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
Committee calls for honesty on Common Agricultural Policy reform
Scotland should get a fair share of Common Agricultural Policy funds and the European Commission needs to be honest about the timetable for reform. These were just two of the concerns raised in a letter from the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee to the Scottish and UK Governments and the European Commission:
Full news release
Pupils debate European issues
On Thursday 26 April, pupils from across Scotland debated issues affecting them and their communities as part of the EurVoice Forum taking place at the Scottish Parliament.
The event also saw European and External Relations Committee Convener Christina McKelvie MSP taking part in a ‘Question Time’ session.
Full news release
Evidence session on renewables targets
Donald Trump Sr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Trump Organisation, gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on the inquiry into the Scottish Government's renewable energy targetson Wednesday 25 April.
Further information on the inquiry into the Scottish Government's Renewables Targets.
Watch the Committee meeting
New SPICe briefings
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) produced the following briefing during the week beginning 23 April:
SB 12-29 Economic Indicators
Holyrood Highlights
The most recent Holyrood Highlights programme includes:
- reaction to First Minister’s Question Time
- an interview with Donald Trump Sr, as part of a report on the evidence session on renewable-energy targets
- a report on Wednesday's homelessness debate
The studio guests were Richard Baker MSP and John Wilson MSP.
Holyrood Highlights 26/04/12
This week in the Debating Chamber
Wednesday 2 May 2012
1.30 pm Time for Reflection – Pastor Stephen Hibbard, Sheddocksley Baptist Church, Aberdeen
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
1.35 pm Themed Question Time
Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth (for text of Themed Questions see Section D of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 26 April 2012)
2.15 pm General Question Time (for text of General Questions see Section D of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 26 April 2012)
2.35 pm First Minister’s Question Time
3.05 pm Scottish Government Debate: National Performing Companies
followed by Public Body Consent Motion: Public Bodies (Abolition of the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances) Order 2012
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business – S4M-02534 George Adam: National MS Week (for text of motion see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Thursday 29 March 2012)
Please note there will be no business on Thursday 3 May 2012 due to the local government elections.
Committee meetings
Health and Sport Committee
1 May 2012
14th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 9.30 am in Committee Room 1
1. Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the Bill at Stage 2.
Not before 10.30 am
2. NHS Boards budget scrutiny: The Committee will take evidence from—
Mrs Laura Ace, Director of Finance, NHS Lanarkshire;
Marion Fordham, Director of Finance, NHS Western Isles;
Craig Marriot, Director of Finance, NHS Dumfries and Galloway;
Paul James, Executive Director and Director of Finance, NHS Greater Glasgow Council;
and then from—
Derek Feeley, Director-General Health & Social Care, and John Matheson, Director of Health Finance and Information, NHS Scotland.
3. Inquiry into integration of health and social care (in private): The Committee will consider a draft report.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8 May, 2012 the Committee expects to take oral evidence on the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Bill.
Education and Culture Committee
1 May 2012
13th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 6
1. Early Years: The Committee will take evidence from—
Bill Alexander, Director of Social Work - Highland Council, and SallyAnn Kelly, Acting Director - Barnardo's Scotland, Early Years Taskforce;
Helen Chambers, Head of Strategy and Delivery, Inspiring Scotland.
2. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instrument—
Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (Commencement No. 4, Transitional and Savings Provisions) Amendment Order 2012.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8 May, the Committee expects to take oral evidence on the Early Years.
Justice Committee
1 May 2012
15th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 4
1. Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee will consider a revised draft Stage 1 report.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8 May, the Committee expects to consider a paper on Scottish Law Commission reports.
Welfare Reform Committee
1 May 2012
6th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether its consideration of a draft report on the Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill should be taken in private at future meetings.
2. Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Dr Stephen Carty, General Practitioner, Black Triangle Campaign;
Dr David Bell, BMA Scotland;
Owen Kelly, Chief Executive, Scottish Financial Enterprise;
Dermot O'Neil, General Manager, Scottish League of Credit Unions;
Laurie Russell, Chief Executive, the Wise Group;
and then from—
Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Chris Boyland, Policy Executive, Welfare Division, Ann McVie, Team Leader, Welfare Division, and Alison Stewart, Legal Division, Scottish Government.
3. Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee will review the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 8 May, the Committee expects to consider a draft report on the Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill.
Equal Opportunities Committee
1 May 2012
8th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 4
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 4 in private.
2. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will take evidence on the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 [draft] from—
Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Yvonne Strachan, Head of Equality, Third Sector and Communities Division, Graeme Bryce, Equality, Third Sector and Communities Division, and Mark Eggeling, Scottish Government Legal Directorate, Scottish Government.
3. Subordinate legislation: Nicola Sturgeon (Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy) to move—
S4M-2612—That the Equal Opportunities Committee recommends that the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 [draft] be approved.
4. Work programme: The Committee will consider its approach to its future work programme.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting on 15 May 2012, the Committee will take evidence on its Gypsy/Travellers and care inquiry.
Public Petitions Committee
1 May 2012
7th 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 item 4 in private.
2. Consideration of new petitions: The Committee will consider—
PE1425 by Maureen Harkness on the adverse impact of DVLA local office closures
and take evidence from—
Maureen Harkness, William Telfer and Finn Mackenzie.
and will then consider—
PE1426 by Donna Scott on a national donor milk bank service
and take evidence from—
Donna Scott;
Jase Kelly, Chairman, ScotsERVS.
and will then consider—
PE1427 by Rob Kirkwood, on behalf of Leith Links Residents Association on access to justice for non-corporate multi-party groups
and take evidence from—
Rob Kirkwood, Professor Rob Jackson and Allan Smith, Leith Links Residents Association.
3. Consideration of current petitions: The Committee will consider—
PE1285 by Caroline Mockford on free calls to NHS 24 for mobile phones;
PE1364 by Phyllis McBain on clarifying guidelines on Gypsy/Traveller encampments;
PE1395 by Jan Culik on targeted funding for lesser taught languages and cultures at universities; and
PE1400 by Libby Anderson, on behalf of OneKind, on a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
4. Work programme: The Committee will consider its work programme.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 15 May, the Committee expects to consider petitions on the A83, making Scottish education more accessible, St Margaret of Scotland Hospice, mosquito devices, adult ADHD in Scotland, reforming uniform policy in all Scottish local authority schools, bond of caution, the Burial Grounds (Scotland) Act 1855 and a review of health issues and planning guidelines in respect of telecommunications masts.
European and External Relations Committee
1 May 2012
8th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 2.15 pm in Committee Room 6
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 5 and 6 in private.
2. EU Structural Funds: The Committee will take evidence from—
Alison Cairns, Head of Development, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO);
Alan Boyle, Chief Executive, West Fife Enterprise;
Laurie Russell, Chief Executive, Wise Group;
and then from—
Dr Jeff Howarth, Vice-Principal (Research & Commercialisation), University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI);
Brendan McGuckin, Head of Commercialisation, Edinburgh Napier University;
Graeme Hyslop, Chair, West of Scotland Colleges' Partnership (WoSCoP), and Principal, Langside College;
Derek Banks, Director of Finance and Estates, Coatbridge College.
3. Support for families abroad: The Committee will consider correspondence received.
4. Brussels Bulletin: The Committee will consider the latest edition of the Brussels Bulletin.
5. Developments in the Eurozone: The Committee will consider a draft report on its inquiry.
6. Annual report: The Committee will consider a draft annual report for the parliamentary year from 11 May 2011 to 10 May 2012.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 15 May, the Committee expects to take evidence on EU Structural Funds and to consider an update on the forthcoming Horizon2020 Conference and the latest edition of the Brussels Bulletin.
Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee
2 May 2012
14th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the Bill at Stage 2.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 9 May, the Committee expects to continue to take evidence on its renewable energy inquiry.
Finance Committee
2 May 2012
13th 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 its consideration of a draft report on the Financial Memorandum of the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill should be taken in private at future meetings.
2. Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Financial Memorandum of the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill from—
Ann Bain, Senior Service Manager (Revenues and Benefits), Angus Council;
Brian Cook, Head of Revenue Services, North Lanarkshire Council;
James Gray, Executive Manager - Finance, and Anita Jamieson, Executive Manager - Housing, Shetland Islands Council;
and then from—
Sam Baker, Policy Manager (Housing Supply Division), Jamie Hamilton, Policy Manager (Housing Supply Division), Marianne Cook, Policy Manager (Local Government Finance), and Stuart Law, Senior Policy Advisor (Housing Supply Division), Scottish Government.
Proposed future business
At its next meeting, on 9th May, the Committee expects to take evidence from Lena Wilson, Professor Jim McDonald and Philip Grant on Increasing Sustainable Economic Growth.
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