Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): We will now consider the Committee's report on the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill. For the record and for anyone viewing the live stream, when we were in closed session, some Committee members who had not had the opportunity to read the report took the time to do so. We were operating to quite a compressed timescale in producing the report. We also had a discussion about some proposed amendments to its final text. We will now formally consider the report.

Members, you have the draft report in front of you. We will now go through the report section by section, and I will ask formally whether you are content with each section. The Clerk will keep me right should I miss anything, but I think that we are clear about what we are working through.

Are members content with the contents page as drafted?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): "Powers and Membership": are members content to agree that section of the report, as drafted?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): "List of Abbreviations and Acronyms used in this Report": are members content to agree that section of the report, as drafted?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Some amendments to the "Executive Summary" section were agreed during our discussions. Are members content with that section of the report, as amended?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): "Introduction": are members content with that section of the report, as drafted?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): On the "Recommendations" section of the report, I will just check something with the Clerk. I do not think that we agreed any formal recommendations. There was no final text on recommendations.

The Committee Clerk: That is correct.

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Our recommendations have been reflected in other areas of the report.

The Committee Clerk: Yes. The Committee discussed —.

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): There will be no "Recommendations" section. Are members content?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): "Consideration of the Bill": are members content with that section of the report, as drafted?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): "Clause by Clause Scrutiny of the Bill": are members content with that section of the report, as drafted?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): At the end are appendices 1 to 7. Are members content with the appendices?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Finally, subject to any minor amendments that need to be made, do members agree to the report on the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill being printed as the Committee's first report of the mandate?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Do members agree to a copy of the minutes of today's meeting in which we discussed and considered the report being included in the final report?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): There are just a few technical points to finalise. Do members agree to an electronic copy of the report being published on the Committee's web page and sent to all organisations that provided evidence to the Committee on the Bill?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): I formally advise members that that concludes the Committee Stage of the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill. Are members content that the report be published on Thursday 3 July 2025?