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Item 4 is consideration of paper LGC/S3/10/14/4, on the European Commission’s work programme. We need to discuss a number of issues. We want to identify areas of the Commission’s work with which we want to engage during the remainder of the parliamentary session.
As you would expect, I am interested in how the European nations are dealing with pressures to do with housing demand. Other countries do not rely as much as we do on private house building and perhaps have not suffered in the way that we have done as a result of the recession.
No, this is just a round-table discussion. Nobody is defending anything here. For every one of these things, we have two days—that is all.
It would be interesting to know more about what our partners in Europe are doing to
I presume that the committee agrees that, as we have previously done some work on these areas, they are clearly of interest to us.
Additionally—to go off at a slight tangent—on employability and employment, one of the biggest employers in many parts of Scotland is the local authority. There is a debate to be had about procurement and the role of European legislation in the constraints that are placed on local authorities, if we believe some of the fears of people who are against local procurement. It might be interesting to touch on that debate, if we can.
I think that the subjects are ideal for us to look at, convener. When the visit is planned, we will know what developments have taken place in Greece, Portugal and Spain and how the European Commission and the Parliament are going to try to tackle some of the issues. This committee is clearly close to those subjects and can examine where the Government is going. However, if we go on a visit, I make a plea about the time we spend. I participated in a visit when I was on the Justice Committee, and I felt that it was a whirlwind visit. We never really got into some of the real issues and how the Commission and the Parliament were developing them. If we go on a visit, we should try to timetable it so that we have some meaningful engagement on the policies that are being promoted by Europe.
You are racing ahead a wee bit. I need to try to get through points 1 to 3 in the briefing paper. We are still on the issue of identifying areas. Do you want to say more on that, Bob?
I will leave it at that.
Okay. We move then to where John Wilson was. If members are interested in the social inclusion process—and there is obviously an interest there—we need to decide whether we would wish to visit Brussels with a view to engaging in that process.
The no-brainer thing to say would be yes, but I just have two caveats to make sure. First, we need to be quite clear where any money would come from for the committee to go to Brussels. If it would come from our budget, the answer should be no, because we can find other ways of discussing with our European partners. If it is not coming from this Parliament’s budget, then I would be a little bit more relaxed about it. Secondly, to echo John Wilson’s point, if we go on a visit to Brussels, it is imperative that when we are there we deal with the issues at a complex level, which would mean ensuring that we had support, information and a full briefing before we went there, so that we do not get a cursory glance at discussions but have more in-depth discussion about what is happening elsewhere. Those are the two pitfalls to avoid, should we decide to go ahead.
It is just as well to raise that at this point. It is likely that, other than incidental expenses that may transpire, we would not have to fund the flights, accommodation and so on—I think that I am correct in saying that. Obviously, I do not know about having two full days there on the Monday and Tuesday. I do not know whether we could travel a wee bit earlier or whatever. Of course, Wednesday morning, when we might travel back, is usually a committee morning. I do not know whether we would travel on that day—it depends on discussions.
I have the great pleasure of being a member of the European and External Relations Committee, and my experience of dealing with the EU at all its levels is that it can best be dealt with there. The European office over there is good at bringing in a range of people and setting up sessions in which issues can be discussed. The European and External Relations Committee has tried to have discussions by videoconference, but they are not as successful. It is much better to be there, and people appreciate our being there. If such visits can be fitted in, they will give a much better sense of what the European Union feels like as an institution. It is worth while for parliamentary committees to go to and engage with Brussels. That shows seriousness about the issues.
Okay. We will take that on board.
We will now go into private session.
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