Committee News
Issue 69, 14th May 2002
Audit Committee
Last week, the Committee took evidence from the Executive finance
officers on the 2000/01 accounts of four public bodies:
the Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Natural Heritage,
Scottish Homes and the Scottish Qualifications
Authority. As regards the SPS, the Committee focused on
issues arising from its accounting treatment for a Private
Finance Initiative contract involving HMP Kilmarnock. There was a
query over the prison, which was built under a PFI deal, not
appearing as a property asset of either the SPS or the prison
operator. This was explained as both bodies independently decided
that the asset was not on their balance sheets. Each party has
followed the guidance which has been issued on the subject to the
best of its abilities and there is no requirement that they agree
on the accounting treatment. It was agreed that there was a need
to revise the guidance, though this may take a while. However,
full disclosure of the value of the asset and of the payments
which are due under the contract are to be found in the Prison
Service accounts. In that sense, therefore, there is full public
disclosure of the financial implications of the contract.
Education, Culture & Sport Committee
Last week, the Committee took evidence for stage 1 of the School
Meals (Scotland) Bill from local authorities. While some
individual local authorities were "generally
supportive" they all raised issues of staffing levels, the
lack of dining and catering facilities as well as cost and the
debatable effectiveness in reducing stigma. The Child Poverty
Action Group’s evidence strongly supported the Bill,
although they recognised a "huge problem" with
persuading pupils to take up the proposed free school meals.
This week, the Committee continues with evidence on the School Meals Bill, hearing from Deputy Education Minister, Nicol Stephen, as well as John McAllion (LAB) and Alex Neil (SNP) and Tommy Sheridan (SSP). Members also hear from Judith Gillespie of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, which is opposed to the Bill.
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning
Committee
At last week’ meeting the Committee took evidence on the University
of St. Andrews (Postgraduate Medical Degrees) Bill. This is a
Members Bill introduced by Iain Smith (LIB DEM) which would allow
the university to award postgraduate degrees for medical
research. The Committee took evidence on the Bill from the
Scottish Executive, St Andrews University and Edinburgh
University. The Committee agreed the principles of the bill.
It was agreed to discuss the remit and work programme of the Committee’s Tourism Inquiry in public. The Committee agreed to postpone consideration of the Lifelong Learning Final Report until next week.
Equal Opportunities Committee
Margaret Curran has her first Committee appearance as Social
Justice Minister this week as the Committee takes evidence on race
issues.
European Committee
Last week’s agenda was long, as usual, but unfortunately no
report is yet available. The meeting began with evidence from
local authority consortia and Scottish Natural Heritage for the structural
funds Inquiry. There was also a proposal to hold a Scottish
Parliamentary Forum on the future of Europe, which was agreed to.
Finance Committee
Finance met last week and agreed to discuss the 2002-03
Budget reports from subject Committees in public, with the
agreement of the subject Committee.
Health & Community Care Committee
Last week’s meeting took evidence on the School
Meals (Scotland) Bill from the Health Education Board
for Scotland (HEBS), the Scottish Executive and the Child Poverty
Action Group in Scotland. The HEBS representative favoured
universal free school meals because of the nutritional benefit to
children. He agreed there was no direct evidence to support this
position but argued associated information showed the policy was
beneficial. He also said current uptake of school meals was not
as high as it should be because many people were unaware of their
entitlement.
Gillian Kynoch of the Scottish Executive said the Executive supports the Bill’s outcomes, but the Executive’s aspirations and what the bill wants to achieve differ on the question of universal provision. She told the Committee the Executive will put in place a package of policy measures aimed at improving school meals, and will set national standards for them. There will be a monitoring plan by the end of May. The Child Poverty Action Group argued that stigma of claiming free school meals was affected take-up, while Gillian Kynoch argued that there were other factors in take-up levels such as peer group pressure to go outside school for meals.
Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, then gave evidence on the 2003/04 budget process. He said the Executive will consider how to spend the extra money allocated to health following the Budget. There was a discussion on the level of transparency of the performance assessment framework, which the Minister said was transparent, but an evolving process. He also talked about progress being made in delivering services to people with chronic pain. He also made the point that much of the budget was distributed to Boards who make local decisions about how the money is spent.
