Scottish Parliament Committee News
Issue
170, 22nd
Audit
Committee
The Committee met last week for a briefing from the Auditor General for Scotland
on his report entitled "Scottish Executive: supporting new
initiatives". The report relates to the management of the funding for 74
initiatives launched in 2004 to address specific policy objectives. The
AGS found that the overall management of these projects was sound, but suggested
various changes to help improve control of the funding and allow better
assessment of whether the money is helping to achieve policy aims. These
include: an improvement of Executive guidance to staff on setting objectives and
monitoring; better definitions of measures of success, monitoring and
evaluation; and the need for formal agreements with partners to cover all
aspects of delivery. The Committee will decide at a later date whether to
hold an inquiry into the issues raised.
Education
Committee
The Committee heard from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education and the Social
Work Inspection Agency on the Joint
Inspection of the Children’s Services and Inspection of Social Work Services
(Scotland) Bill. Both agencies welcome the Bill as a means to improve
the inspection process and ensure that agencies involved in child protection are
able to share appropriate information.
Enterprise
& Culture Committee
Last week, members swapped the familiar territory of the Committee Rooms for
North Highland College in Thurso. There it took evidence from Highlands
and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Scottish Development
International for its continuing inquiry into business growth. HIE gave a very
positive picture of the economy of the Highlands and Islands, pointing to the
fact that it is stronger than ever before, with more people in work, more
businesses moving into new sectors and a new, fast growing city. They point to
the benefits the Highlands and Islands have gained from the modernisation of
infrastructure and from a "cultural renaissance", including measures
to stimulate the Gaelic language and the Scottish Year of Highland Culture.
HIE also highlighted the growing numbers of businesses and the strong
performance of their industries in the global marketplace. However,
barriers to business growth include the predomination of micro businesses, which
are welcomed but which pose difficulties in terms of raising productivity;
demographic changes, especially the trend of 18-30 year olds leaving the area;
transport issues; and affordable housing. HIE point to the fact that a
consistent application of development measures over a long period of time by
many bodies has been key to the growth in the area, and that continued long term
investment from the public and private sectors will remain vital for the future
success of the Highlands and Islands economy. SE pointed to its Growing
Business Strategy and identified key sectors across Scotland: electronic
markets; energy; financial services; life sciences; and tourism. Its
submission also noted that, while there is no single solution to enabling
business growth, they recommend supporting the commercialisation of research and
a more concerted effort to have Scotland act with a national focus.
Environment
and Rural Development Committee
Convenor, Sarah Boyack (LAB), gave
Members an update on EU issues, including matters such as the Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive; and fisheries quotas for 2006.
The Committee also decided on future inquiries. It will look into the economic opportunities presented by biomass and biofuels, as well as undertake an inquiry into agriculture and the food chain, taking into account supply issues and impact on farmers.
Equal
Opportunities Committee
Job Centre Plus, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise gave
some interesting evidence for the Committee's Disability Inquiry. Labour
members have expressed some concerns about the enterprise networks'
implementation of the Scottish Executive's Equalities Strategy. Scottish
Enterprise said that they were not working to this strategy, but to the Smart
Successful Scotland strategy. The Committee will continue to take evidence on
the inquiry.
Finance
Committee
Last Monday, the Committee visited
Drumchapel and Pollok as part of its cross cutting inquiry into spending on
deprivation. In Drumchapel members met with representatives of the Glasgow
Alliance, Glasgow City Council, Greater Glasgow NHS Board, COPE (Caring Over
People’s Emotions) and STAR (Supported Training And Rehabilitation). In
Pollok, members visited a proposed development incorporating health, employment,
leisure and community based services adjacent to Pollok shopping centre.
Members also met pupils at Nitshill Primary School to discuss the Kool Kids
programme, which promotes health, nutrition and exercise.
Then, on Tuesday, the Committee took evidence for its scrutiny of the Budget Process 2006-07 from SPCB member Nora Radcliffe (LD) and senior Parliament officials. The total SPCB budget for 2006-7 is £95.4 million - less than this year's budget of £97 million. However, the amount budgeted for MSP staff, accommodation and other expenses rises from £9.599 million to £9.887 million. The four Commissioners - for information, appointments, standards and children - and the public service ombudsman will have a combined budget of £6.4 million next year, almost 10% the SPCB’s total running costs. An additional £1 million will be required when the proposed Human Rights Commissioner is established under legislation next year.
