Standards Committee,

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Official Report 116KB pdf

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Complaints

Agenda item 5 is on complaints arising from the 12th meeting of the Rural Development Committee. As I indicated at the start of the meeting, I will vacate the chair and hand over to our deputy convener for this item.

Before we consider item 5, I remind the committee that I am a sponsor of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill, which was discussed by the Rural Development Committee in its private session last week. However, given that this committee will consider only the procedure for investigating an alleged unauthorised disclosure and that we will not discuss the substance of the complaints, the clerks, from whom I sought advice, have advised me that I may convene the meeting for this item.

Today, we must determine whether the Standards Committee can accept complaints that do not conform to the format that is set out in the code of conduct. Section 10.2.1 of the code of conduct prescribes that complaints should

"name the member or members against whom the complaint is being made."

However, the code gives the committee discretion to take on complaints that are not submitted in accordance with section 10.2.1. We exercised that discretion in relation to the Health and Community Care Committee and the Education, Culture and Sport Committee leak investigations.

Are members content to refer the matter to the standards adviser and to await a report from him?

Members indicated agreement.

We move on to item 6 of the agenda, for which I invite the convener to retake the chair.

Meeting continued in private until 10:52.