Scrutiny
We move to the scrutiny of documents. On page 1 of the package of documents for scrutiny, you will see that there are no documents for priority scrutiny, and on page 2 you will see that there are no documents for referral to other committees.
Page 3 contains a list of documents on which we await information. I suggest that we defer decision on these documents, although the clerk will speak about document SP 1582 (EC Ref No COM(2000) 574).
There has been correspondence over the past month on document SP 1582, which relates to health rules on animal by-products not intended for human consumption. Members will recall that this regulation was proposed in the EC's white paper on food safety.
The key issue that we have identified is that it is proposed to prohibit recycling certain animal by-products—dead and condemned animal material—into the feed chain. Members should look at pages 4 to 8 of the legal briefing notes—document EU/01/01/4. The explanatory memorandum that has been provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shows that the UK Government has noted that a potential impact of the proposed regulation is a ban on burial in all circumstances and that that is not practical. The Government has asked for derogation from that aspect of the regulation, particularly for remote areas and for emergency disease situations.
We wrote to the Scottish Executive to ask whether it shared the UK Government's concern about that aspect of the regulation and its impact on rural areas. Members will see on page 8 of the legal briefing notes that the Scottish Executive recognises that derogation is the best way forward.
Our recommendation is set out in the second and third bullet points on page 8. We recommend that the committee should continue to interact with the Scottish Executive on this document and ask for further information on the proposed line of argument for requesting a derogation and on any contingency plans for the worst-case scenario if no such derogation can be secured. We are thinking about farmers on islands in particular, who might have to take dead cattle to the mainland and so incur costs that are arguably excessive. We are asking the Executive to keep members informed of developments in this area.
Are there any comments? Does the committee agree to the recommendation, taking into account what the clerk has said?
Members indicated agreement.
The recommendation is that we defer decision on the other documents on page 3:
SP 1586 (EC Ref No 12646/00 COM(2000) 573 final)
SP 1622 (EC Ref No 13075/00 COM(2000) 627 final)
SP 1671 (EC Ref No 13394/00 COM(2000) 724 final)
SP 1693 (EC Ref No 13289/00)
SP 1702 (EC Ref No 13635/00 COM(2000) 694 final)
SP 1707 (EC Ref No Brussels 8/11/2000 COM(2000) 716 final)
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
It is recommended that no further action be taken on SP 1649 (EC Ref No 12629/00 COM(2000) 653 final), but that we copy it to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee. Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
It is recommended that no further action be taken on the documents on pages 5 to 10:
SP 1669 (EC Ref No 13238/00 COM(2000) 670 final)
SP 1699 (EC Ref No 13847/00 COM(2000) 746 final)
SP 1640 (EC Ref No 13374/00 COM(2000) 707 final)
SP 1641 (EC Ref No 13369/00 COM(2000) 709 final)
SP 1642 (EC Ref No 13371/00 COM(2000) 711 final)
SP 1643 (EC Ref No 13358/00 COM(2000) 700 final)
SP 1644 (EC Ref No 12629/00 ADD 1 SEC(2000) 1826)
SP 1645 (EC Ref No 13396/00 COM(2000) 725 final)
