European and External Relations Committee

Meeting date: Thursday, September 19, 2013

Official Report 482KB pdf

---

Independence White Paper

Agenda item 7 is on aspects of the Scottish Government’s white paper on independence relating to the European Union. As members will recall, we agreed at our business planning day to examine this issue as the first of our series of mini-inquiries on Scotland’s place in Europe. In advance of the inquiry, we are seeking to appoint an adviser.

As members will see from paragraph 4 of paper EU/S4/13/15/7, the committee is invited, first, to agree formally that it would like to appoint an adviser and to seek the Parliamentary Bureau’s approval in that respect and, secondly, to agree what I think is a pretty comprehensive job spec and description in the annex to the paper. We will be doing well if we find someone with all the skills and talents that are listed, but I think that for this particular inquiry we need someone with in-depth knowledge of Europe and accompanying facets.

Is the committee happy with the proposal to appoint an adviser and the job spec?

Members indicated agreement.

I should also say that, if colleagues have on their travels come across someone with all of these skills and abilities and whom they suspect would like to be an adviser, they should let Katy Orr and the other clerks know as soon as possible so that we can get job descriptions and curriculum vitae put together and allow the committee to consider whom we would like to be our adviser.

Presumably he or she would need to be impartial.

Of course.

How would they be chosen? Who would interview them?

We would have a selection of CVs, which we would discuss. We will decide the matter. Are you content with that, Jamie?

Very much so.

Do members agree to take that forward?

Members indicated agreement.

Excellent. As agreed, we now move into private for agenda item 8—I apologise to the members of the public who have just joined us.

10:31 Meeting continued in private until 10:44.