I welcome Lloyd Quinan, who is a new member of the committee, and invite him to declare his interests.
Thank you, convener. I have no interests to declare.
We will arrange for Richard Lochhead to declare his interests at the next meeting.
As members will be aware, I used to be on the Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector Committee, which carried out inquiries into housing stock transfer and into my particular interest—drugs policy. I would like to keep an eye on a number of initiatives on drugs in various parts of Europe. I am also interested in variations in devolution and autonomy throughout the European Union. From non-member states, there is much talk of expanding the union, but there are marked developments in devolution and autonomy in member states. I would like the committee to look into those developments, focusing on the emergence of nations within rather than without the union.
You mentioned drugs. We have invited a member of the European Commission to address the committee on the Commission's drugs programme. It is our intention to invite members of other committees to attend, once we know when the Commission member is available. Your mention of drugs policy is a timely reminder to us to pursue that invitation.
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