Committee News
Issue 98, 4th March 2003
Audit Committee
This week the Committee will consider a response from the
Scottish Executive on the Hospital Cleaning report. The
response says that Hospital Acquired Infection issues are to be
addressed centrally through a task force under the Chief Medical
Officer, and material for the NHS to use and consult on is
expected this summer.
The Committee will also consider a paper on the Inquiry into Dealing with Offending by Young People.
Education, Culture & Sport Committee
At its last meeting, the Committee agreed subordinate legislation
on the registration of foreign adoptions. The purpose of
the rules is to specify the requirements that must be met before
a foreign adoption can be registered in Scotland.
The Committee also published its report on Mike Russell’s (SNP) Gaelic Language Bill. While it endorsed the Bill’s general principles it noted certain limitations with it as proposed, and recommended that these should be re-examined before it progresses. In particular the Committee recommended that the duty to prepare Gaelic Language Plans should apply immediately to the whole of Scotland, rather than a phased implementation as the Bill suggests. They also suggest that Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba should be formally established in legislation and its roles and responsibilities be clearly defined.
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning
Committee
The Committee last week received a briefing from Scottish
Enterprise on Intermediary Technology Institutes and
their benefits to the economy. The Committee also took evidence
from Glasgow University and the Scottish Institute for Enterprise
on Science and the Economy.
The Committee took evidence from SHEFC on Teaching and Research Funding in Higher Education, and requested that SHEFC keep its successor Committee informed of when the Research Assessment Exercise review goes out to consultation.
The Committee considered correspondence from BAA plc in response to the Committee's report on the Future of Tourism in Scotland and agreed to respond with further background details of the report's recommendations.
Equal Opportunities Committee
This week the Committee will hear from the disability reporter on
his attendance at the launch of the European Year of People
with Disabilities in Athens. Members will then discuss a
paper regarding equal opportunities training for MSPs before
considering in private its draft report on Mainstreaming
Equality.
European Committee
A new departure this week: the evidence from Deputy Finance and
Public Services Minister, Peter Peacock, on the Executive’s
European priorities in the next few months is accompanied by
detailed memos from all the Cabinet.
The Executive’s response to the Committee report on the Future of Europe does not endorse its calls for a new European Council formation of regional ministers, nor for direct recourse to the European Court of Justice (at present only member states can appeal to the ECJ). The papers contain a report on a meeting with Peter Hain MP in his capacity as UK lead on the Future of Europe Convention.
Amongst the routine papers, the items most likely to cause interest are CAP reform and proposals on animal health and welfare.
Also, a report on Corporate Social Responsibility will be considered in private.
Finance Committee
Last week was the final meeting of the Finance Committee prior to
dissolution. The Committee agreed its draft report on cross-cutting
issues relating to children in poverty. It took evidence from
Deputy Finance Minister, Peter Peacock, on the Spring budget
revisions, and there was a feeling that in terms of
transparency in the process that there was some way to go. It
considered future options for expenditure reviews, and decided
that areas worth looking at for future financial scrutiny
reviews included economic development and sustainable
development, and that this would be suggested to the next
Committee.
Health & Community Care Committee
Last week, the Committee took evidence on the OFT report
on pharmacies from Deputy Health Minister, Frank McAveety, as
well as from Bill Scott, the Executive’s chief pharmacy
officer. The Minister emphasised the final decision would be
taken by the Scottish Executive. He outlined the timescale, which
is that the DTI aims to submit a report to the Government’s
economic affairs, productivity & competitiveness Committee no
later than 90 days from the report’s publication. The
Executive currently has economists studying the report and hopes
to conclude its deliberations in the near future. The Minister
made it clear that the Executive is still at the stage of hearing
representations from stakeholders, and that the Executive is
considering how the report connects – or does not –
with the strategy for pharmacies which the Executive has been
evolving. The Minister said the views of the Executive will be
made public. The views expressed by members on the Committee were
that the report should be rejected, but the Committee report is
yet to come.
