Ag/S4/11/14 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR MEETING ON TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2011 2.00 pm: Room Q1.03 1. Minutes (a) Draft minutes of 4 October 2011 (b) Matters arising (attached) 2. Future business programme (PB/S4/11/50) 3. Procedural motions Approval of Scottish Statutory Instruments (PB/S4/11/51) 4. Committee of the Regions (PB/S4/11/52) 5. Council of Europe (PB/S4/11/53) 6. Scotland Bill Committee: suspension of Standing Orders (PB/S4/11/54) 7. Parliamentary calendar – Office of the Clerk (PB/S4/11/55) 8. Publication scheme – consideration of any exempt papers 9. Date of next meeting – Tuesday 1 November 2011 The following papers were considered and agreed by correspondence during the October recess (8 October – 23 October 2011)— • PB/S4/11/48 (European and External Relations Committee – Request for approval for additional support for committee visit to Brussels). • PB/S4/11/49 (Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee – request for approval for travel and expenses for Brussels visit).
Transcript
Ag/S4/11/14 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR MEETING ON TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2011 2.00 pm: Room Q1.03 1.
Minutes (a) Draft minutes of 4 October 2011 (b) Matters arising
(attached)
2. Future business programme
(PB/S4/11/50)
3. Procedural motions Approval of Scottish Statutory Instruments
(PB/S4/11/51)
4. Committee of the Regions
(PB/S4/11/52)
5. Council of Europe (PB/S4/11/53)
6. Scotland Bill Committee: suspension of Standing Orders
(PB/S4/11/54)
7. Parliamentary calendar – Office of the Clerk (PB/S4/11/55)
8. Publication scheme – consideration of any exempt papers
9. Date of next meeting – Tuesday 1 November 2011
The following papers were considered and agreed by correspondence during the October recess (8 October – 23 October 2011)—
• PB/S4/11/48 (European and External Relations Committee – Request for approval for additional support for committee visit to Brussels).
• PB/S4/11/49 (Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee – request for approval for travel and expenses for Brussels visit).
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU POSSIBLE MOTIONS FOR MEMBERS’ BUSINESS
1. Bureau Members will be aware that under Rule 5.6.1(c) the Bureau has a duty to ensure that there is a period of time available for Members’ Business following Decision Time.
2. Motions submitted for Members’ Business are shown below. S4M-00453#- John Park ( Mid Scotland and Fife ) ( Scottish Labour ) : Supporting Supporters Direct: That the Parliament notes what it considers to be the outstanding assistance that Supporters Direct has given over recent years to football fans' trusts north and south of the border that have sought to take a more active role in the running of their clubs; recognises, in particular, its help for fans in Mid Scotland and Fife and across Scotland, including the Pars Supporters Trust and the Raith Supporters Trust; welcomes the fans' takeovers of clubs including Stirling Albion, Clyde FC, Clydebank and Dundee; deeply regrets the English Premier League's decision to cut funding for Supporters Direct's work in England; recognises the key role that the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Football Association have with regard to the future success of Supporters Direct, and believes that cooperation will be required to ensure a continuation of the organisation's valuable work in Scotland for years to come. Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, John Pentland, Michael McMahon, Bill Kidd, Patricia Ferguson, Johann Lamont, John Mason, James Kelly, Liam McArthur, Tavish Scott, Dave Thompson, Marco Biagi, David Torrance, Roderick Campbell, Nigel Don, Graeme Dey, Joe FitzPatrick, John Scott, Elaine Murray, John Lamont, Willie Coffey, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Burgess, Jackie Baillie, Ken Macintosh, George Adam, Hugh Henry, Fiona McLeod, Siobhan McMahon, Mark Griffin, Sarah Boyack, Kezia Dugdale, Alison Johnstone, Neil Findlay, Aileen McLeod, Jim Hume, Paul Wheelhouse, Graeme Pearson, Claudia Beamish, Jamie McGrigor, John Finnie, Jackson Carlaw, Stewart Maxwell, Margaret McDougall, Neil Bibby, Patrick Harvie, Hanzala Malik, Humza Yousaf, Anne McTaggart, Drew Smith, Richard Simpson, Claire Baker, Liz Smith, Willie Rennie, Nanette Milne, Lewis Macdonald, Jenny Marra S4M-00493#- David Stewart ( Highlands and Islands ) ( Scottish Labour ) : Victim Support Scotland: That the Parliament notes the development of Victim Support Scotland and the support that it has given to victims of crime since it was formed in 1985; commends the organisation for its dedication to improving victims’ rights and services; recognises the importance of each community-based victim and witness service, particularly those of the Highlands and Islands; notes that these services are based in all local authority areas and each Sheriff and High Court; commends Victim Support Scotland for its approach to developing links with other victim support organisations; considers that the role of Victim Support Scotland has been integral to developing victims’ rights throughout Scotland and the European Union; welcomes the proposed EU directive calling for minimum standards for victims in order to ensure greater support for citizens who fall victim to crime while in another member country; believes that these proposals will strengthen the rights of victims of crime throughout Europe by seeking to ensure that victims are treated with respect and have all information presented in their own language, and congratulates Victim Support Scotland for its involvement with these proposals and for what it sees as its continued hard work in supporting victims of crime across the whole of Scotland. Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, John Pentland, Michael McMahon, Sandra White, Patricia Ferguson, Dave Thompson, Malcolm Chisholm, Roderick Campbell, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt, Christine Grahame, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, Ken Macintosh, Fiona McLeod, Margaret McCulloch, Paul Wheelhouse, Graeme Pearson, Rhoda Grant, John Finnie, Margaret McDougall, Mary Fee, Hanzala Malik, Humza Yousaf, Richard Simpson, John Park, Jenny Marra
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S4M-00546# - John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish National Party): Anti-Slavery Day: That the Parliament notes the designation of 18 October 2011 as the second annual Anti-Slavery Day; further notes that, this year, the day will focus on child victims of trafficking; is saddened to understand that, despite the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade two centuries ago, people continue to be victims of the modern slave trade, and supports the call on the UK Government by ECPAT UK to provide greater protection for the victims of child trafficking. S4M-00646♦- Aileen McLeod ( South Scotland ) ( Scottish National Party ) : Lack of Local TV: That the Parliament notes with concern the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport's announcement of 65 locations that are eligible for local TV licences; further notes that Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders are not included as eligible locations in any UK Government plans and considers that they are areas that are currently served by inadequate television provision; considers that there is a need for a wider broadcasting debate to take place and that it should include consideration of a publicly funded Scottish digital network; believes that such a provision would support and sustain local television coverage in Scotland, and considers that the Scottish Government’s vision for a national network would serve local needs and provide fairer choice in terms of public service broadcasting in Scotland. Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Sandra White, John Mason, Rob Gibson, Marco Biagi, Colin Keir, David Torrance, Dennis Robertson, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Burgess, George Adam, Fiona McLeod, Richard Lyle, Clare Adamson, Chic Brodie, Joan McAlpine, Paul Wheelhouse, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Mark McDonald S4M-00695#- James Kelly ( Rutherglen ) ( Scottish Labour ) : Nail the Rogues Campaign: That the Parliament believes that rogue traders have a significant impact on consumer rights and the informal economy in Rutherglen, Cambuslang and Blantyre and the rest of Scotland; notes, with concern, the recent figures released by the Office of Fair Trading showing that issues regarding home improvement work continue to be at the top of the list of complaints about rogue traders; further notes that, last year, Consumer Direct received more than 13,000 complaints concerning uninvited traders, almost half of which related to home maintenance work; is concerned that rogue traders have frequently been reported to offer services at what appear to be attractive rates and use persuasive sales techniques to pressure people into making hasty decisions; believes that older people and vulnerable groups are particularly exposed to the dangers of rogue traders, and commends the Federation of Master Builders Scotland, in conjunction with Trading Standards, for running the campaign, Nail the Rogues, in order to raise awareness of the dangers of rogue and dishonest traders, to offer advice for avoiding them and to provide information on how to find reputable traders. Supported by: John Pentland, Bill Kidd, Sandra White, Patricia Ferguson, James Kelly, Dave Thompson, Helen Eadie, David Torrance, Elaine Murray, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, Ken Macintosh, Richard Lyle, Siobhan McMahon, Mark Griffin, Margaret McCulloch, Sarah Boyack, Kezia Dugdale, Neil Findlay, Stuart McMillan, Neil Bibby, Hanzala Malik, Bob Doris, Anne McTaggart, Drew Smith, Richard Simpson, John Park, Richard Baker S4M-00696 - Elaine Smith# ( Coatbridge and Chryston ) ( Scottish Labour ) : Horse Haven: That the Parliament supports the British Horse Society, the Association of British Riding Schools and the British Equestrian Federation in their mission to encourage the registration of equine establishments in Scotland; notes that this would require all equestrian institutions that retain three or more horses to become registered nationally; considers that a general code of conduct could ensure consistent high standards of training and protect the welfare of horses and that this could also guarantee the promotion of valuable riding schools which contribute substantially to the culture of their communities; believes the Horse Haven riding school in Moodiesburn to be a fantastic tourist attraction, particularly given its central location in North Lanarkshire and its close proximity to Glasgow; further considers that the ability of some of the school's staff members to speak fluently in various languages deems it
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to be a valuable attraction for Scotland on the whole; believes that organisations such as this, which provide children with what it sees as new and exciting opportunities, should be publicised more widely; congratulates the Director of Horse Haven Riding School, Professor Brian Robinson, on his new position on the committee of the Association of British Riding Schools (Scotland), and wishes the riding school every success for the future. Supported by: Helen Eadie, David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, Elaine Murray, Richard Lyle, Jim Hume, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan S4M-00734♦ - Elaine Murray ( Dumfriesshire ) ( Scottish Labour ) : South of Scotland Broadband Delivery Bid: That the Parliament congratulates the South of Scotland Alliance on developing the South of Scotland Broadband UK Bid; understands that, if successful, this would be the single largest infrastructure project for the south of Scotland; notes its objective is to make next generation broadband available to 100% of the population of the area by 2020; further notes that Dumfries and Galloway Council and Scottish Borders Council agreed the indicative funding model which will form the basis of submission of the bid to the Scottish Government at their full council meetings on 25 August 2011; believes that this is a model that could be rolled out in other rural areas of Scotland and would contribute to the delivery of the objectives of the NHS, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish and UK Governments, and would welcome widespread support for the bid. S4M-00755# - John Finnie ( Highlands and Islands ) ( Scottish National Party ) : International Overdose Awareness Day: That the Parliament notes International Overdose Awareness Day on 31 August 2011; acknowledges the individual loss and family grief caused when a loved one overdoses and is either permanently injured or killed; is aware of the role of Naloxone, a drug used to help prevent many overdoses from becoming fatal, and expresses its hope that the downward trend in drugs deaths will continue. Supported by: Bill Kidd, David Torrance, Roderick Campbell, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt, Joe FitzPatrick, Adam Ingram, Elaine Murray, Gil Paterson, Jackie Baillie, Fiona McLeod, Clare Adamson, Kezia Dugdale, Neil Findlay, Paul Wheelhouse, Graeme Pearson, Jean Urquhart, Mary Scanlon, Jamie McGrigor, David Stewart, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Humza Yousaf, Richard Simpson S4M-00760# - Jenny Marra ( North East Scotland ) ( Scottish Labour ) : Fuel Poverty in Scotland: That the Parliament notes with concern the rising number of fuel poor in Scotland; understands that there are now 900,000 such households; considers that fuel poverty will rise further this winter in light of what it considers to be drastically increased domestic fuel prices; further considers that, if this winter is as harsh as that of 2010-11, there will be a risk of people being unable to heat their homes; notes the Scottish Government’s target to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016, and *would welcome action this winter* to prevent fatalities and households across Scotland having to decide between heating or eating. Supported by: John Pentland, Johann Lamont, Liam McArthur, Graeme Dey, Elaine Murray, Jackie Baillie, Ken Macintosh, Hugh Henry, Siobhan McMahon, Mark Griffin, Margaret McCulloch, Sarah Boyack, Kezia Dugdale, Neil Findlay, Graeme Pearson, Claudia Beamish, Rhoda Grant, David Stewart, Margaret McDougall, Mary Fee, Neil Bibby, Patrick Harvie, Hanzala Malik, Anne McTaggart, Richard Simpson, Claire Baker, John Park, Lewis Macdonald S4M-00768# - Aileen McLeod ( South Scotland ) ( Scottish National Party ) : Taking the Pilgrims' Route: That the Parliament welcomes the development of the St Ninian heritage trail, which will run from Glasgow to Whithorn via Paisley Abbey and Crossraguel Abbey, following the west coast of Scotland through Ayrshire and on to Whithorn; recognises that Glenluce Abbey will be an important way-point on the proposed St Ninian Way; acknowledges the importance of St Ninian in the faith heritage of the south of Scotland, marked annually on 16 September on St Ninian’s Day; notes the importance of heritage tourism as a valuable economic driver to the rural economy and the growing popularity of faith tourism, which it considers will be vital for the Machars, the wider Dumfries and Galloway economy and other parts of Scotland; considers that the Machars archaeology project
