Committee News
Issue 67, 30th April 2002
Audit Committee
This Tuesday’s business includes evidence-taking from
Scottish Executive Finance Officers on the 2000/01 accounts of
the Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Natural Heritage,
Scottish Homes and the Scottish Qualifications
Authority in addition to a briefing from Audit Scotland on community
care in Scotland.
Education, Culture & Sport Committee
The Committee returned last week to its draft letter to
Education Minister Cathy Jamieson in response to a petition
regarding Health Education (Guidelines), raising questions
about Learning and Teaching Scotland, the body which approved the
material.
The Committee’s central business was hearing evidence on the 2003-04 Budget where issues of PPP and affordability were discussed in detail.
In private, members discussed advisors and possible witnesses for stage 1 of the School Meals (Scotland) Bill on which they will start taking evidence next week.
This week, discussion of the Budget 2003-04 continues with evidence from the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, and Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister, Mike Watson, among others.
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning
Committee
No meeting last week, however details of the previous meeting of
17th April including the evidence from Enterprise
Minister, Wendy Alexander, are now available. The Minister spoke
on the interim report of the Committee’s Lifelong
Learning Inquiry, indicating general sympathy for much
of the content. In giving evidence, she pointed out that in the
next 20 years, the size of the 20 to 34-year-old age group will
decline by 25%, in which time Scotland is expected to have
200,000, extra jobs. Consequently, she invited views on the need
to focus more on adults and on SVQ levels 2 and 3 for adults in
the workforce. She also pointed out that 30% of Scots do not make
use of the learning opportunities available to them.
On the suspended Individual Learning Account scheme, the Minister said that there was no doubt that ILAs helped to effect the cultural transformation of commitment to lifelong learning. In interviews, half of those said that using their ILA had changed their attitude towards learning with 60% of learners planning to take part in more learning and 40% already doing so. Given that 59% of the adult population in Scotland does not return for more education, the Minister described this as a "cultural transformation". The Executive’s target of 100,000 accounts was achieved ahead of schedule and there are now around 266,000 members in Scotland, with more than 127,000 having used their accounts for learning. Despite the difficulties of alleged fraud, members and the Minister alike agreed that in view of the success, there is a need to move swiftly towards a successor scheme once issues of abuse of the system have been dealt with. It was also generally agreed that the universal nature of the scheme was key to its success.
The Minister returns to the Committee this week to give evidence on the 2003/04 Budget process and local economic forums. The latter topic will also be up for discussion when members meet in Shetland on 17th June. Gordon Jackson (LAB) has been co-opted onto the Committee taking the place of Elaine Thomson (LAB) (now Parliamentary Aide to Wendy Alexander).
Equal Opportunities Committee
This week, the Committee continues taking evidence on Budget
2003-04 from the Equality Network, Disability Rights
Commission, Disabled Persons Housing Service and the STUC. It
also considers the Social Justice Committee’s report on Monitoring
the Impact of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2002.
European Committee
Last week saw the usual heavy agenda, including:
Structural funds. There were 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.
Ministerial attendance in Europe. The Committee will ask to be informed who from the Scottish Executive is attending EU Council and Joint Ministerial meetings.
Water Framework Directive. The Committee considered its draft report, adding a paragraph to address the concerns of the whisky industry. 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 include employment and the environment, particularly waste minimisation.
Decommissioning of fishing boats. Concern had been raised that some people were taking the money and buying a new boat. Rural Development Minister, Ross Finnie, wrote that those accepting decommissioning money also have to surrender their licenses.
Finance Committee
Major issue of note from last week’s meeting was Finance
Minister, Andy Kerr’s, appearance in connection with the
Committee’s on-going PFI/PPP Inquiry. The Minister
began by putting PPP in context stating that it makes up only 10%
of the total capital spend for the years between 2001 to 2004,
compared to increased conventional capital spending of more than
25%. He also contested the suggestion that PPP is a threat to the
public sector or is creeping privatisation, stating that it has
been used to develop and strengthen the public sector. To
illustrate, he pointed out that since 1997 the budget has risen
from £16 billion to £22 billion translating into an average
increase of more than 3,000 public sector employees per annum. He
added that, despite its implications for public sector borrowing,
the Scottish Executive does not view restrictions surrounding the
PSBR as the main driver for using PPP, but rather the extent to
which it can provide value for money. He added that
‘value’ in this context encompasses quality and not
necessarily just the cheapest option. He said that he is to have
talks with trade unions over concerns regarding the possibility
of the creation of ‘two-tear workforces’.
