[THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 14:30]
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Like other members, I am somewhat embarrassed at having been awarded a medal. I was unaware that I was worthy of a medal, but I think that this is a serious issue. The medals, according to the business bulletin, are a presentation from the Parliament. I am unaware of the Parliament, or any of its committees, ever having discussed the matter. I think that it is somewhat premature to award medals; the people of Scotland may want to award medals after we have done our job of work. Will you inquire into how this has happened?
I am happy to inquire into the matter. The medals were apparently ordered before the Parliament came into being and they commemorate the opening ceremony. The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is not answerable for them.
Will the corporate body let the members know how this happened? I think that most members are concerned about it— [Interruption.] Well, they should be concerned about it.
We shall take that on board.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would like some guidance on the Scotland Act 1998. I think that I am right in saying that, under the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Executive has no power to surrender its authority to the UK Government departments in London to draft concordats between the Government at Westminster and the Scottish Parliament covering such critical issues as inward investment.
I do not think that that is correct, Mr Neil. However, I shall take further advice on the matter. The concordats are informal documents; they do not have a status requiring parliamentary approval.
Further to Mr Neil's question, I ask for guidance as to whether you have authority to refer individual concordats to the relevant parliamentary committee for investigation.
I do not think that I have any such authority.
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