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presents an excellent opportunity for people visiting the area, as well as local people, to learn about their history and heritage; further recognises the work being done to establish a King James IV pilgrimage route from Edinburgh to Tain to coincide with the 700th anniversary of the monarch’s death in 1513, and hopes that the trails associated with James IV to Whithorn and Tain will be incorporated into a network of pilgrim trails across Scotland. Supported by: Rob Gibson, Dave Thompson, Colin Beattie, David Torrance, Roderick Campbell, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt, Adam Ingram, Alex Fergusson, Christine Grahame, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Hugh Henry, Jim Hume, Graeme Pearson, Jean Urquhart, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Drew Smith, Annabelle Ewing S4M-00789# - Sandra White ( Glasgow Kelvin ) ( Scottish National Party ) : Mordechai Vanunu, Israel’s Nuclear Whistleblower: That the Parliament notes the 25th anniversary of the revelations by Mordechai Vanunu regarding Israel’s secret nuclear weapons programme, which is estimated to number over a hundred warheads with the potential to annihilate the entire Middle East; praises what it considers to be Vanunu’s courage and dedication to the cause of the elimination of nuclear weapons; considers that this saw him returned to Israel under suspicious circumstances; further notes that he had been tried for treason and sentenced to 18 years in prison, 11 of which were spent in solitary confinement; understands that, since his release, despite being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 17 times and holding prestigious positions such as rector of the University of Glasgow, he has experienced continued persecution by the Israeli authorities; notes that this has been described by Amnesty International as cruel, inhuman and degrading and has also been condemned by the European Parliament; believes that, rather than be vilified, Vanunu should be allowed to live peacefully in one of the numerous countries to have offered him residence, and is of the view that Israel's arsenal of nuclear weapons is an obvious barrier in the way of nuclear non-proliferation in the Middle East. Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Bill Kidd, John Mason, Dave Thompson, Kevin Stewart, Adam Ingram, Gil Paterson, Hugh Henry, Fiona McLeod, Chic Brodie, Paul Wheelhouse, Graeme Pearson, Jean Urquhart, John Finnie, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Humza Yousaf, Drew Smith S4M-00790# - Stuart McMillan ( West Scotland ) ( Scottish National Party ) : Integrity of Football: That the Parliament recognises the current debate in the game of football regarding the introduction of electronic monitoring to help assist officials in making the correct decision, as once again highlighted by the recent international game in Glasgow; notes that other sports throughout the world, including cricket, hockey, rugby and tennis, utilise video technology to indicate whether a decision given by officials is in fact the correct decision; further notes that many people involved in the game of football believe that video technology should be introduced in order to help prevent dubious decisions from affecting the outcome of a match, and would welcome an examination of the potential benefits of introducing added technology to the game. Supported by: Bill Kidd, Sandra White, John Mason, David Torrance, Roderick Campbell, Kevin Stewart, Graeme Dey, Joe FitzPatrick, Kenneth Gibson, George Adam, Hugh Henry, Fiona McLeod, Mike MacKenzie, Stewart Maxwell, Hanzala Malik S4M-00839# - Elaine Murray ( Dumfriesshire ) ( Scottish Labour ) : Kirkconnel Kelloholm Regeneration Partnership: That the Parliament congratulates the Kirkconnel Kelloholm Regeneration Partnership on the completion of the Auchengour Allotment Project in Kelloholm, which will be officially opened on 4 October 2011; notes that this project includes allotments, a sensory garden, wild plantings, landscaped areas and a picnic area and that it has regenerated an area previously used for fly tipping; commends the leadership of Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Village Pride, and congratulates its partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council, Home Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership, the Forestry Commission, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Community Council, Building Healthy Communities and the local community in supporting this worthwhile local initiative.
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Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Patricia Ferguson, James Kelly, Kevin Stewart, Dennis Robertson, Jackie Baillie, Hugh Henry, Aileen McLeod, Jim Hume, Paul Wheelhouse, Graeme Pearson, Mike MacKenzie, Neil Bibby, Annabelle Ewing S4M-00851# - Sandra White ( Glasgow Kelvin ) ( Scottish National Party ) : Truth About Youth Project: That the Parliament acknowledges Young Scot, the national youth information and citizenship charity for Scotland that provides people aged 11 to 26 with information and incentives supporting them to become informed and active citizens; supports the project, Truth About Youth, run by Young Scot and funded by The Co-operative Foundation, which aims to challenge and change negative perceptions of teenagers and young adults in the wider public; commends Glasgow as being the only Scottish city to take part in the project; supports the aim of showing how young people contribute positively to society with the help of various workshops, a blogging website and a media partnership, and wishes everyone involved success with the project. Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, John Mason, Rob Gibson, Colin Beattie, David Torrance, Maureen Watt, Dennis Robertson, Adam Ingram, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Burgess, Jackie Baillie, Fiona McLeod, Jean Urquhart, Mike MacKenzie, Patrick Harvie, Bob Doris, Humza Yousaf, Annabelle Ewing, Mark McDonald S4M-00930# - John Scott ( Ayr ) ( Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party ): Provision of Orthopaedic Trauma Services at Ayr Hospital: That the Parliament notes the proposals by NHS Ayrshire and Arran to close the orthopaedic trauma unit at Ayr Hospital; believes that this would be to the detriment of patient care in southern Ayrshire and constitute a particular danger to patients admitted to Ayr Hospital suffering from life-threatening neck or head injuries; is concerned that the closure of the unit undermines the long-term future of accident and emergency services at the hospital, *and, therefore, condemns NHS Ayrshire and Arran's proposals to close the orthopaedic trauma unit at Ayr Hospital*.
