European and External Relations Committee, 02 Mar 2004

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 2, 2004

Official Report 288KB pdf

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Scottish Executive (Scrutiny)

The next item on the agenda is pre and post-council scrutiny. As members will note, some additional papers have been circulated, including correspondence that has come in since we issued the main papers for the meeting.

I wish to bring to the committee's attention the fact that the general affairs and external relations council in late March will discuss the shipment of waste. The Executive states that the matter is

"Mainly reserved but with a Scottish interest."

Many MSPs will agree that the issue is of Scottish interest, so we may wish to find out a little more about it and to check that the Environment and Rural Development Committee is aware of the fact that it is being discussed.

I agree with what you have said, convener, but there is a further point about which I am concerned. There has been a lack of progress on European waste requirements, particularly in relation to a fall in stock in the agriculture industry. It is all very well bringing out new rules and more directives, but if the necessary back-up and regulations have not been applied in relation to directives that have already been issued, it seems a bit much to proceed with new regulations.

I appreciate that that point is indirectly related to the directive concerned. You are at liberty to bring back the wider issue to a future agenda. However, on the particular issue of the shipment of waste, are members happy that we check with the Environment and Rural Development Committee that it is aware of the measures and find out a little bit more about the Scottish viewpoint?

Members indicated agreement.

There are no further issues to raise on pre and post-council scrutiny, although members will note that there have been continuing delays with some correspondence. Indeed, there is some outstanding correspondence from a few months ago, so I shall ask the clerks to chase that up with a strongly worded letter, given the comments that have previously been made and the lack of urgency attached to some of our letters to ministers.