The committee may consider that, in this case, the breach of the 28-day rule raises a broader issue about the timetabling of instruments that are prepared and laid in parallel with United Kingdom instruments that make similar provision. The committee may consider that there is a clear need for projects of this nature to be planned in a way that allows for the procedural requirements of both Parliaments to be met, and the committee may further consider it to be unsatisfactory that that has not been achieved in the present case.
The committee may wish to welcome the fact that, in recent correspondence with us, the Minister for Parliamentary Business has undertaken to review the processes for laying instruments in such circumstances and to take steps to improve awareness within the UK Government of the challenges involved. The committee may consider that that work should be progressed in early course, in order to avoid similar issues arising in the future.
Two further points have been raised by our legal advisers on SSI 2015/143. Article 11(2)(b)(iii) inserts a reference to regulation 166 of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (SSI 2015/19) into rule 3(2)(c) of part 10 of the schedule to the Firefighters’ Compensation Scheme (Scotland) Order 2006 (SSI 2006/338). The correct reference should be to regulation 156 of the 2015 regulations.
Does the committee therefore agree to draw the order to the attention of the Parliament under the general reporting ground?
Members indicated agreement.