Committee News
Issue 66, 23rd April 2002
Audit Committee
With the Auditor General in attendance, members formally agreed
to his report "Organ Retention Validation
Review" on organ retention by the NHS in Scotland.
It was also agreed to pass it on to the Health and Community Care
Committee for its consideration. In addition, there was a report
back on a meeting between the Audit and Public Accounts Committee
convenors for Westminster and the devolved Assemblies. There was
general agreement that the Scottish Committees should visit each
other more to compare good practice.
Education, Culture & Sport
Committee
Last week, the Committee completed stage 2 of the SQA
Bill. Of most note was the Committee's decision, with the
exception of Brian Monteith (CON), to support Jackie
Baillie’s (LAB) amendment to have an employee representative
on the SQA Board - against the recommendation of Deputy Education
Minister, Nicol Stephen. The Deputy Minister argued that the
amendment would not provide participation by the full range of
staff and was not in line with the Executive's current policy on
open appointments based on merit. He did say, however, that the
Executive would discuss with the Committee and with Jackie
Baillie the most appropriate way of implementing it in terms of
its wording and any supporting regulations. Differences of
opinion largely stemmed from the Committee’s desire to
ensure a "belt-and-braces" approach to the SQA
following past difficulties.
A more contentious issue was a Petition regarding Health Education Guidelines. Following a discussion where the Committee accepted the drug education material, but expressed concern at the suitability of the sex education material, it was agreed to write to Education and Young People Minister, Cathy Jamieson, raising questions about Learning and Teaching Scotland (the body which approved the material). Members return to the subject this week to agree the draft letter.
Also this week, the Committee takes evidence from CoSLA and others on the 2003-04 Budget.
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning
Committee
Neither the minutes nor the Official Report from the meeting in
Orkney on 17th April are yet available.
Equal Opportunities Committee
The Committee met last week to take evidence on the Budget
2003-04 – no Official Report is yet available.
European Committee
This week sees the usual heavy agenda. It includes:
Structural funds. Only half-a-dozen responses to a call for evidence. Environment agencies call for an environmental perspective in funds distribution. Local authority consortia recognise the reality of enlargement, but call for replacement measures.
Water Framework Directive. The Committee considers its draft report, which unusually has been placed in the public domain. Essentially members are asking the lead Committee on the forthcoming Water Bill to opt for flexibility in the Directive’s implementation.
Work programme. The proposed priorities for the year ahead are employment and the environment.
Disposal of fridges remains an issue, particularly whether it is reserved or devolved.
Decommissioning of fishing boats. Concern had been raised that people were taking the money and buying a new boat. Rural Development Minister, Ross Finnie, has written saying that those accepting decommissioning money also have to surrender their licenses.
Finance Committee
Again the 2003/04 Budget Process took up most of last
week's proceedings.
Consideration will continue this week, although the highlight is likely to be Finance Minister, Andy Kerr’s, appearance in connection with the Committee’s on-going PPP/PFI Inquiry. Members will also take their turn to consider the draft covenant between the Executive and local government.
Health & Community Care Committee
Although there is no Official Report of last week's meeting
as yet, the 2003/04 Budget process also exercised the
Health Committee, with evidence taken from the Director of
Finance, the Head of Performance Management and the Head of
Analytical analysis, all at the Scottish Executive. Apart from
subordinate legislation, the rest of business consisted of
consideration in private of a paper following members’ visit
to the Beatson Centre in Glasgow.
Consideration of the Budget Process continues at this Wednesday’s meeting with evidence taking from various representatives from Lothian Health Board and Health Trust. Evidence from Epilepsy Scotland and a consultant Neurologist at Ninewells Hospital will also be heard in connection with a public petition on Epilepsy Services in Scotland. Possible witnesses in connection with consideration of the School Meals (Scotland) Bill will also be decided upon.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week's meeting began consideration of the Prisons
Estates Review.
The Convenor, Christine Grahame (SNP), argued that:
1. The Estates Review is not concerned with quality, only cost (which was disputed by Maureen Macmillan (LAB));
2. Henry McLeish when First Minister once said at a meeting that quality mattered;
3. Therefore both Henry McLeish and Jack McConnell should be summoned, and Mr McConnell asked to repeat Mr McLeish's assurances.
It was decided to write to Mr McConnell only.
