Present:
Brian Adam	Mr Richard Baker
Chris Ballance	Susan Deacon
Murdo Fraser	Christine May
Alasdair Morgan (Convener)	Jamie Stone
Mike Watson (Deputy Convener)

The meeting opened at 2.02 pm

1. Item in private: the Committee agreed to take item 5 in private.
2. Area Tourist Board Review: the Committee took evidence from:
   
   Philip Riddle, Chief Executive, VisitScotland;
   
   Peter Lederer, Chairman, VisitScotland;
   
   on the Area Tourist Board Review.
3. Area Tourist Board Review: the Committee took evidence from Frank MacAveety, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, on the Area Tourist Board Review.
4. Community Arts Inquiry: the Committee considered its approach to the Community Arts Inquiry and agreed to:


issue a call for written evidence in mid-June via a press release and various community arts networks:

adopt the approach set out in paper EC/S2/04/17/3 for gathering oral evidence;

seek appropriate authorisations for up to three case study visits to community arts venues;

identify potential locations for case study visits and agree to delegate authority to the Convener to seek the necessary approvals;

delegate authority to the Convener to make arrangements to recompense witnesses under the Parliament's Witness Expenses Scheme, as appropriate;

liaise with the Cultural Commission as part of the inquiry;

submit a copy of the final report to the Equal Opportunities Committee;

seek an external venue in which to hold the first Committee meeting in September 2004, and delegate authority to the Convener to seek the necessary approvals;

undertake consideration of a draft report in private.

1. Area Tourist Board Review (in private): the Committee considered its approach to the Area Tourist Board Review. The Committee agreed to:
   
   
   consider a short report on the Area Tourist Board Review before the start of the summer recess;
   
   seek to examine the progress of the Review as part of its overall work programme for the period September to December 2004.
   
   

The meeting closed at 4.15pm.

Simon Watkins

Clerk to the Committee

Room 2.7, Committee Chambers

Ext. 0131 348 5207