Committee News
Issue 99, 11th March 2003
With the Committees coming to the end of their work programmes for the current session, these briefings will become progressively shorter from now until dissolution.
Audit Committee
Last week, the Committee discussed a response from the
Scottish Executive on points raised by the Committee as a result
of the Auditor General’s report on "Hospital
Cleaning". The response stated that the health
department has written to all NHS boards and trusts asking them
to implement the recommendations in the report. All NHS trusts
have agreed action plans to address the recommendations and
implementation will be monitored. NHS boards will oversee
performance, give guidance and ensure that there is progress.
The Executive also stated that hospital-acquired infection will be addressed in local health plans this year and that NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will conduct a review, probably next year, of performance against a cleaning services standard. A task force on hospital-acquired infection has been established under the chief medical officer, who expects to report this summer on technical specifications for cleaning processes and frequencies in the NHS.
Education, Culture & Sport Committee
The Committee meets this week to consider a Statutory Instrument
which will repeal an outdated section of the Schools Code.
Equal Opportunities Committee
The Committee heard from its gender and disability reporters before
considering equal opportunities training in the Parliament.
Members raised the issue of whether constituency office staff
could be given such training and it was agreed to write to the
Scottish Parliament Corporate Body to enquire about this.
The Committee then discussed its legacy paper.
Health & Community Care Committee
Last week, the Committee considered draft Executive
amendments to the Mental Health (Care & Treatment) Bill,
and then took evidence on them in private from Deputy Health
Minister, Mary Mulligan. The Committee also discussed in public
suggested amendments and papers from the Mental Welfare
Commission and the Law Society.
The Committee discussed draft Executive amendments to add a new chapter 3 in relation to detention and conditions of excessive security. Margaret Jamieson (LAB) expressed concern over the timescale for detention in the draft amendment and said she was unhappy with the proposed six-month duration. Concern was also expressed that the amendment did not deal satisfactorily with the problem of those people who are being detained in places where the security is excessive for their situation. The Committee wants to see a statutory duty placed on bodies who have failed to make provision for people who are trapped in an inappropriate level of security.
The Committee discussed, also in private, hepatitis C.
This week the Committee considers subordinate legislation, and takes evidence from the OFT on its Report on Retail Pharmacies. The papers include a presentation from the OFT on their report.
Justice 1 Committee
Last week’s meeting considered a report on alternatives
to custody in private.
Justice 2 Committee
The most substantial item last week was evidence from Justice
Minister, Jim Wallace, on judicial appointments.
Discussion centred on the new Judicial Appointments Board, and
how much difference it would make in practice to the "old
boys network" within the judiciary. The Minister reiterated
his opposition to moves to make judges declare membership of
secret societies – a move which has been made in England.
Public Petitions Committee
New petitions before this week’s Committee include one
from Safeways plc to ask the Scottish Parliament to designate 25th
January a national holiday in honour of Robert Burns, others are
about the complaints procedure for sheltered accommodation and
for the Law Society of Scotland, the regulation of greyhound
racing, and the establishment of a Scottish Human Rights
Commission (from the James Connolly Society).
The Committee will consider a report into a petition on sewage sludge spreading, before considering current petitions on alcohol and drug abuse, further education, the use of doctor’s reports in court actions, wind farms, support for young people suffering from domestic abuse, transport issues (including the A96, buses, and the Borders Railway) the implementation of Alternative Medicine, and the Adults with Incapacity Act 2002.
Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm Committee
The Committee takes extra
evidence this week on emergency procedures, impact on radio and
radar transmissions, and the possibility of collisions.
Rural Development Committee
Having agreed an Affirmative Instrument on forestry,
Committee heard evidence from Rural Affairs Minister, Ross
Finnie, on the Decommissioning & Transitional Support SSIs
before their presentation to (and approval by) the
Parliament. The discussion followed predictable lines.
The Committee then moved on a little to consider a motion from Richard Lochead (SNP) proposing to bar the passing of the Days at Sea Restrictions Order. The Minister pointed out that in order to comply with international law it was necessary to pass this Instrument but that, even if it was not passed, fishermen would still technically be covered by the days at sea restrictions proposed by the EC and to annul the motion would be to flout EC regulations. Mr Lochead's motion was defeated, with SNP and Conservative members abstaining rather than voting in favour.
Standards Committee
Last week, the Committee
agreed a transitional direction to the Acting Standards
Commissioner, which will hand over complaints which were in
the process of being dealt with by the Standards Adviser to the
Commissioner.
Then, in private, the Committee considered a draft Committee Bill on Replacing the Members’ Interests Order.
Transport & the Environment
Committee
Subordinate legislation to prevent certain substances such as
corrosives going to landfill was discussed last week. John
Scott (CON) spoke against it on the grounds that the costs to
business of improving the treatment of waste are not acceptable.
Conservative members were also unhappy about another piece of
subordinate legislation which would allow local authority staff
to ask drivers to turn off idling engines to reduce air
pollution.
A petition inspired by odour pollution at a water treatment works in Edinburgh seems to have shown that controls are inadequate. This issue will return after the election.
Telecoms planning and the Carntyne incinerator were considered in private following recent evidence.
Deputy Social Justice Minister, Des McNulty, then gave evidence on the proposed National Planning Framework. Topics included decentralisation, environmental impact, and transport networks.
Other Committee Homepages:
Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill Committee
Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee
European Committee
Finance Committee
Local Government Committee
National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee
Procedures Committee
Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) Bill Committee
Social Justice Committee
Subordinate Legislation Committee
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