SP 1646 (EC Ref No 12868/00 COM(2000) 721 final)
SP 1647 (EC Ref No 13589/00 COM(2000) 737 final)
SP 1648 (EC Ref No 12763/00 COR 1 COM(2000) 690 final 2)
SP 1650 (EC Ref No 13527/00 COM(2000) 722 final)
SP 1651 (EC Ref No 13412/00 SEC(2000) 1813 final)
SP 1652 (EC Ref No 13255/00 COM(2000) 693 final 2000/0135 (CNS))
SP 1653 (EC Ref No 13242/00 COM(2000) 696 final)
SP 1654 (EC Ref No 13059/00 COM(2000) 680 final)
SP 1655 (EC Ref No Brussels 18/10/2000 SEC(2000) 1717 final)
SP 1656 (EC Ref No Brussels 22/11/2000 COM(2000) 757 final)
SP 1657 (EC Ref No 13420/00 COM(2000) 507 final COD 2000/0260)
SP 1658 (EC Ref No 13021/00 COM(2000) 687 final)
SP 1659 (EC Ref No 12794/00 COM(2000) 699 final)
SP 1660 (EC Ref No 12822/00 COM(2000) 717 final)
SP 1661 (EC Ref No 13366/00 COM(2000) 702 final)
SP 1662 (EC Ref No 13368/00 COM(2000) 705 final)
SP 1663 (EC Ref No 13373/00 COM(2000) 704 final)
SP 1664 (EC Ref No 13377/00 COM(2000) 712 final)
SP 1665 (EC Ref No 13375/00 COM(2000) 701 final)
SP 1666 (EC Ref No 13491/00)
SP 1667 (EC Ref No 13378/00 COM(2000) 713 final)
SP 1668 (EC Ref No 13376/00 COM(2000) 703 final)
SP 1670 (EC Ref No 13379/00 COM(2000) 714 final)
SP 1672 (EC Ref No 13188/00 COM(2000) 695 final)
SP 1673 (EC Ref No Brussels 18/07/2000 SEC(2000) 1222 final)
SP 1674 (EC Ref No Brussels 06/07/2000 SEC(2000) 1126 final)
SP 1675 (EC Ref No Brussels 17/07/2000 SEC(2000) 1231 final)
SP 1676 (EC Ref No 13056/00 ECOFIN 321)
SP 1677 (EC Ref No Brussels 11/07/2000 SEC(2000) 1141 final)
SP 1678 (EC Ref No Brussels 11/07/2000 SEC(2000) 1127 final)
SP 1679 (EC Ref No Brussels 21/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1568 final)
SP 1680 (EC Ref No Brussels 07/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1376 final)
SP 1681 (EC Ref No Brussels 19/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1558 final)
SP 1682 (EC Ref No Brussels SEC(2000) 1378 final)
SP 1683 (EC Ref No Brussels 25/07/2000 SEC(2000) 1277 final)
SP 1684 (EC Ref No Brussels SEC(2000) 1575 final)
SP 1685 (EC Ref No Brussels 13/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1522 final)
SP 1686 (EC Ref No Brussels 14/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1523 final)
SP 1687 (EC Ref No Brussels 19/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1563 final)
SP 1688 (EC Ref No Brussels 19/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1546 final)
SP 1689 (EC Ref No Brussels 19/09/2000 SEC(2000) 1562 final)
SP 1690 (EC Ref No 13372/00 COM(2000) 706 final)
SP 1691 (EC Ref No 13370/00 COM(2000) 710 final)
SP 1692 (EC Ref No 13367/00 COM(2000) 708 final)
SP 1694 (EC Ref No 13632/00 COM(2000) 729 final)
SP 1695 (EC Ref No 13562/00 COM(2000) 650 final)
SP 1696 (EC Ref No 13716/00 COM(2000) 617 final COD 2000/0249)
SP 1697 (EC Ref No 14074/00)
SP 1698 (EC Ref No 13510/00)
SP 1700 (EC Ref No 13549/00 COM(2000) 730 final)
SP 1701 (EC Ref No 13625/00 COM(2000) 1953 final)
SP 1703 (EC Ref No provisional edition European Court of Auditors)
SP 1704 (EC Ref No information note European Court of Auditors)
SP 1705 (EC Ref No 13576/00 COM(2000) 664 final)
SP 1706 (EC Ref No 13572/00 COM(2000) 718 final)
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
I invite members to note the contents of the public document, "Correspondence Report: exchange of letters with the Scottish Executive on proposals for EC/EU legislation", which shows the nature of our discussion with the Executive and its responses to particular items of EC regulation. Do members agree that we note that document?
Members indicated agreement.