Paper PR/99/2/4 deals with other MSPs' attendance at meetings of the committee. Clearly, that is permitted and all interest is welcome. The question is whether we should provide papers for those members who indicate a desire to attend. I think that we should be as open and co-operative as we can. If Mr Smith wishes to come regularly, we will be delighted to see him and to issue him with papers. The same courtesy applies to Mr McCabe or any other member of the Parliament. Are we all agreed on that?
Is there any other business? I have already informed members of the meeting with the Presiding Officer that has been arranged for tomorrow. That is all, unless a member wishes to raise something as a matter of urgency.
There was a possibility that we might arrange a meeting with the Procedure Committee of the House of Commons. That is not a bad idea, because the committee has views on modern parliamentary procedures, even though it may not be able to put them into practice. We might find it helpful and I understand that the Westminster committee would find it helpful. I wonder whether that can be pursued after the recess.
That is a perfectly fair point. Given the fact that both Parliaments will soon be in recess, it is likely to be some time before a meeting can take place, but I am sure that it would be a useful exercise that everyone would welcome.
At the risk of creating a boring precedent as far as materials are concerned, the standing orders of the European Parliament and other modern Parliaments may have lessons for us. I am sure that the clerk sleeps with them at night and reads them regularly, but it would be useful for us to have sight of them so that we could decide on their relevance. Could we obtain copies both of the European Parliament's standing orders—which have changed since I saw them—and of the standing orders of any other Parliaments that might be relevant?
In English?
That would be helpful. I can just about get by in French, but some of the finer languages, such as Finnish, would defeat me entirely.
I will arrange it.
The relevant committee at Westminster is the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons.
There are separate committees for modernisation and procedure.
We should speak to the modernisation committee. As there are differences of opinion, perhaps we should talk to both the radical and conservative wings of that committee.
I am sure that, if we set up a forum in which to meet, we will have an opportunity to take views from both committees.
Meeting closed at 14:56.
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