Scottish Parliament Committee News
Issue
201, 14th November 2006
Audit
Committee
Last week’s Committee considered draft reports on the Auditor
General for Scotland's (AGS) reports, "Implementing the NHS consultant
contract in Scotland", "A first stage review of the cost and
implementation of the teachers agreement; A Teaching Profession for the 21st
Century" and "Relocation of Scottish Executive departments,
Agencies and NDPBs". The Committee also considered a follow up
response from the Executive to its report, "Supporting New Initiatives
and Leadership Development" and received a briefing from the AGS on
section 22 reports on the 2005/06 Audits of the Argyll & Clyde,
Lanarkshire, Western Isles and Highland Health Boards. It agreed to
consider the section 22 reports as part of the forthcoming NHS Overview
integrated report. Additionally, it was agreed to write to the accountable
officers from Highland and what was Argyll and Clyde Health Boards, seeking
clarification on issues raised during discussion.
Communities
Committee
More evidence on the Schools
(Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill at last week's
meeting. Issues raised included the standards and regulations around the
preparation of food in schools, the provision of snacks from vending machines
and the health implications surrounding the provision of snacks.
Education
Committee
The Committee completed Stage 2 of the Adoption
and Children (Scotland) Bill. Owing to the large number of
amendments, there may be issues to resolve at Stage 3.
Enterprise & Culture Committee
Environment
and Rural Development Committee
In addition to taking evidence on a draft report on the Executive’s
draft budget and dealing with some subordinate legislation, members heard
from Deputy Environment and Rural Development Minister, Rhona Brankin, on the Aquaculture
and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill.
European
and External Relations Committee
The Committee continued to take evidence for its inquiry into the
European Commission's Strategy for Growth and Jobs and agreed a number of
action points on the European Commission’s Work Programme 2006.
Finance
Committee
The Committee met twice last week.
The first meeting, in Dumfries, considered the Budget Process 2007-08, looking at the outcome of workshops involving local organisations. It was agreed to raise a number of local issues highlighted during the evidence session with the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform; and the potential impact on areas such as Dumfries and Galloway of the perceived metropolitan based focus of Scottish Enterprise with the Enterprise and Culture Committee.
The Committee then took evidence from Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, and Scottish Executive officials on the budget. Particular issues raised included the local government settlement and End Year Flexibility.
The Minister presented the changes proposed in the Autumn Budget Revision, resulting in an increase of approximately £148m from £28,761m to £28,909m. However, as a result of a change in treatment of EC receipts, as part of HM Treasury policy to more closely align resource budgets with published accounts, the net budget for approval is reduced by £694m to £28,215m. Significant changes included additional funding for the Affordable Housing Programme, Broadband Pathfinder Project, Schools Estate Improvements, Housing Stock Transfer and a large transfer from Scottish Water into the Central Unallocated Provision. After debate, the Minister moved and the Committee agreed that the Draft Budget (Scotland) Act 2006 Amendment Order 2006 be approved.
At the second meeting, the Committee took evidence on the Financial Memoranda for both the Member’s Bill, the Education (School Meals etc.) (Scotland) Bill from Frances Curran (SSP), and for the Executive’s Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill from Scottish Executive officials. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has estimated the cost of the SSP bill as £73 million, however this was questioned by the Committee.
The meeting also took evidence on the Financial Memorandum for the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill from SCVO and Scottish Executive officials. The submission from SCVO claimed that the new legislation to prevent unsuitable people working with children could put a "catastrophic" burden on voluntary bodies, saying its provisions will cost millions to implement and pose a huge administrative load.
Committee members were not convinced by the appropriateness and scale of the new disclosure system being proposed, and in particular were concerned by the impact on volunteering.
Health
Committee
The Committee took evidence on the Health
Board Elections (Scotland) Bill from Health Minister, Andy Kerr; Dr
Kevin Woods, Chief Executive
During the discussion, the Minister agreed to provide the Committee with:
Information on the number of members of the public attending the annual review meetings of Health Boards;
Details of when NHS Boards had changed their opinion on issues after carrying out a public consultation;
Detailed information explaining why he believed the costs of holding an all postal ballot would be higher than those set out in the Financial Memorandum of the Bill; and,
An estimate of the costs of greater public participation reforms.
The Committee then discussed its work programme for 2006/07 and agreed to:
Ask the Convener to write to the Procedures Committee outlining the Committee’s dissatisfaction with the existing deadline for the introduction of members Bills;
Undertake limited scrutiny of the Treatment of Drug Users (Scotland) Bill on the basis that it will not be possible for the Bill to complete its legislative progress this session;
Undertake a one-off hearing into the issues raised in the above Bill and to report to the Parliament thereafter. Euan Robson (LD) registered his disagreement with this; and
Hold other one-off hearings on the Executive Review of free personal care and the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.
Justice
1 Committee
The Committee considered a draft report of its inquiry into
the Scottish Criminal Record Office and agreed to consider it further at
its next meeting.
Justice
2 Committee
The Committee started taking evidence on the Custodial
Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill, hearing from representatives of
the Police and Association of Directors of Social Work. This Bill look to
end the current system of automatic early release from prison and states that
early release should not be considered without a full risk assessment to ensure
that prisoners would not be a danger to the public. There was nothing
controversial in the discussions at this early stage, although this may well
change.
The Committee also considered its report on the Christmas Day and New Year's Day Trading (Scotland) Bill which was published yesterday and, by division, backs the Bill.
Local Government and Transport Committee
The Committee's stage 1 report of the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill was also agreed to and will be published shortly.
Subordinate
Legislation Committee
The Committee considered a response from the Executive to points raised
regarding the delegated powers provisions in the Protection
of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill
Following responses from the Executive, the Committee also agreed to draw the attention of Parliament to the Personal Injuries (NHS Charges) (Amounts) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the Criminal Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2006.
Other Committee Homepages:
Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill Committee
Equal Opportunities Committee
Procedures Committee
Public Petitions Committee
Standards Committee
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