Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee

Meeting date: Thursday, January 21, 2021

Official Report 695KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

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Census (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 (SSI 2020/450)

The next agenda item is consideration of an item of subordinate legislation. The instrument is laid under the negative procedure, which means that its provisions will come into force unless the Parliament agrees to a motion to annul it. No motions to annul have been laid. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument on 12 January and determined that it did not need to draw the Parliament’s attention to the instrument on any grounds within its remit. Do members have any questions or wish to raise any issues?

11:45  

We heard evidence from National Records of Scotland about the challenges that it faces with the next census. I have concerns about the delay of the census until 2022, which we heard will give rise to issues with Scottish data being out of date and being derived and worked on from a different date from that of the data for the rest of the UK. I was not convinced by the evidence given that delaying the census until next year is the only option. Therefore, I have concerns about the subordinate legislation that will result in the census being delayed.

Are you lodging a motion to annul the subordinate legislation?

No, I am not.

You are not.

We also have a request to speak from Stewart Stevenson.

I had not intended to speak, convener, but I wish to provide balance. The Government has worked hard to come up with a robust approach to the census, which is an important statistical exercise that underpins much of public and private sector planning. I am content, without reservation, to support the proposal that is before the committee.

As no member objects, the committee agrees that we do not wish to make any recommendations in relation to the instrument.

That concludes the public part of the meeting.

11:48 Meeting continued in private until 12:04.