Scottish Parliament Committee News
Education Committee
The Committee heard from
education professionals on its investigation into flexibility in the curriculum and considered the themes from
evidence sessions so far. It also took
evidence from the Executive’s Education Department on assisted places, particularly in
relation to St Mary’s
Enterprise & Culture Committee
The private session discussed
the draft report on Renewable Energy.
Environment and Rural Development Committee
The Committee dealt
with various pieces of subordinate
legislation relating to issues including the proposed Scottish Outdoor
Access Code. On this piece of
subordinate legislation, the Committee decided to defer its decision on the Code
until it had seen the submissions received by the Justice 1 Committee thereon. The Committee also agreed the terms of a call
for written evidence on the Water Services etc.
(Scotland) Bill, as well as a timetable and programme of evidence,
including proposed witnesses, for its Stage 1 consideration of the Bill.
Equal Opportunities Committee
The Committee heard
evidence on the DTI white paper which proposes to create a single equality body. Various
issues came to the fore, including the concern that a single body could lead to
a hierarchy of equalities; the recognition that the status quo shows no
understanding of the different context of equalities in Scotland and the need
for a new body to change this; and a call for the new body to strike a balance
between advice and promotional work and casework. There was a general feeling that the proposed
body was a good opportunity to develop the mainstreamning
agenda in
Finance Committee
Last week’s meeting approved two reports in private session – on
the Budget Process 2005-06 and on its
inquiry into the relocation of public
sector jobs. The Committee also considered
its approach to the next phase of its Cross
Cutting Expenditure Review on Economic Development.
Health
Committee
As well as looking at a number of
pieces of subordinate legislation, the Committee also took evidence on
the Prohibition of
Smoking in Regulated Areas (Scotland) Bill. The Committee questioned school pupils from
both Firhill and
Justice 1 Committee
The Committee considered
a number of items of subordinate legislation. Negative instruments centred on the Community
Right to Buy.
There were also a number
of petitions before the Committee
including one calling for the Parliament to investigate alleged discrimination
against convicted sex offenders held in Peterhead Prison. The Committee agreed
that the petition did not merit further consideration. There were also four
petitions on the matter of dangerous driving. The Committee noted that the
issues highlighted in ongoing correspondence from
The remaining item on the
agenda was the consideration of a draft stage 1 report on the Emergency Workers
(Scotland) Bill. It was agreed
to seek further information from the Scottish Executive, the Crown Office and
Procurator Fiscal Service and the Law Society
Justice 2 Committee
The Committee
considered the Tenements
(Scotland) Bill at Stage 2, before considering what further action was
needed following last week’s agenda item on the Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Services Contract. The Committee decided that it would take no
further action at this time, but that it would revisit the matter in the autumn.
This will give the contract time to bed down and for Reliance and the Scottish Prison
Service to address some of the concerns which have been voiced.
Met in private to
discuss a complaint.
Subordinate Legislation Committee
The Committee had a very lengthy
agenda last week, the main part of which centred on instruments subject to annulment. The first item on this part of
the agenda concerned the Police (
The Committee also looked
at delegated powers in the Local Governance
(Scotland) Bill.
Other Committee
Homepages:
Audit Committee
Communities Committee
European
and External Relations Committee
Procedures Committee
Local Government and
Transport Committee
Public
Petitions Committee
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