Official Report 245KB pdf
Item 2 is to consider a paper by the clerk on Scottish Parliament representation on regional and international bodies. I am told that this subject was considered at the committee's away day and that the committee agreed as part of its work programme to commission the Scottish Parliament information centre to undertake an exercise mapping the bodies—that information appears as annex A to the paper by the clerk. The paper makes several proposals on reporting mechanisms. I invite comments on the proposals that are set out in paragraph 10.
I would like to short-circuit this discussion, given that it is nearly lunch time. I suggest that we agree in principle to seek a written report from our representatives on each of the bodies and ask for an oral report only if something in the written report justifies such a request. Before we do that, we should write to the Parliamentary Bureau and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to say that we are minded to do that and to seek their views. I suggest that we ask the Parliament website people to post, and keep updated, a list of the Scottish Parliament's representatives on all the external bodies, so that we know who is doing what.
That seems like a sensible way forward.
Paragraph 10 invites us to consider whether we want to receive an oral or written update from the Committee of the Regions members following each meeting. The COR tends to have plenary meetings and committee meetings. Members, like MSPs, are assigned one of the six committees. I do not know whether we would be seeking an update after every plenary meeting. If members were not on a particular committee, it would be difficult for them to submit written reports and follow through on them.
With that proviso, are we content with Alex Neil's helpful recommendation?