Official Report 338KB pdf
Good morning, everyone, and welcome back after the recess. I remind everyone to switch off their mobile phones. I apologise on behalf of the convener, who will be slightly late because of transport difficulties—transporting difficulties might be a more accurate description. We have not heard whether Bill Wilson is unable to attend.
I know that it is our custom to discuss draft reports in private, but item 6 is not our draft report—it is simply a discussion to inform the clerks to enable them to have a first stab at drafting the report—so I think that it should be taken in public. As a matter of course, we should keep what business we can in the public domain and keep to a minimum what we discuss in private. I feel strongly that we should take item 6 in public.
You will be aware that we have conducted in private all our previous discussions on the evidence that we have heard. What you suggest would be a departure from what has hitherto been the committee's practice.
But the standing orders say that the normal practice should be to conduct business in public session. We must decide whether to depart from normal practice, which is why the matter is on the agenda. I do not think that we should depart from normal practice in this instance.
What are the views of other committee members?
I am relaxed about Mike Rumbles's suggestion.
Having such discussions in private allows us to be absolutely frank and off the record with each other in discussing our views. Nevertheless, is the view of the committee that we should not take item 6 in private?