Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, October 4, 2012

Official Report 870KB pdf

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Points of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In response to my question today, the First Minister told me that the figures that I gave on the planning for backroom bobbies across the country were nonsense, based on the assurances of Chief Constable Kevin Smith. However, this document, on planning for backroom posts to be filled with police officers throughout the country, was written, compiled and sent to the Scottish Government by none other than Kevin Smith himself. Will the First Minister correct the record and say that this is not nonsense but the real plan for backroom bobbies being drawn up by his justice department?

I thank Jenny Marra for notice that she was going to raise that matter. As I have said many times before, I am not responsible for the content of the First Minister’s answers or anybody else’s answers. However, her comment is now on the record.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. On 31 August this year, you wrote to all MSPs to remind them of their duty to be courteous to other MSPs. Rule 7.3.1 of our standing orders clearly states:

“Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner”.

Today, however, when replying to questions on a ministerial statement, not just an MSP but a minister clearly name-called two MSPs in this chamber—behaviour reminiscent of bullying and behaviour that would not be allowed in the playground, never mind our first parliamentary chamber in 300 years. Presiding Officer, will you give a ruling on whether the remarks of the Minister for Transport and Veteran Affairs to me and Mr Johnstone broke the spirit of our standing orders and of the letter that you sent to MSPs?

I thank the member for notice of his intention to raise that point of order. Rule 7.3.1 of standing orders requires members to conduct themselves at all times

“in a courteous and respectful manner”

and to

“respect the authority of the Presiding Officer.”

I have had the opportunity to review an extract of today’s Official Report and I remind all members to refer to other members by their proper names and not to resort to any other form of address.