Supported by: Adam Ingram, John Lamont, Alex Fergusson, Willie Coffey, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Burgess, Chic Brodie, Paul Wheelhouse, Jamie McGrigor, David Stewart, Jackson Carlaw, Stuart McMillan, Murdo Fraser, Liz Smith, Nanette Milne S4M-00941# - Margaret Mitchell ( Central Scotland ) ( Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party ): Prescription Medicine Waste: That the Parliament notes with concern the amount of prescription medicine wastage in Scotland; commends the NHS Forth Valley eWard scheme, which allows hospitals and community pharmacies to share information electronically, thereby helping to improve patient safety and reduce medicine waste; notes the report published in 2010 by the University of York that shows that better medicines management around the time of hospital admission and discharge will result in more optimal use of medicines; believes that the role of pharmacists in helping people understand their medicines will be enhanced by the Chronic Medication Service; recognises that, in order to minimise medicine waste, the electronic recording and sharing of information between hospitals, GPs and pharmacies is essential, and considers that this issue is worthy of further debate. S4M-01030 - Dave Thompson ( Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch ) ( Scottish National Party ): The People's Bible: That the Parliament applauds the accomplishment of the People’s Bible in travelling over 5,500 miles since June 2011 and recording 18,320 verses in over 60 towns and cities in Scotland, including Fort William and Portree; considers that the People’s Bible has prompted Scots throughout society and across the country to discover and rediscover the Bible; looks forward to the Scottish finale at Stirling Castle in November; hopes that the People’s Bible will be a catalyst for renewed interest in reading the Bible, and believes that the transformative and lasting impact of the King James’ Bible on Scottish language, culture and education can be mirrored in the influence of the People’s Bible on the people of Scotland today. Supported by: John Mason, Marco Biagi, Colin Beattie, Helen Eadie, Bill Walker, Gil Paterson, Margaret Burgess, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan, Margaret McDougall, Murdo Fraser
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S4M-01042 - Jim Eadie ( Edinburgh Southern ) ( Scottish National Party ): 10 Years on from Harkin-Engel, Child Trafficking in the Chocolate Industry: That the Parliament acknowledges the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Harkin-Engel Protocol on 19 September 2011, signifying the chocolate industry’s apparent commitment to abolishing the trafficking of workers in West Africa into deplorable conditions; condemns the industry’s apparent failure to take the appropriate action as pledged in the protocol, thereby perpetuating some of the worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana; understands from a report on the protocol by Tulane University that none of the six articles calling for action has been fully implemented and that the required industry-wide reform in the cocoa sector has not taken place; commends the 10 Campaign run by civil society groups across the world, including the International Labor Rights Forum, World Vision and Stop the Traffik, and would welcome widespread support for the petition to end the trafficking of children in the cocoa industry. Supported by: Christina McKelvie, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Dave Thompson, Gordon MacDonald, David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, Dennis Robertson, Joe FitzPatrick, Adam Ingram, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Burgess, Hugh Henry, John Wilson, Richard Lyle, Alison Johnstone, Joan McAlpine, Jean Urquhart, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan, Margaret McDougall, Humza Yousaf, Annabelle Ewing S4M-01067 - Siobhan McMahon ( Central Scotland ) ( Scottish Labour ): British Heart Foundation’s Heart Start Event in the Parliament: That the Parliament acknowledges the Heart Start event that recently took place in the Parliament; considers this event to have been of significant value in raising awareness of the importance of emergency life support training; thanks the pupils from St Ambrose High School in Coatbridge and Portree High School on Skye who helped to demonstrate the procedures; understands that, for every minute that passes after a cardiac arrest without defibrillation, the chances of survival are reduced by around 10%, but that immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can triple the chances of survival; supports the campaign, led by the British Heart Foundation Scotland, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and Lucky 2B Here, for every child to receive emergency life support and CPR training in school as part of the Curriculum for Excellence, and believes that such training would be of great benefit in the ongoing fight against heart disease in Scotland. Supported by: John Pentland, Michael McMahon, Helen Eadie, David Torrance, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, Fiona McLeod, Richard Lyle, Clare Adamson, Mark Griffin, Margaret McCulloch, Neil Findlay, Paul Wheelhouse, Claudia Beamish, Rhoda Grant, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan, Margaret McDougall, Mary Fee, Neil Bibby, Hanzala Malik, Drew Smith, Richard Baker S4M-01079 - Neil Bibby ( West Scotland ) ( Scottish Labour ): Paddle Keeps Turning on the Campaign to Save the Waverley: That the Parliament notes that the last scheduled sailing of the season of the paddle steamer, Waverley, is on 16 October 2011; congratulates Waverley Steam Navigation Company on raising funds for continued conservation of the ship, giving hope for its sailing next year; welcomes donations pledged by Inverclyde Council and North Ayrshire Council to complement the support already received from Glasgow City Council; further welcomes the Scottish Government's indication that it will help find a long-term solution for what it considers the iconic ship, and hopes that the Waverley will continue to sail beyond next year, the 200th anniversary of steam navigation on the Clyde. Supported by: John Pentland, Michael McMahon, Bill Kidd, Sandra White, Patricia Ferguson, Rob Gibson, Bill Walker, David Torrance, Roderick Campbell, Dennis Robertson, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Burgess, Derek Mackay, Fiona McLeod, Richard Lyle, Margaret McCulloch, Neil Findlay, Chic Brodie, Joan McAlpine, Paul Wheelhouse, Jean Urquhart, Mike MacKenzie, Stewart Maxwell, Stuart McMillan, Margaret McDougall, Mary Fee, Hanzala Malik, Drew Smith, Jenny Marra Record of Members’ Business taken by the Parliament from 8 June 2011
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Date MSP Party Subject 8/6/2011 Marco Biagi SNP Green Investment in Edinburgh 9/6/2011 Elaine Murray LAB Ban on Use of Wild Animals in
Circuses 15/6/2011 Bob Doris SNP Fighting Sectarianism and Anti-Irish
Racism 16/6/2011 Mark McDonald SNP North Sea Taxation 22/6/2011 Elaine Smith LAB There is a Better Way 23/6/2011 Stuart McMillan SNP David MacBrayne Group Supports
Coastguards 29/6/11 Margaret Mitchell CON Police Complaints Commissioner for
