Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill Committee, 28 Jun 2004

Meeting date: Monday, June 28, 2004

Official Report 60KB pdf

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Item in Private

First, I ask members to ensure that their phones are switched off.

Agenda item 1 is to consider whether to take item 2 in private, which will involve the committee considering its tendering options for the analysis of the outline business case, which has been received from the promoter. Can I have members' views?

I am one of those people who think that most items should be held in public if they can be. Unless there are really good reasons for taking items in private, the norm should be that we take them in public. However, I am open to the views of others if they think that there are extenuating circumstances.

I would prefer that the item be taken in private. I want to ask a number of questions, which I would prefer to be answered in private, about the three nominees who are listed in the paper.

With the exception of the shortlist of organisations for the tender, I am happy for the item to be taken in public. However, I would like that aspect to be taken in private. That is normal practice when we are talking about such issues.

Yes, it is normal when we are talking about tendering.

I would be happy for the rest of the item to be taken in public, but I do not know whether we can do it that way.

We record all our decisions in the minutes, even if we have a private meeting. Does that help?

We should just follow normal practice and take the item in private.

I am quite relaxed about it. The conversation could go a number of ways, so it would probably be easier to deal with it in private.

Yes. There are a number of issues that might stray, which could be difficult.

In that case, we move into private session. I ask members of the public, and official report and broadcasting staff to leave the room.

Meeting continued in private until 11:33.