Select Committee on Scottish Affairs First Report


1 Introduction


1. The Scottish Affairs Committee's concentration during this Parliament on short, sharp inquiries of a wide and varied nature has continued to prove successful, with interest expressed by both the public and the media. For example, the Committee was pleased to note that, on successive Saturdays in July, BBC Parliament broadcast in full the oral evidence sessions with Ministers on the Scotland Office Annual Report 2004 and with the Joint Trade Unions at BP Grangemouth and BP's Executive Director on the inquiry into the Implications for Grangemouth of BP's plans for its petrochemicals business.

2. Devolution has resulted in many responsibilities of the former Scottish Office being transferred to the Scottish Executive; consequently, many of the objectives and tasks for departmental select committees set by the Liaison Committee do not apply to this Committee. Our Report is therefore not structured by reference to the 10 "core tasks",[1] but we do seek to reflect the overarching objectives identified by the Liaison Committee. Nonetheless, as this Report shows, we have conducted effective scrutiny of proposed legislation, taxation and expenditure.


1   See Liason Committee, First Report, Session 2002-03, Annual Report 2002-03, HC (2002-03) 558, Appendix 3. Back


 
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