Scotland 30/6/11 Willie Coffey SNP The Scheme 7/9/11 David Stewart LAB Young Drivers 8/9/11 Aileen McLeod SNP Flavour Fortnight 2011 14/9/11 Rob Gibson SNP Remembering the Russian Arctic
Convoys 15/9/11 Hugh Henry LAB Upper Clyde Shipbuilders 21/9/11 Bill Kidd SNP UN International Day of Peace, 21
September 2011 22/9/11 Jamie Hepburn SNP Save the Children Report, Making
Work Pay – The Childcare Trap 28/9/11 James Dornan SNP Battling Scotland’s Drinking Culture 29/9/11 Paul Martin LAB Stop the Closure of Lightburn Hospital 5/10/11 Rob Gibson SNP Germany Exits Nuclear Energy 6/10/11 Christine Grahame SNP Jeremy Hunt Doesn’t Get the Picture
so Neither Does the Borders
Record of Members’ Business taken by the Parliament in Session 4
Party SNP LAB CON LD GRN IND TOTAL
Frequency (no.) 12 5 1 0 0 0 18 Frequency % 66.67 27.78 5.55 0 0 0 100
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BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 31 OCTOBER 2011
DAY MORNING AFTERNOON Monday 31 Constituency Constituency Tuesday 01 November
Committee Committee
Wednesday 02
1430 Time for Reflection Parliamentary Business Motion (if required) 1435-1700 Scottish Government debate: Reducing the Time Needed to Find a Permanent Home for Looked After Children 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business - S4M-00789 Sandra White: Mordechai Vanunu, Israel’s Nuclear Whistleblower
Thursday 03
0915 Parliamentary Bureau Motions (if required) 0915-1140 Scottish Government Debate: Veterans 1140-1200 General Questions 1200-1230 First Ministers Questions
1415-1455 Themed Questions – Education & Lifelong Learning 1455-1700 Justice Committee Debate: Offensive Behaviour and Threatening Communications at Football (Scotland) Bill Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business debate S4M-00695 James Kelly: Nail the Rogues Campaign
Friday 04 Constituency Constituency
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BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 07 NOVEMBER 2011
1430 Time for Reflection Parliamentary Business Motion (if required) 1435-1700 Scottish Government Business 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business
Thursday 10
0915 Parliamentary Bureau Motions (if required) 0915-1140 Scottish Government Business 1140-1200 General Questions 1200-1230 First Ministers Questions
1415-1455 Themed Questions – Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth 1455-1700 Scottish Government Business Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business debate
Friday 11 Constituency Constituency
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BUSINESS MOTION
Date of Lodging: <Date of Lodging>
Short Title: Business Motion
<Unique Identifier> Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 2 November 2011
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Reducing the Time Needed to Find a Permanent Home for Looked After Children
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 3 November 2011
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Veterans
11.40 am General Question Time
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
2.00 pm Themed Question Time Education and Lifelong Learning 2.40 pm Justice Committee Debate: Report on the Offensive Behaviour at
Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 9 November 2011
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
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followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 10 November 2011
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth 2.55 pm Scottish Government Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
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SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION
Date of Lodging: 25 October 2011
Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Scheme for Construction Contracts (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 [draft] be approved.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION
Date of Lodging: 25 October 2011
Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Construction Contracts (Scotland) Exclusion Order 2011 [draft] be approved.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION
Date of Lodging: 25 October 2011
Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Suspension of Standing Orders—That the Parliament agrees that Rule 12.3.3A of Standing Orders be suspended for the purpose of allowing the Scotland Bill Committee to meet on Thursday 17 November 2011 to take evidence from Scottish and UK Ministers.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION
Date of Lodging: 25 October 2011
Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Office of the Clerk— That the Parliament agrees that the Office of the Clerk be closed on 28, 29 and 30 December 2011.
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU
APPROVAL OF SSIs
Introduction
1. The Bureau is invited to agree to lodge the following motions—
Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Construction Contracts (Scotland) Exclusion Order 2011 [draft] be approved. Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Scheme for Construction Contracts (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 [draft] be approved.
Purpose Construction Contracts (Scotland) Exclusion Order 2011 [draft]
2. The instrument was laid under section 106A(4)(c) of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. Part II of the Act makes provision in relation to the terms of construction contracts. Section 106A of the Act confers power on the Scottish Ministers to exclude descriptions of contracts from the operation of any or all of Part II. This Order disapplies section 110(1A) of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (“the 1996 Act”) in relation to certain Private Finance Initiative sub-contracts. Scheme for Construction Contracts (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 [draft]
3. The instrument was laid under section 114(5) of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. These Regulations amend the Scheme of Construction Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 1998, in part to reflect changes made to the Act by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. Part 8 of the 2009 Act has made a number of changes to the payment and adjudication provisions of Part 2 of the 1996 Act. Some of these require consequential changes to the Scheme for Construction Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 1998. Consideration by Committee
4. The Subordinate Legislation Committee drew both instruments to the Parliament’s attention due to a failure to follow proper drafting practice. While recognising these errors, the Scottish Government did not consider that the errors affected the validity of the instruments and as such did not consider it necessary to amend them.
5. The Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee considered both instruments at its meeting on 5 October 2011. After debate, the motions to approve the instruments were agreed to. Parliamentary Business Team October 2011
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Background
1. The Scottish Parliament currently nominates two full and two alternate members to the UK delegation for the Committee of the Regions, with the remainder of the delegation nominated by COSLA.
