Transport and the Environment Committee, 29 Mar 2000

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 29, 2000

Official Report 130KB pdf

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Concessionary Travel Inquiry

Agenda item 4 is the concessionary travel inquiry. We should consider the possible terms of reference for our inquiry. As members know, the process has been fairly truncated. At the previous meeting of the committee, the minister said that she is unable to meet the committee's request that the Executive's research into concessionary travel consider the broader aspects and concessionary groups that we want to be included. Committee members all have a copy of the minister's written response.

Following discussion, we agreed that we would seek written evidence from a range of groups that are not covered by the Executive's proposed research. We have compiled a fairly long list of organisations. I would not want to reduce that list until the committee has offered me its views on the number and nature of organisations that it wants to include. There may be other organisations that we have not included, which members may want to include.

Today, I would like us to agree the proposed terms of reference, which are fairly narrowly defined, and from which concessionary groups we want to take evidence. We also need to agree the questions that the organisations will be asked to comment on, on what the issues should be, and on the timing of the various stages of the inquiry. Today's discussion will therefore focus on the mechanics of the process. Let us target the inquiry a bit more, to allow us to get on with the consultation process. We should also agree on how we will respond if the Executive reports over the summer recess.

Those are the issues that we should address this morning. Do members have any views on the matter?

The groups from which you propose to take evidence are good, and I support the proposals. If the Executive reports during the summer, perhaps we should think about convening a special meeting to consider it. I would be willing to attend such a meeting. The timing that is suggested seems plausible, and I support the proposal.

I would like to add adults with learning disabilities to the list of groups that should be consulted.

Would that group not come under the heading of socially excluded people?

We have had a lobby from them.

Thanks very much. I take it that the committee is broadly comfortable with the terms of reference that are proposed in the document. Helen has suggested that a special meeting be potentially convened to deal with the Executive's report. If that is necessary we will discuss whether it is appropriate to have that meeting in the recess. If the committee wants a meeting, we will have a meeting, but if the matter can be addressed by other means—electronic or otherwise—we will address it in that way. That will depend on the decision of committee members.

We have a fairly long list of organisations to contact. I hope that members are aware of the length of the list. The committee is comfortable with the specific questions and issues that have been outlined in the document. Are there any other comments?

There could be concerns from ethnic minority organisations about asylum seekers.

The Scottish Refugee Council is on the list for consultation.

Sorry. I did not notice.

The only other organisation that I can think of is the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance. I have attended a couple of its meetings, and it would be good to include it in our list.

That is a fair comment. The Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance—SATA for the hard of spelling—will be included. As there are no other comments on the report, I take it that committee members are happy with the proposed approach.