Document 1158

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Social Justice: Minutes: Meeting 14, 2000

Author(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Copyright holder(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: © Scottish Parliamentary copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

SOCIAL INCLUSION, HOUSING AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR COMMITTEE

MINUTES

14th Meeting, 2000 (Session 1)

Wednesday 5 April 2000



Present:
Bill Aitken
Robert Brown
Cathie Craigie
Margaret Curran (Convener)
Fiona Hyslop (Deputy Convener)
John McAllion
Alex Neil
Lloyd Quinan
Mike Watson
Karen Whitefield


The meeting opened at 10.03am

1. Item to be taken in private: It was agreed that item 7 be taken in private.

2. Petitions: The committee agreed to note the reply from Scottish Homes to Petition PE53 from Frank Harvey, and to forward a copy of the reply to him.

3. Petitions: The committee agreed to take the issues raised in Petition PE106 from Frank Harvey into account in its wider consideration of the housing stock transfer issue.

The meeting adjourned at 10.06 and resumed at 10.07

4. Voluntary sector report: The committee noted a report from Karen Whitefield, reporter for voluntary sector issues.

It was agreed that the convener would write to the Scottish Executive to seek more information on the review of charity law, particularly regarding timescales and membership of the review body. It was noted that the clerk would request and circulate the recent press release from the Scottish Executive on the matter.

It was agreed that Karen Whitefield would come back to the committee with a paper suggesting a work programme on the issue of charity law and also one on funding in the voluntary sector.

5. Scottish Criminal Record Office Checks: The committee took evidence on SCRO checks from—

Brian Magee and Isabel Bryce, Volunteer Development Scotland

Jim Duffy, Scout Association (Scottish Council)

Jim Morrison, YouthLink Scotland.

It was agreed that the convener would write to the Minister to flag up issues of concern arising from the evidence taken on SCRO checks. It was also agreed that the convener would write to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee to raise the issue of SCRO checks and compatibility with the ECHR.

6. Drug misuse and deprived communities: The committee noted an update on the logistics of the drug inquiry.

It was agreed that the convener would write to the Home Office to seek clarification on the apparent change of government policy with regard to the drug question.

It was agreed to remit to the convener and clerk the witnesses for the first evidence session on 10 May.

It was noted that the clerk would clarify the arrangements regarding committee meetings in the weeks when the Parliament was meeting in Glasgow.

7. Annual budget process (in private): Alex Neill was appointed as adviser on the budget process.

It was agreed that members would let the clerk have a note of issues within the annual budget report about which they felt clarification from the Scottish Executive was required.


The meeting closed at 12.32pm

Martin Verity
Clerk to the Committee

Information about Document 1158

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Social Justice: Minutes: Meeting 14, 2000