The Committee will meet at 9.45 am in Committee Room 1

1. Inquiry Topics: The Committee will consider possible topics for an inquiry by the Committee.

2. Conduct of meeting: The Committee will consider possible lines of questioning to pursue during the evidence-taking session at Agenda Item 3.

Not before 11.30 am

3. 2000/2001 Expenditure Plans: The Committee will take evidence on the Scottish Budget sub programme expenditure plans (Level 2 figures) from Mr Jack McConnell.

4. Draft Committee Report: The Committee will consider a draft report on the Scottish Budget sub programme expenditure plans (Level 2 figures).

The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2

1. Improving Our Schools consultation document: The Committee will take evidence from the Commission for Racial Equality and the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland.

2. Work programme: The Committee will consider its programme of future work.

3. Social partnerships and research needs: The Committee will consider the availability of funding for social partnerships to assist its work, and will consider its research needs.

4. Progress reports from Reporters: The Committee will hear progress reports from—

Michael Matheson, Disability issues

Johann Lamont, Gender issues

Michael McMahon, Race issues

Nora Radcliffe, Sexual orientation issues

5. Correspondence: The Committee will consider recent correspondence received by the Clerk and Convener.

The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 3

1. Liaison: The Committee has invited the Clerk/Chief Executive, Paul Grice, to speak to this item.

2. "Changing the Culture of our Politics": The Committee will wish to note the correspondence between the Convener and Mr I McKay and a proposal for a meeting.

3. The Scottish Daily Newspaper Society: The Committee will wish to note this item and a proposal for a meeting.

4. Letter from the Convener, Finance Committee: The Committee will wish to note this item.

5. Letter from the Presiding Officer: The Committee will wish to note this item.

6. Letter to the Presiding Officer on Scots Language: The Committee will wish to note this item.

7. Letter from the Minister for Parliament: The Committee will wish to note this item.

8. Letter to the Convener from Director, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations: The Committee will wish to note this item.

9. Work Programme: The Committee will discuss a paper.

10. Timetable of Committee Meetings: The Committee will wish to note its timetable.

The Committee will meet at 11.15 am in Committee Room 4

1. Executive Responses on Statutory Instruments: The Committee will consider responses from the Executive to points raised on the following instruments—

Act of Sederunt (Fees ofSolicitors in the Sheriff Court) (Amendment)1999, (SSI 1999/149)

Act of Sederunt (Fees of Sheriff Officers) 1999, (SSI 1999/150)

The Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) (Orkney) (No. 3) (Scotland) Revocation Order 1999, (SSI 1999/159)

The Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) (Orkney) (No. 2) (Scotland) Partial Revocation Order 1999, (SSI 1999/160)

2. Revision of Standing Orders: The Committee will consider the matters raised in a letter from the Convener to the Convener of the Procedures Committee in connection with a review of Chapter 10 of Standing Orders.

The Committee will meet at 1.30 pm in Committee Room 1

1. Petition PE 26: Bridge of Allan Public Interests Association: The Committee will consider the petition.

2. Subordinate Legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instruments—

The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Order 1999, (SSI 1999/140)

The Non-Domestic Rating Contributions (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1999, (SSI 1999/153)

The Local Statutory Provision (Postponement from Repeal) (Scotland) Order 1999, (SSI 1999/156)

The Local Statutory Provisions (Exemption from Repeal) (Scotland) Order 1999, (SSI 1999/157)

3. Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence at pre-legislative stage of the Bill from—

Local Government Ombudsman

Accounts Commission

STUC

The Committee will then consider the issues raised by the Bill.

The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in the Chamber, Assembly Hall, The Mound, Edinburgh.

1. Objective 3 Operational Plan: The Committee will discuss the draft report (EU/99/10/1) and hear evidence from—

Mr Jack McConnell MSP, Minister for Finance, Scottish Executive

2. Convener's Report: The Convener will report to the Committee on—

Date and time of future meetings

3. Requests from the Committee for further briefing

 

 

The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 2

1. New Petitions: Consideration of new Petitions

2. Progress of Petitions: Consideration of progress of current Petitions

3. Forward Programme: Consideration of forward programme of meetings

4. Conveners Report

 

 

The Committee will meet at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 4

1. European document: The Committee will consider a Proposal for a Council Directive introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases (SP Ref 377).

2. Proposed structure for Agriculture Inquiry: The Committee will consider a paper outlining a proposed objective for an inquiry into agricultural issues.

3. The Highlands and Islands Agricultural Programme Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme (in private): The Committee will consider a draft interim report on this matter.

4. Future business: The Committee will consider a draft programme for meetings in the New Year.

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The Committee will meet at 2.30 pm in Committee Room 3

1. Draft Code of Conduct for Members: The Committee will consider the following sections of the draft Code:

Paid Advocacy

Enforcement of the Rules