Justice Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Official Report 330KB pdf

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Interests

Good morning. As the oldest committee member, it falls to me to chair the meeting for the first two items on today’s agenda. I welcome everyone to the first meeting of the Justice Committee in session 5. I remind everyone present to turn off mobile phones as they can interfere with the sound system. If members are using digital devices, which they are encouraged to do, those should be set to silent.

We have received apologies from Mary Fee MSP.

Item 1 on our agenda, declaration of interests, is to allow committee members to declare any interests that they have that are relevant to the committee’s work. Members have been provided with background information in a note from the clerk.

I start by declaring my own interests. There is nothing in my entry in the register of members’ interests to which I should draw members’ attention, but I take the opportunity to report that I have a close family member who is a police constable.

I invite members in turn to make their declaration of interests, starting with Margaret Mitchell.

I am a member of JUSTICE Scotland.

I have no registrable interests.

I have no registrable interests.

I have no registrable interests.

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a Moray councillor, I remain a member of Moray Council’s police and fire and rescue services committee, and my wife is a police sergeant in the Buckie local policing team.

I draw the committee’s attention to the fact that, before my election to Parliament, I was a solicitor practising with Brodies LLP, and I am still a member of the Law Society of Scotland.

I have no interests to declare.

As a former police officer, I am a member of the Highlands and Islands branch of the Retired Police Officers Association Scotland, and a police pensioner.

I am registered with the Scottish Social Services Council. I am also currently a councillor on North Lanarkshire Council and am on the community safety partnership.

Mary Fee will make a declaration at the first meeting that she attends.