Scrutiny
The next item on the agenda is scrutiny of EU documents that have been received by the committee. We had to put that element of our work on the back burner while we produced a number of inquiries and reports. As a result of that delay, some of the documents are quite old and the time by which we had to make a response might have passed. We will just have to accept that. We are still catching up with a backlog of documents and we will attempt to get up to date as quickly as possible.
On page 1 of the scrutiny paper, are we agreed that there are no documents for priority scrutiny at the moment?
Members indicated agreement.
The recommendation for the following documents is that we send them to the relevant committees for routine scrutiny:
SP 1250 (EC Ref No 9964/00 COM(2000) 379 final)
SP 972 (EC Ref No 6920/00)
SP 1190 (EC Ref No 9720/00)
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
In relation to those documents, we will have to send some background material to the relevant committees so that they can give the documents due consideration. I ask the clerk and the legal adviser to ensure that that material is forwarded.
The recommended action for the following documents is that we defer them until we have further information:
SP 1373 (EC Ref No 10166/00 COM(2000) 5 final)
SP 1374 (EC Ref No 10963/00 COM(2000) 392 final COD 2000/0183)
SP 1375 (EC Ref No 10979/00 COM(2000) 386 final COD 2000/0188)
SP 1381 (EC Ref No 11113/00 COM(2000) 441 final)
SP 1392 (EC Ref No 11331/00 COM(2000) 528 final)
SP 1321 (EC Ref No 10605/00 COM(2000) 484 final)
SP 1338 (EC Ref No 10802/00 COM(2000) 347 final COD 2000/0158, COD 2000/0159)
SP 1341 (EC Ref No 10861/00 COM(2000) 469 FINAL)
SP 1358 (EC Ref No 10800/00 COM(2000) 477 final)
SP 1359 (EC Ref No 10801/00 SEC(2000) 1238)
SP 1389 (EC Ref No 11220/00 COM(2000) 475 final)
SP 1391 (EC Ref No 11414/00 COM(2000) 496 final)
SP 1396 (EC Ref No 11274/00 COM(2000) 538 final CNS 2000/0226)
SP 1006 (EC Ref No 7952/00 DROIPEN 14)
SP 1092 (EC Ref No 7426/00 COM(2000) 272 final)
SP 1144 (EC Ref No 8938/00)
SP 1146 (EC Ref No 8777/00)
SP 1169 (EC Ref No 8264/00 COM(2000) 338 final)
SP 1192 (EC Ref No 9386/00)
SP 1225 (EC Ref No 9440/00 COM(2000) 378 final)
SP 1236 (EC Ref No 10233/00 COM(2000)431 final)
SP 1249 (EC Ref No 9903/00)
SP 1276 (EC Ref No 10346/00 COM(2000) 276 final COD 2000/0117)
SP 1277 (EC Ref No 10345/00 COM(2000) 275 final COD 2000/0115)
SP 1297 (EC Ref No 10544/00 COM(2000) 319 final COD 2000/0139)
SP 1298 (EC Ref No 10427/00 COM(2000) 438 final)
SP 1021 (EC Ref No 8075/00 COM(2000) 238 final)
I have a comment regarding SP 1358, which deals with pricing policies for enhancing the sustainability of water resources. The Transport and the Environment Committee is collecting evidence on that matter and is about to undertake an inquiry into the future of the water industry in Scotland. Obviously, that inquiry will link into the Executive's proposals for legislation. It would be useful if this information went to the Transport and the Environment Committee. We could decide at a later stage whether to take action, but the Transport and the Environment Committee will timetable its inquiry tomorrow and it would be helpful if it could receive this information.
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
It is important that the committee is aware of the European dimension of its deliberations. This is one of the major issues on which it is not only what we do in Scotland or the United Kingdom that will have a major effect, but what happens in Europe.
Documents SP 1373, SP 1374 and SP 1375 cover areas that the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee has been investigating—the development of electronic networks and so on. What do we do when the information is not yet available? Do we send a note to that committee to make it aware that this is happening? I would not have known about the documents unless they had come to the European Committee.
That is right.
If the committee agrees, we could get the material together. That would include the EC text and the explanatory memorandum—if we have it in our possession—from the lead department in Whitehall, plus any analysis that Christine Boch or I have undertaken. All that material could be sent to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, even though the documents are deferred.
There are a number of documents, such as procedures for the award of public supply contracts, on which my point makes sense. I just wanted to draw to the attention of the committee the fact that stuff is coming through to which we should alert other committees before it becomes a fait accompli.
Can I just confirm whether you were talking about SP 1338?
It was SP 1373, SP 1374 and SP 1375—just stick with those ones for now.
Okay.
SP 1359 concerns a similar issue to SP 1358. Are we agreed that it should also be sent to the Transport and the Environment Committee?
Members indicated agreement.
The committee has expressed an interest in SP 1297, and I wondered whether those papers were available. I think that we will be discussing that later in relation to our work programme. SP 1297 concerns postal services—I have flagged that up before.
We will take that one later.
Are there any further comments on pages 3 to 7? If not, do we agree to take the recommended action on those documents?
