Committee News

Issue 54, 8^th January 2002

Audit Committee
This week the Committee will receive an overview of the NHS from the Auditor General, and consider its own overview of FE colleges.

Education, Culture & Sport Committee
Prior to the recess, the Committee met in private to discuss emerging issues in its Children’s Commissioner Inquiry. While there is support for further representation for children and young people, there is a lack of clarity over the commissioner’s role and responsibilities and over how the Commissioner will relate to other organisations.

Members also considered a draft interim report for their Scottish Borders Council Inquiry, which is proving complex and controversial.

Also, during the recess, the Committee issued a call for evidence, seeking views on the general principles of the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Records) (Scotland) Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to require local authorities, proprietors of independent schools and managers of grant-aided schools to prepare accessibility strategies to improve access to education for children with disabilities; require those authorities and proprietors to review and implement these strategies; and empower the Scottish Ministers to make regulations in relation to the keeping, transferring and disclosure of pupils' educational records.

Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee
At its last meeting, the Committee took evidence from the SQA and the Institute of Career Guidance for its Inquiry into lifelong learning. It was also agreed, as part of the 2002 work programme:

• to aim to publish its final lifelong learning report in mid June and seek a Parliamentary debate on the report in June or September; and
• to take evidence from local economic forums in Borders, Dunbartonshire and Glasgow as part of its investigation of the implementation of Local Economic Forums.

This week, the Committee meets in private to discuss its interim report for the lifelong learning Inquiry.

Equal Opportunities Committee
With several agenda items this week, the key issues are likely to be the consideration of Fair for All, the Scottish Executive report on access to and use of the NHS by people from ethnic minority backgrounds and a discussion in private of the general principles of Alex Neil’s (SNP) Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Bill. Mr Neil has submitted a further note to the Committee on the Commission for Racial Equality's proposals to amend the Bill to include the promotion of equal opportunities, stating that these are unnecessary and refuting points made by Michael McMahon (LAB) when Mr Neil gave evidence. Although not the lead Committee for this Bill, Mr Neil is pursuing the support of the Committee.

European Committee
Before Christmas the Committee agreed in private Ben Wallace’s (CON) report on EU enlargement. This will be published shortly.

In addition, the Executive responded to the Committee report on the EU directive on employee consultation. As the matter is reserved, the Executive put forward the position of the UK Department of Trade & Industry which largely disagrees with the Committee.

Finance Committee
Before the recess, Finance continued concentrating on its PFI/PPP Inquiry, taking evidence from academics and local authorities. The Committee also took evidence from the Corporate Body and the Holyrood Project Team on the Holyrood project, with the additional sums calculated to cover risk a significant issue.

Health & Community Care Committee
Stage 2 of the Community Care & Health Bill continued before Christmas. Executive amendments giving ministers powers to intervene where joint working is failing came under scrutiny, but were passed. The nature of the requirement on GPs to speak English will be further investigated.

There was private discussion of the Executive’s latest statement on Hepatitis C compensation. The Committee’s report will be debated in the Chamber this week.

Justice 1 Committee
No official report yet, but before Christmas the Inquiry into regulation of the legal profession continued. There was important written evidence from the Legal Services Ombudsman: she asserts a need for change, particularly citing the average 91 weeks taken by the Law Society review process.

There was private consideration of the Committee’s report on the Freedom of Information Bill. Continuation of this is the sole agenda item this week. Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd, has written explaining the reasons for the class (ie. blanket) exemption of information relating to his functions as head of the criminal justice systems, which has come in for criticism.

Justice 2 Committee
Stage 2 of the Sexual Offences (Procedures & Evidence) Bill continued before Christmas. The Committee and the Minister (Richard Simpson) agreed that it was unfortunate that a major Executive amendment on the disclosure of previous convictions had only come forward after stage 1. It was accepted that further evidence may be required.

Stewart Stevenson (SNP) pressed the issue of the definition of rape, in the context of the Aberdeen case. The Executive view is that Parliament may well need to consider this matter, but that it is outwith the scope of the current bill.

The Crown Office / Procurator Fiscal Service Inquiry rumbles on. The Crown Office returned, rather hurt, to answer the accusations of victims organisations that they are out of touch and unhelpful. The Crown Office believes it is making huge efforts, and there is clearly a gap between intention and perception.

The Committee noted that the UK is likely to opt in to a French-inspired European regulation allowing the enforcement of parental jurisdiction orders across member states.

This week sees consideration of the Land Reform Bill. Evidence comes from the NFU, the Scottish Landowners Federation, and land reform guru, Andy Wightman.

