Document 1170

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Transport and the Environment: Minutes: Meeting 21, 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.

THE TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

MINUTES

21st Meeting, 2000 (Session 1)

Wednesday 20 September 2000



Present:
Helen Eadie
Robin Harper
Janis Hughes Andy Kerr (Convener)
Des McNulty Murray Tosh


Apologies were received from Linda Fabiani, Cathy Jamieson, Kenny MacAskill, Nora Radcliffe (Deputy Convener), and Tavish Scott.

The meeting opened at 9.20 am.


1. Genetically Modified Organism (in private):


The Committee considered possible areas of questioning for witnesses on the issue of genetically modified organisms.

The Committee agreed to meet in private at the beginning of its next meeting in order to consider possible areas of questioning for further witnesses on the issue of genetically modified organisms.


2. Genetically Modified Organisms:

The Committee took evidence as part of its inquiry into genetically modified organisms from—

Kevin Dunion, Friends of the Earth Scotland

Duncan Orr-Ewing and Jonathan Curtoys, RSPB Scotland

Dr Ulrich Loening, Retired Director of Centre for Human Ecology


3. Telecommunication Developments Inquiry:

The Convener updated the Committee on the response to its report into telecommunications developments.


4. Public Petitions:

The Committee considered a paper on a proposed new procedure for handling public petitions, and agreed that the Convener would write to the Procedures Committee highlighting the difficulties faced by the Committee in considering petitions timeously and effectively. It was also agreed that the letter would ask the Procedures Committee to review the Standing Orders governing the lodging, referral and consideration of petitions, including the role of the Public Petitions Committee. The Committee further agreed that the Convener should request that the issue be placed on the agenda of a future meeting of the Conveners’ Liaison Group and; that an additional meeting of the Transport and the Environment Committee should be arranged specifically for the purpose of considering petitions referred to the Committee but not yet concluded. The Committee agreed when considering public petitions not take a view or recommend further action in respect of individual cases which have been subject to legal or court proceedings, industrial tribunals, or planning or other similar statutory procedures. It was noted that this did not preclude the Committee from considering proposals to change laws, procedures or rules which relate to individual cases, where they feel that such a case may exemplify the need for change


5. Public Petitions:

The Committee considered the following public petition—

Petition PE63 by Mr Allan Berry calling for the Scottish Parliament to hold an independent and public inquiry into the adverse environmental effects of sea cage fish farming, and the regulatory failure to both recognise and prevent significant damage to our natural heritage, the environment and other interests dependent on the integrity of our Scottish coastal waters.

The Convener reported that the Rural Affairs Committee, which was in the lead in considering the petition, had not been able to consider the petition at its meeting on 19 September as planned. Consequently, it was agreed to defer consideration of the petition until it had been considered by the Petitions Committee.


6. Transport (Scotland) Bill (in private):

The Committee considered the procedures and arrangements for dealing with Stage 2 of the Transport (Scotland) Bill.


The meeting closed at 12.15 pm.


Shelagh McKinlay
Clerk to the Committee

Information about Document 1170

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Transport and the Environment: Minutes: Meeting 21, 2000