Standards Committee, 19 Dec 2000

Meeting date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000

Official Report 91KB pdf

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Cross-party Groups

Our final item this morning is the consideration of applications for recognition as a cross-party group. We have only one application for a proposed group on Scottish traditional arts. Do members have any comments on the application?

Although I am perfectly satisfied with the application, the group might have missed something. The very last part of the explanation of the group's purpose mentions raising

"specific issues of concern with the Scottish Executive".

I am quite surprised that the group wants to limit itself to such a strict remit. I would have thought that it would have wanted to raise issues of concern with not only the Scottish Executive, but agencies, MSPs and a whole host of others. Perhaps we should check that point with the group.

Do members feel the same?

Yes.

Does the committee want the application to come back before us?

Members indicated agreement.

What wording would Patricia Ferguson prefer instead?

I was not making any suggestions about that; I was simply wondering out loud whether the group wants to limit itself so much. There are many other groups and individuals that it could talk to or lobby.

We can draw Patricia Ferguson's point about the restrictive remit to the group's attention when we write to it. Are members agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Can we approve the application in principle?

Are members agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

I take it that we will all be invited to the first concert or ceilidh.

Thank you, members.

Meeting closed at 10:53.