Members indicated agreement.
The recommendation for the following documents is that we take no further action but copy them to specific committees for their interest.
SP 1390 (EC Ref No 11168/00 COM(2000) 516 final)
SP 1039 (EC Ref No 7908/00 COM(2000) 177 final 2000/82 (CNS)
SP 1158 (EC Ref No 9439/00 COM(2000) 278 final)
SP 1331 (EC Ref No 10667/00 COM(2000) 459 final)
SP 1339 (EC Ref No 10862/00 COM(2000) 468 final 2000/0194 (COD))
SP 1385 (EC Ref No 10357/00)
SP 1041 (EC Ref No 8134/00 COM(2000) 256 final)
SP 1056 (EC Ref No 7939/00 COM(2000) 205 final)
SP 1091 (EC Ref No 8134/00 COM(2000) 256 final)
SP 1224 (EC Ref No 9737/00)
SP 1259 (EC Ref No 10354/00)
SP 1260 (EC Ref No 10355/00)
SP 1240 (EC Ref No 10004/00 COM(2000) 402 final COD 2000/0169)
SP 1300 (EC Ref No Brussels 26/07/00 COM(2000) 495 final)
The committees are listed.
Given that SP 1041, on which we received a report, has been highlighted, it would be worthwhile—
Which page is that on?
Page 8—the second document in our report. It would be useful to raise with the Executive what plans it has to help Scottish small and medium-sized enterprises access this funding.
We will try to do that before the document is copied to the committees.
I am not sure whether this is the appropriate place to raise the matter of the working time directive, about which I have been lobbied. I am told that it is coming out but I have not seen it yet. Could the clerk try to make it available for us? There are concerns about the impact on the haulage industry and on Scotland. Apparently there are specifically Scottish issues compared with south of the border. We have not received the directive, although I have been watching out for it. Where is it in the system?
As the convener said, we are still wading through some of the backlog. A number of documents in our possession are not part of this list of documents. I would be happy to advise all members whether that document is in our possession.
I suggest that members speak to the clerk about any such directive, so that he is aware of the issue. It can be taken into account when we compile the agenda.
I think that the working time directive has been agreed—it is a question of the UK implementing it.
On that directive—
We will leave that and let the clerk explore it.
I will try to find out whether the directive has been agreed. Even if that is the case, it would be in the committee's remit to investigate the implementation of the directive and the Scottish Executive's activities in that field. There are two bites of the cherry: what happens before a directive is agreed and how it is implemented—whether it falls into a devolved area.
What does
"Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 96/22/EC concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and beta-agonists"
mean? It sounds such fun.
Which page and number are you reading from?
SP 1235 on page 12. Is that about giving cows funny things to eat?
I will be slightly tongue in cheek. For health and safety reasons, we do not bring all 100 documents to the meeting. However, I am advised that that concerns a chemical material either to stimulate lactation in cows or to stimulate their growth. I will provide further details to the member afterwards, if she is still interested.
I must have that.
Do you mean the document or the substance? [Laughter.]
Do we agree to take the recommended action on those documents?
Members indicated agreement.
It is recommended that we take no further action on the following documents:
SP 1301 (EC Ref No 10898/00)
SP 1303 (EC Ref No 10690/00 COM(2000) 126 final)
SP 1304 (EC Ref No 10624/00 COM(2000) 458 final COD 2000/0201)
SP 1306 (EC Ref No 10760/00 COM(2000) 460 final)
SP 1307 (EC Ref No 10761/00 COM(2000) 486 final)
SP 1308 (EC Ref No 10663/00 COM(2000) 450 final)
SP 1309 (EC Ref No 9638/00 SEC(2000) 1049)
SP 1310 (EC Ref No 10111/00 COM(2000) 417 final)
SP 1312 (EC Ref No 10676/00)
SP 1313 (EC Ref No 10186/00)