The Committee also considered a Petition about epilepsy service provision by Epilepsy Action Scotland and agreed to seek clarification from the Scottish Executive on the points raised.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week’s evidence on the Prison Estates Review,
and discussion on the Petition from the prisoners at Peterhead,
is unfortunately unavailable as yet. This week’s evidence
includes Chief Inspector of Prisons, Clive Fairweather.
The joint meeting of the two Justice Committees on the budget last week heard evidence from Justice Minister, Jim Wallace. Bill Aitken (CON) questioned the overall size of the budget: Mr Wallace was explicit that, like all areas, Justice is helping pay for Sutherland and McCrone. Mr Aitken also queried relative increases for diversion from custody: Mr Wallace replied that this is Executive policy and should be funded.
Other recurring issues include:
This week the joint meeting considers its draft report.
Justice 2 Committee
Last week, the Committee considered the Criminal Justice
Bill, hearing from Executive officials. The officials were
given a hard time over a perceived lack of clear policy in a
number of key areas, including whether or not victim impact
statements will influence sentencing; in what circumstances 16
& 17 year olds will be diverted from the courts to a
children’s panel; and the provisions extending protection
against assault to children.
There was also a 5,000 signature petition on tougher sentencing of paedophiles. This will be considered alongside the Bill.
This week’s evidence on the Bill comes from a large range of witnesses, concluding with Justice Minister, Jim Wallace.
Local Government Committee
As was reported in the last Committee News, the Committee last
week dealt with the Braehead issue, voting in favour of
the Boundary Commission's proposal that Braehead be included in
Renfrewshire rather than Glasgow.
This week, the Committee begins taking evidence on Renewing Local Democracy – the Next Steps, hearing from Highland Council, whose submission is concerned with remuneration issues.
Public Petitions
Reaching its 500th Petition last week, the Committee
agreed to write to the Deputy Minister for Transport, Enterprise
and Lifelong Learning seeking his formal views in relation to
issues raised about the Scottish Transport Group Pension Funds.
Members also agreed to invite the Minister to appear before the
Committee at a future meeting to present his views.
Standards Committee
The Committee agreed at its last meeting to consider a draft
report of its recommendations for replacing the Members’
Interests Order.
The Committee decided to recommend that there should be a mandatory requirement that non-pecuniary interests should be declared. The Committee decided to ask the clerks to provide further papers on this issue as members did not want to be too prescriptive about what interests should be declared. However the Committee indicated that MSPs should declare non-pecuniary interests which the public might reasonably expect to influence their work.
There was also a discussion around paid outside employment. The Committee agreed that members should be reminded of the current requirements on declaration of payment received for outside employment. This requires that members should declare not only the remuneration received for such work, but also the number of hours worked and work done.
The Committee also agreed to undertake a comprehensive review of the rules on Cross Party Groups with a view to having any amendments to the Code of Conduct laid before the Parliament before the end of the current session. The Committee also agreed transitional arrangements for handling complaints against Members prior to the appointment of the Standards Commissioner.
Subordinate Legislation
Last week saw the Orders devolving two new areas to the Scottish
Executive: subsidising ferries between Scotland and Northern
Ireland, and the promotion and construction of railways.
Transport & the Environment
Committee
Last week’s meeting was held mostly in private. The
public session was dominated by the GM crops issue in two
ways.
Firstly, Fiona MacLeod (SNP) attempted to annul the piece of subordinate legislation which means that GM issues (along with a couple of others such as air quality) are dealt with on a UK-wide basis. In response, Rural Development Minister, Ross Finnie, said that Scottish Ministers do not cease to be responsible, it is simply an agency arrangement with DEFRA. Ms MacLeod's bid, in the end, was defeated.
Discussion turned to the Petition from the Munlochy vigil. The Minister stressed that the current trials are not about human health, but about pesticides. The strain of oilseed in question was cleared on health grounds as long ago as 1998, and would be being commercially planted by now had the moratorium not been introduced. He was unable to say why the Belgian Environment Minister felt that she could block trials within EU law, but argued that the action of the Welsh Assembly was in his view unlawful. Again, Fiona MacLeod wanted to move a motion. Everyone else, however, wanted to defer discussion and the convenor closed the meeting. More this week.
Also this week, evidence for the Rail Inquiry from the official players: the Strategic Rail Authority, the HSE, the Rail Regulator and Railtrack.
Other Committee Homepages:
Procedures Committee
Rural Development Committee
Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Bill Committee
Social Justice Committee
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