The Committee decided to take oral evidence from the OFT. The Committee then discussed a series of petitions and finally, in private, issues relating to Hepatitis C compensation.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week, Justice Minister, Jim Wallace gave evidence on alternatives
to custody. His response to the concerns raised in previous
sessions was to accept that things are not perfect, but he argued
that increases in funding accompanied by the roll-out of new
schemes, better joint working between agencies, and improved
evaluation, would make things better in future. He also suggested
that local problems should not obscure overall success.
Deputy Justice Minister, Hugh Henry, was also in attendance to discuss legal aid. Amongst the points to emerge:
This week’s meeting will consider a report on alternatives to custody in private.
Justice 2 Committee
This week, the subordinate legislation on regulation of
investigatory powers which has caused concern is up for
approval. Deputy Justice Minister, Hugh Henry, has written to
explain why a slightly more junior officer than previously should
be able to authorise surveillance.
Justice Minister, Jim Wallace, will give evidence on judicial appointments. The issues flagged up in the Executive paper are the new Judicial Appointments Board; declarations of freemasonry; and the concerns of Robbie the Pict about the Speculative Society.
Local Government Committee
No official report is available for last week’s meeting,
however the minutes record that, following debate, subordinate
legislation on draft Ethical Standards in Public Life, Water
Undertakings, and Non-Domestic Rating for Petrol Filling
Stations, Public Houses and Hotels was approved. The Committee
had no comment on an instrument regarding the carriage of
guide dogs in taxis.
Procedures Committee
Last week the Committee agreed the text for its report on its
Constitutional Steering Group Inquiry. The text has been
finalised on issues including the relationship between the
Parliament and the Civil Service; family friendly practices in
the Parliament; modernising government; co-option onto Committees
(opposing it); and guidance on what matters Committees take in
private. No changes were recommended to the Parliamentary Bureau,
but in the light of seeking greater transparency in Bureau
business, it was suggested its successor Committee might want to
return to the issue; and the petitions process.
Public Petitions Committee
Last week the Committee heard new petitions on funding
for geriatric and nursing care services; the Barra air service;
rights of audience in the courts; and the decentralisation of
planning regulations. It agreed to write to the Executive in each
case. The Committee also heard petitions on further education
– it was agreed to link this to a previous, very similar
petition. On a petition regarding the number of people entering
their religion as "Pagan" in the 2001 Census, the
Committee did not agree that it would carry out a count of this
census’s returns, but that it would write to the General
Registrar Office to ask whether the next census form can record
such information.
Current petitions were also considered. Those of potential interest include a petition on the release of patients from Carstairs – the Committee agreed to write to the Executive to ask them to clarify the timetable for its proposals – and the petition on convicted murderers profiting from the sale of their stories to the press – the Committee agreed to ask the Executive whether measures were in place to ensure that journalists given access to such people are aware of the limits on what can be published.
Rural Development Committee
At last week’s meeting, the Committee discussed
petitions relating to the culling of raptors. The
Committee agreed to write to the Minister drawing attention to
deficiencies in the knowledge base regarding the impact of
raptors on wild birds, fish stocks and reared gamebirds, and
requesting that further independent research be carried out,
possibly in consultation with the Moorland Forum.
The Committee has also published its report on Current Issues Facing the Scottish Fishing Industry.
This week, the Committee has a range of subordinate legislation. Of most interest will be the Affirmative Instruments on the transitional support for and decommissioning in the fishing industry. Richard Lochead (SNP) will also move a motion asking the Committee to annul the Sea Fishing (Restriction of Days at Sea) Order.
Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries
(Consolidation) Bill Committee
Last week saw Stage 2 –
a sequence of technical amendments from the Lord Advocate were
agreed.
Transport & the Environment
Committee
A themed meeting this week, in that most of the disparate
agenda is linked to planning.
Other Committee Homepages:
Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill Committee
National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee
Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm Committee
Social Justice Committee
Standards Committee
Subordinate Legislation Committee
[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Articles ] [ Calendar ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]
[ Copyright ] [ UK Online ] [ Scottish Parliament ]