SP 1314 (EC Ref No 10549/00 COM(2000) 446 final)
SP 1316 (EC Ref No 9892/00)
SP 1325 (EC Ref No 10712/00)
SP 1326 (EC Ref No 10675/00)
SP 1327 (EC Ref No 10711/00)
SP 1330 (EC Ref No 10780/00 COM(2000) 479 final)
SP 1336 (EC Ref No 10786/00 COM(2000) 412 final 2000/0177 (CNS))
SP 1343 (EC Ref No 1)
SP 1354 (EC Ref No 10725/00 COM(2000) 448 final 2000/192 (COD))
SP 1355 (EC Ref No 10731/00 COM(2000) 481 final)
SP 1357 (EC Ref No 10732/00 COM(2000) 482 final)
SP 1360 (EC Ref No 10847/00 COM(2000) 492 final)
SP 1363 (EC Ref No 10888/00 COM(2000) 474 final)
SP 1364 (EC Ref No 10903/00 COM(2000) 494 final)
SP 1366 (EC Ref No 10538/00 COM(2000) 488 final)
SP 1368 (EC Ref No 10938/00 COM(2000) 502 final)
SP 1369 (EC Ref No 10960/00 COM(2000) 384 final COD 2000/0186)
SP 1370 (EC Ref No 10961/00 COM(2000) 385 final COD 2000/0189)
SP 1371 (EC Ref No 10962/00 COM(2000) 393 COD 2000/184)
SP 1372 (EC Ref No 10964/00 COM(2000) 394 final COD 2000/185)
SP 1376 (EC Ref No 10318/00)
SP 1377 (EC Ref No 10319/00)
SP 1382 (EC Ref No 10968/00)
SP 1388 (EC Ref No 11178/00)
SP 1400 (EC Ref No 9875/00 COM(2000) 381 final)
SP 1235 (EC Ref No 10060/00 COM(2000) 320 final)
SP 1302 (EC Ref No 10196/00 COM(2000) 418 final)
SP 1305 (EC Ref No 10788/00 COM(2000) 449 final)
SP 1311 (EC Ref No 10590/00 COM(2000) 439 final)
SP 1315 (EC Ref No 10017/00)
SP 1317 (EC Ref No 10730/00 COM(2000) 480 final)
SP 1318 (EC Ref No 10763/00 COM(2000) 463 final)
SP 1319 (EC Ref No 10775/00 COM(2000) 457 final)
SP 1320 (EC Ref No 10587/00 COM(2000) 447 final)
SP 1323 (EC Ref No 10627/00 COM(2000) 452 2000/0196(ACC))
SP 1324 (EC Ref No 10496/00 COM(2000) 451 final COD 99/0158)
SP 1328 (EC Ref No 10851/00 COM(2000) 476 final)
SP 1329 (EC Ref No 10729/00 COM(2000) 473 final)
SP 1332 (EC Ref No 10733/00 COM(2000) 483 final)
SP 1333 (EC Ref No 10731/00 COM(2000) 453 final)
SP 1334 (EC Ref No 10515/00 COM(2000) 351 final)
SP 1335 (EC Ref No 10522/00 COM(2000) 419 final)
SP 1337 (EC Ref No 10601/00 COM(2000) 429 final)
SP 1340 (EC Ref No 10680/00 COM(2000) 455 final)
SP 1345 (EC Ref No 9957/00 ADD1 COM(2000) 92 final)
SP 1346 (EC Ref No 9957/00 ADD 2 COM(2000) 92 final (VOLUME II))
SP 1347 (EC Ref No 9957/00 ADD 3 COM(2000) 92 final (VOLUME III))
SP 1348 (EC Ref No 9957/00 ADD 4 COM(2000) 92 final (VOLUME IV))
SP 1349 (EC Ref No 9957/00 ADD 5 COM(2000) 92 final (VOLUME V))
SP 1350 (EC Ref No 9957/00 ADD 6 COM(2000) 92 final (VOLUME VI))
SP 1352 (EC Ref No 10495/00 COM(2000) 443 final)
SP 1353 (EC Ref No 10682/00 COM(2000) 470 final)
SP 1361 (EC Ref No 10863/00 COM(2000) 512 final 98/0303 (COD))
SP 1362 (EC Ref No 10864/00 COM(2000) 525 final 98/0333 (COD))
SP 1367 (EC Ref No 10935/00 COM(2000) 399 final)
SP 1383 (EC Ref No 11408/00)
SP 1384 (EC Ref No SEC(2000) 1439 final)
SP 1386 (EC Ref No 11107/00)
SP 1393 (EC Ref No 11278/00 COM(2000) 540 final)
SP 1394 (EC Ref No 11277/00 COM(2000) 541 final)
SP 1395 (EC Ref No 11276/00 COM(2000) 435 final)
SP 1397 (EC Ref No 11263/00 COM(2000) 510 final)
SP 1398 (EC Ref No 11203/00 SEC(2000) 1363 final)
SP 1399 (EC Ref No 10826/00 COM(2000) 517 final)
SP 1322 (EC Ref No 10895/00 COM(2000) 490 final)
SP 1378 (EC Ref No 10447/00)
SP 1379 (EC Ref No 10636/00)
SP 1380 (EC Ref No 9630/1/00 REV 1)
SP 1351 (EC Ref No 10829/00 COM(2000) 495 final)
SP 1365 (EC Ref No 9639/2/00 Rev 2)
SP 1387 (EC Ref No 11344/00)
SP 1066 (EC Ref No 8330/00 COM(2000) 239 final)
SP 1136 (EC Ref No 8261/00 COM(2000) 273 final)
SP 1242 (EC Ref No 9828/00 COM(2000) 364 final)
SP 1255 (EC Ref No 9896/00)
SP 1271 (EC Ref No 9984/00 COM(2000) 383 final)
SP 1279 (EC Ref No 10419/00 COM(2000) 411 final )
SP 1292 (EC Ref No 10518/00 COM(2000) 437 final)
SP 1293 (EC Ref No 10526/00 COM(2000) 435 final)
SP 1294 (EC Ref No 10392/00 COM(2000) 433 final)
SP 962 (EC Ref No 7422/00 COM(2000) 190)
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement
We have agreed to take the remaining agenda items in private.
Meeting continued in private until 16:56.