Committee
Social Justice Committee, 25 Apr 2001
25 Apr 2001 · S1 · Social Justice Committee
Item of business
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
No, I ask you to bide your time. You have raised an issue with me that we will deal with later, but I want to deal with the timetabling of the bill first. With respect, that is the item that is on the agenda.It will be evident to everyone who was at the last meeting that the timetabling was not sufficient for us to overtake the business. We need to look at how we can deal with the business to ensure that we meet the timetable that has been laid down. I want our discussion to be brief. I do not want it to go on and on with everybody consulting their diaries and arguing about when they would be available.I think that there would be a general acceptance that we need to hold two meetings a week rather than one—if we define a meeting as taking place between half-past 9 and 1 o'clock. Since people have commitments to other committees, we have looked at the possibility of meeting on a Tuesday afternoon and a Wednesday morning. The one difficulty is that we are unable to define that as one meeting. We could not adjourn on the Tuesday night and resume on a Wednesday morning. That creates the difficulty that we then have two groupings and two marshalled lists, which creates extra work for the clerks. The other alternative would be to meet all day on a Tuesday. However, a number of people have important commitments; for instance, Robert Brown has to attend the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body meeting on a Tuesday morning.I am happy to discuss this, but I think it is reasonable to propose to the committee that we arrange a meeting for next Tuesday afternoon and next Wednesday morning. The two meetings would be separate and members would be entitled to lodge amendments until the appropriate deadlines. However, people could recognise that the two meetings are coming one upon the other and be considerate to the clerks in lodging amendments. Next week, we could reflect on how effective that arrangement has been, particularly for the clerks. There is no doubt that members have sufficient time to lodge amendments. The difficulty is managing the information once it comes in and getting it back out again.That proposal is reasonable, but I am happy to have some discussion on it.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Johann Lamont):
Lab
Welcome to this meeting of the Social Justice Committee. We may get to know each other quite well by the end of this process. The first item to discuss is th...
Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Before we get to that—
The Convener:
Lab
Sorry, we will deal with item 1 first.
Brian Adam:
SNP
Convener, I—
The Convener:
Lab
No, I ask you to bide your time. You have raised an issue with me that we will deal with later, but I want to deal with the timetabling of the bill first. Wi...
Brian Adam:
SNP
I understand the desire and the need to make progress with the bill. It is not just Robert Brown who has a problem on a Tuesday. Bill Aitken and I are involv...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I do not want to reiterate what Brian Adam and Robert Brown have said, but members should think back to the beginning of the process. That was when I joined ...
The Convener:
Lab
I do not want us to rehearse another discussion about the timetable for the bill as it was introduced. That is something that has been well aired at the comm...
Ms White:
SNP
Convener, your interruption meant that I was unable to finish what I was saying.
The Convener:
Lab
I am asking members to discuss a specific question about the timetabling so that we can come to a conclusion—
Ms White:
SNP
No, the convener interrupted me and I was good enough to let her in. The convener mentioned that members have other commitments on Tuesdays, and it may be th...
The Convener:
Lab
I ask Sandra White to clarify whether her position is that we do not meet twice each week.
Ms White:
SNP
Yes.
The Convener:
Lab
Okay.
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con):
Con
I was not at the last meeting, but the report that I have indicates that progress was tortuous, to say the least.
The Convener:
Lab
It was extremely well-convened torture. Laughter.
Bill Aitken:
Con
What is at issue this morning is how we manage the timetabling difficulty that faces us. I would find it virtually impossible to do the Tuesday stints. I rec...
Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD):
LD
I have no difficulty with the concept of meeting twice a week. The bill is important and it is important that it be got through, if at all possible, by the s...
Ms White:
SNP
That was a cheap swipe.
The Convener:
Lab
Sorry?
Ms White:
SNP
May I come in?
The Convener:
Lab
No.
Ms White:
SNP
Oh.
The Convener:
Lab
Can we have a bit of discipline here?
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
We have spent 15 minutes discussing how we will meet. Our time is scarce and I am not sure that we are using it wisely. I support much of what Robert Brown h...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
It is important that the committee meets twice a week so that we get through the business. The committee has been preparing for the Housing (Scotland) Bill f...
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
Convener—
Bill Aitken:
Con
The clerk could advise us whether there is another solution to this. Perhaps it would be possible to obtain the permission of the Parliament to meet while th...
Mr Gibson:
SNP
The—
The Convener:
Lab
I will not allow you to come in on this discussion, Kenny. This is a matter for members of the committee.