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Back in the real world, we move on to consider a letter to the Minister for Parliamentary Business, Patricia Ferguson, from our beloved and much-missed convener, which draws attention to the proliferation of instruments ahead of dissolution. The build-up has caused difficulties that our legal advisers have worked very hard to overcome. The letter points out that pushing things so close to the wire also raises potential strategic problems in relation to calling witnesses and members' ability to seek to change or annul instruments.
I do not have any problems with the draft letter and I certainly have no problem with its final paragraph, which might help the Executive to improve its method of tracking instruments. However, the penultimate paragraph mentions the committee's surprise at being in such a situation. I have to say that I am not surprised that any bureaucratic institution that is chuntering towards dissolution or holidays suddenly finds that it has a chunk of work to get through.
Just pretend that you are surprised, Brian.
Okay, then. In the interests of unanimity, I am content to pretend to be surprised.
Your lack of surprise is already on the record, Brian. In a sense, I am inclined to agree with you, but if a letter makes the Executive pay attention to these issues—
A well-ordered universe is a great aspiration, but life is a bit more horrible and difficult than that.
With that judgment on life, love and the pursuit of happiness, I shall close the meeting.
Meeting closed at 11:45.
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