For its inquiry into the Financial Memorandum for the Police, Public order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, the Committee took evidence from Scottish Executive officials on marches and parades. The officials agreed to provide the Committee with its views on potential legal challenges and to submit a paper detailing the likely guidance on marches and parades.
Health
Committee
Members' attention focused on
the draft Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 (Prohibition of
Smoking in Certain Premises) Regulations 2006. This session quickly
became a "what if" debate, with Committee members looking at the very
specific wording of certain areas of the Bill. The Deputy Minister for
Health, Lewis Macdonald, opened with a statement saying that there are
exemptions not previously considered which have come up and that are now being
considered. He said that recently St. Andrew’s University, along with
other universities, will be exempt from the Bill, allowing them to test tobacco
products as long as safety precautions are taken.
Mike Rumbles (LD) showed concern that designated smoking hotel bedrooms would be exempt. The Deputy Minister responded that hotel bedrooms are considered residences and thus designated smoking hotel rooms would be exempt from proposed legislation. Mr Rumbles said that hotels could make all their rooms smoking, and then there would be no regulations on the hotels. The Deputy Minister responded that this would not occur for two reasons. One, that there is a demand from consumers for non-smoking rooms and, two, smoking rooms must have special safety and ventilation components, therefore making all rooms smoking would be costly.
The Deputy Minister also stated exemptions would be made for submarines and other sea vessels because forcing smokers outside in these situations would be dangerous.
Nanette Milne (CON) felt that the phrasing "substantially enclosed places" was too vague to enforce. The Deputy Minister said this includes places which are enclosed by more than 50%. He also agreed that it would be hard to enforce, but that this was unavoidable.
Justice
1 Committee
Consideration of the Family
Law (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 continued, with amendments covering topics
including financial provision regarding valuations of matrimonial property and
children in cases of parental separation.
Marlyn Glen (LAB) had put forward an amendment to outlaw smacking of children and other physical punishment. Ms Glen said that her amendment would give children the same protection from assault as adults. Her amendment had gained the support of Save the Children and the pressure group Children are Unbeatable, which is an alliance of several children's groups. However, she withdrew her amendment after criticism from the Committee. A previous move in 2002 to ban smacking of children under three years of age was abandoned by the Executive after the Justice Committee said it would be unworkable. The current Committee had not changed its opinion on the matter.
There were a number of close votes on other amendments, but the only one which was lost came from Sylvia Jackson (LAB) on the issue of court orders.
Local
Government and Transport Committee
The Committee took further evidence on the Council
Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill from Tommy
Sheridan (SSP) and Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, George
Lyon. Interesting evidence was obtained during Mr Sheridan's questioning,
which revealed that 350,000 of the poorest families would not benefit from his
Bill, because they are currently in receipt of Council Tax Benefit and this
would be counted as income under the Scottish Service Tax.
The Committee also passed an Order establishing Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs), which will be set up from next April.
Subordinate
Legislation Committee
The Committee began by looking at the delegated
powers in the Joint
Inspection of the Children’s Services and Inspection of Social Work Services
(Scotland) Bill. The Committee had raised a number of points with the
Executive, to which the latter has now responded. In section 1, the Bill
had listed the bodies which may be requested to carry out joint inspections, it
also allows Ministers to add to the list by Statutory Instrument. Whilst
the Committee had no objection in principle, it was noted that, as drafted, the
Bill did not allow for any amendment of the list or change of name. The
Executive had explained that all of the bodies currently used are statutory and
any amendment or alteration could only arise in the context of new primary
legislation. The Executive also pointed out that if a listed person or
body is no longer considered appropriate for participation in joint inspections,
that person or body will not be requested to participate in joint inspections.
Other Committee Homepages:
Communities Committee
European and External Relations Committee
Justice 2 Committee
Procedures Committee
Public Petitions Committee
Standards Committee
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