Local Government Committee, 03 Apr 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, April 3, 2001

Official Report 203KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Local Government Committee Tuesday 3 April 2001 (Afternoon)

[The Convener opened the meeting at 14:01]

Right comrades, it is 2 o'clock and we are quorate so we can begin. This is Neil Stewart's last day with us, which is why he has been allowed to sit at the top table.

Where is he off to?

I do not know, but I hope that it is somewhere better than this. Irene Fleming will be with us full-time until the summer. That is good, but we are sorry to lose you, Neil. We will be welcoming Irene after the break.

Kenny Gibson will love this, but I have to ask members if we can take item 7 in private. The reason for that is that it concerns a paper from the conveners liaison group, which has asked that all committees hear the paper in private. Sylvia Jackson and I were not in attendance when that decision was made, so we were not party to it. When members have read the paper, they will appreciate that we should discuss it in private. Do members agree? Do not say anything to upset us all, Kenny.

I am not sure that we would want to inflict our discussion on the public in any case.

I do not know—we had to watch you at the Liberal conference last week.

Can I have agreement on that?

Members indicated agreement.