Committee News
Issue 29, 3rd April 2001
The Audit Committee is meeting in Dundee to further consider the financial management of the NHS in Tayside.
Education, Culture & Sport Committee
Last week the Committee took evidence on Grant-Aided Schools from Capability Scotland and Donaldson College among others. The Riddell report recommended that direct funding should be removed from grant-aided schools and the resources given to local authorities to provide Special Educational Needs (SEN) education. This recommendation hoped to provide a more consistent provision throughout Scotland and encourage greater mainstreaming. The Executive has accepted this proposal, but is delaying the transition until further discussions are undertaken.
Sport and Culture was also on the agenda with evidence from a variety of groups including the Scottish Schoolsport Federation.
This week, the Committee deals with general business including an update on their Children’s Commissioner inquiry and deciding whether to take further evidence on the National Stadium inquiry.
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee
The Committee last week considered the affects that Foot and Mouth Disease is having on the tourist industry.
This week the Committee considers in private their report on the new economy.
The inquiry into Travelling People and Public Sector policies continued last week with evidence from several local authorities on their strategies for meeting the needs of travelling people.
The Committee also considered a note from Elaine Smith (LAB) as gender reporter on prostitution and rape – to read the report click here.
Last week’s evidence session on the Common Fisheries Policy, with Fisheries Minister, Rhona Brankin, and EU Fisheries Director, Steffen Smidt, was dominated by three members of the SNP who are not members of the Committee. Alex Salmond, Winnie Ewing and Richard Lochhead spoke at length about tie-up schemes.
Mr. Smidt confirmed that it would be permissible to use EU funds for tie-up, but in answer to a question from John Home Robertson (LAB) he made clear that this did not represent value-for-money, noting the tendency of tie-up costs to run on and to escalate to no lasting benefit.
On other matters, minor procedural concerns continue around the LEADER II programme, which is concerned with funding for remote rural areas. The Committee is also considering extending its remit to match that of the Executive, by bringing in ‘external affairs’.
Health & Community Care Committee
The first day of Stage 2 of the Regulation of Care Bill was a relatively consensual affair, with most amendments from members being withdrawn following reassurances from deputy Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm. Moves to write equal opportunities explicitly into the Bill were accepted, and the Executive as promised brought forward amendments to include adoption & fostering services within the scope of the legislation. Only two amendments from Shona Robison (SNP) were pushed to the vote and defeated. Stage 2 continues this week.
The Committee also reported on the triple vaccine MMR. Like many others, they found that on the basis of currently available evidence, there is no proven scientific link between the MMR vaccine and autism or Crohn's disease. They say: ‘We have no reason to doubt the safety of the MMR vaccine. Accordingly, our Committee does not recommend any change in the current immunisation programme at this time.’
However, in recognition of the need to provide parents with satisfactory reassurance, the Committee asked for an expert working group to consider the matter further.
Last week the Committee considered a number of items. Of particular interest, however, is the issue of Voluntary Sector Funding.
It is well known that funding mechanisms for the voluntary sector can create problems. There has always been a distinction between core and project funding with public sector funds being directed towards identifiable results. This can be counter productive and some good voluntary sector projects can fold because of a lack of core funding. The Committee will consider these issues in full.
Last week’s meeting continued its inquiry into legal aid, and heard from the relevant minister on the UK Armed Forces Bill.
There was also a joint meeting of the two Justice Committees to consider the budget. While the workload in the justice area clearly necessitates two Committees, some members have taken the view that holding the Executive to account on its spending is so important that all subject Committees should be engaged in it.
Last week’s meeting featured Scott Barrie (LAB) taking a (fake) drug driving test, which made it to Radio 4’s ‘Yesterday in Parliament’ (amongst other media outlets).
The Committee will return to the wider issue of drug driving.
The Committee continues to try and scrutinise the many European Union initiatives in justice now coming forward. In the context of a French initiative regarding access to children, wider issues about the role of a devolved legislature in such scrutiny have been raised.
The International Criminal Court Bill and the inquiry into the Procurator Fiscal service will begin after Easter.
The inquiry into local government finance continues. Last week, the Committee heard from the Society for Local Authority Chief Executives advocating a joint planning system rather than hypothecation to deliver shared priorities.
This week the Committee meets in private to take evidence from Audit Scotland on its forthcoming Local Authority Overview Report. Audit Scotland’s report is not due to be public until the end of this week.
Also, the Committee considers proposals for a Tendering Bill which will which will reduce the circumstances in which local authorities have to tender, and extend the CCT moratorium.
The Procedures Committee always has a heavy agenda, but the papers for this week’s meeting weigh in at almost 250 pages - which may be some sort of record.
Issues include private bills; changes to standing orders; new guidance on Parliamentary questions; and a report on the principles of the Consultative Steering Group.
For the sake of simplicity I will report on successful proposals after they have been made.
Buried amongst the verbiage is yet another paper from Donald Gorrie (LIB DEM), whose love of the detail of Parliamentary standing orders is a major contributor to the length of agendas. This time he has been inspired by the recent fisheries votes to attempt to codify the response that the Executive must make to a resolution passed by the Parliament.
Foot and Mouth Disease continues to dominate the agenda and this week’s meeting takes evidence from vets and epidemiologists on the outbreak. The Committee takes evidence from one scientist who argues that the government’s slaughter policy is flawed and that a policy of vaccination should be put in place.
The Committee also considers the affects on livestock markets from the disease.
An important meeting this week as the Committee begins stage 2 of the Housing Bill. This week’s amendments all relate to Part 1: Homelessness and Allocation of Housing. Key issues are the content of the homelessness strategies which local authorities must submit to the Executive, and clarification of the relationship between local authorities and other landlords in terms of allocations policies and other matters relevant to the homeless strategies.
Stage 2 is expected to conclude towards the end of May.
Last week the Committee agreed to take no further evidence on lobbying, but the clerks wished to produce a paper before further discussion.
A firmer line was in evidence on Cross-Party Groups: one application was referred back as overlapping with a group already in existence, and the Committee expressed concern about the proliferation of CPGs and agreed to investigate.
The content of a Committee Bill to set up a post of Standards Commissioner was agreed.
Transport & the Environment Committee
The T&E Committee has a number of items on its agenda. Members are considering the recent changes in the responsibilities of Scottish Executive Ministers.
The Committee is also taking the first steps in their Trunk Roads Inquiry and the draft report of the Water Inquiry is being considered in private.
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