Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, 03 Jun 2009

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Official Report 220KB pdf

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Annual Report

Agenda item 3 is consideration of our draft annual report. The draft report, which was circulated to committee members before the meeting, covers 9 May 2008 to 8 May 2009. Do members have comments?

I will make just a wee point about the content. It is good to have the section on equalities, which shows that we have met recommendations and what was expected of us. I had not realised the breadth of evidence that we had taken from organisations until I saw it in the report. I commend the clerks on ensuring that we meet our responsibility.

I, too, have a minor point to make. Paragraph 15 refers to

"visitors including delegations from the Victorian State Parliament … and the Northern Ireland Assembly."

It is important to mention the delegation from Belgium, with whom we had an involved discussion that took more than an hour. We had more involvement with that delegation than with any others, so we should add a reference to it.

I am sure that that paragraph can be amended.

Following a decision of the Conveners Group, the committee is required to highlight its work on equalities. That requirement arose because the Equal Opportunities Committee was concerned that equal opportunities were not being mainstreamed in committees' work. Do we agree the report?

Members indicated agreement.