Health and Sport Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Official Report 369KB pdf

---

Subordinate Legislation

---

National Health Service (Superannuation Scheme and Pension Scheme) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2013 (SSI 2013/70)

Good morning and welcome to the ninth meeting in 2013 of the Health and Sport Committee. As usual, I remind all members and members of the public to turn off their mobile phones, BlackBerrys and other wireless devices, because they interfere with the sound system.

The first item on our agenda is consideration of three Scottish statutory instruments. No motions to annul have been lodged on SSI 2013/70, and the Subordinate Legislation Committee has not drawn the regulations to Parliament’s attention. Do members have any comments on the regulations?

The regulations have been debated and discussed and are certainly going to come into force. However, I want to note that the substantial increases in pension contributions are not absolutely necessary in maintaining the NHS scheme, but the United Kingdom Government has insisted on the money for the purposes of deficit reduction.

I also feel that the increases represent an unreasonable burden on part-time workers. After all, a half-time worker who earns between £21,176 and £26,557 at the full-time rate faces a further 0.3 per cent increase in their pension contributions this year, while a full-time worker on £15,000 will not have their contributions increased. The unfairness in the measures will affect women in particular, and their rather discriminatory nature suggests that equality has not been taken into account.

I am not, of course, blaming the Scottish Government. It has power in this respect, but I acknowledge that it would have been punished had it changed the UK Government’s proposals. I simply record that using pension funds for deficit reduction is another illustration of how we are suffering as a result of the banking crisis and the extraordinary situation that we are in because of the banks. The consequences are being paid for by everyone—including those who earn less than the national average.

My comment might be a little bit political, but I note that the current situation is not entirely down to the banking crisis. The previous Government bears a degree of guilt.

Members have no other comments. Does the committee agree to make no recommendations on SSI 2013/70?

Members indicated agreement.

---

Food (Miscellaneous Amendment and Revocation) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 (SSI 2013/83)

No motion to annul has been lodged on the regulations, and the Subordinate Legislation Committee has not drawn them to Parliament’s attention. Members have no comments to make. Does the committee agree to make no recommendations on SSI 2013/83?

Members indicated agreement.

---

Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 (SSI 2013/84)

No motion to annul has been lodged on the regulations, and the Subordinate Legislation Committee has not drawn them to Parliament’s attention. Members have no comments. Does the committee agree to make no recommendations on SSI 2013/84?

Members indicated agreement.