Committee News

Issue 77, 10^th September 2002

Audit Committee
At last week’s meeting, the Committee considered a response from the Scottish Executive to its report ‘Overview of the National Health Service in Scotland 2000/01’. The Executive did not agree that it is appropriate for the department to track specific items or classes of income and expenditure, saying there may be many reasons for the use of non-recurring income.

The Committee received a briefing from the Auditor General for Scotland on his report ‘Review of the Management of Waiting Lists in Scotland’. It agreed to receive a paper setting out the extent to which the Executive’s recently published action plan on waiting lists meets the recommendations contained in the Auditor General’s Report, before deciding whether to invite witnesses to give oral evidence.

Also in private, the Committee considered the evidence it had received on an Overview of Further Education Colleges in Scotland 2000/01. At its next meeting, it will consider a draft report on the issue.

Education, Culture & Sport Committee
A largely uncontroversial meeting last week considered items of subordinate legislation, and how to approach evidence on the proposed bill on the protection of children. It was agreed that a full Committee meeting would be held outside Edinburgh to allow the greatest possible access to those wishing to give evidence. The Committee also agreed to give consideration to a petition on youth development in Scottish football before considering an Inquiry into the structure and finances of Scottish football.

Jackie Baillie (LAB) and Mike Russell (SNP) were appointed to be reporters on an Inquiry into the proposed protection of children bill. It was also agreed that Mr Russell would meet Edinburgh Council to discuss the issues raised in the petition on the Roman remains at Cramond.

Proceedings were enlivened by a debate on whether the Committee should invite Sean Connery to give evidence to the Committee as part of its consideration of a petition on setting up a film industry in Scotland. Jackie Baillie (LAB) and Karen Gillon (LAB) argued that this was a poor idea, and that the Committee would better spend its time consulting actors working and living in Scotland. However, it was agreed that the Committee would examine whether there was a gap in its schedule to take evidence on the petition once it had completed Stage 1 of the protection of children bill.

This week the Committee will take evidence on the Public Appointments and Public Bodies Bill from, amongst others, Deputy Culture Minister, Elaine Murray, Historic Scotland, and the Historic Buildings Council For Scotland. It will also consider a final draft report on the Local Government Bill at Stage 1.

Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee
At last week’s meeting, the Committee took evidence for its Tourism Inquiry from Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland. The main issues of the Inquiry are competing with other European countries and countries of a similar size; and, from that, setting a benchmark for the industry. The Committee also discussed e-tourism and the impending launch of a web-platform for VisitScotland.

This week’s meeting will consider the Lifelong Learning Final Report in private.

Equal Opportunities Committee
Last week’s meeting took evidence from Deputy Finance and Public Services Minister, Peter Peacock, on the Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry. He said that by removing Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) and introducing Best Value, the Executive is providing local government with a comprehensive and key framework to address equality issues, including gender inequality. Guidance was to be produced on issues including the requirement for local authorities to listen service users and design services to meet their needs; additionally, guidance is to be produced for accountable officers throughout the public sector so that the Executive’s work on equalities will impact beyond local government. Mr Peacock is to write to the Committee on the issue of what the Executive can and can’t do to encourage equal opportunities in the context of what powers in this area are reserved.

The Committee also took evidence from Rozanne Foyer, Eileen Dinning and Joyce Magennis of the STUC. They argued for equal pay audits, and felt that guidance was not robust enough and that a statutory duty is required. They argued that previous CCT contracts had particularly discriminated against poorly paid women in contracted out services.

This week’s meeting will consider a draft report on the Water Environment & Water Services Bill and a paper on key themes in the Inquiry into Gender Equality and Best Value.

European Committee
No papers for this week yet, but the topics on the agenda include the Danish Presidency of the Commission; the Convention on the Future of Europe; the Water Framework Directive; structural funds; and corporate social responsibility.

Finance Committee
This week, the Committee prepares for the budget process, with a likely agreement to hold stage 1 meetings outwith Edinburgh once again.

There will be evidence on the financial implications of the Water Environment & Services Bill. The written submissions are not a huge surprise: CoSLA, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Water, and individual local authorities express concern at the charges they will have to pay to SEPA. SEPA suggests that these charges are overestimates.

The Committee’s report on PPPs will be considered in private.

Health & Community Care Committee
Last week’s meeting took evidence on the Public Appointments and Public bodies Bill from Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, the Scottish Hospital Trust and the Scottish General Practitioners Committee. The Committee finalised its report on the Local Government in Scotland Bill in private.

The Scottish GPs Committee and the Scottish Medical Practices Committee welcomed the general principles of the bill and the reduction in the number of unnecessary QUANGOs. However, they had reservations about the abolition of the Scottish Medical Practices Committee (SMPC), whose role is to permit practices to appoint either a replacement doctor or an additional doctor. They argued that spreading its functions across all the boards would actually increase bureaucracy, and were particularly concerned about the suggestion that funds for primary care would no longer be ring-fenced, and that this may lead to appointments being made not on the basis of local need but available funds.

Highland Health Trust indicated they were happy to take on the role locally of Scottish Health Trust, which is to be abolished, but said that the SMPC functions should be given to three regional centres rather than to each Health Board.

Malcolm Chisholm said that the timescale for the abolition of the SMPC still be discussed, and that he would be prepared to consider ring-fencing funds to address the concerns of the SMPC. He said the Executive will ensure reviews on decisions by primary care trusts on GP provision would be handled by an independent body. Asked about a further review of QUANGOs, he said that would depend on the conclusion of the review of management and decision making.

