Standards and Public Appointments Committee, 28 Mar 2006

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Official Report 197KB pdf

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Accountability and Governance Inquiry

The Finance Committee has invited us to submit evidence to its inquiry into accountability and governance. Members have our draft response. In addition, the Finance Committee has asked whether we wish to be represented at a seminar on Monday 24 April. I do not think that I have anything to add to our draft written response and I do not propose to attend the seminar. First, are members content with the draft response? Secondly, does any member of the committee wish to attend the seminar?

I think that I will be there as convener of the Procedures Committee. If you want me to be there as a representative of the Standards and Public Appointments Committee, I can do that, although I have no great ambition in that regard.

I would not want to deny the opportunity to anybody who wishes to go.

I have a comment on our response to the Finance Committee's third question. The Procedures Committee is recommending

"a measure of independent assessment",

as the draft response says, but we should also refer to the fact that appointing somebody who has to be tremendously independent raises a difficult moral issue and a tricky problem, given that one has some sort of grip on them. However, a sensible suggestion has been made. If committees use the annual reports from the commissioners and ombudsmen as a vehicle for serious questioning, that will allow members to raise issues that concern them without infringing the independence of the commissioners and ombudsmen. I think that that point was made to the Procedures Committee by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Committees should have—and should take up—the opportunity to question the commissioners vigorously on the annual reports that they produce.

Are you suggesting that we—

We should add a few words about that.

Are members content with Donald Gorrie's suggestion that, in our response to the third question, we should add a few words to support the suggestion that the appropriate committee should use the opportunity that is afforded by the annual report of the commissioner or ombudsman to discuss their operations? I am sure that the clerks will find a more appropriate word than "operations", but the wording will be something along those lines. I am happy to include that. Do members agree?

Members indicated agreement.

Does the committee agree to take up Donald Gorrie's offer to represent us at the seminar?

Members indicated agreement.

I do not know whether I can wear one-and-a-half hats at the same meeting.

It will be a pleasure to watch you try.

Do you mean that you will be at the seminar as well, representing another committee?

No. I will watch you remotely.

I was hoping to get out of it.

That completes our business. I thank members for their attendance.

Meeting closed at 12:46.