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Item 3 relates to changes to the code of conduct for members of the Scottish Parliament as a result of the Parliament's approval of the reimbursement of members' expenses scheme. We have received a letter from the Presiding Officer, a copy of which is in the annex to paper SPPA/S3/09/2/2. The Presiding Officer has identified three paragraphs in the code of conduct that the committee might want to change.
The committee will need to consider its report to the Parliament, which will be subject to a parliamentary debate before the recommended changes can be made. Do members agree to consider the draft report in private at future meetings?
That seems an awful footerie process and a lot of paperwork just to make technical amendments to the code. Do we need to go through such a process, for the sake of textual changes that raise no issue of principle?
Perhaps the clerk will say whether there is a particular reason for the process.
There is no mechanism for changing the code of conduct other than by reporting to the Parliament. However, we can wrap up the debate in the Parliament with another more substantial issue, so that the matter does not take up much parliamentary time.
Okay. I was worrying about the paper and trees that would be used up for a relatively minor matter.
We must decide whether to discuss the draft report in private. The issue is fairly straightforward, but we have discussed draft reports on other matters in private, because such discussions can involve much to-ing and fro-ing. Although it might be okay to consider our report on changes to the code in public, we should stick to the protocol that has worked fine during the previous two parliamentary sessions. Although the issue is not important, I recommend that we take the item in private. Are members happy to do so?
Thank you. That concludes the public part of the meeting.
Meeting continued in private until 15:26.
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