Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee,

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 31, 2000

Official Report 174KB pdf

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Transport Bill

The next item is consideration of the transport bill.

In the course of our discussions, we have touched on the issue of transport several times. I seek the opinion of members of the committee as to whether we should aim to ensure that the committee is involved in the stage 1 consideration of the bill. Do we agree to seek a level of involvement?

Members indicated agreement.

I will write to the Parliamentary Bureau.

Do you think that the advice about timing is probably not accurate any more?

I heard mutterings that the bill was being published today, although I have been advised that there is a delay in publication.

Obviously, we will consider the bill within whatever time scale we can accommodate. However, on a bill of such magnitude, I would be sceptical about the Transport and the Environment Committee clearing its stage 1 consideration by the summer recess. However, that is up to the Transport and the Environment Committee and the Parliamentary Bureau.

Just to clarify, it is proposed that the bill will complete stage 1 at the beginning of September. As we are feeding into that process, we will probably need to conclude our consideration of the bill by the beginning of the summer recess.

We will make those representations to the Parliamentary Bureau and await the time scale.