Good morning. I welcome everyone to the 24th meeting in 2012 of the Justice Committee. I ask everyone to switch off mobile phones and other electronic devices completely as they interfere with the broadcasting system even when they are switched to silent. No apologies have been received.
No, convener. I oppose taking item 6 in private, as I think that the committee’s work programme is a matter of public interest and should be on the public record. The discussion should therefore be in the Official Report.
Do other members have any comments on that?
Obviously, that would be a change from what we have done until now. The general point probably merits more debate, rather than saying a quick yes or no now.
We will perhaps discuss possible witnesses under the item, and if the committee were to comment out loud on whether or not it wished, for very good reasons, to have certain witnesses, it would not be appropriate to have that on the public record. I also think that such an approach would inhibit discussion. There is nothing untoward about such an approach; there would simply be a free discussion of possible committee witnesses. I do not know what members’ views are on that.
Could we deal with the matter later on? We could deal with the next item of business and come back to it later.
Yes. I am certainly happy to defer the matter and move it on in the agenda. We can discuss the matter after we have taken evidence on the Scottish Civil Justice Council and Criminal Legal Assistance Bill. That will be after a break.