Minutes: 20 March 2025

Thursday, 20 March 2025

4th Meeting, 2025

Start time:09:00am

End time: 11:14am

Location: T4.60-CR6 The Livingstone Room

Published: Friday, 21 March 2025

Committee Members Attendees:

Apologies received from:

Ruth Maguire (Deputy Convener)

Substitute Members Attendees:

Rona Mackay (Substitute Member)

Also Present:

Dr Danielle Beswick, Committee Adviser

Minutes

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 3, 4 and 5 in private.

2. Committee effectiveness:

The Committee took evidence from—

Sir David Natzler KCB, Clerk of the House of Commons 2015-2019, Clerk of Committees 2008-09 and Clerk to the House of Commons Reform Committee (the Wright Committee) 2009-10;

Brian Taylor, Former Political Editor BBC Scotland, Columnist The Herald;

Professor Meg Russell, Director, Constitution Unit, University College London;

Gemma Diamond, Director of Innovation and Transformation, Audit Scotland;

Dr Marc Geddes, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Edinburgh.

3. Evidence Session (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

4. Code of Conduct Rule Changes (In Private):

The Committee considered draft Code of Conduct Rule changes.

5. Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 (In Private):

The Committee agreed to instruct officials to prepare proposed changes for consideration at a future meeting and to write to the Minister for Parliamentary Business to indicate that the Committee anticipates consulting Scottish Ministers on proposed changes in due course.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election