European and External Relations Committee

Meeting date: Thursday, November 15, 2012

Official Report 491KB pdf

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European Union Directives (Transposition)

Item 4 is consideration of a report on the Scottish Government’s transposition of EU directives, which is an issue of keen interest to the committee. This is the latest of a series of regular reports providing members with the latest information.

I ask Ian Duncan to introduce the report.

I will be very brief. As members will recall, we look at this issue every six months; I know that Hanzala Malik has asked whether we can take a more frequent look at the issue, and we will explore that possibility after the next report.

At the moment, there are no major issues such as the missing of deadlines to highlight to the committee. As it is traditional for the committee to refer the report to subject committees for them to raise, if they so wish, any issues with the relevant minister, I recommend that the committee simply refers the report, if members are content to do so.

As members will see, the paper recommends that we note the Government’s transposition report and refer it to the relevant subject committees. Are members agreed?

As a relatively new member of the committee, I have a question. My attention was drawn to the table in the report, which mentions the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Act 2008 (Ticket Touting Offence) (Exemptions for Use of Internet etc) (Scotland) Regulations 2012. What is that all about and do we have an interest in the issue?

Buying tickets for any event can be a precarious experience, particularly when ticket agencies and companies seem to grab the lion’s share for all sorts of events. I hope that that will not be the case for the Commonwealth games. Sometimes, people who are trying to buy tickets for events online at 9 o’clock on a Friday morning cannot get near them because ticket agencies have all the tickets. To me, that is a form of online ticket touting. Is that within the scope of our consideration here? Is there anything that we can do or say about that?

I will take advice from Ian Duncan on that.

First, you are right to highlight that point, which I suspect is covered here. Having had a look at the provision, I suggest that we ask the appropriate committee to which the matter is passed to be particularly cognisant of that aspect, so that it can inquire further. This committee is of course welcome to inquire into any aspect of the transpositions, but perhaps the lead committee should be the first port of call. I will ask the lead committee that, in taking the matter forward, it keep both this committee and Willie Coffey in the loop on its findings.

Which committee will be the lead committee?

I think that two committees will look at it. The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee will be the lead committee, but the Health and Sport Committee will be copied in, given the nature of the issue.

If there are no further questions, are we happy to pass on the report to the subject committees?

Members indicated agreement.