Education, Children and Young People Committee
Aria Bill letter to the Uk Minister for Science Research and Innovation
Letter from Convener ECYP Committee to Uk Minister Science Research and Innovation
Dear Mr Freeman,
Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) Bill
Congratulations on your recent appointment to the position of Minister for Science, Research and Innovation. I am writing to you with regard to the ARIA Bill, which I understand comes within your remit, and an associated Scottish Government Legislative Consent Memorandum for which my Committee has the lead scrutiny role within the Scottish Parliament.
I note that the Scottish Government is not currently able, in its Legislative Consent Memorandum, to recommend consent to the ARIA Bill and that discussions remain on-going between the Scottish and UK Governments.
The Committee has recently received a letter from the Scottish Government’s Minister for Higher Education, Further Education, Youth Employment and Training which refers to correspondence between your predecessor(s) and the Scottish Government with regard to the issues raised in the LCM. This is reproduced at Annexe A
The Committee considered its approach to scrutiny of the LCM at its meeting on 22 September 2021.
In order to aid scrutiny of the LCM the Committee agreed that I write to you to request copies of all correspondence from UK Ministers to Scottish Ministers on this issue including the correspondence referred to in Mr Hepburn’s letter of 8 September. I have also written in similar terms to the Scottish Government’s Minister for Higher Education, Further Education, Youth Employment regarding all related correspondence from Scottish Ministers to the UK Government. A copy of that letter is reproduced at Annexe B.
I understand that my Clerks have issued an invitation to you to give evidence to the Committee on 27 October. In that regard, the Committee requests copies of all correspondence from UK Ministers to the Scottish Government on this issue be received in advance of your appearance before the Committee, ideally no later than Thursday 21st October 2021, in order to aid the Committee’s scrutiny.
I have instructed my Clerks to liaise with your officials should you wish to discuss any aspect of this letter or the invitation to give evidence to the Committee.
Yours sincerely
Stephen Kerr MSP
Convener