Equal Opportunities Committee, 05 Feb 2002

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 5, 2002

Official Report 63KB pdf

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Items in Private

Welcome to the Equal Opportunities Committee. In particular, I welcome Jim Johnston, who has taken over from Lee Bridges as clerk to the committee. I am sure that he will enjoy our work, especially as we usually manage to finish our meetings early.

I have received apologies from Tommy Sheridan.

Item 1 is to ask the committee to agree to take in private item 4, under which we shall discuss a draft report, and item 6, which concerns our future work plan. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Sorry, the agenda has been revised because Margaret Curran is unable to be here, as she must attend a funeral. We had a lot of interest in the taking stock item and we have received submissions from a range of organisations. I am a bit worried that our work plan is becoming very busy, so I suggest that we meet next Tuesday to take evidence from the minister.

Let me quickly consult my diary. I would like to attend next Tuesday, but could the programme take account of the Procedures Committee meeting, which takes place at 9.30 on that day?

I was going to suggest that we start at 10.30, but 11 o'clock has also been suggested.

I would be grateful for that.

Are members happy that we meet next Tuesday at 11 o'clock?

Members indicated agreement.

The items that we have agreed to take in private are now items 3 and 5—I am sorry; I was looking at the old agenda before.

Item 4 of the revised agenda concerns our gender equality and best value inquiry. As we have received only one curriculum vitae—albeit a good one—I suggest that the committee should defer that item so that we can have another trawl and possibly have more CVs for the committee to consider. I am in no way saying that the application that we have received is not good.

Do the time scales allow for that?

Yes. The time scales allow us to consider the item at the next meeting. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.