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
Welfare Reform Committee established
The Welfare Reform Committee was established on 25 January 2012
The Committee's role is to keep under review the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill through the UK Parliament, to monitor its implementation as it affects welfare provision in Scotland and to consider relevant Scottish legislation and other consequential arrangements.
Welfare Reform Committee webpages (including membership details)
Consultation on Proposed Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill
Margo MacDonald MSP lodged a proposal for an Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill on 23 January.
The proposal and the consultation document can be accessed on the Proposed Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill page.
Holyrood Highlights
The most recent edition of Holyrood Highlights, our weekly programme about parliamentary business and current affairs, includes items on:
- the ministerial statement on the Referendum consultation
- the Stage 1 Debate of the Budget (Scotland) Bill.
The studio guests are Rhoda Grant MSP and Paul Wheelhouse MSP.
Holyrood Highlights – 26/1/12
This week in the Debating Chamber
Wednesday 1 February 2012
2.30 pm Time for Reflection – Shaykh Amer Jamil, teacher, Solas Foundation, and Family Support Consultant, Unity Family Services
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement: Higher Education and Further Education Governance Reports
followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Year of Creative Scotland 2012
followed by Appointment of the Scottish Information Commissioner
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business – S4M-01644 Colin Keir: Drum Brae Library and Community Hub Project (for text of motion see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Friday 23 December 2011)
Thursday 2 February 2012
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time (for text of General Questions see Section D of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 26 January 2012)
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth (for text of Themed Questions see Section D of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 26 January 2012)
2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Plan
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business – S4M-01655 Linda Fabiani: Assistance Dogs are Working Dogs Too (for text of motion see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Monday 9 January 2012)
Committee meetings
Education and Culture Committee
31 January 2012
4th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Work programme (in private): The Committee will consider its work programme.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 7 February, the Committee will take evidence on the National Library of Scotland Bill.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Health and Sport Committee
31 January 2012
5th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 1
1. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instrument—
The National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission Charges) (Scotland) (No.2) Amendment Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/449).
2. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Alan McCreadie, Deputy Director of Law Reform, and Jim McLean, Consultant at Balfour-Manson, The Law Society of Scotland;
and then from—
Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Donald Henderson, Head of Public Health Division, Marjorie Marshall, Economic Adviser, Public Health, and Edythe Murie, Principal Legal Officer, Health and Community Care, Scottish Government.
3. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence heard earlier in the meeting .
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 7 February, the Committee expects to consider the Scottish Government's European Union priorities. The Committee expects to consider a draft report on the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill at subsequent meetings. The Committee is also planning to carry out a short inquiry into the Scottish Government's plan to integrate adult health and social care later in the year.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Justice Committee
31 January 2012
4th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 6
1. Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Brian Simpson, Law Reform Officer, and Michael Meehan, Member of the Criminal Law Committee, Law Society of Scotland;
James Wolffe QC, and Joanna Cherry QC, Faculty of Advocates;
and then from—
Gerard Sinclair, Chief Executive, and Michael Walker, Senior Legal Officer, Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 7 February, the Committee expects to continue taking evidence on the Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Scottish Commission for Public Audit
31 January 2012
1st Meeting, 2012
The Commission will meet at 11.00 am in Committee Room 4
1. Declaration of interests: Iain Gray will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Commission will decide whether to take item 3 in private and future consideration of the corporate governance of Audit Scotland in private at future meetings.
3. Corporate governance of Audit Scotland: The Commission will consider a paper on the corporate governance of Audit Scotland.
Proposed future business
For further information, contact the Secretary to the Commission.
European and External Relations Committee
31 January 2012
2nd Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 1
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 5 and 6 in private.
2. Scottish representation abroad and Scottish Government’s Country Plans: The Committee will take evidence in a round-table discussion from—
Denise Hill, Head of International Marketing, VisitScotland;
Anne MacColl, Chief Executive, Scottish Development International (SDI);
Amanda Catto, Portfolio Manager, Creative Scotland;
Dr Lloyd Anderson, Director, British Council Scotland;
Dr Katherine Trebeck, Policy Committee member, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and Research and Policy Advisor - UK Poverty Programme (Scotland), Oxfam Scotland;
Gillian Wilson, Policy Committee member, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and Co-ordinator, Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland (NIDOS);
Serafin Pazos-Vidal, Head of Brussels Office, COSLA.
