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I welcome the press and public to the 10th meeting this year of the Transport and the Environment Committee. I also welcome the trainee official reporters, who have joined us to see in action the committee by which all the Parliament's committees are benchmarked.I have received apologies from Fiona McLeod.
I also extend a warm welcome to the Deputy Minister for Sport and Culture, Allan Wilson, and his officials, who are attending for consideration of a Scottish statutory instrument.
We have not received apologies from any members, but Gil Paterson and Bristow Muldoon will be a bit late.This is our first meeting since the death of Donald Dewar and I would like the Official Report to record the committee's regret at Donald's untimely death.
The wonderful clerks of the committee have passed me a note to say that a full report is now on the Parliament's website. The official report staff are looking exhausted because of the extra work that they had to do on Friday, so it does not surprise me to learn that it is available.
Teachers tell us regularly that they prefer inspections to be unannounced. One of their senior elected officials has told us that it does not give them any problems.
To ask the Scottish Executive which countries ministers and officials plan to visit on official business by the end of (a) December 2006 and (b) June 2007.
They will have the opportunity to feed into the process. My officials and I will keep in close contact with the HSE in Scotland as that work progresses.
Today, as in your submission, you have talked about decisions being made by unelected officials. However, such decisions are ultimately made by ministers.