Committee News
Issue 43, 25th September 2001
This week’s edition is slightly curtailed, as many Committee papers have not yet been published.
Audit Committee
Last week the Committee received a briefing from the Auditor
General for Scotland on his Report on Financial Management in
Moray College. The Committee will start taking evidence on
this inquiry in earnest shortly. Although the issue would appear
to be a local one, it will have implications for the wider
Further Education sector.
Education, Culture &
Sport Committee
Last week’s meeting covered Gaelic broadcasting
and the Children’s Commissioner. This week there is
evidence from Scottish Ballet and on sport in schools.
Enterprise & Lifelong
Learning Committee
Last week the Committee considered its report on SHEFC’s
review of training and research funding. This will be a
significant report when published. Discussions at this stage are
of course in private and a final report is expected in
mid-October.
Equal Opportunities Committee
Last week’s short meeting reported positively on the ethnic
minority civic participation event in the Chamber. Members
also agreed to promote guide dog week, which will entail
MSPs being blindfolded and led around by a dog.
European Committee
This week’s
meeting has the usual range of items but few advance papers: the Euro,
the directive on employee consultation, enlargement,
the Committee’s remit, and EU governance are
the old faithfuls on the list.
Finance Committee
This week’s Committee will look at Finance Minister,
Angus MacKay’s, response to its Stage 1 Report on the
Budget Process. The Committee believed that this year’s
budget documents were set out in a way which made it much easier
to understand what the Executive was planning to do with the
budget. Nevertheless, the Committee made a number of
recommendations to improve the process further. The Minister has
accepted nearly all those recommendations but makes the comment
that that the Finance Committee has once again commented on the
process, rather than the substance of the Budget.
Health & Community Care
Committee
The Committee dealt with an array of petitions last week relating
to a variety of health issues.
A number of petitions are coming back to the Committee this week so that the reports on them can be considered. The petitions include Hepatitis C and Haemophiliacs – where campaigners want compensation for haemophiliacs who received contaminated blood products from the NHS and are now suffering from Hepatitis C. Publication is anticipated shortly.
The Committee considers once again its report on the World Development Movement’s petition calling for an examination of the possible implications for health policy in Scotland of the World Trade Organisation’s liberalisation of trade in services. These petitions will be taken in private, but given they have been considered at the Committee for some time, it is likely that the Committee recommendations will be significant.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week’s joint meeting with Justice 2 heard
evidence from the Lord Advocate and the Justice Minister.
Discussion with the Lord Advocate focussed on issues of resources
and morale in the prosecution service, along with European
Union issues. The Justice Minister gave a statement regarding
the recent events in America.
This week the agenda contains two familiar inquiries: regulation of the legal profession and legal aid.
Justice 2 Committee
Last week saw
stage 2 of the Protection from Abuse Bill. It was
uncontentious, although Bill Aitken (CON) moved a number of
technical amendments which found no support. Sociologists
welcomed the Sexual Offences (Procedures & Evidence)
Bill.
This week’s agenda includes more evidence on the Sexual Offences Bill, Kilmarnock Prison, and the Inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. There is also a return for the petition alleging undue freemasonic influence in the judiciary. Although judges in England must now declare Masonic membership, the Committee has found little support for similar moves in Scotland.
Local Government Committee
The bulk of
last week’s meeting was evidence from local authorities on allotments.
This was a largely consensual session.
The Committee is also preparing a newsletter on its work to go to councillors and officials.
This week sees evidence on local government finance from CIPFA and Audit Scotland. The written submission from CIPFA calls for business rates to be returned to local control, and for greater use of general rather than specific grant.
Procedures Committee
Last week’s meeting contained a long discussion on the
use of selection panels for public appointments. The
principal contention, which particularly exercised Murray Tosh
(CON) in the chair, was whether it is appropriate to advertise
and begin to recruit a newly created post before the relevant
bill is passed. Civil servants advised that this is normal
practice.
Professor David McCrone spoke to his analysis of the 250 written submissions to the inquiry into the Parliament’s adherence to the principles of the Consultative Steering Group. He highlighted views on Committees, noting that frequent changes of membership were felt to destabilise the system, and that there were calls for more Committee meetings around Scotland (notwithstanding that such meetings have tended to be poorly attended.)
Rural Development Committee
Last week the Committee met for a full day to take evidence for
its Agriculture Inquiry. The key areas of discussion are
around the principle and level of state subsidy required for the
agricultural industry to be economic. While Switzerland gives 84%
subsidy to its agricultural sector, New Zealand (where the
industry appears to be flourishing) has cut subsidy to less than
5%. Subsidy is an issue not just in an EU context: the World
Trade Organisation is also taking an interest.
Subsidy is likely to shift from production to stewardship of the countryside - and environmental objectives such as organic farming and consumer preferences provided the rest of the day’s evidence.
The decommissioning scheme for fisheries vessels was passed without a vote and there was also a sequence of votes on amendments to the Protection of Wild Mammals Bill.
Social Justice Committee
Last week’s meeting took evidence on the voluntary
sector, and considered its response to Communities Against
Poverty. Following evidence on the Home Energy Efficiency
Regulations, the Committee agreed to make no comment. (See
the report on Subordinate Legislation.)
Standards Committee
This week’s
meeting considers an update to the Members’ Interests
Order which determines what interests must be registered;
outstanding issues relating to the appointment of a Standards
Commissioner; and the recent complaint about the conduct of
the Rural Development Committee.
Subordinate Legislation
Last week’s meeting returned to the question of the
vires of the Home Energy Efficiency Regulations. (i.e.
Whether or not it is within the Scottish Parliament's powers.)
The Executive argued that confusion had been caused because the
giving of energy efficiency grants is contained in the Social
Security Act 1990, but that notwithstanding this the purpose
of the grants is devolved. The Committee members pronounced
themselves ‘substantially reassured.’
Transport & the
Environment Committee
Last week’s Committee went smoothly with the statutory
instrument on telecommunications masts being passed
without opposition. Another instrument is tabled this week on the
Executive’s plans for tighter controls on the construction
of masts.
The Committee also considers Highland and Island Ferry Services with Reporters Des McNulty (LAB) and Maureen Macmillan (LAB) tabling a paper. Both members have found that the competition process for ferry routes as proposed by the Executive was necessary according to European competition law. Some critics have questioned the justification of the new tendering process, but on the basis of the evidence available, Des and Maureen believe the Executive has acted correctly. They do, however, voice concern for the security of a service if a contractor fails and argue that ‘operators of last resort’ should be identified.
Finally, the Committee will consider the timetable for Stage 1 of the Water Bill.
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