3. Brussels Bulletin: The Committee will consider the latest edition of the Brussels Bulletin.
4. European Chairs – UK meeting: The Committee Convener will report on a recent meeting of the European Chairs – UK (EC-UK).
5. Horizon 2020: The Committee will consider a proposal for a conference on Horizon 2020.
6. Scottish representation abroad and Scottish Government’s Country Plans: The Committee will consider the evidence taken earlier in the meeting.
Proposed future business
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
31 January 2012
2nd Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.15 pm in Committee Room 2
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 4, 5 and 6 in private.
2. Cross-Party Groups: The Committee will consider applications for recognition from two Cross-Party Groups.
3. Review of Cross-Party Groups: The Committee will consider its approach to the inquiry.
4. Public Standards Commissioner for Scotland: The Committee will consider draft revised directions to the Public Standards Commissioner for Scotland.
5. Section 7 of the Code of Conduct: The Committee will consider a draft consultation paper.
6. Register of Interests: The Committee will consider a note by the Clerk on the publication of past register of interests.
Proposed future business
The next meeting of the Committee will be 28 February.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee
1 February 2012
4th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 9.30 am in Committee Room 2
1. Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Detective Superintendent John Cuddihy, ACPOS.
2. The UK Government's energy policy: The Committee will take evidence from—
Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
3. The Scottish Government's energy policy: The Committee will take evidence from—
Fergus Ewing MSP, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Colin Imrie, Deputy Director, Energy Division, Rebecca Carr, Senior Policy Adviser, Energy Division, and Howard Steele, Policy Manager, Energy Division, Scottish Government.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8 February, the Committee expects to consider the European Commission Work Programme.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, whose details are provided at the end of the Bulletin.
Finance Committee
1 February 2012
4th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 1
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 4 in private.
2. Fiscal sustainability: additional funding methods The Committee will take evidence in roundtable format from—
Jonathan Flory, Director, Social Finance Ltd;
Andrew Muirhead, Chief Executive, Inspiring Scotland;
Mark Graham, Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers;
Duncan Thorp, Parliamentary, Policy and Communications Officer, Social Enterprise Scotland;
Dr Emma Disley, Senior Analyst, RAND Europe;
Mike McCarron, Chairman, Apex Scotland.
3. Budget (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the Bill at Stage 2.
4. Financial implications of the Welfare Reform Bill (UK Parliament legislation): The Committee will consider its approach to its scrutiny of the financial implications of the Welfare Reform Bill.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8 February, the Committee will take oral evidence from Birmingham Children's Services on Early Years.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Local Government and Regeneration Committee
1 February 2012
3rd Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 4
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 3 in private.
2. Proposed high hedges bill: The Committee will take evidence on the statement of reasons lodged to accompany the draft proposal from—
Mark McDonald MSP.
3. Proposed high hedges bill: The Committee will consider the statement of reasons.
4. Dangerous buildings and building MOTs (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence received.
5. Inquiry on a living wage in Scotland (in private): The Committee will consider a draft report.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8th February, the Committee expects to consider proposals for a Members' Bill, the proposed Building Repairs (Scotland) Bill. The Committee also expects to consider an affirmative instrument.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Public Audit Committee
1 February 2012
2nd Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 3
1. Section 23 report - An overview of Scotland's criminal justice system (in private): The Committee will consider a draft report on the joint Auditor General for Scotland and Accounts Commission report entitled "An overview of Scotland's criminal justice system".
Proposed future business
At its next meeting it is expected that the Committee will take evidence from the Auditor General for Scotland in relation to reports he has recently published.
For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee.
Useful weblinks
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Did you know that the Scottish Parliament is on Twitter? You can follow our tweets at @ScotParl.
You can find out when the transcripts of specific meetings will be added to the site by using the Official Report Publication Schedule.