Environment and Rural Development Committee, 09 Sep 2004

Meeting date: Thursday, September 9, 2004

Official Report 272KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

Under agenda item 5 there are two items of subordinate legislation. Copies of the instruments have been circulated to members. The Subordinate Legislation Committee has already considered the instruments and members have received an extract from the reports relating to them.

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Waste Management Licensing Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (SSI 2004/275)

The first instrument for consideration is the Waste Management Licensing Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004. Members will recall that we initially considered the regulations before the recess, when we agreed that we would defer consideration of them while we asked the minister for further detail of how they affect the treatment and storage of sludge. The minister has now provided that information; all members have a copy of his response. Do members want to comment further on the regulations? Karen Gillon raised the matter initially. Are you happy with the minister's comments?

I have raised the issue with the minister and spoken to him privately. My main concern was odour. We continue to have concerns about storage of sludge on site for up to six months. I will continue to pursue the matter with the minister, because I think that it is an on-going issue. However, having received reassurances from him, I am content not to press the matter at this point.

Are members happy to make no recommendation to the Parliament regarding the instrument?

I will take your silence as assent.

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Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland)<br />Regulations 2004 (SSI 2004/289)

The second item of subordinate legislation is the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) Regulations 2004. Members will recall that the committee considered the regulations before the recess. Having noted the concerns expressed by the Subordinate Legislation Committee in relation to them, we agreed to write to the minister to ask him to consider withdrawing and relaying the instrument.

I report to members that we received a positive response from the minister, who has agreed to do precisely what we suggested. A new instrument, which revokes the original instrument with effect from 31 August—the day before it was due to come into force—has now been laid before Parliament, so we do not need to consider the original regulations further. Once the Subordinate Legislation Committee has reported on the new instrument, it will be referred back to this committee, so we will have a chance to consider it. That is good news and members can look forward to the new regulations appearing on our agenda in due course.

That concludes the public part of today's committee meeting. Members agreed that initial discussion of the sustainable development report should take place in private. I thank members of the press and public and visiting members for attending. I ask you to leave at this point, at the end of our first committee meeting in the new parliamentary complex.

Meeting continued in private until 12:48.