This weekly eBulletin provides an 'at a glance' guide to the week ahead in the Scottish Parliament and is issued every week, except when the Parliament is in recess.
All proceedings in the Debating Chamber, committee rooms and committee meetings outwith Edinburgh can be viewed, or listened to, live in the Parliament TV section of our website.
Points to Note
Recess dates
Monday 9 January 2012 sees the end of the Scottish Parliament's winter recess. At present, the following recess dates have been confirmed for 2012:
- 11 February - 19 February
- 31 March - 15 April
- 30 June - 2 September
(All dates are inclusive.)
Design and Democracy
The Design and Democracy exhibition, which runs until 23 March, is a unique collaboration between the Scottish Parliament and Scotland's art schools which explores how a new generation of designers think design can make a difference to the way we live. The exhibition is located in the Scottish Parliament's Main Hall and entry is free.
Design and Democracy exhibition
This week in the Debating Chamber
Wednesday 11 January 2012
2.30 pm Time for Reflection – Paul O’Kane, Development Officer, Volunteer Centre East Dunbartonshire
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Education and Culture Committee Debate: Inquiry into the educational attainment of looked after children
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business: S4M-01542 Annabel Goldie: Volunteer Centre East Dunbartonshire (for text of motion see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Monday 12 December 2011)
Thursday 12 January 2012
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Labour Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time (for text of General Questions see Section D of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 22 December 2011)
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy (for text of Themed Questions see Section D of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 22 December 2011)
2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Improving Learning Outcomes for All Young People in 2012
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business: S4M-01558 Margaret Burgess: High-interest Payday Loans (for text of motion see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Monday 19 December 2011)
Committee meetings
Education and Culture Committee
10 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Declaration of interests: Neil Bibby and Neil Findlay will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Choice of Deputy Convener: The Committee will choose a Deputy Convener.
3. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will take evidence on the Equality Act 2010 (Specification of Public Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2012 [draft] from—
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, Robert Marshall, Directorate for Children and Families, and Moray Paterson, Directorate for Children and Families, Scottish Government.
4. Subordinate legislation: Aileen Campbell to move—S4M-01653—That the Education and Culture Committee recommends that the Equality Act 2010 (Specification of Public Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2012 [draft] be approved.
5. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will take evidence on the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 Amendment Order 2012 [draft] from—
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, Robert Marshall, Directorate for Children and Families, and Moray Paterson, Directorate for Children and Families, Scottish Government.
6. Subordinate legislation: Aileen Campbell to move—S4M-01652—That the Education and Culture Committee recommends that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 Amendment Order 2012 [draft] be approved.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 17 January, the Committee expects to hold a round table discussion on kinship care.
Justice Committee
10 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 6
1. Declaration of interests: Jenny Marra will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Choice of Deputy Convener: The Committee will choose a new Deputy Convener.
3. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 8 in private.
4. Freedom of Information: The Committee will take evidence from Kevin Dunion, Scottish Information Commissioner, on his report 'Informing the Future'.
5. Petition PE1280: The Committee will consider a petition by Dr Kenneth Faulds and Julie Love calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to give the same level of protection to the families of people from Scotland who die abroad as is currently in place for people from England by amending the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 to require the holding of a fatal accident inquiry when a person from Scotland dies abroad.
6. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instruments—
the Confirmation to Small Estates (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/435);
the Prior Rights of Surviving Spouse and Civil Partner (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/436).
7. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following instrument which is not subject to any parliamentary procedure—
Act of Adjournal (Amendment of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995) (Refixing diets) 2011 (SSI 2011/430).
8. Commission on a UK Bill of Rights: The Committee will consider a draft response to the Commission's consultation.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 17 January, the Committee expect to consider items of Subordinate Legislation.
Health and Sport Committee
10 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.30 am in Committee Room 1
1. Declaration of interests: Drew Smith will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 4 in private.
3. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Professor Anne Ludbrook, Professor of Health Economics, University of Aberdeen;
Benjamin Williamson, Senior Economist, Centre for Economics and Business Research;
Dr Evelyn Gillan, Chief Executive, Alcohol Focus Scotland;
Dr Jan S Gil, Reader at Queen Margaret University;
Dr Peter Rice, Chair, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland and Consultant Addictions Psychiatrist, NHS Tayside.
4. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the evidence heard earlier in the meeting
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on the afternoon of 10 January, the Committee expects to continue to take oral evidence on the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill via video conference.
Equal Opportunities Committee
10 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 4
1. Declaration of interests: The Committee will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Choice of Convener: The Committee will choose a new Convener.
3. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 6 in private.
4. Diversity Delivers: The Committee will consider a report by the Public Appointments Commissioner for Scotland, Diversity Delivers - Three Years On.
5. Petitions: The Committee will consider the following petitions—
PE1372 Petition by Duncan McLaren on behalf of Friends of the Earth Scotland on whether access to the Scottish courts is compliant with the Aarhus convention on ‘Access to Justice in Environmental Matters’.
PE1169 Petition by Margaret Forbes, on behalf of Scottish Women Against Pornography, calling for measures that ensure that magazines and newspapers containing sexually graphic covers are (a) not displayed at children’s eye-level or below or adjacent to children’s titles and comics and (b) screen sleeved before being placed on the shelf.
