Plenary, 10 Sep 2003

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Official Report 365KB pdf

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Point of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In the Environment and Rural Development Committee this morning, there was a debate on a motion to annul a statutory instrument—SSI 2003/371—which relates to the scallop industry. A regulatory impact assessment was supposed to have been lodged on the day when the instrument was laid at the end of July.

It is a matter of agreement that the RIA was not laid until today, thereby depriving the industry of the opportunity to give its views about an instrument that it says might jeopardise the livelihoods of at least 17 boat owners as well as hundreds of employees.

I appreciate that, under standing orders, it is the Executive's responsibility to decide whether to pursue an instrument in such circumstances and that it decided to do so, but would you echo the convener of the Environment and Rural Development Committee, whose opinion was that such practice is utterly unacceptable and must never be repeated?

The guidelines for the Executive—I repeat that they are guidelines—lay down a timetable for regulatory impact assessments to be placed in the Scottish Parliament information centre. I understand that that did not happen on this occasion, but that is a matter for the Executive rather than for me. Mr Ewing should follow up the matter with members of the Executive.