Local Government Committee
At its last meeting, the Committee began stage 1 of the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman Bill which aims to establish a public sector complaints system tailored to Scottish needs. The principal reform introduced by the bill is the creation of a one-stop shop, which combines the existing offices of the parliamentary, health service, local government and housing association ombudsmen in Scotland. The one-stop shop will benefit the public, who will find it easier to make complaints, and the ombudsman, who should be able to realise tangible improvements in the operation and effectiveness of the complaints system.

The Committee also considered its draft report for the Marriage (Scotland) Bill in private. The stage 1 chamber debate is now scheduled for next week.

The Committee returns to its Local Government Finance Inquiry with evidence from, among others, Argyll and Bute Council.

Procedures Committee
The Official Report is unavailable, but at the meeting before Christmas:

• There was CSG evidence from organisations in the Equal Opportunities field.
• A report showed that the Executive’s performance in answering written PQs timeously continues to improve.
• Recommendations were at last agreed regarding substitutes on Committees.
• A new item in the Committee’s forward work programme is Sewel motions.

Public Petitions
At its last meeting, a petition on sex education in schools led to Phil Gallie (CON), supported by Dorothy Grace Elder (SNP), proposing that the Working Group on Sex Education be reconvened. This was rejected by the Committee. It was agreed to forward the petition to the Education Committee, asking for clarification on the position of the main church organisations.

Also, in response to a petition requesting a moratorium on the dumping of foot and mouth pyre ash, the Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Executive requesting its comments in advance of the next Committee meeting and to indicate the Committee’s view that a moratorium should be placed on the dumping of foot and mouth pyre ash until public and local authority concerns have been addressed.

Rural Development Committee
No official report yet, but the meeting before Christmas considered:

• Subordinate legislation on the prohibition of cockle fishing. The Committee refused to pass this Order and agreed that the Convener should write to the Minister asking him to withdraw and re-lay it to allow evidence to be considered.
• An update from Rhoda Grant (LAB) on Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, noting concerns about the EU’s scientific rulings on the subject. The Committee agreed to urge the Executive to support the efforts of the scallop industry steering group to identify and fund research; and to recommend that the European Committee inquire into the decision-making processes that led to the current proposals.
• The additional written evidence for the Fur Farming Bill requested by Fergus Ewing (SNP). This focused on animal welfare issues, particularly whether mink are tame or domesticated, and humane slaughter methods given that the pelt needs to be undamaged for use in the fur trade. The Committee agreed a draft stage 1 report, subject to minor changes.
• Agriculture Research Report: The Committee considered the final draft report on Developing a framework for assessing the contribution to rural sustainability of public policy in support of Agriculture which it commissioned.

This week sees stage 1 evidence on the Land Reform Bill from crofters and salmon fishers.

Social Justice Committee
At its last meeting, the Committee took evidence from Deputy Social Justice Minister, Margaret Curran for its Voluntary Sector Inquiry. Issues raised included the level of volunteering in different communities, working relationships between the voluntary sector and local government, longer term funding and the status of the voluntary sector.

The Minister also gave evidence on the Executive’s Social Justice Annual Report. The effectiveness of the reports was discussed and Ms Curran raised the lack of reliable data on areas such as children in bed and breakfast accommodation. She also emphasised the being effort given to improve the data and encouraged Committee members to arrange a discussion with the statisticians.

This week the Committee considers draft guidance and orders for the implementation of the Scottish Secure Tenancy and Right to Buy.

Standards Committee
Prior to the recess, the Committee considered whether there had been a breach of the code of conduct by Lloyd Quinan (SNP) in relation to comments attributed to him in the Sunday Mail about Deputy Minister for Justice, Richard Simpson. While the Committee agreed that there was no dispute as to the events, members agreed that the code was too ambiguous for them to conclude that a breach of the code had taken place. They decided that clarification of this aspect of the code must be a Committee priority.

In private, the contents of the Standards Commissioner Bill were agreed.

Subordinate Legislation
The Committee agreed before Christmas to suggest an amendment to the Public Sector Ombudsman Bill, clarifying that he or she will only be able to investigate public, not private, matters.

Transport & the Environment Committee
Having begun stage 2 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill prior to the recess, the Committee continues with stage 2 this Wednesday. At its last meeting, there was much discussion and voting over Water Customer Consultation Panels, with a key issue being the appropriateness of parliamentary approval. Much of the debate reflected that around Alex Neil’s (SNP) Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Bill.

This week the Committee also takes evidence from Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, Allan Wilson, for the Aquaculture Inquiry.

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