Chamber and committees

Okay, thank you.

With that, I will move the meeting into private—

If there are no other points, I now move the meeting into private.

Under agenda item 5, we are considering instruments not subject to parliamentary procedure. No points have been raised on the following instruments.

We would all agree that we live in different times compared to the normal political times that we had pre Covid. In the debate on Thursday, policy matters will certainly be highlighted. Your suggestion that we write to the Government to ask about the process is worth while. With the committee’s approval, I am content for that to happen and for us to get that explanation. Mr Simpson’s point about writing to the relevant committee is also worth while. Do members agree to those suggestions?

Members indicated agreement.

On Mr Simpson’s point about SSI 2021/292 and subsequently SSI 2021/291, it is worth while for us to write to the relevant committee. Mr Sweeney’s point about the effectiveness of what has been happening is also worth while. It is worth while to write to the Scottish Government to ask for further clarification and for an explanation of those points.

Notwithstanding that, is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

The committee may nevertheless wish to highlight that no policy note was included with SSI 2021/280. It is accepted practice that, in order to assist the Parliament’s consideration of SSIs, a policy note should normally be prepared for every SSI.

Also, on SSI 2021/293, the committee may wish to highlight that the Scottish Government has rectified four minor formatting and typographical points that were raised by the session 5 committee when it considered the principal order—the Town and Country Planning (Cairnryan Border Control Posts) (EU Exit) (Scotland) Special Development Order 2021 (SSI 2021/98)—in March of this year.

Is the committee content to highlight those points in its report on today’s instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

Under the next agenda item, we are considering instruments subject to negative procedure. No points have been raised on the following instruments.

Mr Simpson wishes to comment.

Notwithstanding the points about SSI 2021/291 that we have just discussed, is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.