Scottish Parliament Committee News
Audit Committee
The Committee heard from the
Auditor General for
The AGS also gave a
report on a particular account management service provided by Scottish Enterprise. This service targets businesses which have the
potential for high growth and is an area which is not monitored as closely as
business start-up. Press reports had
noted the variations shown in the report in the cost per job. In response to questioning, the AGS cited a
number of potential factors, but admitted that the reason is not known for this
variation. He recommended further
monitoring and noted that Scottish Enterprise is taking action to address such
issues.
Communities Committee
The Committee took a motion
moved by Deputy Communities Minister, Mary Mulligan, on the Draft Town and Country Planning Order.
On planning, oral evidence was taken from Scottish Executive planning
officials. Robin Harper (GRN) alleged that the Executive had been inundated
with telephone enquiries regarding Third Party Right of Appeal. The official,
however, refuted this. The Committee took an item on Charity Law in private where it agreed to meet with or arrange a
teleconference with its
Enterprise & Culture Committee
Members met in private to
discuss their reports on the Area
Tourist Board Review and the Renewable
Energy Inquiry.
European
and External Relations Committee
Evidence on promoting
Environment and Rural Development Committee
After dealing with
various pieces of subordinate
legislation, the Committee considered its response to the consultation on
the formulation of a
Finance Committee
The Committee considered the latest monthly report on the Holyrood Project. Key points were that there is no change to the
overall cost reported in May and that there is no change in the overall
programme,
with occupation of the building due to take place this summer. Much of the
discussion was widely reported in the media and concerned whether facilities in
the building will cope with the 750,000 estimated to visit in the first year.
Afterwards, most of the meeting was taken up with receiving evidence from
Environment Minister, Ross Finnie, (and his 5 officials) in relation to Scottish Water. Members were concerned
about delays in Scottish Water's capital programme and that, for 2003-04,
Scottish Water borrowed £42m of the £249.7m made available to it. The Committee
also agreed its draft report on the Financial Memorandum for the Prohibition of Smoking
in Regulated Areas (Scotland) Bill.
Health
Committee
The Committee
considered its Stage 1 report on the Breastfeeding
etc. (Scotland) Bill. It also took further evidence on the Prohibition of
Smoking in Regulated Areas (Scotland) Bill. There will be one more
evidence taking session on this issue this week and the Committee intends to
issue its report after the recess.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week saw
further consideration of the transparency
of legal fees. The Law Society of Scotland has been urged to issue letters
of engagement to clients regarding costs and it will be meeting during the next
week to discuss this. The Committee has
high hopes that the proposal will be agreed.
Under security of tenure and rights access, the Committee considered the
possibility of bringing forward legislation which would benefit the Carbeth
Hutters and others.
The Committee also
discussed a petition on emergency
vehicles and dangerous driving. The Committee will investigate the
possibility of a public awareness campaign and call for more public information
into the provisions set out in the Highway Code relating to how drivers should
react when a “blue light” emergency vehicle is behind them.
Finally, the Committee
continued consideration of its Stage 1 report on the Emergency
Workers (Scotland) Bill.
Local Government and
Transport Committee
The Committee discussed the Budget
Process 2005-06 and took evidence from CoSLA and the Audit Commission. The latter was happy with the way the new
audit systems for Local Authorities had been implemented. Tommy Sheridan (SSP)
alleged that a large Budget deficit was coming, but CoSLA refuted this claim.
Members also discussed the Prostitution
Tolerance Zones (Scotland) Bill in private.
Public
Petitions Committee
Members
looked at six new petitions, among them one from Govan Community Council which
called for an inquiry into sustainable
development at community level. The Committee had some sympathy with the
petition and will write to Scottish Enterprise to raise the issue of its
compliance with the stated policy on regeneration. There was also further
consideration of eight current petitions, including one on the suitability of conditions at HMP Peterhead for
long term imprisonment. The Committee considered the response received from the
Scottish Prison Service and did not feel that the SPS had addressed the
concerns fully. It will write to the SPS
again asking for a comprehensive response.
Procedures Committee
The main item of
business was consideration of the summary of evidence and the list of issues
raised during the course of the inquiry into the timescales and Stages of Bills. It was agreed that:
·
There
should a minimum period of 5 sitting days between the publication of a Stage 1
report and the date of the Stage 1 debate;
·
The
minimum interval between Stages 1 and 2 should be extended from 7 to 8 sitting
days;
·
There
should be a single lodging deadline, Marshalled List and groupings for all
Stage 2 amendment proceedings held in the same week;
·
The
minimum notice period for Stage 2 amendments should be extended from 2 to 3
sitting days, with the lodging-deadline on the last day before the Stage (or
day of the Stage) moved back from 2pm to 12 noon;
·
The
minimum interval between Stages 2 and 3 should be 9 sitting days regardless of
whether the Bill was amended at Stage 2;
·
The
minimum notice period for Stage 3 amendments should be extended from 3 to 4
sitting days, with the lodging-deadline on the last day before the Stage (or
day of the Stage) moved back from 4.30 pm to 2 pm;
·
There
should be a single lodging deadline, Marshalled List and groupings for all
Stage 3 amendment proceedings held in the same week;
·
Stage
3 timetabling motions should allow a degree of flexibility to the Presiding
Officer to depart from deadlines as proceedings unfold;
·
There
should be a new Rule to allow motions without notice to be moved during Stage 3
proceedings to vary previously-agreed deadlines; and
·
The
Executive memorandum on delegated powers should be one of the accompanying
documents required on introduction of a Bill and a revised memorandum should be
provided within a prescribed period after the end of Stage 2 where the
delegated powers have been amended.
Subordinate Legislation Committee
The delegated powers in the Breastfeeding
etc. (Scotland) Bill were examined. The delegated powers relate to the
Commencement of the Bill, with the relevant section providing for enforcement 2
months after the date of Royal Assent, but authorising Scottish Ministers to
commence those sections on an earlier day by Order made by Statutory
Instrument. The view was that, although this does no harm, it serves little
practical purpose.
The Committee also
continued its discussion on the Police
(
Other Committee
Homepages:
Education Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
Justice 2 Committee
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