Education, Culture and Sport Committee,

Meeting date: Tuesday, May 30, 2000

Official Report 242KB pdf

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Children's Commissioner

Item 3 on our agenda is an update on committee business.

Is not item 3 on the children's commissioner?

Yes, I am sorry—but I was going to discuss that as an update on committee business. [Laughter.] I am just trying to shorten the agenda for you, Jamie.

A memorandum from the Scottish Executive on the children's commissioner is being circulated. Because of our timetable, we have agreed that we will not consider that until after the recess. However, if anyone has any questions or comments—questions to ask now, or to be e-mailed to me or to Gillian Baxendine—please feel free to do so, so that we can get organised for it.

I know that we will discuss this in future, but I have to say that the memorandum is quite grudging about appointing a children's commissioner. That makes it all the more important that the committee should, after the recess, carry out an inquiry within a short time scale during which we can take evidence. We might talk to many of the same people and we might go over much of the same ground, but I feel that we would come to a different conclusion. The memorandum is grudging—to use a kind word. I would like us to set aside two or three weeks, so that we can pull those matters together for ourselves.

I take on board the point that you are making.

I will try to be a little more positive. There is much support among voluntary organisations and other agencies. I agree with Fiona McLeod that it would make sense to consider the issue and to take evidence. I would welcome the opportunity to do that, and I support the idea of having a children's commissioner.

My impression is that the committee has an open mind on the issue, to say the least, and would want to consider it very soon. We will put it on the agenda for future meetings.