Equal Opportunities Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Official Report 406KB pdf

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Decisions on Taking Business in Private

Good morning and welcome to the seventh meeting in 2010 of the Equal Opportunities Committee. I remind all those present, including members, that mobile phones and BlackBerrys should be switched off, as they interfere with the sound system even if they are switched to silent. We have apologies from Christina McKelvie and we are pleased to welcome Shirley-Anne Somerville as her substitute. We also have apologies from Willie Coffey.

I welcome David McLaren, who has been appointed to the Equal Opportunities Committee as senior clerk on a permanent basis. David joins us from the Local Government and Communities Committee. We are delighted to have you, David. I also wish to record our thanks to Jim Johnston, who stepped into the breach on a temporary basis.

Item 1 is a decision on whether to take in private item 4, which is consideration of a summary of the evidence received on the committee’s scrutiny of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Are members agreed to take item 4 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Item 2 is a decision on whether to take in private item 5. The committee is also asked to decide whether its consideration of the main themes arising from the evidence heard on the Scottish Government’s budget strategy 2011-12, and a draft report on the strategy, should be taken in private at future meetings. Are members agreed to take that business in private?

Members indicated agreement.