Item 4 is consideration of a paper that sets out a possible protocol for dealing with the media. From time to time the committee will have press conferences associated with reports. I wanted to introduce a draft protocol at this stage so that members could agree in principle on how we will handle such things, rather than have arguments about it in relation to specific matters.
The paper seems to set out the approach that has always been followed. Normally the committee convener will issue a press comment on behalf of the committee, having regard to the views of members and to the work of the committee, rather than comment in a partisan way. Sometimes a press conference might be held and there might be a political-balance requirement, which we have had in the past.
I think that you are not speaking to the paper. The paper is about committee working practices and the way in which we handle media work as a committee.
With respect, convener, we have seen an instance in which our adviser has decided to deal with the media and was reported as being the committee's adviser. That should not have happened. You have said that people should be able to speak out in general terms: of course they should, but they should not do so wearing their committee adviser hat. The paper is fine as far as it goes, but it should contain a clause that states that the committee's adviser should not speak to the press about matters that are before the committee.
The adviser should not speak to the press unless he gets full approval from the committee.
I have already said that I will seek guidance, as the issue might need to be reflected properly in the contracts that are given to advisers. However, the paper that is before us deals with how the clerks and I will handle publicity matters that come before the committee.
It seems to me that there is a difference between the adviser's talking to the press prior to giving information to the committee and the adviser's talking to the press subsequent to giving advice to the committee. I think that, on reflection, Arthur Midwinter might agree that, if he has pertinent information to give to the committee, it is better that it be discharged to the committee before he comments on it to the press. However, I certainly do not advocate that committee advisers should never be able to talk to the press, because they will be able to explain their views and thoughts much more clearly than committee members could. We need to consider the important distinction that I have mentioned.
That is a fair point.
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