Committee News
Issue 4, 14th July 2000
As Parliament has now begun its summer recess, this will be the last weekly Committee Briefing until September. Some committees, however, may meet over the summer. If this is the case, then briefings on these meetings will be forwarded to you.
Finance
The discussion at last week’s committee on Partnerships UK has already been reported.
The committee papers contain a useful Q&A from the Finance Minister on the allocation of European Structural Funds in Scotland. You can access this at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/finance-00/fi00-19.pdf
Justice & Home Affairs
Amongst the orders received by the Committee were those amending the Debtors Scotland Act regulations: these increase the list of items exempt from poinding for a warrant sale.
Also received was the order for the closure this month of the prisons at Penninghame, Dungavel and Longriggend.
Stage 2 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill showed concerns remaining about the civil liberties implications of Section 27, the interpretation of which may allow for the investigation of people combining together for a common purpose. In the past this has included for example strike action. The Minister has been asked to provide reassurance.
The Committee has, as usual, a heavy future work programme. Stage 1 of the Leasehold Casualties Bill, and stage 2 of the Poindings and Warrant Sales Bill are the first legislative business. There is likely to be discussion of the MacLean Committee looking into the treatment of serious violent and sexual offenders, and possibly also work on the Executive consultation on hutters such as those at Carbeth.
Transport & Environment
The Committee finished taking Stage 1 evidence on the Transport Bill, and there are several issues of interest.
Firstly, there is almost unanimous support for ending the worst aspects of deregulation (apart from the bus operators, as might be expected). However, committee members across the parties have expressed a preference for quality contracts over quality partnerships.
Quality partnerships will be voluntary agreements between a local authority and bus operators in their area. As currently envisaged, only if a partnership is not working will the more stringent and enforceable quality contracts come into play.
Secondly, concerns have been raised around workplace parking – both its definition and implementation – despite Glasgow’s expressed preference for this method.
Thirdly, parking charges for out-of-town shopping have received support, which is contrary to the views expressed in the pre-legislative consultation.
After the recess the committee will focus on its inquiry into the water industry.
Subordinate legislation
As the session ends, it is worth drawing attention to the repeated calls made by the SNP members of the committee for increased use of a super-affirmative procedure.
This already exists at Westminster and means that, rather than a simple affirmative vote of the Chamber, a measure is passed to committees who have three months to raise points.
The effect, of course, would be to delay legislation.
The Procedures Committee have been asked to examine the matter.
Rural Affairs
The committee took evidence from Ross Finnie on GM crops and resumed consideration of a petition on GM crops from Friends of the Earth. The Minister stated that the Executive’s position was neither pro- nor anti-GM crops, but pro-public safety and the environment, and that Scottish policy was to adopt a precautionary approach. He also answered questions on Advanta. The committee agreed to advise Transport and the Environment that scope for action is constrained as Parliament has no ability under EC regulations to prohibit the release of genetically modified crops into the environment, by way of trials or commercial planting.
In response to the Friends of the Earth petition for an inquiry or advisory group on the issue, the committee was satisfied that the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the FSA address these issues. They did, however, propose that Transport and the Environment undertake further examination of the way in which advisory committees interact with each other, the public and the Parliament to improve information and accountability.
To read the full report, click on http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/rural-00/ra00-2202.htm#Col1067
Local Government
In a significant week for the local government committee, they began taking evidence on the Renewing Local Democracy Working Group’s report from Richard Kerley. Voting systems dominated the discussion, but questions were also raised on councillor’s remuneration and representativeness. The committee agreed to write to all councils in Scotland requesting written evidence in response to the report.
To read the discussion click on http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/local-00/lg00-2302.htm#Col1115
The committee also took evidence from Frank McAveety on the Executive’s memorandum on the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill which will remove the duty on broadcasters to require the consent of all candidates to broadcast during election campaigns. The committee agreed:
Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector
The committee met in private to discuss the housing stock transfer report, which is will include a minority report from the SNP members. The committee also considered a report on the Family Homes and Homelessness (Scotland) Bill by Robert Brown.
In answering a First Minister’s question on mortgage repossession last week, Jim Wallace made clear the Executive’s support for the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Bill introduced by Cathie Craigie, stating that Cathie’s bill would deal with an immediate problem while we await the Executive housing bill. In relation to Robert Brown’s bill on a similar issue, it is recognised that the Executive housing bill will incorporate many of the provisions being pursued in Robert Brown’s bill.
Equal Opportunities
Last week, the committee took evidence from Jackie Baillie on the consultation paper: ‘Towards an Equality Strategy'. While the committee welcomed the general thrust of the report, there was some concern raised over the lack of detail in regard to areas such as targets and timescales of implementation. The Minister agreed that the report required further definition but emphasised that this had been a genuine consultation aimed at providing the basis for formulating an equality strategy.
To read the report click on http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc16/tesr-00.asp
Education, Culture and Sport
Following on from Cathy Peattie’s report on Argyll and Bute schools last week, the committee considered Jamie Stone’s report on issues facing rural schools. Based on a meeting of Dumfries and Galloway, Borders and Highland councils, including teachers, the report identified two main issues: funding for rural schools, and pressures facing rural teachers. In relation to funding, concern was raised over transport issues, capital improvements and the allocation of certain national initiative funding if distributed per pupil. The report identifies difficulty in recruiting and retaining teachers in rural areas, in particular head teachers, and also touches on rural school closures and proposes ideas for the future. The committee agreed to note the report and to look at issues relevant to rural schools during the schools infrastructure inquiry.
To read the report click on: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/educ-00/edp00-23.pdf
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