Health and Sport Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Official Report 329KB pdf

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European Union Legislative Proposals (Reporter)

Item 3 is consideration of a paper from the clerk on the appointment by the committee of a European Union reporter, who will take part in the pilot of a new procedure for the consideration of EU legislative proposals. The role of the reporter in the pilot is to undertake the initial review of such proposals and accompanying explanatory memoranda with the convener. In the review, the reporter and the convener will prioritise legislative proposals that should be subject to further scrutiny by the committee and will identify those on which no further action should be taken.

The paper also provides an update on the European Commission’s work programme for 2011 and an update on recent developments relating to the EU’s cross-border health directive, and it invites the committee to incorporate its views into its legacy paper for session 3. Do members have any comments on the issues that are raised? The relevant paper is paper 2.

I have just one observation to make. It does not seem to be mentioned in the paper on the Commission’s work programme that the Belgian presidency of the EU has declared that musculoskeletal diseases and rheumatoid arthritis, in particular, will be a priority for the work that is done during its presidency. I draw that to the committee’s attention, because I feel that it is important. As a nation, we need to do more and more work in that area.

Are there any other comments?

On page 10 of paper 2, annex B deals with the cross-border health directive. It says at the bottom of that page:

“Rare diseases shall be defined as”.

Can anyone enlighten me as to why the definition of rare diseases has been mentioned in the context of the brokerage of a deal? No explanation of that is given. Has specific agreement been reached on the movement of EU citizens to other countries for the treatment of rare diseases? Could we ask that?

Yes. Your question is now on the record and we will get the answer to it for next week.

That is great—that is all that I wanted to know. Thank you.

I do not know the answer to that, and I would be interested to find out what it is.

I am pleased to note that it seems that the cross-border health directive will probably be ratified in March and that the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament have reached agreement on the matter. That is very much to be welcomed. I gather from speaking to Catherine Stihler on Saturday that prior approval and authority is the key part that has been incorporated into the proposed agreement. I am sure that that is to be welcomed by all the member states. The United Kingdom certainly pushed for that.

I refer to the recommendations in paragraph 20 on page 4 of paper 2. The committee has been vocal in gaining information about and participating in the work on the cross-border health directive. Although there are only around three and a half months until the election and none of us knows whether we will be back as MSPs, far less as members of this committee—

I will not be.

With the honourable exception of Ian McKee.

You will not be back, Ian. I appreciate that. We should not, however, miss this opportunity. I nominate Helen Eadie to act as EU reporter for the time that we have left until the election and a new health committee is set up. She has taken an incredible interest in European matters and is well up to date on them. We should at least have a contact in the Parliament in case there are other issues before the election—Richard Simpson mentioned rare diseases. Obviously, the new health committee will consider who it wishes to appoint, but I would not like there to be no EU reporter for the next three months.

I know that that nomination was made with very good intent, and that it has nothing to do with the fact that Mary Scanlon and Helen Eadie sit next to each other and that undue influence has not been exerted.

I did ask Helen Eadie’s permission.

I am happy to second that nomination. Helen Eadie has shown tremendous interest in European matters, and she would be diligent in pursuing matters further.

I think that Mary Scanlon and Ian McKee speak for us all. Helen Eadie has rightly been determined to bring to our attention the issue that has been raised.

Do members agree that Helen Eadie should act as the committee’s EU reporter?

Members indicated agreement.

We might need reports in two languages.

That is wicked.

What did Ross Finnie say?

He said sotto voce that you will be required to report in two languages. You can do so in broad Fife; that will count. You sort him out.

I thank members. I am fully conscious of the responsibility that I have been given, but I am also conscious of what Mary Scanlon said. I hope to be back, God and the electors willing.

Does God have a vote in Fife?

Of course. Did you not know that Fife is heaven? Heavenly Fife.

Let us calm down. The meeting is disintegrating somewhat.

I will check the electoral register when I get home.

I do not know what is in the tea and coffee today.

I am delighted that Helen Eadie has been nominated to act as the committee’s EU reporter.

Do members agree to note the European officer’s analysis of the Commission’s work programme for the committee?

Members indicated agreement.

Do members agree to incorporate the committee’s views on the Commission’s work programme into the forthcoming legacy paper?

Members indicated agreement.

Do members agree to note the recent developments on the cross-border health directive?

Members indicated agreement.

We have additional questions about that.

Do members agree to highlight the cross-border health directive in the forthcoming legacy paper?

Members indicated agreement.