Committee
Local Government and Regeneration Committee 04 March 2015
04 Mar 2015 · S4 · Local Government and Regeneration Committee
Item of business
Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Agenda item 3 is consideration of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. This is day 1 of the process. I welcome to the meeting Marco Biagi, Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment, his officials and Drew Smith MSP. Before we move to consideration of the amendments, it will be helpful if I set out the procedure for stage 2 consideration. Everyone should have with them a copy of the bill as introduced, the marshalled list of amendments, which was published on Monday, and the groupings of amendments, which set out the amendments in the order in which they will be debated. There will be one debate on each group of amendments. I will call the member who lodged the first amendment in each group to speak to and move their amendment, and to speak to all the other amendments in the group. Members who have not lodged amendments in the group but who wish to speak should indicate that by catching my attention in the usual way. If the minister has not already spoken on the group, I will invite him to contribute to the debate just before I move to the winding-up speech. The debate on each group will be concluded by me inviting the member who moved the first amendment in the group to wind up. Following debate on each group, I will check whether the member who moved the first amendment in the group wishes to press their amendment to a vote or to withdraw it. If they wish to press it, I will put the question on that amendment. If a member wishes to withdraw their amendment after it has been moved, they must seek the committee’s agreement to do so. If any committee member objects, the committee must immediately move to the vote on the amendment. If any member does not want to move their amendment when I call it, they should say, “Not moved.” Please remember that any other MSP may move such an amendment. If no one moves the amendment, I will immediately call the next amendment on the marshalled list. Only committee members are allowed to vote at stage 2. Voting in any division is by show of hands. It is important that members keep their hands clearly raised until the clerk has recorded the vote. The committee is required to indicate formally that it has considered and agreed to each section of the bill, so I will put a question on each section at the appropriate point. Section 1—National outcomes
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
Agenda item 3 is consideration of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. This is day 1 of the process. I welcome to the meeting Marco Biagi, ...
The Convener
SNP
We come to the first group of amendments. Amendment 1043, in the name of Alex Rowley, is grouped with amendments 1044, 1003 to 1005, 1045, 1049, 1008 to 1012...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
The purposes of my amendments 1043, 1044, 1049, 1051 to 1053 and 1071 are to ensure that the national outcomes for Scotland are created through a participati...
The Convener
SNP
I call the minister to speak to amendment 1003 and the other amendments in the group.
The Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment (Marco Biagi)
SNP
Thank you—it is a pleasure to be in front of the committee again. I hope that this goes as well as the last stage 2 that I attended at the committee. Alex R...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you, minister. I call Drew Smith to speak to amendment 1045.
Drew Smith (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Thank you very much, convener, for the opportunity to take part in these stage 2 proceedings. I note what the minister said and thank him for his agreement...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
I want to address the content of Alex Rowley’s amendment 1049, which I think raises some really quite serious practical issues that are not adequately addres...
Alex Rowley
Lab
I thank the minister, as Drew Smith did, for his comments on the sentiment that we are discussing in relation to the bill. I should add that my name is prono...
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 1043 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division. For Buchanan, Cameron (Lothian) (Con) Hilton, Cara (Dunfermline) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Cowdenbeath) (Lab) Wilson, John (Central ...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0. Amendment 1043 agreed to.
The Convener
SNP
Group 2 is on functions to which national outcomes relate and duty of bodies exercising those functions. Amendment 1001, in the name of the minister, is grou...
Marco Biagi
SNP
Group 2 covers a number of amendments to improve the structure and to clarify points in section 1. Amendment 1001 has been lodged in response to a question f...
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I have lodged amendment 1006A because I wanted to weaken the provision. I think that “have regard to” is too strong and that “consider” is a less draconian t...
Stewart Stevenson
SNP
I wanted to invite the minister in his concluding remarks to expand on proposed new subsection (1C), in which he excludes functions where the Scottish Parlia...
Marco Biagi
SNP
We have a difference of opinion as to how much consideration should be given to the national outcomes. I am clear that we should be quite strong on those but...
The Convener
SNP
Group 3 is on national outcomes: inequalities resulting from socioeconomic disadvantage. Amendment 1002, in the name of Marco Biagi, is the only amendment in...
Marco Biagi
SNP
We are committed to building a fairer Scotland and reducing inequalities and we wish to make that aim more explicit throughout the bill. Amendment 1002 requi...
The Convener
SNP
Amendment 1044, in the name of Alex Rowley, has already been debated with amendment 1043. I remind members that if amendment 1044 is agreed to, I cannot call...
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 1044 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division. For Hilton, Cara (Dunfermline) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Cowdenbeath) (Lab) Against Buchanan, Cameron (Lothian) (Con) Coffey, Willi...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0. Amendment 1044 disagreed to. Amendments 1003 to 1005 moved—Marco Biagi—and agreed to. 1...
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 1045 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division. For Buchanan, Cameron (Lothian) (Con) Hilton, Cara (Dunfermline) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Cowdenbeath) (Lab) Against Coffey, Willi...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0. Amendment 1045 disagreed to. Amendment 1006 moved—Marco Biagi. Amendment 1006A moved—Camer...
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 1006A be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division. For Buchanan, Cameron (Lothian) (Con) Hilton, Cara (Dunfermline) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Cowdenbeath) (Lab) Against Coffey, Willi...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0. Amendment 1006A disagreed to. Amendment 1006 agreed to. Amendment 1007 moved—Marco Biagi—a...
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that section 1 be agreed to. Are we agreed?