Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill Committee, 27 Apr 2005

Meeting date: Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Official Report 99KB pdf

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Item in Private

Good morning and welcome to the meeting. I remind everybody to switch off their mobile phones and pagers. We have received no apologies and the meeting is quorate.

Under agenda item 1, the committee must consider whether to take in private item 3, under which we will consider our approach to the preliminary stage of the bill, including timetabling of another oral evidence session and suggested topics and witnesses. The minutes of today's meeting, which will be published, will record any decisions that are taken in private. Do members agree to take item 3 in private?

What is your reasoning for the committee's taking item 3 in private? I am in favour of most items being taken in public.

It has been normal practice for us to take in private discussion of timetables, witnesses and our suggested approaches to future stages of the bill. All our decisions are, of course, recorded in the minutes.

So the reasoning is that it is probably not appropriate to discuss in public the merits or demerits of witnesses.

Yes.

Okay—I am happy with that.

Are members happy to take item 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.