Chamber and committees

Welcome to the 27th meeting in 2024 of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. I invite everyone to please switch off, or put to silent, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

The first item of business is to decide whether to take items 6 and 7 in private. Is the committee content to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

In relation to Scottish statutory instrument 2024/250, does the committee wish to welcome the fact that the SSI fulfils a commitment by the Scottish Government to correct a cross-referencing error in regulation 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 (SSI 2023/101)?

Members indicated agreement.

Under agenda item 4, we are considering one instrument, on which no points have been raised.

Thank you very much, minister. As you said, this is your first public appearance in front of the committee. We look forward to working with you in the months ahead.

Although the vast majority of SSIs are not reported under any reporting grounds by the committee, we continue to identify some drafting issues, including a rise in minor points. What are you doing to ensure that the quality of SSIs remains high?

I call Daniel Johnson, who is online.

As there are no more questions for the minister and his team, I thank the minister and his officials for their evidence this morning. The committee might follow up by letter with any additional questions stemming from the meeting.

That concludes the public part of today’s meeting.

In the last evidence session with the previous minister in March, the committee highlighted that four instruments had been reported on reporting grounds that it considers to be more serious. Since that evidence session, the committee has also reported another two instruments on one of the more serious reporting grounds, ground (i), which is that

“drafting appears to be defective”.

The minister indicated the various processes that are in place for instruments during the process that they go through, including a review of the instruments by someone who is external to the process. Could the Government take any other steps to try to ensure that the quality of SSIs remains high and that the number of more serious issues reduces?

Under agenda item 2, we are considering five instruments, on which no points have been raised.

Is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

Is the committee content with the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.