Seòmar agus comataidhean

Welcome to the third meeting in 2022 of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. As we are meeting fully online again today, it will be more challenging for members to indicate agreement to the items being discussed. I therefore ask you to raise your hand if you are not content with a question that is put or if you wish to speak about an instrument.

Under the first item of business, we are considering one instrument, on which no points have been raised.

Is the committee content with the instrument?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

Under our second and final agenda item, we are considering five instruments. An issue has been raised on the following instrument.

Is the committee content with the instruments?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

The next meeting of the committee will take place on Tuesday 1 February 2022.

This Scottish statutory instrument amends the principal regulations to add into the scheme further cuts of pigmeat for which aid may be granted. It also amends the closing date for applications, from 28 February to 31 March 2022.

Under section 28(2) of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, instruments subject to the negative procedure are required to be laid at least 28 days before they come into force, not counting recess periods of more than four days.

In correspondence with the committee, the Scottish Government explained that it considered that it was necessary for the amendments to come into force on 15 January 2022—rather than at a later date to enable compliance with the 28-day rule—in order to maximise the benefit of the scheme to the industry. That was to avoid delays in applications to the scheme and the consequent backlog of pigs on farms.

Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on reporting ground (j), in relation to the failure to lay the instrument in accordance with laying requirements under the 2010 act?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

At the same time, is the committee content with the explanation that the Scottish Government has provided for the breach of the laying requirement?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

Finally, no points have been raised on the following instruments.

Welcome to the second meeting in 2022 of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, which is taking place fully online. Before we move to the first agenda item, as we are again meeting online, it will be more challenging for members to indicate agreement to the items that are discussed. I therefore ask you to raise your hand if you are not content when a question is put or if you wish to speak about an instrument.

The first item of business is to decide whether to take items 6 to 9 in private. Is the committee content to take those items in private?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

Under agenda item 3, we are considering two made affirmative instruments. Issues have been raised on the following instrument.

Under agenda item 5, issues have been raised on three negative instruments.

Under section 28(2) of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, instruments subject to the negative procedure are required to be laid at least 28 days before they come into force, not counting recess periods of more than four days. In its letter to the Presiding Officer on the instrument, the Scottish Government explained that urgent action was required, as concerns have been raised by education authorities and managers of grant-aided schools about their ability to comply with the duties under earlier regulations as a result of an inability to procure certain foods due to disruption in the school food supply chain.

Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on reporting ground (j), in relation to the failure to lay the instrument in accordance with the laying requirements under the 2010 act?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

At the same time, is the committee content with the explanation that the Scottish Government has provided for this breach of the laying requirement?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.

A similar issue has been raised on the following instrument.

Is the committee content with the instrument?

No member has indicated that they are not content or that they wish to speak, so we are agreed.