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Chamber and committees

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee report on The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Gender Representation on Public Boards) (Scotland) Regulations 2023

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Introduction

  1. The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Gender Representation on Public Boards) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 [draft] was laid before Parliament on 16 March 2023 and is subject to the affirmative procedure. The draft instrument was referred to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee for consideration.

  1. It is for the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee to recommend to the Scottish Parliament whether the Regulations should be approved. The former Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth MSP, lodged motion S6M-08262 which recommended the Committee approve the Regulations.

  1. The instrument pertains to the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (hereafter 'the Board'). The function of the Board is to advise Scottish Ministers on matters relating to the arrangements and technology of a new ticketing and payment services being used by the Scottish Government called smart ticketing.

  1. The Policy Note accompanying the instrument says its purpose is to add the Board to a list of public sector boards set out in the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 required to consider gender representation in appointing candidates. Under this legislation, a duty is placed on public authorities to seek to ensure 50% of non-executive members of their boards are women.

  1. A related negative instrument, The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Scotland) Regulations 2023 (SSI 2023/080), formally establishes the Board and its core functions. The Committee considered this instrument on the same day that it considered the instrument the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Gender Representation on Public Boards) (Scotland) Regulations 2023, and agreed to make no recommendation in relation to it.

Consideration by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform (DPLR) Committee

  1. At its meeting on 18 April 2023, the Committee considered the instrument and determined that it did not need to draw the attention of the Parliament to the instrument on any grounds within its remit.

    Read the Official Report – 18 April 2023.

  1. In its report published 19 April 2023, the Committee noted 2 related points for the lead committee's consideration—

    • “The Committee noted that this instrument, which makes the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board subject to the requirements of the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018, will come into force two weeks after the Board itself is established; and

    • that the Scottish Government has given the Committee an assurance that it does not intend to make any appointments to the Board until the Parliamentary process for this instrument is complete.”

Consideration by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

  1. At its meeting on 2 May 2023, the NZET Committee took evidence on the draft Regulations from—

    • Kevin Stewart, Minister for Transport, Scottish Government;

    • Natalie Barton, Solicitor, Transport Scotland; and

    • George Beale-Pratt, Smart Policy Manager, Transport Scotland.

  1. The evidence taken and debate held at that meeting regarding this instrument can be found in the Official Report.

    Read the Official Report from 2 May 2023.

  1. In his opening remarks, the Minister explained that adding the Board to the list of public authorities obligated to deliver gender-balanced public boards would help address a historic and persistent under-representation of women in public life and in the transport sector.

  1. The Committee asked what remuneration is offered to members of the Board for their services. The Minister said the Scottish Government would review the issue of remuneration with respect to appointments to the Board and committed to share this information with the Committee.

  1. Members asked if additional payments would be paid by the Scottish Government to assist appointees with childcare needs. The Minister responded that this was an issue the Scottish Government would explore to understand how they could best support those with caring responsibilities.

  1. The Committee questioned whether bringing forward Regulations establishing the Board without first considering how remunerations would be determined was appropriate. The Minister said this was not an unusual approach. He said that the legislation sets out that the Scottish Government will pay remuneration for expenses incurred by members of the Board in undertaking their roles.

  1. Following the conclusion of evidence taking, the Minister moved motion S6M-08262 in the name of Jenny Gilruth—

    That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Gender Representation on Public Boards) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 [draft] be approved.

  1. The motion was agreed to without debate or division.

Conclusion

The Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (Gender Representation on Public Boards) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 [draft] be approved.