Scottish Parliament Committee News
Issue 115,
Communities Committee
The Committee took further
evidence on the Antisocial
Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 last week. Members also considered negative instruments
relating to energy efficiency and the Housing
(Scotland) Act 2001.
Education Committee
Stage 1 evidence on the Education
(Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill continues.
Members also considered the Committee’s work programme.
Enterprise & Culture Committee
The Committee
considered a draft report on its Scottish
Solutions Inquiry in private.
Environment and Rural Development Committee
The Committee
considered negative instruments on
the control of pollution (silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil) and air
quality limit values. It also heard an update
from the Convenor on European issues and
considered a draft stage 1 report on the Nature
Conservation (Scotland) Bill.
Equal Opportunities Committee
The Committee sat in
European
and External Relations Committee
The Committee heard a pre
December Fisheries Council briefing
from the Scottish Executive last week.
The Committee also
discussed the agendas and information received from the Scottish Executive on forthcoming meetings of various European
Councils including: Transport; Fisheries; Economic and Finance; and Justice
and Home Affairs.
The Convenor also updated
the Committee on the Scottish Executive
Finance Committee
The Committee took
evidence on the financial memorandum of the Education
(Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill and evidence from
various members of Scottish Water as
part of their ongoing investigation.
The Committee also agreed
its draft report on Stage 2 of the Budget
Process 2004-05.
Health
Committee
The Committee
heard Stage 1 evidence on the National Health
Service Reform (Scotland) Bill from, among others, Elaine Tait and
Dr Mike Watson of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh; and Dr John
Garner and Dr Bill O
Deputy
Minister for Health and Community Care, Tom McCabe, moved that subordinate legislation, in the shape
of the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish
Poisoning) (West Coast) (No.11) (Scotland) Order 2003 (SSI 2003/561), be
approved. The motion was agreed 6 votes to 1, with 2 abstentions.
Justice 1 Committee
The Committee
took evidence on the general principles of the Criminal
Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill from Scottish Court Service
officials, the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Law Agents
Society. There was also a report on the
Scottish Executive consultation on the Freedom
of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Justice 2 Committee
The Committee
considered the Vulnerable
Witnesses (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. Various amendments were backed, including one
from Karen Whitefield (LAB) which stops those defending themselves
cross-examining vulnerable witnesses in certain cases.
Local Government and
Transport Committee
The Committee took evidence on the Local Governance
(Scotland) Bill from the Scottish Executive; CoSLA; the
Universities of Strathclyde and
Procedures Committee
A marathon meeting began
with the Committee taking evidence on non-Executive
Bills form the Parliament’s Non-Executive Bills Unit. The Committee
also agreed a work programme which
includes investigating whether the legislative process gives enough opportunity
to consider amendments; an Inquiry into Sewell Motions; and looking at problems
around chapter 9A of Standing Orders (Private Bill Procedures). The Committee
also discussed the recent Scottish Civic
Forum Participation and its draft report on Oral Questions in the Chamber.
Subordinate Legislation Committee
The Committee considered the
delegated powers scrutiny in the Education (Additional
Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill. The Committee also considered draft
instruments subject to approval on the Water
Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.
Other Committee
Homepages:
Audit Committee
Public
Petitions Committee
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