2. Once approved by the Parliament (on a motion of the Scottish Government), nominations are submitted by the First Minister and a formal proposal for the UK delegation is made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
3. In previous sessions, the two full members have been nominated by the two largest parties (SNP and Labour) and the two alternate members by the next two parties in order of size (Conservatives and Liberal Democrats). Consideration of the composition of the delegation
4. At its meeting on 13 September, the Bureau agreed to invite views from the European and External Relations Committee on the composition of the delegation from Scotland to the Committee of the Regions.
5. The Committee’s views are contained in the letter attached to this paper. Recommendation
6. The Bureau is invited to consider the position of Members of the Scottish Parliament in relation to membership of the Committee of the Regions.
Parliamentary Business Team October 2011
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EUROPEAN AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Tricia Marwick Presiding Officer Queensberry House Q2.04 The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP
The Scottish ParliamentEdinburghEH99 1SP
Direct Tel: 0131-348-5226(RNID Typetalk calls welcome)
09 November 2011Dear Presiding Officer, Committee of the Regions I am writing in response to your recent letter of 15 September to the European and External Relations Committee (EERC) which asked for the Committee’s views regarding the Parliament’s involvement with the Committee of the Regions. As I highlighted in my interim correspondence to you, the members were of a view that more information was required to formulate a Committee position. In order to inform the Committee’s deliberations, written evidence was sought from: (i) former Scottish Parliament CoR Delegates; (ii) current Scottish Local Authority CoR Delegates; and (iii) Scotland’s Members of the European Parliament. A list of those who were consulted and the responses received are appended to this correspondence. The EERC considered the written evidence at its meeting of 4 October. After some discussion, the Committee agreed unanimously that the Scottish Parliament should retain its membership of the Committee of the Regions (CoR). The Committee wished to make you aware of the detailed discussion that took place and so the Official Report of the meeting will be sent to you when it is published. The Committee highlights the following points in summary:
• Appropriate arrangements should be made so that the Parliament’s members of CoR are not prevented from attending CoR business due to a timetabling clash with their business duties at the Parliament;
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• A more efficient mechanism than previously employed is required to allow the Parliament’s members of CoR to report back to the Parliament. The EERC agreed this would be a valuable mechanism for information gathering for both the Committee and the wider Parliament;
• The Committee would like to request that you monitor attendance of CoR by
Members as a priority to ensure the Parliament’s membership is meaningful. I hope that the Committee’s input is useful in assisting the Bureau to come to a decision on this matter, and I thank you for asking for the Committee’s views. Yours sincerely Christina McKelvie MSP Convener European and External Relations Committee
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CONSULTATION RESPONSES TO THE EERC ON THE ISSUE OF THE PARLIAMENT’S COR MEMBERSHIP The following consultation questions were sent to :(i) former Scottish Parliament CoR Delegates; (ii) Current Scottish Local Authority CoR Delegates; and (iii) Scotland’s Members of the European Parliament.
• Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why?
• Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and
local authorities is appropriate? Why?
• What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions?
• What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership?
• Other comments?
Consultees Name Party CoR status Term Response to
EERC inquiry?
Scottish Parliament CoR former members Stewart Maxwell SNP Full Session 3 Yes Irene Oldfather Lab Full/Alternate Sessions 2 and 3 Yes Ted Brocklebank Con Alternate Session 3 Nicol Stephen LibDem Full/ Alternate Sessions 1, 2
and 3
Maureen Watt SNP Alternate Session 2 (from 2006 – 2010)
Jack McConnell Lab Full/ Alternate Sessions 1 and 2 Nicola Sturgeon SNP Alternate Session 2 Nil return George Lyon LibDem Alternate Session 2 Richard Lochhead SNP Alternate Session 2 Nil return Hugh Henry Lab Full Session 1 Yes Irene McGugan SNP Alternate Session 1
Scottish Local Authority CoR members Graham Garvie LibDem Alternate Serving Yes Roger Knox SNP Full Serving Corrie McChord Lab Full Serving Sandy Park Ind Alternate Serving
Scotland’s MEPs
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Alyn Smith SNP - - Yes Struan Stevenson Con - - Yes Ian Hudghton SNP - - Yes Catherine Stihler Lab - - Yes George Lyon LibDem - - David Martin Lab - - Yes
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Scottish Parliament former CoR members Responses received were as follows: Response from Stewart Maxwell MSP Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why? Yes, I do believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the CoR. Having representatives from both Local Authorities and the Scottish Parliament provides a broad range of representation and allows both sets of members to complement each other’s effort. Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? A balance between representatives of the Scottish Parliament and Local Authorities needs to be struck and in my view a more appropriate split than the current arrangements would be a 2/6 split, where the Scottish Parliament retains one full member and one alternate member and Local Authorities have three full members and three alternate members. What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? Parliamentary representation has allowed the Scottish Parliament CoR members to address issues on a Scotland wide basis and ensure that CoR papers are influenced and altered to better reflect Scotland specific policies and interests. Equally Local Authority members can have the opportunity to make a very positive contribution. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership? On occasions Parliamentary CoR representatives have had difficulty in obtaining permission to be absent from Parliament in order to attend CoR meetings. Response from Hugh Henry MSP Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why?
