Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Official Report 428KB pdf

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European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

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Environment (Miscellaneous Amendments Etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

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Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

I welcome everyone to the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee’s 25th meeting of 2020. We have apologies from our deputy convener, Finlay Carson.

Agenda item 1 is to consider two notifications from the Scottish Government that it intends to consent to two United Kingdom statutory instruments. Members will recall that there is an agreed protocol between the Scottish Government and the Parliament in relation to instruments being made by the UK Government, under powers in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, that relate to proposals within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government and the Parliament have agreed on an approach to UK-wide statutory instruments to avoid duplication of effort, for example, or where only technical or minor amendments are required. Do members have any comments in relation to either instrument?

I have a minor point. I welcome the correction of the limit of PM_2.5, which is particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, from 49 per cent, which it was erroneously shown as, to 46 per cent. PM_2.5 is among the most pernicious of particulates, so it is a good opportunity to correct that and I welcome it. There is nothing else in the instruments to concern us to any extent.

Thank you. No one else has asked to speak on the instruments. Do members agree to write to the Scottish Government to confirm that the committee is content for the Government to consent to the UK SIs referred to in the notifications?

Members indicated agreement.

At our next meeting on 6 October, the committee will hear from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on the draft Scottish Government budget 2021-22.

We will also consider further SI notifications, a negative Scottish statutory instrument and evidence received on our marine planning inquiry.

12:33 Meeting continued in private until 12:49.