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The clerks circulated to all members a letter from the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, Allan Wilson, in response to a petition on Scottish Natural Heritage. I said that I would bring up the matter and allow everyone to discuss it under the heading of my report. Are members comfortable discussing it now or would they prefer to defer that discussion until another time?
Can we defer it to the next meeting?
I support deferring it to the next meeting. A number of MSPs with a constituency interest were here the last time the matter was discussed, and I think that they would want the opportunity to be here when it is discussed again.
We asked for the letter and said that we would send it to the Finance Committee regardless, so we had already decided on a course of action for the response. Now that we have the response, I just wanted to give members the opportunity to discuss it. If members are happier to leave that discussion until a later date, I am relaxed about that.
I had forgotten that. Having been reminded of our decision, I am not so convinced that there is much value in our delaying passing it on to the Finance Committee.
It has already gone to the Finance Committee. Everyone has seen the letter, and it has gone to the committees that we said should receive copies. If members want to make any specific points in respect of the minister's reply, I suggest that they indicate to me before the next meeting that they have comments to make so that I can include the matter under my report. That way, everyone will have a chance to give their input.
That is eminently sensible. I believe that the Finance Committee considered the issue yesterday, so perhaps we could also have an update on those deliberations at our next meeting.
Are members agreed?
Meeting closed at 12:38.
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