Minutes: 14 November 2023

1. Declaration of interests:

The Convener welcomed Bob Doris to the Committee and invited him to declare any relevant interests.

Bob Doris said he had no relevant interests to declare.

2. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 7 and 8 in private.

3. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Parking Prohibitions (Enforcement and Accounts) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 [draft] from—

Fiona Hyslop, Minister for Transport and Elise McIntyre, Principal Legal Officer, Scottish Government; and

Fred O'Hara, Head of Road Policy, Transport Scotland.

Douglas Lumsden declared an interest as a former Councillor on Aberdeen City Council.

Bob Doris indicated that he is Patron of the Glasgow Access Panel.

4. Subordinate legislation:

Fiona Hyslop (Minister for Transport) moved—S6M-10704—That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that the Parking Prohibitions (Enforcement and Accounts) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 [draft] be approved.

The motion was agreed to. The Committee delegated to the Convener responsibility for finalising the draft report for publication.

Monica Lennon declared an interest as a Patron of Disability Equality Scotland.

5. Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—

Phoebe Cochrane, Sustainable Economics Officer, Scottish Environment LINK;

Michael Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Circular Communities Scotland;

James Mackenzie, Circular Economy Advisor, Action to Protect Rural Scotland; and

Kim Pratt, Circular Economy Campaigner, Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Edward Mountain declared an interest as a landowner.

6. UK subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating using the powers under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 in relation to the following UK statutory instrument proposals—

The Heavy Goods Vehicles (Charging for the Use of Certain Infrastructure on the Trans-European Road Network (Revocation and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2023

The Committee agreed that the provision set out in the notification should be included in the UK statutory instrument. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government regarding its decision.

7. Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 5.

8. Work programme (in private):

The Committee considered its work programme.

The Committee agreed—

• its approach to scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s forthcoming biodiversity delivery plans and proposed witness panels;
• its approach to scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s recent report on the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance Arrangements and proposed witness panels;
• to write to the Scottish Government about its recent call for views on the UK Emissions Trading Scheme Common Framework; and
• to write to the Scottish Government to request more information about the delayed Climate Change Plan.