Work Programme
Members have an update on the work programme and an indication of the committee's likely work from September to December 2004. I thought that it would be useful for members to see what our commitments are, so that you can adjust your diaries accordingly—you can book out September for water.
I will run through my main proposals to check that members are happy with them. I ask members to note the likely timeframes for undertaking our work on the Water Services etc (Scotland) Bill and other forthcoming Executive legislation.
We have the option of having briefings from Executive officials on quality and standards III and the principles of charging, which we could have at the same time as we deal with stage 1 of the Water Services etc (Scotland) Bill. I suggest that we take an informal briefing from Executive officials and formal evidence from the minister on the record. Are members happy with that?
Members indicated agreement.
I ask members to note the time commitments that are likely to arise from the referral to us of other business that we must deal with, such as subordinate legislation, budget scrutiny—to which we will have to return in the light of our previous budget report to the Finance Committee—and European matters.
Members will also want to note the time commitments that will arise from work that relates to the petitions on odour nuisance, on which we have been working for some time.
I would like members' comments on following up the issues that we addressed in our report on common agricultural policy reform in relation to the Scottish rural development plan for 2007 to 2013. Our report contained many conclusions and recommendations and it would be useful to follow those up as part of the European updates, if members are happy with that.
Members should note that a final research report on sustainable development will be available in September. We will have to think about how we publish that report at that time and about how we follow up on what was quite a major piece of work.
I have suggested that we might want to seek Conveners Group approval for a visit to Cardiff, to discuss the work that the National Assembly for Wales has been doing on sustainable development and to have an exchange of views on some of our big work programme issues. We will be able to share ideas on best practice and how to improve the work that we do. In light of that visit, we might want to defer any committee away day until later in the year, rather than have one over the summer.
I have taken some informal soundings and talked to the clerks about our likely time commitments, and those are my recommendations. Do members have any comments?
I am happy to endorse the approach that the convener has adopted. I have a small, specific question about sustainable development. I think that I am right in saying that we have now made a submission to the United Kingdom consultation, which we talked about last week. I just wanted to confirm that, because it is important that we can see a little bit of our input.
That is correct. Tracey Hawe has just told me that copies of our submission will be with me this afternoon to send out to members for information, so you should look out for that in your e-mail.
Thank you.
Is the committee's first meeting after the recess on 8 September?
I will come back to that.
I would definitely like us to follow up the development of the Scottish rural development plan through the European updates. It is important to keep rural development on the agenda, given that we will be considering so many environmental issues over the next few months.
It is important that we do that, especially in light of the recommendations that we produced on the flexibility that could be in the rural development plan, which would help to create a sustainable rural economy.
That is fine; everyone is happy with the work programme.
Meeting closed at 12:02.