Scottish Parliament Committee News
Issue 121,
Audit Committee
The Committee agreed its
forward work programme which includes investigations into the commissioning of community care services and
Scottish
It also had a discussion
about its approach and lines of enquiry for its continued consideration of the
AGS overview of the NHS in Scotland.
Communities Committee
The Committee last week
heard from Communities Minister, Margaret Curran, on the Antisocial
Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill.
She robustly argued the case for the bill, stressing the need to
understand the difference between antisocial behaviour and intolerance of day
to day activity. Despite her repeated
definition of antisocial behaviour, Patrick Harvie (GRN) still seemed keen to take a more glib approach. The Minister highlighted that the Bill had to
be understood as a whole and that, while legislation can make changes, she was
also determined to have a successful implementation strategy. This is currently being devised. In response to Conservative questions, the
Minister also argued against the belief that antisocial behaviour could be
solved simply by having more police and defended the power of dispersal.
Enterprise & Culture Committee
The Committee
continued its inquiry into Renewable
Energy.
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Stage 2 of the Nature
Conservation (Scotland) Bill continued.
European
and External Relations Committee
Last week’s meeting
discussed the Scottish Executive
The Committee also
considered proposals from the Scottish Executive to implement the EU End of Life Vehicles Directive using
section 57 of the Scotland Act.
Finance Committee
The Committee met
last Tuesday to receive a briefing on Scottish
Water as part of its investigations into the body. The matter will return to the Committee after
the recess.
There was also a paper on the
inquiry into the Scottish Executive
The Committee also
discussed the Scottish Executive
Health
Committee
Last weeks’
meeting considered the Committee’s National Health
Service Reform (Scotland) Bill draft Stage 1 report in private.
Justice 1 Committee
The Committee
considered its approach to the Budget
process for 2005-6 and considered a draft stage 1 report into the Criminal
Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill. Members of the Committee also
gave oral reports following their joint visit with Justice 2 to HM Young Offenders’ Institution Polmont.
Justice 2 Committee
The Committee
took evidence on the
Local Government and
Transport Committee
The Committee last week took evidence on the Local
Governance (Scotland) Bill from Finance and Public Services
Minister, Andy Kerr; his Deputy, Tavish Scott; and
Scottish Executive Officials. It also
considered a draft report to the Communities Committee on the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill.
Public
Petitions Committee
Highlights of
last week’s meeting included:
·
Former
MSP, Rhoda Grant and Maureen Macmillan MSP gave statements on the
accountability of Historic Scotland and
its ability to consult with communities on relevant issues.
·
Representatives
from Helensburgh community councils presented a
petition on the Code of Conduct for
Councillors. Concerns centred on the restrictiveness of the code which
sometimes made it difficult for councillors to represent their local
communities.
·
UNISON
presented a petition on the Food for
Good campaign, calling for nutritional values for food in hospitals. They
also raised the matter of Low Pay for hospital catering staff.
Among the other petitions
taken was one on the 100 year rule for
the release of information, brought to the Committee by a group from Dunblane who wish to see information on the Dunblane shooting incident released much earlier.
Subordinate Legislation Committee
The Committee considered the
delegate powers in the Budget (Scotland)
Bill last week. It also looked
at the National Health Service (Transfer of Property between Health Boards)
(
Other Committee
Homepages:
Education Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
Procedures Committee
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