Committee News
Issue 47, 6th November 2001
Audit Committee
Last week’s Committee took its last evidence on the
consideration of the Financial Management at Moray College.
Members questioned former and current staff and officials on the
management issues relating to the Colleges’ finances. They
were asked why, given the scale of the misappropriation of public
funds, the police were not called in to investigate. The
officials from the college stated that the legal advice they
received at the time was that there was not enough evidence to
taker the case any further. Nevertheless, the officials stated
that while there had been some very serious financial issues at
the college, there has been much progress since.
Education, Culture & Sport Committee
The Committee met last
week to discuss its report into Scottish Ballet in
private, but began with the convenor raising concerns about the
report being leaked to The Scotsman. All members joined in
to condemn the leak and agreed to look at ways of safeguarding
reports in the future.
Yesterday, the Committee met in Galashiels to take evidence for the Scottish Borders Education Inquiry from council officials, councillors and trade unions. The Committee’s central concern is to inquire into the impact of the current financial situation in the education budget. Evidence is also heard from the action group Borders Equality in Education, a coalition of concerned parents.
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning
Committee
Last week the Committee had a marathon evidence gathering session
on its Lifelong Learning Inquiry. Members took evidence
from SCONTO – the national training organisation which is
run on a UK basis. The organisation has just conducted a review
of the training organisations, reducing them from 22 to 8 to
reduce overlap.
Business organisations also gave evidence and raised the issue of the skills gap. The most significant shortage of workers is at the craft and technician levels and the employers were clear that their peers must buy into the idea that training is not just a cost, but an investment.
Equal Opportunities Committee
In relation to the Chhokar inquiries, the Committee
has agreed to take evidence on the Jandoo Report into family
liaison. A special meeting will be held in Lanarkshire in a
location as convenient as possible for the Chhokar family. The
Committee made clear that they do not want to start another
inquiry but want to reflect on their commitment to consider the
outcome and take the Chhokar family's views into account. Their
aim is to see what gaps remain and determine whether the
Committee can contribute to the closing of those gaps or whether
that can be done only through a public inquiry.
It was also agreed that convenor Kate Maclean (LAB), deputy convenor Kay Ullrich (SNP), race reporter Michael McMahon (LAB) and the clerks should meet with the Chhokar family and their representatives prior to the meeting to avoid a repetition of the last attempt to take evidence on the case, and ensure that they agree to the meeting taking place.
The other key issue last week was arrangements for the Committee’s civic participation event responding to its Gypsy / Traveller report which was on Friday. While the event went well, with positive feedback from representatives of the community, the Committee is unconvinced that the Scottish Executive’s answers to their recommendations will achieve the aim of tackling discrimination against Gypsy / Travellers. These issues and the report will be the subject of a Committee chamber debate before the end of the year.
European Committee
There were two meetings last week. The first was mainly an
evidence session with MEPs – three Scottish, one French
– for the Governance Inquiry. Quite a lot of time was
spent on general issues of EU democracy and transparency, rather
than the regional agenda. When regions were discussed,
there was no real meeting of minds on the various options for the
Committee of the Regions and the redrawing of competencies
between levels of government.
The second meeting last week was in private, and failed to bring to an end either of the two items: the Euro (which returns this week), and the Committee’s remit for external affairs.
This week’s meeting considers Executive papers for a forthcoming structural funds conference. The issues are familiar: the need for improved monitoring of spending, and for transitional strategies to prepare for the loss of structural funds after the EU is enlarged.
This week’s governance evidence comes from Westminster Europe Minister, Peter Hain. Meanwhile, the adviser (a Belfast academic) has tabled her draft report: it examines the Scottish dimension to a number of pieces of EU business, concluding that there is little difference to the situation pre-devolution given the links between civil servants and the political congruence of the UK and Scottish administrations.
Finance Committee
This week the Committee starts to take evidence on its PPP
inquiry.
The Committee this week hears from the CBI and an academic advisor. The opening evidence is generally supportive of PPP as a concept. The CBI states its support for a private role in the finance and management of public sector assets. They are concerned, however, at the lack of public support for PFI as a procurement tool. The academic evidence is fairly technical, but basically outlines where PFIs can be improved on in terms of risk allocation.
Health & Community Care Committee
Last week the Committee considered Richard Simpson’s
(LAB) report on Organ Donation for Transplantation in
private. The Committee agreed that the report should be used as a
basis for drafting a paper setting out options for possible
improvements to the organ donation system in Scotland. The paper
would be put out to public consultation.
