Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, 30 Oct 2007

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Official Report 126KB pdf

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Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Item 3 is consideration of the procedures that govern elections to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. From our previous discussion of the committee's work programme, members will recall the problems that the paper before us outlines, which were encountered earlier this year following the elections, when provision had to be made to allow the election of the First Minister to precede the elections to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body as a result of the delay in the formation of a Government. The paper also proposes a rule change to allow greater flexibility in the rules to accommodate those circumstances, should they occur again in the future. I seek members' views on the paper. Does anybody have any comments or questions?

I am happy to agree with the options that the clerks have placed before us. We should consider changing the rules to prevent such difficulties from occurring again. It would be proper for the committee to consult the relevant business managers, the Minister for Parliamentary Business and the Presiding Officers.

I agree with that.

We have been through this before. If members are content, we will agree the recommendations in the paper and push ahead.

Members indicated agreement.