Subordinate Legislation Committee, 11 Feb 2003
Meeting date: Tuesday, February 11, 2003
Official Report
135KB pdf
Conveners Group Legacy Paper
The next item is our consideration of the Conveners Group legacy paper. Members will notice that the paper mentions the time scales for subordinate legislation procedures. Lead committees have said that they can experience time pressures when scrutinising subordinate legislation or considering this committee's recommendations or observations on certain instruments.
We can all make such a complaint, which might have something to do with restrictions in dealing with subordinate legislation that have been imposed on us by the Parliament's standing orders. As a result, our legacy paper suggests that the Parliament needs to examine the way in which it deals with subordinate legislation.
We are being asked whether we think it advisable that, instead of having the 40-day limit, we should have a 60-day limit, which is what the Conveners Group is suggesting. The pressure on the committees is occasioned not simply by the amount of time that they have, but by the way in which things are structured, with cycles of meetings and so on.
I suggest that we do not tie ourselves to calling for a 60-day limit, but say that the 40-day limit is proving to be unsatisfactory and suggest that an extension be considered. Before another number of days is fixed, we should take account of the debates that have gone on in Westminster, because members there have already talked about the issue.
That is very unionist of you, convener.
Well, you know me—I am an independent, so I am allowed to cherry pick good ideas from wherever.
I do not know whether what I have suggested is a good idea. It is certainly a good idea that we do not continue to put ourselves under the pressure that we are under now, because we know that some stuff slips through without proper scrutiny. We also know that we have put a huge burden of work on the committee's clerks and advisers, who, as we have informed the Executive, have been asked to perform above and beyond the call of duty.
Do members agree with the suggestion that I have made?
Members indicated agreement.
In that case, I will suggest to the Conveners Group this afternoon a formal amendment to the procedures.