Committee
Education Committee, 04 Oct 2006
04 Oct 2006 · S2 · Education Committee
Item of business
Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
I thank the minister for the reassurance that he provided in relation to amendment 13. There was confusion about what was being defined in section 1(5) because of the use of the word "service" in the phrases "adoption service" and "registered adoption service". Amendment 13 sought to clarify the definition, but the minister has now said that no such clarification is necessary because the issue has been dealt with. I am grateful to him for that clarification and will not move amendment 13.The purpose of amendment 24, which the minister said was superfluous, was to clarify that pre-adoption services would be provided before the making of an adoption order. I would be grateful if he would confirm that the intention behind the legislation is that pre-adoption services should be provided before the adoption order is made. I am sure that he will also confirm that, when it comes to issues of interpretation, what he says in the committee can be relied on in court as being indicative of the intention of the Administration.Amendment 166, in the name of Adam Ingram, involves a complex drafting matter. I hope that the minister will be able to give some reassurance that, even if he cannot resolve the matter now, he will look seriously at the issue, as it seems to me that Adam Ingram may have a point.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
LD
There has been some progress on the railways, and I am pleased to see that Frank McAveety and Elaine Murray have been able to join us. Richard Baker is here ...
Section 1—Duty of local authority to provide adoption service
The Convener:
LD
Amendment 8, in the name of the minister, is grouped with—bear with me, as it is a long list—amendments 9, 10, 166, 11 to 15, 17 to 20, 23, 24, 169, 170, 25,...
Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab):
Lab
House.
The Convener:
LD
I should point out that, if amendment 13 is agreed to, amendment 14 will be pre-empted.
Robert Brown:
LD
I do not have total confidence that I have sufficient brain cells to see my way to the end of this lot today, but I will do my best.In its stage 1 report, th...
The Convener:
LD
Thank you. Your remarks were commendably brief, given that you were introducing such a large group of amendments.
Mr Ingram:
SNP
I thank the minister for recognising the issue with which amendment 166 deals. Amendments 166 and 169 are designed to address the confusion that might be cau...
The Convener:
LD
I am not clear what you mean.
Mr Ingram:
SNP
Amendments 170 and 171 are consequential on amendment 172, which is in a later grouping.
The Convener:
LD
I am afraid that we must consider the amendments as they have been grouped.
Mr Ingram:
SNP
In that case, I will explain the purpose of amendments 170 and 171. Amendment 172 seeks to ensure that everyone covered by section 6(1) will have a right to ...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
Con
I thank the minister for the reassurance that he provided in relation to amendment 13. There was confusion about what was being defined in section 1(5) becau...
The Convener:
LD
Tommy Sheridan is not here to speak to amendment 162, but other members are free to address it.
Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab):
Lab
Fairly late yesterday, we received a briefing from BAAF Scotland, which indicated that"BAAF Scotland is opposed to the Executive amendments 8-10, 12, 14, 15,...
Robert Brown:
LD
We have discussed amendment 166, in the name of Adam Ingram, which is a reasonably straightforward matter.The desire to have a seamless adoption support serv...
The Convener:
LD
I apologise to colleagues but, as a consequence of the transport disruption this morning, we need to examine a technical issue relating to standing orders. I...
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—
The Convener:
LD
I apologise for the suspension. We were trying to resolve from standing orders an issue relating to substitutions. The rules are that a member whose train ha...
Amendment 8 agreed to.
Amendments 9 and 10 moved—Robert Brown—and agreed to.
Amendment 166 not moved.
Amendments 11 and 12 moved—Robert Brown—and agreed to.
The Convener:
LD
I am sorry—there will be a lot of procedure today.
Amendment 13 not moved.
Amendment 14 moved—Robert Brown—and agreed to.
Section 1, as amended, agreed to.
Section 2—Local authority plans
Amendment 15 moved—Robert Brown—and agreed to.