Official Report 202KB pdf
Next on our agenda is the appointment of reporters. We are looking for a member of this committee to attend the Health and Community Care Committee when it considers the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill, and for a member to attend the Social Justice Committee—formerly the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee—when it considers the Housing (Scotland) Bill.
Interest in attending the Social Justice Committee has been expressed by two members: Michael McMahon and Kenny Gibson. I do not know whether both would still like to attend that committee.
I am willing to wrestle for it, if Michael McMahon is up for it.
If you are both willing, the only option for us is to vote on it. We can appoint only one reporter.
Kenny Gibson might favour the more physical way, but I, being a democrat, would prefer a vote on the matter.
Michael McMahon may think that he has more chance in that type of competition than in the other.
I thought that decisions were reached by consensus in this committee, not by voting.
We rarely have a vote.
We did that for the first 13 months, but I am trying to liven things up a bit.
Just as I arrive.
Come back quickly, Trish Godman. I should have explained that apologies have been received from Trish Godman, which is why I am in the chair today. She will be absent for several weeks, while we consider these two bills.
When the third meeting of that committee is held, I shall be in Dublin, representing this committee, so I would be unable to attend all three meetings. It would not be appropriate for me to act as a reporter if I missed a third of the meetings.
We may have to divide that role in any case. Michael, do you still want to volunteer for the Social Justice Committee?
I was under the impression that the committees met at the same time.
No. They meet on separate days. The Social Justice Committee meeting will be on the Wednesday and we come back on the Tuesday night. The Health and Community Care Committee will meet on the Tuesday morning.
The Health and Community Care Committee meeting is on 30 January and the Social Justice Committee meeting is on 31 January.
To be honest, I must have misread my e-mail. I understood that the meetings were taking place at the same time. I assumed that it would be impossible to go to both and I examined only the social justice side of the issue. I have given no consideration to the health issues. In the light of that, I would rather be the reporter to the Social Justice Committee.
I think that we must have a vote.
What will we vote on?
We will vote on which of you will be the reporter.
I hoped that Michael McMahon would agree to go to the Health and Community Care Committee, which would allow me to go to the Social Justice Committee. If Michael goes to the Social Justice Committee, we have no one who is able to attend the other committee.
We will deal with that separately. Keith Harding has expressed an interest in going to some of those meetings, but he is unable to attend the third one as he will be in Dublin. We might be able to find someone else to attend that one.
Go on, Iain, now is your chance.
I will be in Dublin as well, so I am in the same boat as the rest of you.
I will not be in Dublin, so I could fill in for Keith at the third meeting.
I would much prefer to do that. As I said, that is the only one that I had considered.
That is the only option that I have.
We will have a vote.
No.
There will be a division.
For
The result of the division is: For 3, Against 2.
No.
There will be a division.
For
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 3.