Hansard

The Convener (Karen Whitefield) Lab

I open the 7th meeting in 2011 of the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee. I remind all those present that mobile phones and BlackBerrys shoul...

The Convener Lab

Amendment 29, in the name of Elizabeth Smith, is grouped with amendments 30, 32, 38, 40 to 42, 44, 5A, 5B, 45, 46 to 48, 7A to 7E, 49 to 54, 57 and 59. I dra...

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I am pleased to speak to what I consider to be probing amendments. I do so following one or two concerns that I had at stage 1 and the representations that s...

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab) Lab

I speak in support of Elizabeth Smith’s amendments. The key point about the amendments is that they would improve the tone of the bill and strike the right b...

The Minister for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop) SNP

I will respond to all the amendments in the group, with the exception of amendment 42, to which I will return later. Elizabeth Smith has made some important ...

Elizabeth Smith Con

That is very helpful. We are more or less on the same page. As Ken Macintosh said, it is also a matter of tone. I note what the minister said about amendment...

The Convener Lab

Amendment 1, in the name of the minister, is in a group on its own.

Fiona Hyslop SNP

Amendment 1 addresses the issue of how risk should be taken into account in records management planning. It makes it clear that the assessment of risk is pri...

Ken Macintosh Lab

I welcome amendment 1. The issue raised concern among all members of the committee and our witnesses at stage 1. Although there might be some concern among t...

The Convener Lab

Minister, do you wish to wind up?

Fiona Hyslop SNP

No. I just acknowledge that Ken Macintosh and Claire Baker raised the issue at stage 1. One of the reasons why we lodged amendment 1 was to reconcile matters...

The Convener Lab

Amendment 31, in the name of Ken Macintosh, is grouped with amendments 2, 2A, 36, 39, 43, 56, 16, 16A, 17, 17A, 18 and 58. I draw members’ attention to the p...

Ken Macintosh Lab

I welcome the amendments that the Government has lodged—amendments 2, 16 and 17—which will ensure that the keeper consults widely. That is something that the...

The Convener Lab

You are jumping ahead of yourself.

Ken Macintosh Lab

Indeed.Amendment 58 would remove section 9. The amendment was suggested because that section is seen as being unnecessary because, if we put in a lot of info...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

Section 1 is important and there are a lot of amendments, so I ask members to bear with me. The Government amendments in the group address concerns that the ...

The Convener Lab

No other member has a comment to make, so I ask the minister whether she has anything further to add.

Fiona Hyslop SNP

No, convener. I think that I have said enough about that group.

The Convener Lab

I am very glad to hear that.

Ken Macintosh Lab

I welcome the minister’s lengthy comments because these matters are important, particularly for the voluntary sector and public authorities, which have some ...

The Convener Lab

Amendment 33, in the name of Elizabeth Smith, is grouped with amendments 3, 34 and 35.

Elizabeth Smith Con

The amendments in my name are probing amendments, and I have heard the minister’s very helpful comments.Amendments 33 and 34 reflect the similar but not iden...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

Amendment 3, in my name, will help to address voluntary bodies’ concerns that they will have to work with multiple records management plans for the different...

Ken Macintosh Lab

The minister has already addressed my concerns. We are anxious that when voluntary sector bodies provide common services across different authorities, they d...

Elizabeth Smith Con

The minister’s clarifications have been helpful. As Ken Macintosh said, it is important that the voluntary sector has that assurance. On the basis that amend...

The Convener Lab

Amendment 37, in the name of Elizabeth Smith, is in a group on its own.

Elizabeth Smith Con

As things stand, the bill gives a blanket definition of public records which, as I understand it, encompasses all information that is generated by or on beha...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

Amendment 37 seeks to remove a crucial part of the bill and cuts to the heart of the bill, which is about the management of records, not the content of recor...

Elizabeth Smith Con

I have nothing further to say. The minister’s comments have been helpful.Amendment 37, by agreement, withdrawn.Section 3 agreed to.Section 4—Approval of plan...

The Convener Lab

Amendment 4, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendment 5.