Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, October 6, 2016

Official Report 944KB pdf

Decision Time

There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business.

The first question is, that motion S5M-01828, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the draft BBC charter, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament notes the publication by the UK Government of the draft BBC Royal Charter and draft BBC Framework Agreement.

The next question is, that motion S5M-01832, in the name of Michael Matheson, on the Investigatory Powers Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament supports the principle of modernising the law in the area of investigatory powers; believes that protection of civil liberties, transparency and independent oversight must be at the heart of this process; supports law enforcement in having necessary powers to keep Scotland’s communities safe, subject to the most stringent checks and safeguards; agrees that the relevant provisions of the Investigatory Powers Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 1 March 2016, relating to the interception of communications in places of detention, decisions relating to the issue, renewal, modification, cancellation and approval of interception warrants, targeted examination warrants and functions relating to mutual assistance warrants, the subject matter of Part III of the Police Act 1997 and other equipment interference provisions, the safeguards relating to the use and retention of material obtained by investigative techniques under the Investigatory Powers Bill, oversight arrangements and functions, the functions of, and rights of appeal from, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, the creation of a Technology Advisory Panel, and amendments to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 in consequence of the Investigatory Powers Bill, so far as these matters fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament; recognises that many of the provisions are necessary to ensure that law enforcement operates within an updated and robust legislative framework; supports powers that are demonstrably operationally necessary to counter terrorism and prevent and detect serious crime, and recognises the concerns that have been raised about potential impingement on civil liberties and the privacy of individuals in relation to internet connection records and bulk data collection, but notes that these issues are reserved to the UK Parliament and are not matters that the Scottish Ministers or Scottish Parliament can determine.

The next question is, that motion S5M-01860, in the name of Joe FitzPatrick, on the establishment of a sub-committee, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament agrees to establish a sub-committee of the Parliament as follows:

Name of Committee: Justice Sub-Committee on Policing.

Remit: To consider and report on the operation of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 as it relates to policing.

Duration: Until the end of the Parliamentary session.

Number of members: 7.

Membership: Mary Fee, John Finnie, Liam McArthur, Rona Mackay, Ben Macpherson, Margaret Mitchell, Stewart Stevenson.

The final question is, that motion S5M-01861, in the name of Joe FitzPatrick, on the meetings of the sub-committee, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament agrees that, under Rule 12.3.3B of Standing Orders, the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing can meet, if necessary, at 1.00pm on a Thursday for the purpose of conducting a meeting of the sub-committee and that any meeting held under this Rule is concluded before the commencement of a meeting of the Parliament that afternoon.

I thank members and invite them to have an enjoyable recess.