Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints

Meeting date: Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Official Report 464KB pdf

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Convener

Item 2 is the choosing of a convener of the committee. The procedure is explained to members in paper SGHHC/S5/01/2. As members know, the Parliament has agreed that only members of the Scottish National Party are eligible for nomination as convener of the committee. I invite members to nominate someone from the SNP as convener.

Before you do so, I would like to say something about that, briefly. There is absolutely no question in my mind about the personal integrity of the person who is likely to end up being convener. That is quite clear, because I have worked with her for many years. The issue at hand is whether the party of Government should be able to appoint the convener of this committee. I say that because it is clearly unprecedented that a committee of this Parliament is handling complaints against a former First Minister and the actions of the current First Minister, who are the former leader and current leader of the SNP.

I think that that places SNP members in a really quite difficult position, for which they have my sympathy. However, my primary concern is about ensuring transparency in order that the committee can do its work. As we all know, perception is all in politics, and the perception, unfortunately, is that the party of Government is appointing the convener of this committee, which I think is unfortunate. The committee needs to set off on entirely the right foot, without fear or favour. For that reason, I ask the committee to think carefully about whether the SNP should have the convenership of the committee. Failing agreement about that from members—I am conscious that the Parliament has already made a determination on this—I wish my concerns to be recorded.

I want to put on record my concerns—I speak for Margaret Mitchell in this regard, too—about the fact that the convener of the committee will be selected from the SNP. That has nothing to do with the personal qualities or integrity of Linda Fabiani, an MSP for whom I have the utmost respect; it has to do with the points that Jackie Baillie made. If there was ever a moment for justice to be done, and for it to be seen to be done, this is it.

Ultimately, this is a matter for the SNP members of the committee. In line with the bureau discussions, the vote in the chamber a few weeks ago and the rules of this Parliament, we will not oppose their decision, but I simply ask them—even at this late stage—to reconsider and offer the convenership to another party.

May I add a reflection on the comments of Donald Cameron and Jackie Baillie? My party’s position is that we have some sympathy with their remarks, because the optics of the committee being chaired by someone from the Scottish Government party are not great. However, the committee will undergo a level of scrutiny that perhaps no previous committee in Parliament has been afforded, so we have to trust in the probity of our members and recognise that they will perform their function with diligence and humanity. I also recognise that the matter has been settled by a vote in Parliament, so although I share some of the concerns that have been raised, I will support the nomination of an SNP convener if the SNP members decide that that is the best way forward.

I would just like to point out that the Parliamentary Bureau agreed the remit and membership of the committee, including the convener, and that Parliament subsequently voted on the matter. I put it on the record that the issue was not opposed when it was first raised to the bureau. I have every confidence in our committee’s doing its important work.

Does anyone else want to comment?

Okay. What has been said is now on the record; as members have said, the matter was discussed fully at the meeting of the bureau, which came to a decision and lodged a motion that the Parliament agreed to. Questions about convenerships have arisen before, because of how the d’Hondt method works, but they have always gone to a member of the party whose turn it was. We all recognise that this committee might be unique in the lifetime of this Parliament, so it is good that that has been put on the record.

I invite members to nominate a member from the SNP as convener.

I nominate Linda Fabiani.

As no seconder is required, do we agree to choose Linda Fabiani as our convener?

Members indicated agreement.

Linda Fabiani was chosen as convener.

Congratulations, Linda, on your appointment. I willingly hand the chair over to you.