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I propose that we take items 2 and 6 in private. Those items are ancillary to other items on the agenda and will allow the committee to discuss its mode of working. Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
I want to make a point. I can understand that, given that this is a new committee, we might want to discuss our work programme in private. However, we continually make up work programmes and that wish list should be made known to the public at some point. While I accept that we should discuss our work programme in private on this occasion—it is the first time that the Justice 1 Committee has discussed that—I suggest that subsequent discussions of our work programme should be published; people should know what we are doing.
I have no problem with publishing a firm work programme. However, there would be a problem with publishing a wish list that would include matters that we might never get to because of other pressures. The inclusion of such items might excite organisations unnecessarily. In discussions of work programmes, members come up with lists of subjects that they want the committee to discuss, but the subjects that are at the end of the list might never be reached.
I am well aware of that, but I am also aware that, since the Justice and Home Affairs Committee started, there has been a suggestion that we should consider self-regulation of the legal profession. That has been on our wish lists in the past and people have referred to it time and again. There is nothing wrong with listing areas that we want to tackle—I see no need for secrecy. I accept your view that it might raise expectations, but I do not think that it will. It will, however, show people that we have shown an interest in and that we want to address certain subjects in future.
Okay. Under item 6, we can discuss how much of the results of our discussion we want to make public.
I accept the suggestion that we deal with item 6 in private today.
Meeting continued in private.
Meeting resumed in public.