Justice and Home Affairs Committee, 29 Mar 2000

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 29, 2000

Official Report 204KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

We have two negative instruments from the Subordinate Legislation Committee: the Police Grant (Scotland) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/73) and the Charities (Exemption from Accounting Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations (SSI 2000/49). There are notes from the clerks on these.

I am not suggesting that we should lodge a motion to annul the present police grant order, which sets the funding for financial year 2000-01. However, I am aware that there are issues of police funding in Scotland that are particularly relevant to some police forces. Recently, it has been suggested that Lothian and Borders Police should be treated differently because of issues relating to city policing.

I suggest that we defer consideration of SSI 2000/73 until next week. That would allow members to think about whether there are issues that they want to raise concerning the order and give them a chance to contact police authorities for their views. It would also give the committee an opportunity to talk about police issues in more general terms, instead of rushing the order through today. Are members happy to defer consideration of the order until next week?

Given that under the order police funding is due to commence in April, will a delay in our considering it cause a problem with the first payments, which are to take place around 15 April?

No. Unless we lodge a motion to annul, there will be no delay. I have suggested that we defer consideration of the instrument because today's meeting is not an appropriate time to debate it. This is not about annulling the order, but about allowing it to trigger a 20-minute or 30-minute discussion of police funding. Are members happy that we should do that? The order will be on next week's agenda.

Members indicated agreement.

The second instrument to be considered is SSI 2000/49. The amendment regulations concerning exemption from accounting requirements for charities were also referred to the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee, which has indicated that it does not wish to make any recommendation to us. As far as I can see, the instrument deals with a technical issue and I suggest that we simply note it. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.