Committee News

Issue 9, 3^rd October 2000

Standards

Last week’s meeting agreed the resolution on the register of staff interests, which will be debated in Parliament on Wednesday. A temporary standards adviser has been appointed, and a committee bill to establish a permanent post will be brought forward in due course.

Health & community care

Last week’s meeting of the Health Committee was held in private. Matters discussed included the Executive’s response to the Arbuthnott Report and a report on the flu vaccine.

Justice & home affairs

Last week’s meeting heard evidence from the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General. Issues included delays in the courts, related to the number of Procurators Fiscal (particularly in the Glasgow area) and morale in the Procurator Fiscal service. There has been press speculation about an extension in the use of fiscal fines, but this was firmly denied.

Also:

• The Committee heard evidence in private on the competence of the criminal provisions of the Wild Mammals Bill. Discussion on a report will continue this week. The issue of compensation has also been raised, but this is outside the Justice Committee’s remit on the bill.
• Domestic violence – the committee is proceeding with a committee bill to create new interdicts within defined relationships, although the Executive, which supports the measure, may exercise its right to take over the legislation and incorporate it within its own.
• There was also discussion of a petition regarding appeals against bankruptcy. The evidence heard was unclear and the matter has been referred to the Executive.

This week there will be further discussion of the Budget, and more evidence on the Leasehold Casualties Bill.

Subordinate legislation

This week, the committee considers the delegated powers in the Salmon Conservation Bill.

European

This week the Committee will return to several ongoing issues: structural funds (where the inquiry is no closer to completion), football transfer fees, and aquaculture.

There will also be discussion of the European Charter on Fundamental Rights. This is currently the subject of much controversy at EU level, with the Tories vehemently opposed to the whole concept.

Education, Culture & Sport

The committee met yesterday to take evidence on the school exams inquiry from SQA board members, the PTA and School Board Association, and meet later in the week to take evidence from EIS, Headteachers Association Scotland, and again Ron Tuck and David Elliot formerly of SQA.

Last week, when taking evidence from the Executive education department, Mike Russell (SNP) pursued the issue of the department’s involvement, suggesting that it was ‘hands on’ and not arms length, thus implicating the Minister. However, officials made it clear that the Executive did not take over the running of SQA: "I do not dispute that we were intervening ... but that does not constitute running the SQA." The other issue which was pursued more vigorously through Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee was civil servant advice to Ministers which, under an established civil servant code of conduct, is not available to MSPs. For more details see the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Report below.

Social Inclusion

Social inclusion continue to take evidence on the three housing related bills, this week from the Council of Mortgage Lenders and also deputy community ministers Jackie Baillie and Frank McAveety.

Local Government

This week, the local government committee take evidence from Alastair MacNish, chair of the Leadership Advisory Panel which was established last year in line with McIntosh’s recommendations to advise councils on reviews of decision making and policy development. Mr MacNish will answer questions on progress so far, with the group expected to finally report in Spring 2001.

Following last week’s meeting in private on the inquiry into local government finance, this week the committee considers terms of reference and witnesses.

Equal Opportunities

The issue of Notre Dame High School’s single sex status, which was raised by Tommy Sheridan (SSP), returned to committee last week. The issue was rejected, as it had not been raised by petitions or correspondence but by an individual member. The committee agreed that this was a wider issue than just Notre Dame which the education committee could consider with support from the Equal Opportunities Committee.

Following correspondence from Pauline McNeill (LAB), MSP for the area, it was agreed that any specified issues with Notre Dame were being dealt with at the appropriate local level.

The committee also agreed to consider the forthcoming Housing bill and either produce a stage one report or feed into the work of the Social Inclusion Committee.

Enterprise & Lifelong Learning

The committee is continuing with its inquiry into the governance of the SQA. Last week’s evidence came from members of the SQA board and Former Chief Executive Ron Tuck. In correspondence received by the Committee, it was clarified that the consultants Deloitte & Touche (who have been contracted by the Executive to carry out an internal enquiry into the exam results), will be required to abide by the Official Secrets Act. This is standard practice for all civil servants, and for consultants who take on the role of temporary civil servants.

Fergus Ewing (SNP) has objected to this, asserting that the Executive are involved in a cover-up. The Executive has responded stating that abiding by the Act is simply standard practice for temporary civil servants and is highly unlikely to mean that key facts about the situation are not disclosed.

Transport & environment

After last week’s bumper session filled with referred petitions, the Transport and Environment Committee will begin Stage 2 of the Executive’s Transport Bill. Up for discussion is the controversial issue of whether quality bus partnerships will allow local authorities to stipulate maximum fares and minimum frequencies of service.

Rural affairs

The Rural Affairs Committee agreed to hear oral evidence on the Executive Salmon Conservation Bill on 7^th November.

The Committee decides its approach to taking Stage 1 evidence on the Protection of Wild Mammals Bill this week. Bearing in mind that Labour members previously defeated opposition and Liberal Democrat MSPs who wanted to negate the Stage 1 process and move straight to a vote in the chamber on the Bill, some more fireworks are guaranteed.

Audit

Last week the committee heard evidence from the Auditor General for Scotland, the head of the Scottish Executive civil service, the head of Executive Secretariat at the Scottish Executive and the Executive’s Chief Architect on the Auditor General for Scotland’s report on the Holyrood Project. Today they will continue to take evidence on the same topic from other witnesses.

Finance

The Committee is looking at its role in relation to the financial provisions of legislation and will be considering a paper on the topic on Tuesday. The Committee is also investigating the Executive’s shift to Resource Accounting and Budgeting and this week will be considering a draft remit into its proposed inquiry on the subject.

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