Official Report 267KB pdf
I begin with action points from our previous meeting. I will work my way through them, and members can indicate to me whether they have comments.
I attended the meeting, but it largely tackled the objective 2 structural funds map and the Highlands and Islands. Because the objective 3 papers had not arrived in time, the topic was not covered. We are not the only committee that seems to get papers from the Executive at the last minute. The matter was not covered, but it is on the table and it will be addressed.
Will you attend the meeting when the matter is addressed?
I have asked the clerk of the European Committee to keep in touch with us and let us know, so that we can attend. I tried to e-mail Alex Neil, but I think that he was away in sunnier climes.
No, I was not.
Set the record straight, Alex.
Yes.
Yes.
The issue of Scottish Criminal Record Office checks will be returned to. It connects with the next point, which is that Karen Whitefield was appointed as the committee's reporter on voluntary sector issues. Karen will make a brief statement on her progress.
I was appointed to the role of reporter only at the previous meeting, and we did not clarify my role and responsibilities. I do not want to go off and do my own thing without consulting committee members.
Thank you. Does anyone have any points to raise?
I do not wish to prolong discussion of the matter, but how will the system of reporters work? How structured will the system be? I know that other committees have set up formal sub-working groups, chaired by reporters. That is the way in which reporters are keeping in touch with committee members. How will we operate? Do we have any clear guidelines?
No, we do not. I do not know whether the Parliament has clear guidelines. The guidelines are evolving through the work of the committees. I prefer that, so that the role of reporters fits our needs, rather than vice versa.
An outstanding action item from a previous meeting was to find out when the report on charity reform by the University of Abertay, Dundee would be available. It is a central issue for all voluntary organisations, so Karen Whitefield and the clerks should try to find out when the report will be available.
Part of the remit of the reporters will be to ensure that decisions that are made by the committee are addressed and that appropriate recommendations emerge. I ask reporters to trawl through the records to ensure that business is completed. The work programme will be updated for the next meeting. We will return to that issue.
Apparently the Local Government Committee wants some input as well.
I learned of that yesterday.
Roseanna attended the Parliamentary Bureau yesterday to discuss the backlog of bills in the Justice and Home Affairs Committee. It was made clear that the Local Government Committee wants an input. It is all getting quite complex.
I was told only two hours before the meeting of the Parliamentary Bureau that the matter would be raised. I have registered that we need to have more warning in future. It is likely that we will negotiate with the convener of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee and will share evidence equally with that committee. Many organisations want to be heard, and this committee is sympathetic to that.
We might hear evidence, then the other committee might hear the same evidence. We must not allow that to happen, particularly as the clock starts ticking as soon as the bill has been introduced. Something must happen within three months, otherwise the whole thing falls.
From what Ken Hughes told me yesterday evening, I understand that the bill will not necessarily have to keep to that three-month deadline. I will recommend that we pursue it immediately as there is a substantial amount of evidence to be heard, but the bill is not as hide-bound as other bills are because of the financial resolution.
Essentially, it is the Executive's bills that must be progressed within the three-month period. As I understand it, that is because they require a financial memorandum. Contrary to the advice that the sponsors of the bill were given, private bills, which, by definition, have no financial implications for the public purse, do not require a financial memorandum.
There is obviously some debate about that. I informed the committee of the most recent advice that I received.
The goalposts are portable.
Absolutely.
I will attend the next meeting of the Parliamentary Bureau to make sure that we are clear about the timetable.
There is potential for different aspects of the bill to be dealt with by different committees—I assume that the Local Government Committee is concerned about the effects on the recovery of council tax. We must keep a balanced view when questioning witnesses and ensure that only the aspects connected with our committee are reflected in the questions that we put. We must also ensure that the committees do not speak to the same witnesses.
Roseanna Cunningham said that she and the clerk of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee had drawn up a list of people from whom evidence would be taken. It is important that the committees take evidence from those who are for and those who are against the bill.
I have had discussions about that. I have a list of people, and we can talk about it later. We should take a balanced approach and share the responsibility with the Justice and Home Affairs Committee. The social inclusion sub-group will recommend that we tackle the bill in the context of debt and credit, as we would consider those issues anyway.
We should seek out organisations that we might want to hear from but which have not contacted us.
We have the right to do that. The Justice and Home Affairs Committee has advertised for organisations to give evidence, and the social inclusion group will probably do the same.
There has been a plethora in the past few days.
We will be hoist by our own petard on that.
On that point, have we had any response to the previous letters that we sent to the Executive?
Yes.
I understand that four of the social inclusion network reports are due for press release next week. It is essential that the committee receives them.
I received a letter at my constituency office and forwarded it to Martin Verity to circulate to the committee. Do you have the letter, Martin?
I have a copy of the letter here, and I can circulate it to the committee.
Have we had anything on the domestic violence announcement that was made earlier this week?
I do not think so.
That might go to the Equal Opportunities Committee. We need to seek clarification on that.
You whizzed quickly through bullet point 2 on the Scottish Criminal Record Office checks. The review committee is being set up, but it would be useful if we had a session on that soon.
I rushed through it because I expect that Karen will tell us when we can have the session. The reporters need to think that through. I ask Karen to remind us about that.
An outstanding item from a previous meeting is that we were to receive—from the Scottish Parliament information centre, I think—some sort of mapping exercise of all the social inclusion work that is going on among the public sector agencies in Scotland. We asked for it about three or four months ago and there does not seem to have been any progress.
May I check that and get back to you?
Yes.
Thank you.