Procedures Committee, 23 Nov 1999
Meeting date: Tuesday, November 23, 1999
Official Report
112KB pdf
Standing Orders
Although Janis Hughes is not here today, let us make a start, as some members must disappear early today.
The bulk of today's papers relate to item 1 on the agenda: the changes to the draft standing orders. We have discussed the changes twice already, so I do not propose to go through them again. The purpose of having the agenda item is simply to keep members up to date.
The sections that were changed after our previous meeting have been tabbed and the changes noted on the relevant pages. The first change was to rule 9.12.6. We decided that we would extend the deadline for financial resolutions from three months to 12 months after the introduction of a bill. We will discuss that change again later. The next change was the insertion of rule 12.2A—the enabling clause—known for ever after as the Iain Smith clause. The third change is to rule 17.2, on the suspension of standing orders. We decided to reinsert the original section. The papers are provided simply to allow members to keep a running score of the changes that have been made as we go through the exercise.
There is a small matter that needs to be tidied up regarding oldest members. Rule 12.4 says that the first meeting of a committee
"shall be chaired until a convener is chosen by the Oldest Committee Member."
Should not that be reversed to say that the meeting will be chaired by the oldest committee member until a convener is chosen? Otherwise it seems as if the oldest committee member picks the convener.
Well spotted. Your grasp of English is even better than your grasp of Scots.
Thank you.
I welcome Janis Hughes. We have not got far.
I apologise, convener.
The Executive secretariat might have some minor points to raise with the clerk on the drafting of the standing orders before they are finalised. I am sure that they will be acceptable, as they are not on any issue of substance.
John Patterson (Committee Clerk):
We received the changes on Friday and we are talking to the lawyers. The matter is on-going.
In accordance with our previous decision, we will allow that to go ahead unless anything significant is raised.