Clause 3 - Section 2: supplemental
Civil Contingencies Bill
5:13 pm
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland), Northern Ireland Affairs; Orkney and Shetland, Liberal Democrat)
In relation to subsection (2), the Minister will see that
''Scottish Ministers may issue guidance to a person . . . listed in Part 2 or 4 of Schedule 1''.
As I read it, that means that Scottish Ministers could not give guidance to the British Transport police. As the Minister pointed out, they come within part 1 of schedule 1, but are not a UK-wide body. It would be sensible, and in the interests of joined-up government and the integration of policy, for Ministers in Scotland to be able to give guidance to the British Transport
police on the implementation of civil contingencies in Scotland. Subsection (3)(b) states that any
''person or body listed in any Part of Schedule 1 shall . . . have regard to guidance under subsection (1) or (2) above.''
Apparently, the British Transport police will have to have regard to guidance that was not issued to them.
Debate adjourned.—[Ms Bridget Prentice.]
Adjourned accordingly at twenty-three minutes past Five o'clock till Thursday 29 January at half-past Two o'clock.