Contents
- Attendance
- Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
- European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
Human Tissue (Quality and Safety for Human Application) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations
Quality and Safety of Organs Intended for Transplantation (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations
Blood Safety and Quality (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations
We will now consider European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 measures. We have a further proposal from the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating, using the powers under the 2018 act, in relation to three statutory instruments.
Members will have seen the paper from the clerks, which notes that each set of regulations is identified by the Scottish Government as falling under category B. Most of the content is technical and minor, but involves matters about which we may wish to take evidence relating to the notification from the Scottish Government and, potentially, external stakeholders. Colleagues will recognise that the regulations relate to matters that we will consider in great detail after the October recess, so there is relevance there.
Joe FitzPatrick states in his letter that he requires a reply within 28 days—the 14 days of the recess are not included, so we have until 10 November. Although the Scottish Government’s paper reached members only on Friday, I suggested that we include it on today’s agenda to enable us to decide whether we want to obtain evidence before approving the proposal or otherwise.
I have looked at the suggestions about writing to people or bringing them in to answer questions. I am quite concerned about the contents of the regulations, which relate to human tissue, blood and transplants. I will not go into the whole thing, as that is for questioning, but it is imperative that we have an evidence session. We are considering things that have far-reaching consequences.
Those points are certainly relevant, but we do not have to make that judgment today. All we need to decide today is whether we agree to write to the parties with the most interest in the regulations. At our first meeting after the October recess, when we will have their replies, we can decide whether that information is enough or whether we want to take further evidence.
What flex does our work plan have, should we decide to take such evidence?
There is a little. After the October recess, we will run into the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill, which is pertinent in the sense that the regulations clearly relate to it. Given that convergence, a half-hour session is possible, if we feel that that is needed on the basis of the evidence. I suspect that we should obtain written evidence before coming to a view on that. Do members agree to issue correspondence to the organisations that are mentioned in the clerks’ paper, and to return to the matter to consider the responses at our meeting immediately after the October recess?
Members indicated agreement.
Thank you very much.
11:30 Meeting continued in private until 12:03.