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Chamber and committees

Subordinate Legislation Committee, 18 Sep 2007

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 18, 2007


Contents


Scottish Government Responses


National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Amendment (No 2) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/390)

The Convener:

Last week we wrote to the Government on several matters. Members will recall that we asked if there were any plans to consolidate the principal regulations and we have received a response. As there are no comments, are we content to draw the attention of the lead committee and Parliament to the regulations on the ground that information was sought from and provided by the Scottish Government?

Members indicated agreement.


National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Scotland) Amendment (No 2) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/393)

The Convener:

The committee asked the Scottish Government whether it had any plans for consolidation given that this is the seventh amendment of the principal regulations. Members have seen the response. Are members content to draw the attention of the lead committee and Parliament to the regulations on the ground that the Scottish Government has indicated that it intends to consolidate when next making substantive amendment of the principal regulations for policy purposes?

Members indicated agreement.


Plant Protection Products (Scotland) Amendment (No 2) Regulations 2007 <br />(SSI 2007/410)

The Convener:

The committee's questions to the Scottish Government were about transparency, and we have seen the Government's response. Are we content to report that the committee is still concerned that transparency issues have not been adequately addressed?

Members indicated agreement.


Miscellaneous Food Additives and the Sweeteners in Food Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/412)

Am I in the right place?

Gillian Baxendine (Clerk):

Yes.

I would have members know that, since our last meeting, I have been to the optician to get some new specs made.

Is that off the record?

The Convener:

It is on the record now.

We asked the Scottish Government whether it had any plans for consolidation, given that this is the 17th amendment of the Miscellaneous Food Additives Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/3187) and the 11th amendment of the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/3123). Members have seen the Government's response and the legal brief. Are we content to draw the attention of the lead committee and Parliament to the regulations on the ground that that the Food Standards Agency Scotland considers that it would not be appropriate to undertake a consolidation exercise at this point since it is likely that implementation of anticipated European measures will require revocation of the principal regulations and a recasting of the transposition of this area of law?

Members indicated agreement.


Plant Health (Scotland) (Amendment) Order 2007 (SSI 2007/415)

The Convener:

We asked the Scottish Government why there was a delay in implementing European Council directives as indicated in the summary of recommendations. Members have seen the response. I am sure that they will have noticed that the two organisms covered by the directives have not been discovered in Scottish potatoes; that is a good thing and long may it continue to be the case.

Are members content to draw the order to the attention of the lead committee and Parliament on the ground that we sought and received from the Scottish Government an explanation that we consider to be reasonable in the circumstances?

Members indicated agreement.


Plant Health (Phytophthora ramorum) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2007 <br />(SSI 2007/416)

The Convener:

The committee asked the Scottish Government why there had been a delay in implementing European Commission decision 2007/201/EC, and, given that the decision increases the number of annual inspections to be carried out in relation to certain species during the growing season, how that obligation was to be met during 2007-08.

Members will have seen the response. The Scottish Government fairly and openly acknowledges the delay and offers the same explanation that we heard for the previous order. Are members content to draw the order to the attention of the lead committee and Parliament on the ground that we sought and received from the Scottish Government an explanation that we consider to be reasonable in the circumstances?

Members indicated agreement.