Justice 2 Committee, 31 Oct 2001

Meeting date: Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Official Report 132KB pdf

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Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill

The next item is the Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill. We must consider whether to report to the Rural Development Committee on this legislation. There is no requirement on us to report. In fact, the Justice 1 Committee has decided not to do so. This committee may or may not take a contrary view.

I am slightly at a loss to know why we would want to consider this bill—not that it is not of interest. It is of interest and it is overdue, but I am not sure what legal aspects of the bill we might have to consider.

Any bill that creates significant new offences tends to get referred to the justice committees.

I am a member of the Rural Development Committee, so I have all the relevant papers. Wearing that hat, I do not immediately see that input from this committee is required, but I am sure that if the Rural Development Committee takes a different view, it will ask this committee for input. I suggest that we leave the issue on that basis.

Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Meeting adjourned.

On resuming—