6. Work programme: The Committee will consider its approach to developing its work programme.
Proposed future business
The Committee's next meeting will take place on 7 February 2012. In the interim, the Committee will hold an informal session on Gypsies/Travellers.
European and External Relations Committee
10 January 2012
9th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 2
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 4 and 5 in private.
2. Scottish Malawi Partnership: The Committee will consider correspondence from the Scottish Malawi Partnership.
3. Brussels Bulletin: The Committee will consider the latest edition of the Brussels Bulletin.
4. Horizon 2020: The Committee will consider a draft approach for an inquiry on Horizon 2020.
5. EU Structural Funds: The Committee will consider a report from its meeting on 13 December 2011 of its round table discussion with stakeholders regarding EU Structural Funds.
Subordinate Legislation Committee
10 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.30 pm in Committee Room 6
1. Declarations of interests: Michael McMahon and John Pentland will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 6 and 7 in private.
3. Instruments subject to negative procedure: The Committee will consider the following—
Bus Lane Contraventions (Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/442);
Bus Lane Contraventions (Approved Local Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/443);
Bus Lanes (Approved Devices) (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/444);
Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential Amendment) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/445);
Charities References in Documents (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/446).
4. Instruments not subject to any parliamentary procedure: The Committee will consider the following—
Act of Sederunt (Fees of Messengers-at-Arms) (No. 2) 2011 (SSI 2011/431);
Act of Sederunt (Fees of Sheriff Officers) (No. 2) 2011 (SSI 2011/432);
Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Amendment Order 2011 (SSI 2011/437 (C. 38));
Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/433 (C. 37));
Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session Amendment No. 8) (Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures) 2011 (SSI 2011/441).
5. Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the delegated powers provisions in this Bill at Stage 1.
6. Commencement orders and transitional provisions: The Committee will consider the response from the Minister for Parliamentary Business in relation to its letter on commencement orders and transitional provisions.
7. UK Public Bodies Act 2011: The Committee will consider correspondence in relation to orders made under clause 9 of the Act.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 17 January, the Committee expects to consider Scottish statutory instruments.
Health and Sport Committee
10 January 2012
2nd Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 6.00 pm in Committee Room 1
1. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence, via video conference, on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Professor Timothy Stockwell, University of Victoria, British Columbia.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 17 January, the Committee expects to continue to take oral evidence on the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill and consider subordinate legislation.
Finance Committee
11 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Declaration of interests: Michael McMahon and Elaine Murray will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 5 and 6 in private.
3. Fiscal sustainability: Demographic change: The Committee will take evidence from—
Professor Robert E Wright, Professor of Economics, University of Strathclyde;
Professor Charlie Jeffery, Head of School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh;
James McCormick, Scotland Adviser, Joseph Rowntree Foundation;
Professor Carol Jagger, Professor of Epidemiology of Ageing, Newcastle University;
Geroge MacKenzie, Registrar General and Keeper of the Records and Chief Executive, National Records of Scotland.
4. Scotland Performs: The Committee will take evidence from—
Roger Halliday, Chief Statistician, and Dette Cowden, Senior Statistician, Scottish Government.
5. National Library of Scotland Bill: The Committee will consider its approach to the Financial Memorandum of the National Library of Scotland Bill.
6. Work programme: The Committee will consider its work programme.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 18 January, the Committee will hold a round table evidence session on fiscal sustainability and inequalities and social deprivation.
Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee
11 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 4
1. Declaration of interests: Claudia Beamish and Margaret McDougall will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 5 and future consideration of evidence heard on the Agricultural Holdings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill in private.
3. Agricultural Holdings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
David Barnes, Deputy Director, Fiona Leslie, Land Tenure Branch Policy Officer, Agriculture and Rural Development Division, and Caroline Mair, Solicitor, Rural Affairs, Directorate for Legal Services, Scottish Government.
4. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instruments—
the Control of Volatile Organic Compounds (Petrol Vapour Recovery) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/418);
the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges etc.) (Scotland) Revocation Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/428);
the Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Amendment Revocation Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/429).
5. Agricultural Holdings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier in the meeting.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 18 January, the Committee expects to continue to take evidence on the Agricultural Holdings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill.
Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee
11 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 11.00 am in Committee Room 1
1. Declaration of interests: John Park will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 4 and all future reviews of evidence taken in private.
3. Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
John Scott, Solicitor, and Ross MacKay, Solicitor, Law Society of Scotland;
Fiona Letham, Professional Support Lawyer, Dundas & Wilson;
Graeme McCormick, Founder and Managing Director, Conveyancing Direct;
Ken Swinton, Senior Lecturer in Law, Abertay University, Council Member, and Ian Ferguson, Solicitor, Partner Mitchells Roberton Solicitors, Council Member, Scottish Law Agents Society.
4. Land Registration etc (Scotland) Bill The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier in the meeting.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 18 January, the Committee expects to take oral evidence on the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Bill and to consider a remit and terms of reference for its proposed inquiry into the Scottish Government's renewable energy targets.
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