Plenary, 23 Feb 2005

Meeting date: Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Official Report 446KB pdf

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Parliamentary Bureau Motions

The next item of business is consideration of five Parliamentary Bureau motions. I ask Margaret Curran to move motion S2M-2388, on the approval of a Scottish statutory instrument.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees that the draft Remote Monitoring Requirements (Prescribed Courts) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 be approved.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]

I serve notice that the Conservatives are opposed to the introduction of these unfortunate and misguided regulations not merely because of their main thrust, which concerns the use of remote monitoring to enable the release of a person on bail who would otherwise have been refused bail, but because they seek to extend the pilot scheme from two to four courts. Quite simply, the cases in Glasgow sheriff court and the High Court alone would provide a sufficiently representative sample to test the pilot without potentially putting more of the public unnecessarily at risk. As a result, we will vote against the regulations.

This is yet another example of the Conservatives' twisted and inexact logic on so many such issues. Margaret Mitchell conveniently forgets to mention that, far from creating any more danger or problems, the provisions of section 24A(2) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 will be used only in rape and murder cases to tighten the conditions attached to bail orders where a decision on bail has already been made. In other words, any judge who is disposed to allow someone out on bail must consider monitoring for murder and rape cases.

Let me sum up the Conservatives' attitude to different crime issues. When gangs of people were terrorising local neighbourhoods, they refused to back what we were doing. When we attempted to tighten up regulation of the security industry and to take action against some criminal elements, they refused to back us. Now they are refusing to back regulations that would impose further conditions on the release of people who have been accused of or who have committed acts of murder or rape. Shame.

I ask Margaret Curran to move motions S2M-2450, on a committee remit, and motions S2M-2451, S2M-2452 and S2M-2453, on the designation of lead committees.

Motions moved,

That the Parliament agrees that the remit of the Communities Committee be amended to—

To consider and report on matters relating to housing and area regeneration, poverty, voluntary sector issues, charity law, matters relating to the land use planning system and building standards and such other matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Communities.

That the Parliament agrees that the Justice 2 Committee be designated as lead committee in consideration of the draft Advice and Assistance (Assistance by Way of Representation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2005.

That the Parliament agrees that the Justice 2 Committee be designated as lead committee in consideration of the draft Advice and Assistance (Financial Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

That the Parliament agrees that the Justice 2 Committee be designated as lead committee in consideration of the draft Civil Legal Aid (Financial Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 2005.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]

The questions on those motions will be put at decision time.