Rural Development Committee, 20 Nov 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Official Report 274KB pdf

---

Subordinate Legislation

---

Abolition of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce (Consequential Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 (SSI 2001/390)

Agenda item 1 is consideration of two items of subordinate legislation under the negative procedure.

The Subordinate Legislation Committee considered the Abolition of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce (Consequential Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 in its 40th report, a copy of which members have received. Members should also have received correspondence from the Executive, which was e-mailed this morning, and a response from the clerk to the Subordinate Legislation Committee, which we received very late in the day. It is fair to say that there has been a communications mix-up in dealing with the instrument, both between committees and between committees and the Executive. This is the last day on which we can determine the fate of the instrument.

I have considered the papers closely and am absolutely satisfied that the difficulties that were referred to by the Subordinate Legislation Committee are of a purely technical nature, and that they need not unduly concern this committee. Are members content with the instrument?

Can I ask whether the new agency is simply the same agency with a different name?

You can, but I am not sure that you should ask me. The people to ask would be the officials who deal with the statutory instrument. However, I believe that to be the case.

Would it be out of order for me to ask the minister, who is present today, if that is the case?

Procedurally, I think that it would be out of order, as we have not asked the Executive to give evidence on the matter. I suspect that the minister would not be happy about answering your question today. I know that I would not be happy if I were her.

I would not be prepared to give evidence on the instrument today.

Members have had the instrument before them for some time and have had sufficient opportunity to comment on it. I understand what Jamie McGrigor was asking about, and the answer to his question is yes, anyway.

Which question?

The one that you were going to ask the minister.

I am absolutely satisfied that the problems with SSI 2001/390 are purely technical. Are members content with the instrument?

Yes.

---

Fish Health Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2001 (SSI 2001/409)

Are members also content with the Fish Health Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2001 (SSI 2001/409)?

Yes.