Education and Skills Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Official Report 501KB pdf

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Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good morning. I welcome everyone to the 12th meeting in 2018 of the Education and Skills Committee. I remind everyone present to please turn their mobile phones and other devices on to silent for the duration of the meeting.

The first item of business is a decision on whether to take agenda item 4 in private. Is everyone content to do that?

No, I am not entirely content to take agenda item 4 in private. Given the seriousness of one of the matters that will be discussed, I would have thought that it merited its own agenda item. On the basis of the facts that we already know, if the committee does not reach a consensus today, I request that, in the interests of full transparency, we return to the discussion in public session at our next meeting, so that all members can formally put their views on the record.

Mr Mundell, you have already put your views on the public record. I think that agenda item 4 should be taken in private, as is the normal practice. Does anyone else have an issue with that?

If we do not get satisfaction in private session, the issue needs to be discussed—

If we will be dealing with something in private session, the discussions should take place in private session and decisions should be made at that point.

I would like to clarify that we are not deciding not to discuss the issue in public at some point in the future.

I clarify that we are asking whether an issue that is to be discussed in private session can be heard in private session. We will not debate the matter in public until we have decided whether to debate it in private. Do we agree or do we not agree to take the agenda item in private? The discussions in private should take place in private.

With respect, convener, I am asking a process question—

The process will be the same process by which any other item has ever been taken in private.

In agreeing to take the item in private, will members still be afforded the opportunity to have a discussion about the issue in public at a later stage?

Have we ever done otherwise?

That is confirmation that we will be able to have that opportunity. That is fine.

I do not really understand the point of the question, except to try to get it on the record.

In that case, is everyone content to take agenda item 4 in private?

Members indicated agreement.