Scottish Parliament Justice and Home Affairs Committee Tuesday 14 November 2000 (Morning)
[The Convener opened the meeting at 10:00]
First, I give Michael Matheson's apologies and remind members and myself to turn off mobile phones and anything else that makes a loud noise.
I apologise for the need to revise the agenda. We had expected the Executive to make the bill on compliance with convention rights available this morning. Members should have received copies to allow us to talk to officials about it, but, unfortunately, the bill will be delayed for more than a week. We will be sent a letter setting out the reasons for the delay, which will be circulated to members as soon as it is received. We were also expecting the title conditions bill, but now that is not expected to be introduced until after the summer recess. Later, I will talk about what we might do to fill any gaps that might arise in our timetable in the next few weeks.
We have had early notification that Clive Fairweather, Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons for Scotland, will inspect Cornton Vale prison from 21 to 25 May next year and is looking for members to accompany him. Although he can take up to four members on one day, he has said that he would prefer to take one or two members over a set of days. It would help if anybody who was interested and available to visit Cornton Vale gave their name to the clerk after the meeting.
We will now start with the formal agenda.
Before we do that, it is worth noting the disappointment that is felt about the late arrival of the convention rights bill. Given the confusion that incorporation of the European convention on human rights has thrown into the arguments, the delay is not surprising. I imagine that the process will be delayed for a considerable time.
You may well be right, Phil. I could not possibly comment.
The first item on the agenda concerns item 4, which is discussion of the draft report on the proposed protection from abuse bill. Do we agree to take that in private, in line with our normal procedure?
Members indicated agreement.