Chamber and committees

Under agenda item 2, we are considering seven instruments. An issue has been raised on the following instrument.

Is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

The committee’s next meeting will take place on Tuesday 14 June.

Welcome to the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee’s 18th meeting in 2022. I remind members to switch their mobile phones to silent.

We have received apologies from Jeremy Balfour MSP. Before I move on, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Craig Hoy MSP for his time on the committee. It certainly has been a busy first year for the committee, and his commitment and enthusiasm were very welcome. I wish Craig all the best in his new role.

Under the first agenda item, we are considering three instruments subject to affirmative procedure, on which no points have been raised.

At the same time, does the committee wish to welcome that the Scottish Government intends to clarify the ambiguity at the next available opportunity and, in any event, in time for the following school year?

Members indicated agreement.

Also under this agenda item, no points have been raised on the following instruments.

Is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

The instrument amends the St Mary’s Music School (Aided Places) (Scotland) Regulations 2015. The amendments make provision to maintain eligibility for aided places for European Economic Area nationals and their children who were resident in the British Islands before the end of the European Union withdrawal transition period.

The regulations also amend the income levels that determine eligibility for financial assistance and extend eligibility to displaced Ukrainian nationals who are taking part in a United Kingdom Government relocation scheme.

In correspondence with the committee, the Scottish Government confirmed that it is the parent, and not the grandparent, of a child who must be eligible for a remission of fees to meet the criteria for an aided place at the school. Nevertheless, the Government accepted that there may be some ambiguity as a result of the drafting of the instrument. The Scottish Government intends to clarify that ambiguity at the next available opportunity and, in any event, in time for the following school year.

Does the committee wish to draw regulation 2(2)(a) of the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on reporting ground (h), on the basis that the meaning of the residency criteria applying to children of EEA nationals in new paragraph 2(1)(ba) of schedule 1 to the 2015 regulations could be clearer?

Members indicated agreement.

Under agenda item 3, we are considering two instruments, on which no points have been raised.

Is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.