J2/S2/06/26/M

26th Meeting, 2006 (Session 2)

Tuesday 24 October 2006

Present:

Also present: Bill Aitken MSP.

Apologies were received from Bill Butler MSP.

The meeting opened at 1.35 pm.

1. Decision to take business in private:  The Committee agreed to take item 4 in private.

2. Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill: The Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2 (Day 3).

The following amendments were agreed to (without division): 264, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 307, 134, 308, 309, 135, 310, 311, 136, 312, 313, 137, 138, 314, 315, 316, 139, 317, 318, 319, 320, 140, 141, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 355, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 356, 342 and 142.   

The following amendments were disagreed to by division—

221 (For 1, Against 6, Abstentions 0)
297 (For 1, Against 6, Abstentions 0)

The following amendments were not moved: 301, 293, 287, 294, 295 and 296.      

Amendment 357 was, with the agreement of the Committee, withdrawn.

Sections 36, 37, 38 and 41 were agreed to as amended.  

Sections 35, 39, 40, 42 and 43 were agreed to without amendment.

The Committee ended consideration of the Bill for the day, section 43 having been agreed to.

3. Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill: The Committee took evidence from—

Jane Richardson, Annette Sharp, Brian Cole and Charles Garland, Justice Department, Scottish Executive, and Rachel Gwyon, Scottish Prison Service;

and then from—

Gery McLaughlin, Paul Johnston and Andrea Summers, Justice Department, Scottish Executive.

5. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee considered a draft stage 1 report and agreed various changes, some by division. The Committee agreed to consider a revised draft report in private at a future meeting.

The meeting closed at 6.20 pm.

Tracey Hawe/Alison Walker
Clerks to the Committee