With the aid of adviser Prof. Arthur Midwinter, members took their turn to consider the covenant between the Scottish Executive and local government. Similar points as in other Committees were made, with Conservative members showing some hostility to CoSLA suggesting that it is likely to come up with a ‘one-size-fits-all prescriptive model of what is ideal in local government’. This was disputed by Liberal Democrat, Jamie Stone, who said that the organisation has in the past expressed a balanced menu of views that takes into account the needs of the central belt versus those of rural areas. Brian Adam (SNP) echoed concerns made by his colleagues elsewhere that not every council is a CoSLA member.
Health & Community Care Committee
As part of its consideration of the 2003/04 budget process,
the Health Committee took evidence from representatives of the
Lothian Health Board as an example of a mainly urban-based
tertiary NHS Board which also provided services for people in
other areas. This week members are in Inverness to hear issues
facing a more rural board.
Giving examples of the most pressing issues facing Lothian, representative Brian Cavanagh mentioned delayed discharge, ensuring a balance between acute and primary services and the community health agenda.
Other business included a referred petition from Epilepsy Action Scotland regarding the level of services available to people with epilepsy and their families in Scotland. One the petitioners raised was the misdiagnosis rate - which they put at at least 25%. It was agreed by the Committee to return to the matter at a later date to take it forward.
Members discussed in private possible witnesses to call in connection with the School Meals (Scotland) Bill.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week’s meeting took Prison Estates Review
evidence from the Prison Officers Association (POA) Scotland. The
representatives made a number of points:
Peterhead will top this week’s agenda. There is the prisoners’ petition, and the papers also include a positive report from the Chief Inspector. This argues that the supervision requirements on sex offenders mean that slopping out is less of an issue.
Justice 2 Committee
No report is available for last week. but the long Inquiry
into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service approached
its end, with evidence from the Lord Advocate and Solicitor
General. The report is considered this week.
Next on the Committee’s agenda is the Criminal Justice Bill.
Local Government Committee
Last week, the Committee focused on the 2003-04 Budget Process
taking evidence from the STUC and CoSLA, among others. Many
issues were discussed including:
This week, the Committee returns to the Budget with evidence from Deputy Finance Minister, Peter Peacock.
Procedures Committee
Last week’s main item was a discussion on equal
opportunities in the context of the CSG principles Inquiry.
Attention was given to the uneven role of MSPs as employers.
There was a paper on the use of different languages in the Parliament. Gil Paterson (SNP) argued for Scots signage, contending that most Scottish people speak Scots as a first language and English second without realising it. Both he and Fiona Hyslop (SNP) argued that Scots and Gaelic must have special status relative to other minority languages.
Public Petitions
Last week, the Committee considered a petition from the Scottish
Police Federation which calls for compulsory blood tests for
assailants and others who have exposed police officers to the
risk of infection, with the results retained on the Police
National Computer. Members will request an indication from the
Executive as to whether it plans to examine the feasibility of
the proposals.
The Committee agreed to forward a petition from HMP Peterhead prisoners calling for the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive not to close Peterhead prison and provide a new, safer modern unit where prisoners can continue to rehabilitate, to the Justice 1 Committee to consider as part of its Inquiry into the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.
Rural Development Committee
Last week the Committee met in Fort William to take evidence on integrated
rural development. The large number of witnesses somewhat
precluded any in depth discussion.
This week’s evidence comes from a number of major stakeholders – the NFU, the Scottish Landowners Federation, environmental bodies, etc. Nobody disagrees with integrated rural development as a concept, but everyone brings their own perspective to the appropriate balance of the social, environmental and economic dimensions.
A couple of petitions to be considered also catch the eye: one on the possible closure of the Auchincruive campus of the Scottish Agricultural College and another on the long-running campaign by gamekeepers to be allowed to kill more birds of prey.
Social Justice Committee
This week, the Committee takes evidence on the consultative draft
of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Statement from a number of
witnesses covering thematic areas – Sustainability and
Consumer, Implementation and Provision Issues. Members also
consider a response from the Minister to their Interim Report on
the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation and prepare
for their forthcoming chamber debate on the Inquiry into the
Voluntary Sector.
Standards Committee
Last week the Committee focused on its intention to replace
the Members’ Interest Order, in an effort to improve
transparency and accountability – no Official Report is yet
available.
Subordinate Legislation
This Committee, and Rural Development, are very exercised about
an order relating to Less Favoured Areas payments, not
accepting the Executive’s explanations about the
agricultural definitions employed.
Transport & the Environment
Committee
The Official Report is as yet unavailable from last
Wednesday’s meeting. Evidence was taken from, among others,
representatives from CBI Scotland, pro-public transport pressure
group TRANSform Scotland, Loganair, the SCDI, Highlands and
Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on the 2003/04
budget process.
Other Committee Homepages:
Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Bill Committee
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