 I welcome members to the 31st meeting in 2015 of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. As always, I ask members to turn off mobile phones, please. Agender item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. It's proposed that the committee takes item 8 in private. That's reliable committee to consider its approach to the scrutiny of the Bankruptcy Scotland bill. Does the committee agree to take this item in private, please? Agender item 2 is instrument subject to negative procedure. No points have been raised by illegal advisers on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund grants Scotland regulations 2015, SSI 2015, 359, not on the natural mineral water, spring water and bottle drinking water Scotland amendment regulations 2015, SSI 2015, 363, the private rented housing panel 103rd party applications Scotland regulations 2015, SSI 2015, 369 and the diligence against earnings variations Scotland regulations 2015, SSI 2015, 370. Is the committee content with these, please? Yes. Agender item 3 is instrument not subject to any parliamentary procedure. The Act of Soderent Sheriff appealed court rules 2015, SSI 2015, 356. This instrument contains defective drafting rule 56, includes provision as to where a document or other matter is intimated in terms of the rules to the solicitor for the receiving party. SSI 2 and 3 of the rule are in conflicting terms, where intimation is given at 1700 hours precisely on any day. SSI 2 provides the date of intimation is that day. SSI 3 provides the date of intimation is the next day. A Lord's President's private office has undertaken to lay a further instrument, which would correct this error in time for the Act of Soderent coming into force on 1 January 2016. Does the committee agree to draw this instrument to the attention of the Parliament on reporting ground? I, as rule 5.6, appears to be defectively drafted. Yes. No points have been raised by illegal advisers on the Community Empowerment Scotland Act 2015, commencement number 2, order 2015, SSI 2015, 358. Nor on the Water Act 2014, commencement number 1, Scotland order 2015, SSI 2015, 360. Nor on the Mental Health Scotland Act 2015, commencement number 1, transition, null and saving provisions order 2015, SSI 2015, 361. Nor the Scottish independence referendum, chief counting officer and counting officer charges and expenses order 2015, SSI 2015, 368. Nor the act of a journal criminal procedure rules 1996, amendment number 5, request for final decision and reasons 2015, SSI 2015, 375. Is the committee content with these instruments, please? Yes. To enter item 4 is the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Scotland Bill. The purpose of this item is for the committee to consider the delegated powers in the bill. Members have seen a paper on this and the recommendations. This will form the basis of a report to the lead committee. The draft report would not be discussed by the committee before it is published. Does the committee have any comments, whereas the committee content with the delegated powers in sections 8, 14, 4A, 40 and 43 of the bill? Content. Thank you. To enter item 5 is the Criminal Verdict Scotland Bill. Members are again invited to consider the delegated powers provisions in this bill. Members have again seen a paper and if they are content with the recommendations in the paper, this will form the basis of a report to the lead committee. That report will not be discussed by the committee before it is published. Is the committee content with delegated powers in sections 4 and 5? Content. To enter item 6 is the Higher Education Government Scotland Bill. This item of business is for the committee to consider the Scottish Government's response to its stage 1 report. Do members have any comments, please? Is the committee content to note the response and, if necessary, reconsider the bill after stage 2? Content. To enter item 7 is the Successions Scotland Bill. This item is for the committee to consider the Scottish Government's response to its report on the delegated powers in this bill. Does the committee have any comments, please? Is the committee content with the response and, if necessary, reconsider the bill after stage 2? Content. I move this meeting into private. Thank you.