Standards and Public Appointments Committee,

Meeting date: Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Official Report 154KB pdf

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Cross-party Group

Welcome to the Standards and Public Appointments Committee's fifth meeting in 2006. I ask members who have not switched off their mobile phones to do so now. We have apologies from Donald Gorrie—unfortunately, the Procedures Committee meets on the same cycle as we do, but we hope that the clerks will address that after the summer recess.

We move to agenda item 1. We have received a letter from Robin Harper about the cross-party group on renewable energy. As members will have seen, the group was formed in 2000 and has met five or six times a year in this parliamentary session. Energy issues are topical and Mr Harper has provided background information in his letter and an argument for expanding the group's remit. Do members have questions or comments?

How up to date is the group's membership list? I notice that George Lyon is listed as a member, but I assume that he resigned his membership when he took ministerial office.

I noticed another discrepancy: my colleague Mr Lochhead is listed as having been a member, then as having left, which I presume is because he was—at least temporarily—not a member of the Parliament. The list reflects the position in 2003, when Mr Lyon was not a member of the Government. We have a current list—such lists are maintained. However, the system relies on members advising the clerks of changes.

The request from Mr Harper is eminently reasonable. I have no problem with revising the CPG's title and remit.

I have nothing to add.

I agree completely. The proposal is commendable because, rather than creating another group—which Robin Harper said in his letter was a slight temptation—we can keep the number of groups to a sane level by widening the group's remit.

I suspect that the committee widely welcomes your last point.

That will be discussed at greater length later in the meeting.

Indeed.

I take it that members are content with the deputy convener's suggestion that we agree to change the group's remit and title. The clerks will write to Mr Harper with the committee's decision. Is that agreed?

Members indicated agreement.