Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, 19 Jan 2010

Meeting date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Official Report 134KB pdf

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Cross-party Groups

Item 2 is consideration of two applications for cross-party groups, the first of which is for a cross-party group on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. As Dave Thompson is the group's convener, he might be able to answer a question that has been raised in the papers that have been circulated to members. Will the non-MSP members who are listed in the application attend meetings in connection with the organisations to which they belong? If so, the committee might wish to recommend to the group that it would be preferable if those people were listed with their organisations instead of under the individual non-MSP member category.

I am quite happy to accept that recommendation. We will have a look at the application and list those people under the appropriate organisation. I am sure that I will get some assistance from the clerks to get it right.

As there are no other questions, I ask members whether they agree to recognise the proposed cross-party group on psolar—psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Are members agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

As you have probably guessed, I am hopeless at English and words where the P comes in front of the S.

The next application is for a cross-party group on Taiwan, which is much easier to pronounce—I think. [Laughter.] As you know, I am well clued up on China—or perhaps I should not put Taiwan and China together like that. It is a bit controversial.

As members will see from the paper that has been circulated, no issues have been raised about the application. Are there any questions?

I should perhaps declare that I am a member of the group.

So am I.

Thank you for that. Do members agree to recognise the cross-party group on Taiwan?

Members indicated agreement.