Minutes: 16 November 2021

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 5 and 6 in private.

2. COP26 outcomes:

The Committee took evidence on the outcomes of the Conference of the Parties in Glasgow and its implications for Scotland’s climate change policies from—

Professor Jim Skea, Chair, Just Transition Commission;

Malini Mehra, Secretariat CEO, Non-Executive Board Member, India, GLOBE International.

3. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instruments—

• Traffic Regulation Orders (Procedure) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2021
• Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc.) (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2021
• Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc.) (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Amendment Regulations 2021
  

4. European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018:

The Committee considered a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating using the powers under the Act in relation to the following UK statutory instrument proposals-

The Waste and Agriculture (Legislative Functions) Regulations 2021

5. Scottish Land Commission – Reappointment of Commissioners (In Private):

The Committee considered correspondence from the Scottish Government proposing that Andrew Thin should be reappointed as Chair of the Commission for a further two years; that Dr Bob McIntosh should be reappointed as Tenant Farming Commissioner for a further three years; and that Lorne MacLeod and Dr Sally Reynolds should be reappointed as Commissioners for a further three years. The Committee agree to recommend to the Scottish Parliament that it should agree to these reappointments. In making this recommendation, the Committee noted that requirements for Commission members set out in section 11(1) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 appear to have been met, and that the nominations appeared to comply with the Ethical Standards Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments in Scotland.

6. Work programme (In Private):

The Committee considered its work programme. The Committee agreed to hold an inquiry into the role of local government and its cross-sectoral  partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland. The Committee agreed to hold an evidence session on carbon capture and storage. The Committee agreed to scrutinise the draft of the Scottish Government’s fourth national planning framework (NPF4) jointly with other Scottish Parliament committees, under the overall coordination of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.