Minutes: 13 November 2025

1. Decision on taking business in private:

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

2. Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—

Gordon Martin, Regional Organiser and Lead Officer for CalMac Ferries, National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT);

Dr Kenneth Meechan, Head of Information and Data Protection Officer, Glasgow City Council;

and then from—

Chris Milne, Former Chair, Scottish Higher Education Information Practitioners (SHEIP) Group;

Fiona Stuart, Privacy sub-committee member, Law Society of Scotland.

Ruth Maguire left the meeting after consideration of this item.

3. Lobbying (Scotland) Act (in private):

The Committee considered proposed changes to the Lobbying (Scotland) Act. The Committee agreed to consult Scottish Ministers on a proposed resolution and on revised parliamentary guidance.

4. Independent Review of the Process for Determining Electoral Boundaries in Scotland (in private):

The Committee considered a draft report from the Chair of the Review. The Committee agreed to write to the Chair of the Review.

5. Cross-Party Group complaint (in private):

The Committee considered a complaint in relation to the Cross-Party Group on Commercial Sexual Exploitation. The complaint related to whether the Group has complied with the requirement to have at least one MSP member from three of the parties represented on the Parliamentary Bureau. The Committee noted that the Group did not comply with this requirement for the period from 22 August 2025 to 28 October 2025 but that this has now been rectified. The Committee agreed that there had been a breach of the Code. The Committee agreed to write to the Co-Conveners of the Group to remind them of the obligation to comply with the requirements of the Code of Conduct.