I do believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate to the Committee of the Regions. While I accept that there should be an on going debate about the Scottish Government’s participation in EU matters, nevertheless the Committee of the Regions offers an opportunity for both the Scottish Government and the Parliament to participate in discussions which can feed into both the European Parliament and the Commission. It also affords the Parliament the ability to make contacts, to network, to learn from best practice and to promote the many positive initiatives which are happening in Scotland. We should not underestimate the interest which there is in the Scottish Parliament. I recognise that there may be a view that the Scottish
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Government should concentrate its efforts on participation at Ministerial level. In that case the Scottish Government’s allocation should pass to the Parliament. Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? I believe that the current split between Local Government and Government/Parliament represents a good balance and allows for wider participation than would otherwise be the case. I believe it would be a mistake to alter this balance. What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? See my response to question1. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership? I don’t see any drawbacks in the Scottish Parliament’s participation. Other comments? The present arrangement is a sensible one and allows for a partnership and cross party approach. I do however believe that improvements can be made in how Scotland uses COR and how we report and communicate on what is happening. Response from Irene Oldfather (MSP in Sessions 1- 3) Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why? I believe that there is a debate to be had. The ability to attend is important. That is how one gains opinions/positions and influence on Committee of the Regions. Often in the past the Scottish parliamentary timetable has taken precedence over what is seen as - of less importance – CoR business. CoR like the rest of the EU has extended membership considerably and works across a range of languages and members states. In order to play a key role, continuity and attendance are important. It is important therefore for the Parliament to consider what commitment its representatives could make in terms of time. The decision should be taken based on what level of influence and where the biggest bang can come from? In CoR it is perfectly possible to play a key role regardless of the size of the area that you represent – it is more important to have continuity and commitment. Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? CoR is an asymmetric body which covers local and regional authorities as well as municipalities. In the past the allocation was between Executive, Parliament and Local. I have witnessed opportunities for Ministers to influence. In my experience Ministers can bring “gravitas” but again when it comes to eg Chairing Committees or
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attendance, they usually are very time committed with portfolio parliamentary business which precludes them from active participation. I think that the Parliament would need to firstly take a decision about whether/how it wants to influence. In my view, the ability/ commitment to attend is really the crucial point. Up until now Councillors have been much better at attending. I missed a number of opportunities to act as policy lead or chair committees because I simply couldn’t commit to attending. What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? The opportunity to network at senior levels; to influence and contribute to opinions; to engage at fairly senior levels and to host meetings of/with key opinion formers in the Scottish Parliament itself. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership? Difficulty in attending because Plenary sessions correspond with Parliamentary Business. The CoR works on the basis of Political Groups and Member State delegations. Almost everything is agreed/decided within these parameters. It is not a drawback of membership, but there is a necessary limitation in terms of accountability back to the Parliament because of the above structures. My understanding of Membership of CoR is that it is based on accountability to that institution above and before others. In that sense, it is of course similar to that of the European Parliament. Other comments I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Committee’s deliberations. The very tight timescale over a Glasgow holiday weekend has regrettably limited the time that I have been able to devote to this but I hope that the above has been of some assistance and would be happy to discuss further with the Clerks or Convenor if more time to consider is available. Responses from Richard Lochhead MSP and Nicola Sturgeon MSP Richard Lochhead MSP (now the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment) and Nicola Sturgeon MSP (now Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy) both responded with a nil return. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment explained that he was a representative on the EU Committee of the Regions a considerable time ago and could not recall attending a meeting, therefore didn’t feel he is best placed to feed back any comments.
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Current Scottish Local Authority CoR delegates Responses received were as follows: Response from Cllr Graham Garvie Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why? NO. The attendance of their reps (with a couple of notable exceptions) has been very poor over a number of years. Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? No. I think (as was the case previously before the establishment of the Scottish Parliament) that all 8 places should be allocated to Scotland`s 32 local authorities. The COR is a Committee of European Regions (i.e. local authorities with direct service delivery responsibilities) and not a Committee of European Parliaments. What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? I have no knowledge of any such benefit. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership? Their reps on the COR have mostly rarely attended.
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Scotland’s MEPs Responses received were as follows: Response from Ian Hudghton MEP My view is that all eight seats should be allocated to local authority representatives. Our local Councils are the regions of Scotland, and it has always been my view in principle that Council representatives should be Scotland's members on the EU Committee of the Regions. Response from David Martin MEP and Catherine Stihler MEP Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why? Yes, we do think that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions, because we believe that the Scottish Parliament should seek to achieve the best representation possible for the people of Scotland at the Committee of the Regions. The Committee of the Regions was set up with the purpose of giving representation to Government below that of Member States and, as other areas of Member States are represented at this level, not to send representatives from the Scottish Parliament would reduce our influence and take away an excellent opportunity for Scottish Parliamentarians networking with representatives at a similar level. Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? Yes we do, because although it would be good to have more Members from the Scottish Parliament, it is only fair that local authorities should have representation because it is often they who have to implement European Union legislation. Equal representation has worked well in the past so we should be guided by that well accepted rule: ‘if it is not broke, don’t fix it’. What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? The main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions have been the level of expertise and influence Scottish Parliamentarians have brought to the process of European Union legislation and the knowledge they gain from Brussels which enables them to engage intelligently in debates on European Union issues in the Scottish Parliament and Committees. I find it invaluable to be able to communicate with members of the Scottish Parliament who are familiar with the procedures and issues which dominate the European debate. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership?
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We think that, if there has been a drawback and I am not sure there has, it is that the Scottish Parliament’s representation is not bigger. Other comments We find it strange that there is a proposal to change a procedure that has been working well and to carry out the consultation in such a short timescale. Response from Alyn Smith Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why? No. The constant diary clashes between Scottish Parliament plenary sessions and CoR meetings mean that an MSP simply cannot fulfil the role properly. The Scottish CoR delegation has, to date, been somewhat unloved and uncoordinated given it came from two places and there has been no clear objective or role for the delegation. Unifying the delegation under COSLA co-ordination will allow a far greater coherence and unity of purpose. Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? No, primarily because of logistics, but also because of a confusion over what the Scottish delegation was actually there to achieve. Holyrood has ample ways to interact with MEPs, the Commission and other stakeholders in Brussels. The CoR has been explicitly designed as a forum to give other stakeholders a voice and COSLA could do it better. Holyrood, meanwhile, should concentrate on the European Parliament. What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? Given the practicalities and the confusions to date, I struggle to think of many tangible benefits beyond a degree of networking. There have been recent improvements with Cllr Roger Knox nearly succeeding in bringing his Committee to Scotland, but given proper focus, support and organisation by COSLA there are a number of practical advantages Scotland could accrue from a switched-on Councillor-EU representation. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership? I have been critical of the CoR in the past, and remain of the view that it should either be given appropriate legislative and budgetary teeth (my own preference) or wound up. However, it exists, and is not being wound up any time soon. So, in the meantime, it is a useful opportunity to augment Scotland’s representation in EU fora and amplify messages being given by other Scottish organisations in other settings.
