Before we can go we have to finish on two brief items, which we had to defer from our previous meeting. Item 2 is on justice and home affairs in Europe. I remind members that a note has been circulated and I ask them whether they wish to take action at this stage. We can await the publication of the European Union white paper on divorce and thereafter consider action regarding proposals or seek an update from the Scottish Executive on its plans for implementation of the obligation in the European Council regulations on mutual recognition of judgments on divorce and parental responsibility. We could do a range of things. Do members have general comments?
It would be useful to find out what the Executive's plans are.
If we ask for an update on all the matters that are set out in the note by the clerk, we will be able to make a judgment about which we need to prioritise.
It would be useful if we could in the future pick up on a white paper that is coming out of the European Commission. We could follow it through its formative stages and feed our views and concerns into the process. I think that the time to get in there is when the Commission publishes its white papers, rather than green papers, although I am not entirely sure. Perhaps we can have that clarified. There is a need for us to try to follow through a Commission proposal and feed into the process.
So you would be happy to agree to write to the Executive to ask for its response to the proposal on alternative dispute resolution.
Yes.
I do not know whether members had a chance to read our draft response to the Commission, which addresses Michael Matheson's point about getting in there quickly. I suggest that if members have points to add, they let Alison Walker know by the close of play tomorrow.