At this rate, we will be out of here almost before we have sat down. Agenda item 5 is consideration of the draft covenant between local government and the Scottish Parliament. I refer members to paper J1/02/10/2 and ask for any comments. If members have any comments, we can write with them to the convener of the Local Government Committee.
I think that the covenant is a good thing and that we should support it. However, unless I have missed something, I do not think that it has any specific relationship with the Justice 1 Committee's work.
It is suggested that any relevant matters that came up would be discussed with any committee that was thought to have matters relevant to local government before it. How would it be decided whether such matters were relevant? I am trying to find the part of the paper that says that, but I cannot see it.
I invite anyone else to tell me where that part is.
I wondered about that when I was reading it in bed this morning.
Is it under the heading "Operational Aspects"?
Paragraph 22 of the draft covenant says:
Presumably we will leave it to people's good sense not to propose items that are not relevant.
Shall we write to the convener of the Local Government Committee, simply saying that we note the draft covenant? Is there anything else that we wish to say about it?
I think that we should write supportively, saying that we support the spirit of the draft covenant. Sometimes writing to say that we note something may be interpreted as clandestine hostility.
Or as "We can't be bothered."
I agree that we should say that we welcome the draft covenant.
Yes, it is about good working relationships.
It is indeed. I think that local government has sometimes felt under attack from the Scottish Parliament in the sense of losing its autonomy. Perhaps it is good to set up a regulatory framework.
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