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That opportunity has simply not been maximised due to the delegation being drawn from two (often competing) institutions. Response from Struan Stevenson MEP Do you believe that the Scottish Parliament should continue to nominate representatives to the Committee of the Regions? Why? No Do you believe the current equal allocation between Scottish Parliament and local authorities is appropriate? Why? No What have been the main benefits of the Parliament’s membership of the Committee of the Regions? Few, if any. What have been the main drawbacks of the Parliament’s membership? It is costly and there are no real benefits
Other comments During a period of austerity the Committee of the Regions should be abolished as a costly and unnecessary appendage.
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU
COUNCIL OF EUROPE – CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF EUROPE
Introduction
1. The Bureau is invited to consider nominations to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe. The Scottish Parliament nominates one full member and a substitute to the Regional Chamber of the Congress. The full member has tended to come from the party of Government and the substitute from the main opposition party.
2. The Bureau last considered membership at its meeting on 28 June and agreed to consider membership and make a recommendation to the UK Government at a future meeting. Recommendation
3. The Bureau is invited to agree from which parties the nominees to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe should come. Parliamentary Business Team October 2011
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EXTRACT FROM PAPER PB/S4/11/25, 28 JUNE 2011
Council of Europe – Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (Congress) Background 1. The Council of Europe is an international organisation in Strasbourg which
comprises 47 countries of Europe. It was set up to promote democracy and protect human rights and the rule of law in Europe. It is a different organisation to the European Council which is the governmental institution of the European Union.
2. The Congress is a consultative body of the Council of Europe, advising the
Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council on all aspects of local and regional policy. The Congress provides a forum where issues, experiences and views can be expressed and discussed on a pan-European basis.
3. It is divided into a Local Chamber and a Regional Chamber. Each Chamber has
an annual plenary meeting and operates various committees to which members are assigned by their Member State. It meets in Strasbourg.
Membership 4. The Congress comprises 315 full and 315 substitute members from the Council's
46 member countries, representing 200,000 European municipalities and regions. 5. The UK has 18 full and 18 substitute places on Congress divided equally between
the two Chambers. Representatives qualifying for membership are those who are “directly responsible to an elected regional body” and members have a two-year mandate. Members attend in a personal capacity and do not represent the institution from which they are drawn but the regional or local level of governance within their Member State.
6. As part of the UK delegation, Scotland is allocated one full and one substitute
member in the Local Chamber (a Scottish local authority representative, nominated through COSLA) and one full and one substitute member in the Regional Chamber. The Scottish member in the Regional Chamber is Jamie Hepburn MSP and the alternate Member was Frank McAveety.
Conclusion 7. A Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and the devolved
administrations provides that each devolved administration is responsible for recommending to the UK Government the persons to be proposed to fill that country’s established share of the UK’s representatives within the Council of Europe.
8. The Bureau is invited to note the full and substitute memberships of the Council of Europe and to agree that it will, at a future meeting, make a recommendation to the UK Government.
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU SCOTLAND BILL COMMITTEE: SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS
Background
1. The Scotland Bill Committee is now in its final stages of hearing evidence. The last scheduled meeting will consist of evidence from both Scottish Ministers (the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth and the Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy) and UK Ministers (the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland).
2. This meeting is set to take place in the week commencing 14 November 2011. The Committee ordinarily meets on a Tuesday afternoon. However, this time does not suit both sets of witnesses. The Committee’s Clerk has explored all possible options for the timing of the proposed meeting, including Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday morning, Wednesday or Thursday evening and Friday. Due to respective diaries, it was not possible to find a mutually convenient time. The only slot was the afternoon of Thursday 17 November 2011. Request
3. Consequently, the Committee Convener requests that the Parliament suspends Rule 12.3.3A of the Standing Orders for the purposes of enabling the Scotland Bill Committee to meet on the afternoon of Thursday 17 November. This is expected to be the final occasion when this Committee will meet to hear evidence on the Scotland Bill.
4. If the Bureau and the Parliament agree to the request, it is expected that the meeting would commence at 1.00pm and be completed in advance of Decision Time. If not, the meeting would be suspended during this period and would recommence, for a short period, after Decision Time is complete, to hear any remaining evidence. Action
5. The Bureau is invited to agree to lodge the motion below, which would allow the Scotland Bill Committee to meet on 17 November 2011—
That the Parliament agrees that Rule 12.3.3A of Standing Orders be suspended for the purpose of allowing the Scotland Bill Committee to meet on Thursday 17 November 2011 to take evidence from Scottish and UK Ministers.
Clerk to the Scotland Bill Committee October 2011
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU PARLIAMENTARY CALENDAR – OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND CHRISTMAS RECESS Christmas Recess 1. The Parliament has previously agreed that the Christmas recess begins this year
on Friday 23 December and ends on Sunday 8 January and that the Office of the Clerk be closed on Friday 23 (pm), Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 December 2011 and Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 January 2012.
2. It has become standard practice since 2000 for the Bureau to additionally propose that the Office of the Clerk be closed between Christmas and New Year. The Bureau is therefore invited to agree to propose to the Parliament that the Office of the Clerk be closed on Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December 2011.
Deadlines for Question Times 3. The Bureau has the ability to propose to the Parliament, under Rule 13.6A, that
the deadlines attaching to Question Times be altered. General and Themed Question Times on Thursday 12 and Thursday 19 January 2012 4. The normal deadlines for submitting names and questions for Question Times on
Thursday 12 and Thursday 19 January fall on dates either in recess or on days when the Office of the Clerk is closed, should the proposal at paragraph 2 be agreed to.
5. In relation to Question Times on Thursday 12 January, it is suggested that the deadline for the submission of names be brought forward to Wednesday 14 December and the deadline for the submission of questions to Wednesday 21 December.
6. For Question Times on Thursday 19 January, it is suggested that the deadline for the submission of names be brought forward to Wednesday 21 December. There is no need to alter the deadline for submission of questions as it falls on Wednesday 11 January.
First Minister’s Questions on Thursday 12 January 2012 7. There would be no impact on the deadline for the submission of FMQs which will
be 2.00pm on Monday 9 January.
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Recommendations 8. The Bureau is invited to agree to propose that:
• the Office of the Clerk be closed on Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December;
• for Question Times on Thursday 12 January, the deadline for names be set as 12 noon on Wednesday 14 December and for questions, 12 noon on Wednesday 21 December; and
• for Question Times on 19 January, the deadline for names be set as 12 noon on Wednesday 21 December.
