Education, Culture and Sport Committee, 28 Mar 2000

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 28, 2000

Official Report 88KB pdf

---

Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/draft)

Good afternoon, everybody. Let us make a start. Item 1 on the agenda is the Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc) Order 2000. The Minister for Children and Education is here to move motion S1M-627.

I am happy to answer any questions that the committee has on the order.

I move,

Are there any questions from members of the committee?

I would like to ask the minister about the British Library Board recommendations. Are you happy that only one member on the board has a specific interest in matters Scottish? Will that be sufficient to see us through the changes that the British Library is considering, which will impact on Scotland in areas such as copyright and legal deposit?

I am told that this is not a question-and-answer session, but a time to take comments from the committee.

Oh, I see. Okay. Sorry.

The minister will pick up that point in his answer to the debate. Are there any other comments?

No.

Sam, will you answer Fiona McLeod's question in your summing-up?

We have a national library that liaises with the British Library, so we are in a powerful position. Our position on the board is guaranteed and does not mean that we will not be represented by others. On some of the other bodies, such as the trustees of the national heritage memorial fund, although we have only one guaranteed position, we are represented by others.

Section 88 of the Scotland Act 1998 recognises cross-border organisations—bodies that have responsibilities both sides of the border. However, section 89 allows us to vary some of the powers that were transferred under section 88, as they are not necessarily relevant for everybody. In the past, we have varied them upwards in many ways; under a previous order, some 60 powers were varied upwards. This order deals specifically with the British Library Board, the Theatres Trust and the trustees of the national heritage memorial fund.

The order enhances what was the case before devolution, for the British Library and the Theatres Trust, and puts the informal consultation arrangements under statute. Consultation on the appointment of the chairman of the trustees of the national heritage memorial fund is also placed under statute. The order strengthens a pre-devolution order and helps us to achieve the right relationship between Scotland and those bodies. I commend the motion to the committee.

The question is, that motion S1M-627 be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.