| Back to the Scottish Parliament | Health and Sport Committee Report | |||
| Archive Home Minutes of Proceedings 1999-2011 |
7th Report, 2011 (Session 3) Annual Report 2010-11 Remit and membership Remit: To consider and report on (a) health policy and the NHS in Scotland and other matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and (b) matters relating to sport falling within the responsibility of the Minister for Public Health and Sport. Membership: Helen Eadie Committee Clerking Team: Clerk to the Committee Senior Assistant Clerk Assistant Clerk Committee Assistant The Committee reports to the Parliament as follows— 1. This report covers the work of the Committee during the parliamentary year 2010-11, from 9 May 2010 to 22 March 2011. Budget scrutiny 2. The Committee considered those parts of the “Health and Wellbeing” chapter of the Scottish Government’s budget proposals, Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12, that relate to health and sport. 3. In its report to the Finance Committee, the Committee highlighted the problems around the budget scrutiny process, exacerbated this year because of the delay to the publication of the Scottish Government’s draft budget as a result of the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review. Severe weather conditions in December 2010 also hindered the Committee’s planned programme of scrutiny on the budget. Inquiries Scrutiny of NHS board allocations for the financial year 2010-2011 4. As part of its scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s draft budget for 2010-2011, the Committee noted in its report to the Finance Committee that a large proportion of health spending in Scotland was unavailable for scrutiny, as 75% of the health budget is allocated to NHS boards, about which the Scottish Government’s draft budget presented no information. 5. The Committee agreed, therefore, to undertake a mid-year scrutiny exercise when information on these allocations became available. As part of this inquiry, the Committee agreed to seek written and oral evidence from NHS boards in Scotland on their spending plans for 2010-11. 6. The Committee received written submissions from all 14 area and 8 special NHS boards, and held an oral evidence session with witnesses from selected boards on 12 May 2010. 7. The Committee published its report on NHS board revenue allocations on 28 June 2010. 8. The Committee received a response from the Scottish Government to its report on 19 August 2010. Inquiry into the Clinical Portal Programme and Telehealth 9. The Scottish Parliament held a debate on the Committee’s report on this inquiry, which was undertaken in the previous parliamentary year, on 22 September 2010. Inquiry into out-of-hours healthcare provision in rural areas 10. The Committee received a response from the Scottish Government to its report on this inquiry, which was undertaken in the previous parliamentary year, on 14 June 2010. 11. The Scottish Parliament held a debate on the Committee’s report on 11 November 2010. Legislation Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill 12. The Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish Government on 25 November 2009. The Committee launched its call for evidence on 26 November 2009 and received 173 responses by the deadline for submissions. 13. As part of its approach to scrutiny of the Bill, four members of the Committee undertook a fact-finding trip to Finland and France. 14. The Committee held eight oral evidence sessions, one of which was a video conference with Canada, and published its Stage 1 Report on the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill on 27 May 2010. 15. The Bill passed Stage 1 following the debate in the Chamber on 10 June 2010, and was referred to the Health and Sport Committee at Stage 2. 16. Following further oral evidence sessions, the Committee concluded its consideration of the Bill at Stage 2 on 5 October 2010. 17. The Scottish Parliament debated and passed the Bill at Stage 3 on 10 November 2010. The Bill received Royal Assent on 15 December 2010. Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill 18. The Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by Gil Paterson MSP on 1 June 2010. The Health and Sport Committee launched its call for evidence on 1 June 2010 and received 70 responses by the deadline for submissions. 19. The Committee took oral evidence from selected witnesses over three meetings and published its Stage 1 report on 29 November 2010. 20. On 2 December 2010, the member in charge of the Bill, Gil Paterson MSP, formally withdrew the Bill from the Scottish Parliament. The Bill had not completed Stage 1. Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill 21. The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish Government on 17 March 2010. The Health and Sport Committee launched its call for evidence on 25 March 2010 and received 41 responses by the deadline for submissions. 22. The Committee took oral evidence from selected witnesses and published its Stage 1 report on 4 November 2010. 23. The Bill passed Stage 1 following the debate in the Chamber on 17 November 2010, and was referred to the Health and Sport Committee at Stage 2. 24. The Health and Sport Committee undertook its Stage 2 consideration of the Bill on 14 December 2010, and it passed Stage 3 on 24 February 2011 following the debate in the Chamber. Certification of Death (Scotland) Bill 25. The Certification of Death (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 7 October 2010. The Health and Sport Committee launched its call for evidence on 8 October 2010 and received 39 responses by the deadline for submissions. 26. The Committee took oral evidence from selected witnesses and published its Stage 1 report on 21 January 2011. 27. The Bill passed Stage 1 following the debate in the Chamber on 3 February 2011, and was referred to the Health and Sport Committee at Stage 2. 28. The Health and Sport Committee undertook its Stage 2 consideration of the Bill on 2 March 2011, and it passed Stage 3 on 16 March 2011 following the debate in the Chamber. Health and Social Care Bill (UK Parliament legislation) 29. As a consequence of the Health and Social Care Bill, which was laid before the House of Commons on 19 January 2011, Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM (S3) 33.1) was lodged in the Scottish Parliament on 21 January 2011 and referred to the Health and Sport Committee for consideration. 30. Following an oral evidence session with the Scottish Government, the Committee published its report on 1 March 2011. Subordinate Legislation 31. The Committee scrutinised 73 Scottish statutory instruments this year and published 4 reports. The Committee took oral evidence from Scottish Government ministers and officials where appropriate. Petitions 32. During the parliamentary year, the Committee closed three petitions related to the provision of sports facilities. Issues raised by these petitions were considered as part of the Committee’s inquiry into pathways into sport and physical activity. 33. The Committee also closed two petitions related to the Scottish Government’s proposal to raise the age for off-sales alcohol purchases from 18 to 21 following its decision, in the previous parliamentary year, to consider the issues that they raised as part of its consideration of section 8 of the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill. 34. A petition regarding the provision of out-of-hours GP cover in remote and rural areas was closed following the Committee’s consideration of the response from the Scottish Government to the Committee’s report on its inquiry into out-of-hours healthcare provision in rural areas. 35. The Committee agreed to close a petition aiming to increase awareness, promote the proper diagnosis and treatment and provide sufficient resources to tackle the health problems associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, and agreed to highlight the issues it raised in its legacy paper. Equal opportunities 36. The Committee considered the importance of equal opportunities in its approach to legislation. As part of its scrutiny of the Certification of Death (Scotland) Bill, the Committee ensured the views of faith groups were represented at both the written and oral evidence taking stages of its consideration of the Bill. 37. The Committee raised the issue of improving services for those with mental health problems and sensory impairment and agreed to bring it to the attention of a petitioner who had previously given evidence to the Committee on the same subject. Meetings 38. During the parliamentary year (from 9 May 2010 to 22 March 2011), the Committee met 29 times. Of these meetings, 7 were held entirely in public, 18 were held partly in private and 4 were held entirely in private. The purpose of the large majority of private items was to consider draft Committee reports. 39. All Committee meetings in this parliamentary year were held in Edinburgh in the Scottish Parliament committee rooms. |