Audit Committee
The Committee received a briefing from Audit Scotland on the report entitled "No hiding place: the National Fraud Initiative in Scotland" and took evidence for its inquiry into the section 22 report by the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS) on Inverness College.  Philip Rycroft, Secretary at the Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department, discussed the relationship between the department and further education colleges.  The Committee is now drafting a report on Inverness College.

The Committee also took evidence on the AGS report entitled "Implementing the NHS consultant contract in Scotland" concluding that it was too early to judge whether the consultant contract was value for money.

Communities Committee
Last week's meeting heard evidence on the National Report on Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion.  Input was received from the Poverty Alliance, One Plus, the Get Heard project and the Community Training and Development Unit.  Members agreed to write to the Minister for Communities in relation to a number of the issues raised.

Education Committee
Stage 1 evidence on the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill came from, among others, the Scottish Adoption Association; St Margaret's Children and Family care Society; and St Andrew's Children Society.  In its submission, the Scottish Adoption Association agreed with the Bill's aims of improving, modernising and extending the adoption system.  However, it did make specific comments on a number of issues including the need for guidance on how contact between adopted children and birth family members could be supported, monitored and terminated if it does not meet the child's needs.

The Committee also considered a draft report on the Early Years inquiry.

Enterprise & Culture Committee
In considering the budget process 2007-08, the Committee looked at its approach to stage 2 scrutiny of the Scottish Executive’s budget proposals.  It was agreed to take oral evidence from Scottish Enterprise, Highland and Islands Enterprise, Historic Scotland and one of the National Collections Institutions.  The Committee further agreed that all budget information received as part of its scrutiny should be provided in a similar format to that used by the enterprise agencies for 2006-07.

Members then went on to discuss the future work programme, agreeing to seek scoping papers from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on possible inquiries into (a) the implementation of the national strategy for sport, Sport21, and the role and work of sportscotland; and (b) the Scottish film industry.

The Committee also considered a draft Stage 1 report on the Tourist Boards (Scotland) Bill.  Murdo Fraser (CON) and Mark Ballard (GRN) distended from the report on the grounds that they didn’t think that the changes had been good for private sector involvement (despite the fact that tourism is up).

Environment and Rural Development Committee
A number of European issues were identified to present to the Rural Affairs Minister at his forthcoming appearance before the Committee.  These included:

• European Bio Fuels Strategy and what Scotland is doing;

• Comprehensive update on chemicals policy, REACH;

• New draft directive on flooding;

• Fisheries. There is great concern that some EU countries are trying to get European funding to build bigger fishing boats. This is  in contrast to the overall attempt to reduce the fishing effort;

• End of beef export ban;

• Update on GMOs;

• Organic food & regulations; and

• Rural development budget.

Equal Opportunities Committee
The Committee continued its disability inquiry, with evidence from the Disability Rights Commission Scotland on the barriers faced by disabled people, with particular reference to employment opportunities and access to services.  The inquiry continues.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
The Committee met in private to consider its draft Preliminary Stage report.

Justice 1 Committee
The Committee met on both Tuesday and Wednesday last week.  On Tuesday, it took further evidence in the Scottish Criminal Record Office inquiry, this time from four Fingerprint Officers at the SCRO.  All four were of the opinion that the thumbprint at the centre of the inquiry was that of Shirley McKie.  They also felt that the compensation paid out earlier this year was a waste of tax payers money.  There was some confrontation between the experts and Alex Neil (SNP) who said "Everybody in the rest of the fingerprint world is out of step, but the Glasgow fingerprint bureau".  One of the officers responded by saying that other bureaux could not match Glasgow for the quality and quantity of the work.  Pauline McNeil (LAB) brought the argument to a close by insisting that Alex Neil moved on in his questioning.

On Wednesday, the Committee considered the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Bill and, in contrast to Tuesday’s meeting, nothing controversial was highlighted.

Justice 2 Committee
The Committee also considered a petition calling for the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to conduct a full review of the current system for dealing with and monitoring convicted child sex offenders. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Justice to seek an update on progress made in relation to the issues raised by the petitioner.  The Committee further agreed that the Convener should hold discussions with the Minister for Parliamentary Business and the Public Petitions Committee on how best to progress the issues raised in the petition, given the workload of the Committee.  The Convener agreed to report back to the Committee on these discussions at its next meeting.

Local Government and Transport Committee
The first of a number of issues at last week's meeting was a petition on the issue of home safety officers.  Evidence on the issue came from the Scottish Accident Prevention Council and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Scotland and UK).  Members agreed to produce a report, which will be published in the coming weeks.

Public Petitions Committee
Petitions dealt with last week included one calling on Parliament to consider and debate the lack of investment in swimming pools in Scotland. The Committee agreed to seek views on the petition from Fife Council, sportscotland, Scottish Swimming and the Scottish Executive and to seek the views of the petitioner on their responses once they have been received.

Another petition urged the Scottish Executive to recognise and adopt the European Charter of Rights for People with Autism.  Witnesses expressed a mixed view of the current service delivery and highlighted a gap between policy and practice.  Members agreed to refer this petition to the Health Committee for consideration as part of its scrutiny of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill.

Subordinate Legislation Committee
The Committee considered the delegated powers in the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2).  These centred on Section 2, Slaughter of Treated Animals, and Section 8, Specified Diseases.  At Stage 1, it was noted that the Bill had prescribed the 28 day Order procedure for Instruments under a number of powers in the Bill.  This differed from the English counterpart and the Committee had asked the Executive for an explanation.  The Executive responded saying that Section 2 and 8 are designed to deal with emergency situations in which the ability to act quickly will be essential - for example, to ensure that disease free status is obtained as early as possible to resume international trade and limit economic consequences, or, in relation to section 8, to ensure that a new fast-spreading disease is specified so that emergency biosecurity codes can be made and appropriate penalties are available for deliberately infecting an animal with a disease.  The Committee decided that it was content with the Executive’s response.

Other Committee Homepages:

Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
European and External Relations Committee
Finance Committee
Health Committee
Procedures Committee
Standards Committee