Scottish Parliament Committee News
Issue 154, 15^th March 2005

 

Audit Committee
Over two meetings last week, the Committee finalised its reports on the Argyll and Clyde Health Board Section 22 Reports and the Commissioning of Care for elderly people.

 

Communities Committee
The main business was evidence taking on Open Cast Coal Mining from Johann Lamont, Deputy Minister for Communities.  Issues pursued centred on the Executives position of neutrality in planning issues and the Minister confirmed that the Committee’s concerns would be listened to and addressed.  Some concern was expressed about employment issues, but the Minister did not agree that there would automatically be job losses.

The Committee also spent some time discussing the Housing Support Grant Order 2005. The Committee found nothing controversial.

 

Enterprise & Culture Committee
The Committee heard from Richard Baker (LAB) on his report into Scottish football and considered a list of candidates for the post of advisor for its inquiry into business growth.

The Committee also agreed to write to the Procedures Committee about which time Sewel motions have at Committee stage and the ability of Committees to track legislation once it returns to Westminster.  This correspondence is to add to the Procedures Committee inquiry into the Sewel convention.

 

Environment and Rural Development Committee
The Committee dealt with various pieces of subordinate legislation, its forward work programme and the draft report of its climate change inquiry.  It also considered its approach to the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill.

 

European and External Relations Committee
The European Committee took evidence for its report into the G8 Summit from Tayside Chief Constable, John Vine.  Mr Vine confirmed that the police had no plans to ask for military assistance in the policing of the area surrounding the Summit.  He said that the needs and accessibility of the area for local people was paramount in the policing requirements and that meetings with the local community were taking place.  However, special forces would be available to help protect world leaders as these forces had specific and particular skills in this area.  Mr Vine dismissed speculation that the A9 would be closed.  Between 7,500 and 10,000 police officers would be on duty during the G8 Summit and the police would ensure the security of the world leaders with as little disruption to the local community as possible.

 

Finance Committee
The Finance Committee held a very short meeting in which nothing controversial was discussed.

 

Health Committee
Evidence on the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill continued last week, with the focus on adults with incapacity and the amendments to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 which are included in the Bill.  Evidence was also heard on joint ventures, with a range of differing views being presented to the Committee from NHS Boards, unions, private sector representatives and CoSLA.  

 

Justice 1 Committee
The Committee discussed a number of administrative and house keeping issues.  In addition, Hugh Henry, Deputy Minister for Justice, moved three motions regarding Civil Legal Aid, all of which were agreed. The Committee also heard a briefing from SPICe on the Family Law (Scotland) Bill and looked at issues surrounding the Licensing (Scotland) Bill in private.

 

Justice 2 Committee
The Committee had a short meeting during which nothing controversial arose. Members agreed the content of a letter to the Procedures Committee on the use of Sewel Motions.

 

Local Government and Transport Committee
The Committee heard evidence from various trade unions on the tendering of ferry services in the Clyde and the Hebrides.  The unions made strong representations against the decision to proceed with the tendering process, highlighting academic papers from the University of Edinburgh on this subject.  They also took the opportunity to highlight concerns over employment rights and the possible risk to both jobs and pension rights.  The Committee is set to pursue these issues with Transport Minister, Nicol Stephen, when he appears before the Committee next week.

The Committee also discussed its report into the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 and is set to publish this shortly.

 

Subordinate Legislation Committee
The Committee looked in detail at the Family Law (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1. The Bill introduces a number of miscellaneous changes to Scottish family law, including changes to the rules regulating divorce, parental responsibilities, rights for fathers and protection against domestic abuse.  It also introduces new legal safeguards for cohabiting couples and their children and a number of technical amendments designed to clarify various matter relating to marriage and to children.

The Committee discussed a number of matters concerning Non-Domestic Rating in rural situations and there was also some discussion centred around the Criminal Legal Aid (Fixed Payments) Amendment Regulations 2005.  These regulations make provision for fixed payment to be made in respect of professional services provided by a solicitor in conducting adjourned trial diets in criminal summary proceeding where no evidence is led.

 

Other Committee Homepages:

Education Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
Procedures Committee
Public Petitions Committee
Standards Committee