Committee
Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee 12 June 2019
12 Jun 2019 · S5 · Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
Item of business
Transport (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
We are continuing our consideration of stage 2 amendments to the Transport (Scotland) Bill. Today’s meeting will be in two parts. We will meet this morning until about 12.30 pm, and then we will reconvene at 6 pm. I welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity and his supporting officials. I also welcome Claudia Beamish. During the course of the day, other MSPs will be present. I will briefly explain the procedure. There will be one debate on each group of amendments. I will call the member who lodged the first amendment in that group to speak to and move that amendment and to speak to all the other amendments in the group. I will then call other members who have lodged amendments in that group. Members who have not lodged amendments in the group but who wish to speak should catch my eye. If he has not already spoken on the group, I will then invite the cabinet secretary to contribute to the debate. The debate on the group will be concluded by me inviting the member who moved the first amendment in the group to wind up. Following the debate on each group, I will check whether the member who moved the first amendment in the group wishes to press that amendment to a vote or to withdraw it. If they wish to press, 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 agreement of the other members to do so. If any member present objects, the committee will immediately move to the vote on the amendment. If any member does not want to move their amendment when called, they should say, “Not moved.” Please note that any other member present 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. Voting in any division is by a show of hands. This will be a long session, but I ask members to keep their hands raised clearly so that the clerks can record the vote. The committee is required to indicate that it has considered each section of the bill, so, at the appropriate point, I will put a question on each section. We will not go beyond amendments to part 4 of the bill today. Section 15—Use of equipment
In the same item of business
The Convener
Con
We are continuing our consideration of stage 2 amendments to the Transport (Scotland) Bill. Today’s meeting will be in two parts. We will meet this morning u...
The Convener
Con
The first group is on low-emission zones and parking prohibitions: removal of approved devices. Amendment 59, in the name of the cabinet secretary, is groupe...
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity (Michael Matheson)
SNP
Section 15 allows traffic authorities to install and maintain approved devices for the operation and detection procedure for the LEZ scheme. It also allows f...
The Convener
Con
No committee member has indicated that they wish to speak. Does the cabinet secretary want to wind up? I think that you have said enough.
Michael Matheson
SNP
Yes. Amendment 59 agreed to. Section 15, as amended, agreed to. Section 16 agreed to. After section 16 08:15
The Convener
Con
The next group is on low-emission zones: regulations on traffic signs. Amendment 204, in the name of Jamie Greene, is the only amendment in the group.
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
Good morning, cabinet secretary. Amendment 204 is about signage around low-emission zones. To my knowledge, there is currently no provision in the bill on t...
Michael Matheson
SNP
Although I agree with Jamie Greene that LEZ signs will be needed to make motorists aware of the operation of those zones, amendment 204 is unnecessary. The S...
Jamie Greene
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for that very helpful update. Will he confirm that, if I do not press the amendment, we can be assured that there will be stand...
Michael Matheson
SNP
As I have stated, ministers already have that power, and we intend to have consistent signage. Amendment 204, by agreement, withdrawn. Section 17 agreed to...
The Convener
Con
The question is, that amendment 60 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Con
There will be a division. For Finnie, John (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Against Chapman, Peter (North East Scotla...
The Convener
Con
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 8, Abstentions 1. Amendment 60 disagreed to. Amendment 61 moved—Michael Matheson—and agreed to. Amendment ...
The Convener
Con
I remind members that if amendment 205 is agreed to, amendments 62 and 63 are pre-empted. The question is, that amendment 205 be agreed to. Are we agreed? M...
The Convener
Con
There will be a division. For Chapman, Peter (North East Scotland) (Con) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Co...
The Convener
Con
The result of the division is: For 3, Against 8, Abstentions 0. Amendment 205 disagreed to. Amendment 62 moved—Michael Matheson—and agreed to. Amendment 6...
The Convener
Con
The question is, that amendment 63 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Con
There will be a division. For Finnie, John (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Lyle, Richard (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettlesto...
The Convener
Con
The result of the division is: For 8, Against 3, Abstentions 0. Amendment 63 agreed to. Amendment 206 moved—John Finnie.
The Convener
Con
The question is, that amendment 206 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Con
There will be a division. For Finnie, John (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Against Chapman, Peter (North East Scotla...
The Convener
Con
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 9, Abstentions 0. Amendment 206 disagreed to. Section 18, as amended, agreed to. Section 19—Ministers’ gra...
The Convener
Con
The next group is on low-emission zones: financial reporting and review provisions. Amendment 207, in the name of Jamie Greene, is grouped with amendments 20...
Jamie Greene
Con
Amendment 207 relates to the grant-making powers of ministers. Currently, ministers may make grants to help local authorities operate a scheme. The amendment...
The Convener
Con
At this point, I would have called Brian Whittle to speak to amendment 227, but he seems to have been delayed. I will try to bring him in during the debate, ...
Michael Matheson
SNP
Ministers have consistently stated that the Government would provide significant funding for transport-based air pollution and LEZs. In that regard, it is ri...
The Convener
Con
Brian Whittle has now turned up, but I will call him at the end.
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I am not a fan of reports for reports’ sake, so my proposal may seem strange. That said, if we are really going to tackle the climate emergency, we need the ...
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Amendment 65, in my name, clarifies that local authorities should be carrying out reviews of their LEZs without ministerial direction. As it stands, local au...
The Convener
Con
I call Brian Whittle to speak to amendment 227 and other amendments in the group.