Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, 06 Dec 2000

Meeting date: Wednesday, December 6, 2000

Official Report 224KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Wednesday 6 December 2000 (Morning)

[The Convener opened the meeting at 10:05]

We have received apologies, which are mainly for lateness. George Lyon has been held up—he is at a fisheries briefing in Glasgow. Duncan Hamilton, the new Scottish National Party member of the committee, has been held up at the same briefing. Margo MacDonald has a hospital appointment, but hopes to be here by about 10.30. We think that Annabel Goldie has also been delayed.

Annabel is en route.

This is the last meeting that John Home Robertson will attend. I put on record our gratitude for his attendance and contribution during the past weeks. It has been six weeks, has it not?

Rather less than that.

I had better not mention the name of John Home Robertson's replacement until the Parliament formally approves the appointment, because the Presiding Officer will tick me off.

The first item is to decide whether to take item 6 in private. Members may remember that we agreed some months ago to establish the fuel inquiry on the basis that we would have bilateral meetings with all the oil companies and the Petrol Retailers Association. The oil companies agreed to that, provided that the information that they disclosed was kept in commercial confidence. Until we discuss what we want to make public, it would be appropriate for the committee to keep its side of the bargain with the oil companies. That is why we should take item 6 in private. We will decide later what we want to publish as part of the inquiry. Do members agree?

Members indicated agreement.

Under your predecessor, convener, I ruled myself out of the fuel price inquiry, because of my commercial interests. I will leave the meeting when we reach item 6.

Okay. Thank you, Nick.