Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, 03 Jun 2008

Meeting date: Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Official Report 126KB pdf

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Decisions on Taking Business in Private

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee's eighth meeting this year. As usual, I ask members and everyone else to switch off mobile phones and BlackBerrys. No apologies have been received, so I take it that Jamie McGrigor will appear shortly.

Agenda item 1 concerns decisions on taking business in private. I seek the committee's approval to take in private items 5 to 7. Item 5 is discussion of a draft report on a complaint and our practice is to consider all such reports in private, as the draft might not reflect the committee's final views. Do we agree to take the item in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Item 6 is consideration of a report from the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. Given that the report contains confidential information, it would be better taken in private. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Item 7 is consideration of a request for a direction from the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. As confidential information is involved, do members agree to take the item in private?

Members indicated agreement.

We need not agree to take in private item 3, as the code of conduct for members of the Scottish Parliament requires us to consider in private stage 2 reports on complaints. Members will be aware that we will move back into public session for item 4. When I announce that the meeting is to go back into public session, the public and the press will be invited back into the room.