[The Convener opened the meeting at 10:31]
I welcome members to the 17th meeting in 2005 of the Subordinate Legislation Committee. I have received apologies from Gordon Jackson, so I expect the remaining members—Murray Tosh and Adam Ingram—to arrive shortly.
I wish to raise a general point about Henry VIII powers and the committees' view—which the Executive has agreed with on numerous occasions—that the exercise of a Henry VIII power should be subject to the affirmative procedure, rather than the negative. There are a number of instances where the Executive has agreed with the committee and has lodged amendments accordingly. There has also been one occasion when that did not happen. Could we raise the issue with all bill teams? It would seem to make more sense to do things the other way round: the Executive should accept the affirmative procedure as the norm and should explain why it chooses to use the negative procedure on those occasions when it does that instead.
Yes. Are we all agreed on that?
I welcome Murray Tosh to the meeting. We have just been wishing Bruce Adamson well in his new role as legal and parliamentary officer with Scotland's commissioner for children and young people. This is his last meeting with the committee.
Good for him.
Congratulations and well done, Bruce.