This week the Committee considers a raft of statutory instruments, once again on food protection. The Committee also takes evidence on the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill from Alzheimer Scotland, the Community Care Providers and Deputy Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm.
Justice 1 Committee
Stage 1 of the Freedom of Information Bill is
at long last underway. Executive officials restated a vital and
insufficiently understood point: that the Scottish bill will only
relate to devolved matters. Reserved matters in Scotland come
under the UK Act. As might be expected, discussion centred on the
categories of information exempt from disclosure, and on the
ministerial right of veto.
Justice 2 Committee
Last week’s meeting welcomed the decision of the Equal
Opportunities Committee to continue inquiries into the Chhokar
case. It was agreed to subsume any legal points arising into the
ongoing inquiry on regulation of the legal profession.
This week’s items are familiar: the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and the Sexual Offences (Procedures & Evidence) Bill.
Local Government Committee
The Local Government Finance Inquiry continues this
week with evidence from CoSLA, who claim that the present system
confuses accountability, creates dependency and has too many
central controls. Key issues raised in their submission include:
The Committee continues consideration of its Stage 1 draft report on the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill. From the evidence taken, it looks possible that SNP members will formally dissent in the report or produce an alternative report which opposes coinciding council and Scottish Parliament elections.
Procedures Committee
Last week’s meeting took evidence for the inquiry into
CSG principles from Minister for Parliament, Tom McCabe, Mike
Watson (LAB) and Dennis Canavan (IND). Mr Canavan argued that the
original agreement that there must be five MSPs to qualify as a
party is unfair. He argued that the Bureau was "less than
transparent". His request, however, for observer status at
the bureau found little sympathy. Tom McCabe's argument was that
the Parliament was making good progress on core CSG principles,
but that there remains more to be done.
Mike Watson also gave evidence on behalf of the Finance Committee. He believes that there is still progress to be made within the Budget process to make it truly a partnership between the public, Executive and Committee.
Public Petitions
A number of petitions to
consider this week, including a new petition on retaining Scottish
Ballet as a classical company. Also, Environment LINK have
submitted a petition adding pressure to their campaign on the
Land Reform Bill, while the GMB have a petition asking for a
formal review of a piece of subordinate legislation on sheriff
courts.
Rural Development Committee
Last week’s meeting was dominated by stage 2 of the Protection
of Wild Mammals Bill, as amendments began. Conservative
and Lib Dem members (and in one case Fergus Ewing (SNP)) moved a
number of procedural questions, and amendments seeking to define
and exempt various activities, but all were heavily defeated.
However, the Committee voted by six to four to delay amendments
by a week and hear yet more evidence this week, from terriermen,
hillpacks and gamekeepers.
Social Justice Committee
Last week’s evidence from Volunteer Development
Scotland, the Council for Voluntary Services and the Active
Communities Forum for the Inquiry into the Voluntary Sector reflected
the concerns raised in their submission over the impact of
regulation on volunteering, sustainable funding, and the
importance of the role of volunteer managers.
Standards Committee
This week the Committee returns to discussion of possible
new categories of registrable interests including the
registering of non-pecuniary or non-financial interests (e.g.
unremunerated directorships; membership of voluntary or
charitable organisations; professional bodies or societies; and
sporting or cultural organisations) and extending the obligation
to register to spouses / cohabitees and close family members,
such as children.
However, the central story is set to be Tommy Sheridan (SSP), who gives evidence in response to a complaint from Rhona Brankin (LAB) that he took up the case of one of her constituents without agreement and is thus in breach of the Code of Conduct. In referring the case to the Committee, David Steel said he had received similar complaints about Tommy Sheridan.
Subordinate Legislation
At last week’s meeting Executive officials were grilled on
the Community Care & Health Bill, which some
Committee members believe leaves too much to ministerial
discretion by regulation.
Transport & the Environment
Committee
The Committee last week took stage 1 evidence on the Water
Industry Bill. Representatives from the voluntary sector
gave evidence and were questioned on the issue of water rates
relief for charities. In particular they were asked whether they
could provide a definition of ‘deserving charities’.
Many people, including the Executive, have stated that they have
a problem with funding water rates relief to everything that is
currently defined as a charity, as it would include some
organisations who are not in need of such assistance e.g. private
schools and private nursing homes.
The Committee questioned representatives from the Small Business sector and the consumer’s council, who, very interestingly stated that they would be prepared to cover the costs of some charities – although the Federation of Small Businesses said that they would want a tight definition of those eligible to claim. They would be prepared to make a contribution to small local charities like church halls, but not to the big charities with town centre shops – like Oxfam. SCVO would not be pushed on whether they would make a distinction between local and national charities.
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