This section includes the agendas of the forthcoming committee meetings and outlines proposed future business, which may be subject to change. Committees have the right to take items in private and this will be notified as far in advance as possible.
Many committees include details of their future business on their webpages, which can be accessed on the committee hub page.
Education and Culture Committee
20 December 2011
16th Meeting, 2011
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instruments—
The Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council (Listed Tribunals) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2011 (SSI 2011/405);
The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Prescribed Purposes for Consideration of Suitability) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/411).
2. Work programme (in private): The Committee will review its work programme.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 10 January, the Committee expects to consider subordinate legislation and review its work programme.
Justice Committee
20 December 2011
19th Meeting, 2011
The Committee will meet at 10.30 am in Committee Room 1
1. Decisions on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 4, 5 and 6 in private.
2. The Carloway Review: The Committee will take evidence from—
Maggie Scott QC, Chair, Justice Scottish Advisory Group;
Lily Greenan, Manager, and Louise Johnson, National Worker - Legal Issues, Scottish Women’s Aid;
Kathleen Caskie, Regional Operational Manager, Victim Support Scotland.
3. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will further consider the following instrument which is not subject to any parliamentary procedure—
Act of Sederunt (Contempt of Court in Civil Proceedings) 2011 (SSI 2011/388).
4. Commission on a UK Bill of Rights: The Committee will consider its response to the Commission’s consultation.
5. Female Offenders: The Committee will review its fact-finding visits to HMP and YOI Cornton Vale, HMP Edinburgh and the 218 Centre for Women offenders in Glasgow and consider any future work in relation to those visits.
6. The Carloway Review: The Committee will consider the evidence received on the Carloway Review.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 10 January, the Committee expects to take evidence from the Scottish Information Commissioner following the publication of his ‘Informing the Future’ report.
Subordinate Legislation Committee
20 December 2011
16th Meeting, 2011
The Committee will meet at 2.30 pm in Committee Room 6
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 7 in private.
2. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Donald Henderson, Head of Public Health Division, and Edythe Murie, Principal Legal Officer, Scottish Government Legal Directorate, Scottish Government.
3. Instruments subject to affirmative procedure: The Committee will consider the following—
Equality Act 2010 (Specification of Public Authorities) (Scotland) Order 2012 [draft];
Prohibited Procedures on Protected Animals (Exemptions) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2012 [draft];
Public Services Reform (Social Services Inspections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2012 [draft];
Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Excepted Services) Regulations 2012 [draft];
Local Electoral Administration (Scotland) Act 2011 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2012 [draft].
4. Instruments subject to negative procedure: The Committee will consider the following—
Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges etc.) (Scotland) Revocation Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/428);
Confirmation to Small Estates (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/435);
Prior Rights of Surviving Spouse and Civil Partner (Scotland) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/436).
5. Instruments not subject to any parliamentary procedure: The Committee will consider the following—
Act of Adjournal (Amendment of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995) (Refixing diets) 2011 (SSI 2011/430).
6. Draft instruments not subject to any parliamentary procedure: The Committee will consider the following—
Public Services Reform (Recovery of Expenses in respect of Inspection of Independent Further Education Colleges and English Language Schools) (Scotland) Order 2012 and Draft Explanatory Document (SG 2011/237).
7. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier in the meeting.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 10 January, the Committee expects to consider Scottish statutory instruments.
Finance Committee
21 December 2011
14th Meeting, 2011
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 6
1. Declaration of interests: Mark McDonald will be invited to declare any relevant interests.
2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 4, 5 and 6 in private.
3. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Financial Memorandum of the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill from—
John Drummond, Chief Executive, Scottish Grocers Federation;
Campbell Evans, Director, Government & Consumer Affairs, Scottish Whisky Association;
Valerie Tallon, Lanarkshire Alcohol & Drug Partnership Co-ordinator, NHS Lanarkshire;
and then from—
Mary Cuthbert, Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill Team Leader, Donald Henderson, Deputy Director for Public health, and Marjorie Marshall, Health Economic Advisor, Scottish Government.
4. Land Registration (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider its approach to the Financial Memorandum of the Land Registration (Scotland) Bill.
5. Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider its approach to the Financial Memorandum of the Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill.
6. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the key themes arising from the oral evidence sessions.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 11 January, the Committee will hold a round table evidence session on fiscal sustainability and changing demographics.
Local Government and Regeneration Committee
21 December 2011
15th Meeting, 2011
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 5, 6 and 7 in private.
2. Inquiry on a living wage in Scotland: The Committee will take evidence from—
Iain Moore, Head of Procurement Policy Branch, Scottish Government;
Dorothy Cowie, Director, Scotland Excel;
Patrick McGuire, Thompson Solicitors;
and then from—
John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, Iain Moore, Head of Procurement Policy Branch, and Calum Webster, Policy Officer, Employability and Tackling Poverty Policy, Scottish Government.
3. Inquiry on a living wage in Scotland (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence received on a living wage in Scotland.
4. Public services reform and local government: strand 1 – partnerships and outcomes (in private): The Committee will consider a list of candidates for the post of adviser in connection with its forthcoming inquiry.
5. Public services reform and local government: strand 1 – partnerships and outcomes: The Committee will consider its approach to the inquiry.
6. Petition PE1405: The Committee will consider its approach to a Petition by Andrew Muir calling on the Scottish Parliament to request the Government to carry out urgently an independent “fit for purpose” review of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman which encompasses opening a public inquiry to collect evidence to scrutinize the high rate of case closures since Mr Jim Martin took office in May 2009.
7. Scottish Public Services Ombudsman: The Committee will consider its approach to the to Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s 2010-2011 annual report.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 18 January 2012, the Committee expects to take oral evidence on dangerous buildings and building MOTs.
Public Audit Committee
21 December 2011
10th Meeting, 2011
The Committee will meet at 10.30 am in Committee Room 1
1. Declaration of interests: Colin Keir 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. Section 23 report - Overview of the NHS in Scotland’s performance 2010/11: The Committee will take evidence on the Auditor General for Scotland’s report entitled "Overview of the NHS in Scotland’s performance 2010/11" from—
Mr Robert Black, Auditor General for Scotland;
Barbara Hurst, Director, Claire Sweeney, Portfolio Manager, and Ally Taylor, Project Manager, Performance Audit Group, Audit Scotland.
4. Section 22 report - The 2010/11 Audit of the National Library of Scotland: The Committee will take evidence on the Auditor General for Scotland’s report entitled "The 2010/11 Audit of the National Library of Scotland" from—
Mr Robert Black, Auditor General for Scotland;
Bob Leishman, Portfolio Manager, Best Value and Scrutiny Improvement Group, Audit Scotland.
5. Consideration of approach - Overview of the NHS in Scotland’s performance 2010/11: The Committee will consider its approach to the Auditor General for Scotland’s report entitled "Overview of the NHS in Scotland’s performance 2010/11".
6. Consideration of approach - The 2010/11 Audit of the National Library of Scotland: The Committee will consider its approach to the Auditor General for Scotland’s report entitled "The 2010/11 Audit of the National Library of Scotland".
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.