Chamber and committees

Yes—carry on.

Thank you for those questions, Paul; they were very helpful.

I thank members for their patience during the suspension of the meeting. We move to agenda item 4, under which we are considering five instruments.

I do not know whether Craig Hoy wants to say something. I know that it is cold in the building, but you appear to be frozen, Craig.

Are members agreed that SSI 2021/478 is more technical and that we do not need to vote on it, but that we should vote on whether we are content with the four other instruments—SSIs 2021/475, 2021/496, 2021/497 and 2021/498? I think that we are agreed on that.

As the points are all similar, I suggest that we consider and vote on the four SSIs together. That will show the feeling of the committee in general. Are members content with that approach? Okay.

We will now vote on SSIs 2021/475, 2021/496, 2021/497 and 2021/498. Because of the nature of this meeting, I will call each member in alphabetical order. Members can simply say whether they agree, do not agree or wish to abstain.

For

Kidd, Bill (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)

Against

Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con)
Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)

Is the committee content with the instruments?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

An issue has been raised on the instrument, which makes provision for the procedure and forms that are to be used for appeals in the sheriff appeal court. The instrument will replace the 2015 court rules.

The committee has identified an error in respect of an incorrect reference in rule 33.1 to section 44(3) of the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019—the reference should have been to section 46(3) of that act. The Lord President’s private office has committed to rectifying the error at the earliest appropriate opportunity.

Does the committee agree to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on the general reporting ground in respect of that incorrect reference? Also, does the committee welcome that the Lord President’s private office has committed to rectifying the error at the earliest opportunity?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

I am a bit confused—I have so much in front of me. I think that I may have missed something, so we will go back.

Under agenda item 6, which I also missed, we are considering two instruments.

We will have one follow-up question from Graham Simpson.

No technical points have been raised on SSIs 2021/475, 2021/478, 2021/496, 2021/497 and 2021/498. I invite comments from members on the instruments.