We move to PE956 by Mary Douglas and PE982 by B Linden Jarvis, on ship-to-ship oil transfers, which members will be aware was the subject of a parliamentary debate.
Official Report · Committee
Petitions
Ship-to-ship Oil Transfers (Conservation) (PE956 and PE982)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Roseanna Cunningham SNP 6
- Jamie Hepburn SNP 3
- Bill Wilson SNP 2
- Sarah Boyack Lab 2
- John Scott Con 1
The record
14 contributionsThe issue is clearly not closed. It is regrettable that a private company should have the final say on ship-to-ship oil transfers. We should keep the petitions open. The committee should take the option of writing to the minister as suggested.
As suggested by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds briefing?
I am sorry; I am looking at the options in paragraph 28 of the clerk's paper, which says that the committee"could write to the Cabinet Secretary seeking an update on those discussions."
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I seek guidance convener. Is it possible to decouple the two petitions?
They are separate petitions and can be treated separately.
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I am quite relaxed about keeping PE956 open, although I note the petitioner's comments and think she has been unduly harsh on the Scottish Government, given what the cabinet secretary said about the division of powers between the Scottish Parliament and Westminster. I am therefore happy to keep that petition open. However, the terms of reference of PE982 have broadly been fulfilled, because there was a debate before the recent parliamentary recess. I am pretty sure that I participated in that debate.
We should not close the petitions because we have not reached the endgame. Although a statutory instrument was passed before the recess, the Scottish Government has not called in the assessment process.From reading through some of the parliamentary questions on this issue, it is clear that discussions are continuing between SNH, Forth Ports and the proposers of the transfers. The committee should keep a weather eye on the issue, monitor developments and ensure that a report comes back from the minister.
I am going to ask members for their views on each petition separately, since the view has been expressed that they can be dealt with separately.Is the committee happy to continue with PE956 by Mary Douglas on the basis of the option outlined in paragraph 28 of the clerk's paper?Members indicated agreement.
PE982, by B Linden Jarvis, arguably is slightly different, because it calls for a debate and Parliament has had that debate, in a sense. What is the committee's view on that? Do we continue with the petition simply because it is about the same subject as PE956, or do we close it?
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As I said, we should close it down.
Given the link between the two petitions, we should continue with both of them, but I am happy to go with the flow, convener.
I would keep the petition open. The paper sets out what the petitioner has said about how the Government"may use its powers … to protect the local ecology, scenery, environment and areas of special scientific interest and habitat within the Estuary."The debate is not closed yet. That said, I would be the first to acknowledge that progress has been made.
Right. I propose that we keep both petitions—PE956 and PE982—open and that we proceed on the basis of the action that is set out in paragraph 28, which is to follow up on the issue with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, asking him for an update on the various discussions that have taken place. When we have received that update, the clerks will bring it before the committee for our consideration. Is that agreed?Members indicated agreement.
In this meeting
Everything on 19 Sep 2007 →- Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs and Environment Committee Wednesday 19 September 2007 Committee business · 1
- Foot-and-mouth Disease Evidence session · 74
- Subordinate Legislation Subordinate legislation · 42
- Subordinate Legislation Subordinate legislation · 5
- Petitions Petitions · 1
- Petitions Petitions · 4
- Petitions Petitions · 5
- Petitions Petitions · 14
- Petitions Petitions · 3
- Flooding and Flood Management Inquiry Committee business · 25
- Budget Adviser Committee business · 5
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