There was also a lengthy and at times testy evidence taking session from the former governors of Barlinnie and Peterhead. The convenor conceded that she was incorrect when both stated they had moved on for career reasons, rather than being ‘forced out.’ Opposition members criticised the sex offender programme at Barlinnie. (Which, it was countered, is identical to the one at Peterhead - it was developed by the Prison Service in England and is delivered at these two Scottish prisons under licence.) Stewart Stevenson (SNP) also argued that sanitation is not a major concern for prisoners. The former Peterhead governor was heavily criticised for refusing to speculate on matters which are the responsibility of ministers.
In other business, the Westminster Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions was criticised for its research on road traffic accidents not having a Scottish perspective.
No papers yet for this week’s meeting, but another contentious session is likely as evidence on prisons comes from the Prison Officers Association Scotland. There will also be a discussion of stage 3 amendments to the Freedom of Information Bill.
Last week also saw another joint meeting of the two Justice Committees to consider the budget process. The main focus is likely to be the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service.
Justice 2 Committee
Last week members returned to consideration of the petition
concerning court delays facing victims of asbestos who are
continuing to seek urgent action by the legal establishment. They
also approved the subordinate legislation authorising criminal
record checks for those working with vulnerable people. The
charging of placement students for these checks is to be
considered.
This week, the long Inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service approaches its end, with evidence from the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General. The papers address international comparisons for when prosecutors continue and drop a case. Next on the Committee’s agenda is the Criminal Justice Bill.
Local Government Committee
Last week, the Committee took evidence from Finance Minister,
Andy Kerr, on the Budget Process 2003-04. In private,
members agreed to invite oral evidence from, among others, CoSLA
and Fairshare and written evidence from political parties on the
white paper Renewing Local Democracy – The Next Steps. In private, they also agreed to take no action on the School
Meals (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 – largely feeling
that Education as the lead Committee would cover any interests
they had.
This week, the Committee focuses on the 2003-04 Budget Process taking evidence from the STUC and CoSLA.
Procedures Committee
This week’s agenda is quite light. There will be a
discussion on equal opportunities in the context of the CSG
Principles Inquiry. One suggestion is training for MSPs in
their role as employers. There is also a paper on the use of
different languages in the Parliament, with no recommendations at
this stage.
Public Petitions
This week, new petitions being presented to the Committee include
several on prison related issues:
Rural Development Committee
The main topic at last week’s meeting was the budget
process, with evidence from the main agricultural
stakeholders: including the NFU and the Scottish Fishermen’s
Federation (SFF).
The NFU evidence has several points of interest. The Committee wanted to concentrate on organics, but the farmers said that they disliked the priority being given to organic and that it should be market-led. They also called for the GM trials to be completed.
The main new interest in the SFF evidence was the call for an EU fisheries research institute to be located in Aberdeen.
This week’s agenda includes aquaculture and more evidence on integrated rural development.
Scottish
Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Bill Committee
This new Committee was convened last week to consider the
Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Bill at Stage 2.
Bruce Crawford (SNP) is Convenor and Ken Macintosh (LAB) is
Deputy Convenor.
Social Justice Committee
No Official Report of last week's meeting yet, but the minutes
reveal that the Committee agreed to invite written evidence to
help it prepare a response to the Housing Improvement Task
Force’s first report; agreed to appoint Robert Brown
(LIB DEM) to the Finance Committee’s cross-cutting review
group on voluntary sector funding; and agreed to
appoint Kenny Gibson (SNP) as a reporter to the review group on children
and poverty. Members also took evidence from both Social
Justice Ministers, Margaret Curran and Iain Gray, on the 2003-04
Budget.
Standards Committee
This week the Committee focuses on its intention to replace
the Members’ Interest Order, taking evidence from CoSLA, as well as the Code of Conduct Working Group to the
Consultative Steering Group, which includes Canon Kenyon Wright.
Subordinate Legislation
Gordon Jackson (LAB) intimated that he has laid a motion seeking
to annul the transfer Braehead from Glasgow to Renfrewshire.
This will be coming to the Local Government Committee shortly.
Transport & the Environment
Committee
The major issue of note from last week’s meeting was the
passing of a recommendation in the Committee’s letter to
Rural Development Minister, Ross Finnie, that the current trials
of GM oil seed rape at Munlochy on the Black Isle should be
terminated.
Apart from subordinate legislation, other business consisted of preparation for the Committee’s forthcoming Rail Inquiry and evidence taking on transport aspects of the 2003-04 budget process. This will also take up the bulk of this Wednesday’s meeting. Witnesses will include representatives from Loganair, the Scottish Council for the Development of Industry, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Scottish Chamber of Commerce, the pro-public transport pressure group TRANSform Scotland and the Scottish CBI.
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