Official Report 164KB pdf
Our next item of business is consideration of a request from the convener of the cross-party group on citizenship, income, economy and society to extend the remit of the group and to rename the group the cross-party group on business, economy, environment and society. Members have the relevant papers. Are there any comments?
I wonder whether there is a need for any other cross-party group in the Parliament, given the range of activities of this group. Perhaps it is a takeover bid by Robin Harper. I have no substantive comments. We are in the middle of a review of cross-party groups, but there is no reason for that to delay approval for the establishment of this group.
We have talked about rationalisation of cross-party groups, but it is rather extreme to suggest that all groups should have one-word headings. However, I take the point that the member makes.
I hope that the establishment of this group does not signal a move towards groups being described by their acronyms. In his letter, the member goes so far as to describe the group as the "CPG ‘BEES'". If we were to reverse that construction, we would end up with the CP Bee Gees.
Are we content to approve the request?