Scottish Parliament Committee News
 Issue 196, 26th September 2006

 

Communities Committee
The fourth day of Stage 2 amendments to the the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill dealt with issues including how key agencies could be more involved in the initial consultation processes.  The Committee also considered its approach to the Schools (Health Promotion & Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill.

 

Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
The Committee heard concerns about the construction, cost and long term usage of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link.  There was cross party support for the principles of the Bill, however some of the issues raised will be taken seriously and considered further in future sessions.

 

Enterprise & Culture Committee
A string of Stage 2 amendments to the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill were agreed without division.  The draft Stage 1 report on the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Bill was also agreed (subject to a minor amendment).

 

Environment and Rural Development Committee
Last week's meeting considered a petition advocating a no-take fishing zone in Lamlash Bay.  Despite initial opposition from the Clyde Fisherman’s Association and in part from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Committee managed to find some consensus and agreed to write to the Minister for Environment and Rural Development to request that he take forward developments on the petition with the relevant interested organisations. 

 

Equal Opportunities Committee
The Committee considered its work programme and also completed its draft report on its Disability Inquiry.  Members also considered a petition from Scottish Women Against Pornography, calling on Parliament to define pornographic material an incitement to sexual hatred and to make such incitement an offence similar to that of incitement to racial hatred.  The Committee agreed to close this petition and will in future take a day's evidence from academics and interested parties on the issue of pornography.

 

Health Committee
Members reported back on their visits to various service users to gather evidence on the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill.  They expressed their thanks to ENABLE Scotland, the Scottish Association for Mental Health and Age Concern Scotland for their assistance in facilitating these meetings.  Members then went on to hear more about the Bill during a roundtable discussion featuring these organisations and Disability Agenda Scotland; Inclusion Scotland; Quarriers; the Edinburgh and Lothian Branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Society; the National Autistic Society Scotland; the Disabled Students Officer of the National Union of Students Scotland; and Capability Scotland.

 

Justice 1 Committee
Stage 2 of the Scottish Commissioner for Human Rights Bill began.  The Committee also agreed to respond in writing to the Subordinate Legislation Committee’s draft report on its Inquiry into the Regulatory Framework in Scotland.

 

Justice 2 Committee
The Justice 2 sub Committee met last week to consider in private its Child-Sex Offenders Inquiry, including considering a list of candidates for the post of adviser to the inquiry.

The main Committee took evidence from Deputy Justice Minister, Hugh Henry, and Karen Whitefield (LAB) on the latter's Christmas Day and New Year's Day Trading (Scotland) Bill.

 

Local Government and Transport Committee
Last week's meeting dealt chiefly with subordinate legislation, including a number relating to transport partnership orders. Members also continued to take Stage 1 evidence on the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill, focusing on the environmental impact of the Bill.

  

Procedures Committee
The Committee considered options regarding the circumstances in which a Committee substitute should be entitled to attend in place of an absent member.  It was agreed that the rules should continue to include an exhaustive list of such circumstances, but that "other business in the Parliament" should be replaced by "other Parliamentary business" and that reference to transport failures should be added to the list.

 

Standards Committee
The Committee announced its decision to recommend that Mike Pringle (LIB DEM) receive the first ever ban handed down at Holyrood for leaking information to a newspaper.  Mr Pringle was ruled to have broken the Code of Conduct for MSPs when he passed on details related to the Shirley McKie fingerprint case.  He was not present at the Committee meeting which agreed that he should be banned from Committee and full parliament meetings for a week.  The Committee's proposal has still to be approved by the full parliament.  Members also recommended that Mr Pringle should consider resigning from the Justice 1 Committee, given that his latest leak was a second offence.

 

Subordinate Legislation Committee
Examining the delegated powers in the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill, the Committee took evidence from Scottish Executive officials, including the Bill Team Leader.  It then agreed its report thereon.

Members also looked at the delegated powers in the Schools (Health Promotion & Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill and agreed to seek further clarification from the Executive.

  

Other Committee Homepages:

Audit Committee
Education Committee
European and External Relations Committee
Finance Committee
Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
Public Petitions Committee

                  

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