Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Official Report 287KB pdf

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Hybrid Bills Process

Agenda item 4 is on the hybrid bills process. The Forth Crossing Bill Committee published a report entitled “1st Report 2011: Observations on Hybrid Bill Procedure in the Scottish Parliament”. The report included suggested improvements to the procedures relating to hybrid bills. A summary of the issues is attached at annex A of paper 3.

How do members wish to take the matter forward? Do you wish to consider the issues that were raised by the Forth Crossing Bill Committee in readiness for any hybrid bills that might be introduced in the future? We do not expect any hybrid bills in the next session of Parliament, but we might be as well to be prepared for future hybrid bills. Obviously, we can learn from the Forth Crossing Bill process and the committee’s report on it—everything is in there.

Do members agree that as a first step we write to the Scottish Government seeking its comments on the report, then consider its response and decide how to take the matter forward?

Members indicated agreement.

14:42 Meeting continued in private until 14:49.