European and External Relations Committee, 30 Oct 2007

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Official Report 99KB pdf

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Correspondence

Another slightly contentious issue is coming up. We have correspondence from the Deputy First Minister about the white paper "Choosing Scotland's Future: A National Conversation: Independence and Responsibility in the Modern World". Members will recall that at its away day—I was not there, but the rest of you were—the committee agreed to hold an inquiry on the subject and to write to the First Minister seeking clarification on which minister is in charge of the white paper and on the consultation's timescale and format. Do members have comments on the Deputy First Minister's response before we deal with the recommendation in the clerk's paper?

I think that we should just agree to the recommendation.

The recommendation does not sound contentious. Does anybody object to it?

There is nothing contentious about democracy.

I was asking whether members had a comment on the letter, but obviously no one does.

I have a few comments, but I will save them until the minister appears before the committee.

Very good.

I say sorry to the people in the public gallery, because the committee will now move into private session.

Meeting continued in private until 11:44.