Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee, 27 Oct 1999

Meeting date: Wednesday, October 27, 1999

Official Report 267KB pdf

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Correspondence

We regularly receive letters. I suggest that they be referred to committee members who have taken on responsibilities that are relevant to the correspondence. We are running out of time now, but we need to have a discussion on the role of reporters. I wanted to make one or two recommendations. For example, reporters should pick up correspondence and make recommendations to the committee.

It is important that reporters liaise with representatives of all the political parties prior to committee meetings, because the role of the reporter is not to be the only person working on a topic. In my view, the reporter's role is to be a co-ordinator, which is the role that seems to be taking shape in this committee. If members are taking on the roles of reporter or of convener of the ad hoc groups, I expect them to liaise with representatives of the political parties so that people are involved in decision making. If there is a disagreement, it should come to this committee so that we can deal with it: the matter should not be dealt with by a smaller group. Therefore, if we were going to pass on an item of correspondence which asked us to visit somewhere, or make a decision, or if it raised an urgent issue, the reporter would consider it, liaise on the matter and, when appropriate, bring it to the attention of the committee. That would ensure that we do not get bogged down.

It might be useful, particularly as we are running out of time, if Martin Verity could produce a written remit for reporters on one side of an A4 sheet of paper, and we can discuss that.

Yes. At our next meeting we will have the Scottish social inclusion network action reports, we will report on the progress and contents of the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Bill concerning warrant sales and we will deal with items of business that have emerged from our discussions. Karen Whitefield will report on the Scottish Criminal Record Office checks and the report from the University of Abertay, Dundee, and next week we will hear from the social inclusion action teams. Scottish Homes will send us more papers. John McAllion will ensure that they are given to the committee. We will return to the issue of the timetable and at the next meeting we will have a paper on reporters.

It is one minute to half-past 12. What a life. Thank you.

Meeting closed at 12:29.