On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance on a matter of this Parliament's competence—how to deal with the consequences of the motion of censure that I lodged today on Muir Russell's inability to fulfil his functions to the standards required of this Parliament. I cannot find in either the standing orders of the Parliament or the Scotland Act 1998 a means of dealing effectively with what the Audit Committee found to be a shortcoming on the permanent secretary's part, because he is not a servant of the Parliament or answerable to it but is employed by the civil service of the Westminster Parliament.
You must ask questions of ministers, because ministers, not civil servants, are answerable to the Parliament. That is a clear policy.
I wish to move a motion of censure. Surely the Parliament can move a motion of censure.
Have you lodged a motion?
I have lodged a motion today and it has been accepted.
In that case, it is entirely a matter of whether the motion is selected for debate. Your motion is no different from any other motion in that respect.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My point relates to the question that I asked the First Minister during question time. If it is out of order for members to ask questions on Opposition party policies, is it not equally out of order for members to ask the First Minister about reserved matters?
You are correct. It is not in order to ask about reserved matters except where ministers are being asked to make representation on reserved matters, which is in order.
Previous
First Minister's Question TimeNext
Alcohol Misuse