Justice 2 Committee, 26 Jun 2001
Meeting date: Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Official Report
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Scottish Parliament Justice 2 Committee Tuesday 26 June 2001
[The Convener opened the meeting at 09:33]
Welcome to the 19th meeting of the Justice 2 Committee. We are—for the first time, I think—in committee room 2, which is one of the better facilities that we have used.
I remind everyone to switch their mobile phones and pagers off. I have turned mine off.
I confirm that the sound operator is happy that we can proceed. I have been asked to do that because we have sometimes started a bit too sharply.
I have received apologies from Margo MacDonald.
I have a few items to report to the committee. The committee has been designated a secondary committee for the Police and Fire Services (Finance) (Scotland) Bill by motion S1M-1990, which was agreed to on 6 June, because the bill falls within the remit of the Minister for Justice. The bill is short and straightforward. It is about carrying forward working balances at the end of each financial year with the consent of Scottish ministers up to a predetermined limit. The lead committee on that bill will be the Local Government Committee. The Finance Committee has also been designated a secondary committee.
Is the committee content to leave consideration of the bill to the Local Government Committee?
Members indicated agreement.
I take that as consent. We wish the Local Government Committee well with the bill.
For information, the stage 1 debate on the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Bill will take place on Thursday at 9.30 am. That is tomorrow morning.
No.
I have 9.30 written here.
Thursday is not tomorrow.
Oh sorry, this is Tuesday. You are right that the debate is not tomorrow.
I know that that bill is important to some members of the committee who served on the former Justice and Home Affairs Committee. They can note that the debate is on Thursday at 9.30 am.
I have one more item to report. The committee requested to visit Her Majesty's Prison Kilmarnock. We are in the process of setting that visit up. The clerks will be in touch to find out suitable dates.
Have our visits to procurators fiscal been finalised?
We will come to that later when we discuss how to proceed with our inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.