At this week’s meeting, the Committee will consider a progress report on petitions and a report from the Committee reporter on GM Crops. In private, the Committee will consider a draft report on the Public Appointments and Public Bodies in Scotland Bill.

Justice 1 Committee
Stage 1 of the Title Conditions Bill last week, which reforms the burdens which can be placed on a property at the time of its sale. This is completing the work begun with the abolition of feudal tenure. It is largely technical and consensual. There was discussion of the feasibility of enforcing common conditions on private owners and social tenants sharing former local authority blocks. The Law Society has some reservations that the balance is being shifted too much away from the feudal superior.

The Title Conditions Bill continues this week with 150 pages of evidence, many of them relating to one dispute between an owning resident of sheltered housing and the overall owner of the scheme. The rights of older owner-occupiers in sheltered housing could become an issue. Housing developers also give evidence on the effects of title deeds on new building.

A set of petitions on road accidents has produced correspondence from Ministers suggesting no change – the petitions mainly concerned individual cases where a charge of causing death by dangerous driving was preferred to murder. The Committee is not yet willing to leave the matter, however.

A new petition concerning the couping of clydesdale horses (allegedly damaging the foot for cosmetic purposes) will be taken up.

Future work for the Committee is likely to include more on alternatives to custody and Legal Aid.

Justice 2 Committee
Stage 2 of the Land Reform Bill continues. As the Committee made little headway before the summer, members were last week again considering the sections of the Bill on access. The Executive was defeated on an amendment moved by Bill Aitken (CON) and seconded by Dennis Canavan (IND) to limit ministerial discretion to vary access rights. Conservative and Liberal Democrat attempts to circumscribe the responsibilities of landowners were also defeated.

There was also private consideration of the stage 1 report on the Criminal Justice Bill; and Bill Aitken (CON) reported in unflattering terms on a young offenders project he had visited.

Two meetings this week. At both, discussion of the Criminal Justice Bill report will continue; at the second, stage 2 of the Land Reform Bill will pick up again, still on the access provisions.

Local Government Committee
Last week saw evidence on the Public Appointments & Public Bodies Bill from the current UK Commissioner regarding the proposal to create a Scottish Commissioner for Appointments. She expressed concern at the proposed role for Parliament in appointments, which she regards as inappropriate political involvement. Evidence continues this week, with diversity in appointments becoming a recurring issue.

There was private consideration of the next phase of the Executive consultation Renewing Local Democracy; and of the stage 1 report on the Local Government in Scotland Bill (Best Value, wider competence, etc). The latter continues this week.

Public Petitions Committee
The Committee will hear evidence from representatives of Scottish Natural Heritage and the advisory Group on Sites of Specific Scientific Interest as a result of the Petitions on Special Protection Areas.

New petitions include calls for an investigation into the lack of care homes for young physically disabled people in Scotland; a petition from Iain Smith MSP (LIB DEM) urging the Scottish Parliament to reconsider its proposal to replace Fife as a single planning area; and a petition from UNISON calling for a national inquiry into early years education.

Current petitions to be considered include those on the Scottish Executive’s domestic abuse advertising strategy; the treatment of adults with autism in psychiatric wards; aftercare programmes for those who suffer miscarriages of justice; the provision of care and treatment for patients released form the State Hospital; bus re-regulation; upgrading the A75 and A77; and Scottish Transport Group pensions.

Rural Development Committee
At last week’s meeting, the Committee took evidence from Enterprise Minister, Iain Gray, for its Inquiry into integrated rural development. The Minister reported that rural development had been made a key theme in "A Smart, Successful Scotland" and a forward strategy for agricultural industry had been produced.

He also said that through the rural transport fund public transport, community transport and remote petrol stations under threat had been supported, as well as lifeline ferry and air services. Broadband roll-out will be encouraged through the pathfinder projects. He also said that he hoped the community planning process would pull together within one framework all the agencies responsible for delivering services and development in the community. He is willing to think about shared targets for Scottish Enterprise and HIE.

This week’s meeting will consider a draft report on the Inquiry. It will also take evidence on Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy from the Director of Conservation Policy at the Fisheries Directorate-General of the European Commission, as well as from fishermen’s representatives.

Social Justice Committee
The Committee agreed its future work programme and in private considered its response to the Scottish Executive consultation on changes to exemptions to the licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation. It also considered in private its draft stage 1 report on the Debt Arrangement and Attachment Bill.

Standards Committee
At the request of Margaret Jamieson (LAB), the Committee will consider the Scottish Parliament Business Exchange with particular reference to confidentiality agreements. The Committee will also consider correspondence from Christine Grahame (SNP) on an Alleged Unauthorised Disclosure of a Draft Committee Report. The meeting will also discuss a draft amendment to the Code of Conduct on disclosure of complaints to the media, to make the code more robust.

Transport & the Environment Committee
Last week, evidence was taken on the Water Environment & Services Bill from private businesses. The whisky industry continues to argue that its water extraction is environmentally neutral.

Scottish & Southern Electricity argues that the Bill as drafted could be detrimental to hydro-electricity, ironically because of the provisions relating to ecological protection.

This week, evidence on the Bill continues with the views of conservation bodies and angling interests. The conservationists have a common front, calling for more focus on flood prevention (what is called ‘soft engineering’ where rivers are allowed to flood naturally and development takes account of this) and integration with other policies; they also believe that the consultation processes envisaged are inadequate.

Also this week, Deputy Transport Minister, Lewis Macdonald, will give evidence on Highland & Island ferries.

Finally, Cryptosporidium has been added to the forward work programme.

Other Committee Homepages:

Procedures Committee
Subordinate Legislation Committee

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