggested solutions it may have to resolve disagreement between the current registers. The Committee deferred its consideration of a draft stage 1 report until evidence has been submitted by the Scottish Executive.
Environment
and Rural Development Committee
A petition from the Society for the
Protection of Salmon and Sea Trout was considered by the Committee. This
called for greater protection for rivers, streams and lochs of Scotland, such as
Loch Broom and the river Gruinard, from fish farm developments. The
Committee agreed to conclude consideration of the petition, as the issues raised
are central to its consideration of the Aquaculture
and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill.
The Committee went on to consider some uncontroversial subordinate legislation: the EC fertilisers (Scotland) regulations; the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs)(Scotland) Amendment (No.3) Regulations 2006; the Water Environment (Controlled Activities)(Third Party Representations etc)(Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the Water Environment (Relevant Enactments) Order 2006. The Committee agreed, being content with the instruments, to make no recommendation to the Parliament.
European
and External Relations Committee
Last week, Jim Wallace (LD), reported to the Committee on his reporter-led
inquiry into the transposition
and implementation of European Directives in Scotland.
The Committee also considered an update paper on the
European Commission’s Work Programme 2006 – Tracking issues
identified by the Committee.
Finance
Committee
The Committee considered a Legislative Consent Memorandum on the UK
Statistics and Registration Services Bill
lodged by Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform.
The Committee agreed to take evidence from the Deputy Minister for Finance and
Public Service Reform at its meeting this week and to seek written comments from
relevant organisations.
Members also agreed their work programme and their draft report on Stage 2 of the Budget Process 2007-08.
Health
Committee
Last week saw representatives of the
British Psychological Society giving evidence on the proposed statutory
regulation of psychologists. The Committee agreed to note their concerns and
take them into account when it considers the relevant Scottish Statutory
Instrument.
The Committee also discussed a draft report on the Health Board Elections (Scotland) Bill.
Justice
1 Committee
The Committee continued its evidence taking on the Rights
of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Bill
. Evidence came from Clydeside Action on Asbestos, the
Clydebank Asbestos Group, Asbestos Action Tayside, victims' legal
representatives and representatives of Insurance Companies. Next week,
evidence will be taken from the Deputy Justice Minister, Johann Lamont.
There is a broad consensus in support of the Bill and the Committee report is
likely to reflect this.
Justice
2 Committee
2 petitions were up for debate at last week's meeting.
The first was calling for Mr Alexander was calling for an amendment to the Solicitors
(Scotland) Act 1980 which would allow small businesses and firms more access
to legal aid. It called upon the Executive to implement an
extension of rights of audience to representatives of small businesses.
The second petition concerned the banning of swords for sports and historical
or cultural purposes. In his evidence, the petitioner told the story
of an Edinburgh shopkeeper who was confronted by a would-be robber armed with a
Samurai Sword. She effectively disarmed the man and he ran away. The
petitioner claimed that this incident proved that the sword itself is not a
deadly weapon when the armed person does not know how to use it effectively.
Local Government and Transport Committee
Evidence on the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman came from the Ombudsman herself, Alice Brown, and Lewis Shand Smith, Deputy Public Services Ombudsman.
Finally, the Committee considered a draft of its Stage 1 Report on the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Bill.
Subordinate
Legislation Committee
The Committee considered delegated powers in the Legal
Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill.
A number of Scottish Executive officials were in attendance and the area of the
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission was discussed. An amendment had been
accepted in response to concerns raised at Stage 1, meaning that the number of
non-lawyer members on the Commission must now always be between 4 and 8 and the
number of lawyer members between 3 and 7. The question of independence of
the new regulatory system has been the subject of a great deal of debate during
the passage of the Bill. Most of the concerns have been resolved, however
some members of the Committee were of the opinion that, if the decision on which
holders of judicial office are to be subject to the jurisdiction of the new
Commission is left to Ministers' discretion, issues relating to judicial
independence could arise.
Other Committee Homepages:
Communities Committee
Education Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
Procedures Committee
Public Petitions Committee
Standards Committee
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