Committee
Social Justice Committee, 25 Apr 2001
25 Apr 2001 · S1 · Social Justice Committee
Item of business
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
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 involved with the Parliamentary Bureau, and that is something that we ought to be involved in. The bureau meetings can take some time, so a Tuesday afternoon is out as far as Bill Aitken and I are concerned.I am also concerned about the idea that there would be plenty of time for members to lodge amendments. We need time not only to consider the bill in detail and draft the appropriate amendments, but to give consideration to the amendments that have been published in other people's names so that we can give a considered view on them. I am not at all keen on the idea of having back-to-back meetings on two days.At an early point, I raised concerns about the stage 2 timetabling, which is unrealistic. We already have about 285 amendments and we are less than 20 per cent of the way through the bill. We ought not to move towards twice-weekly meetings—certainly not on the basis that the convener has suggested. We need to extend the timetable. Scottish Parliament bills do not fall at the end of each year, so there is no great rush. We want to get the bill right.
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.