Plenary, 08 Sep 1999

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 8, 1999

Official Report 508KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Wednesday 8 September 1999

[THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 14:30]

Before we begin this afternoon's proceedings, I would like to say that the Procedures Committee agreed yesterday on the form of address to be used for the occupants of the chair. It suggested that each of us may be addressed simply as Presiding Officer—without the use of Mr, Madam or Deputy in front of it—or by using our names. All three of us warmly endorse that recommendation. As it involves no change in the standing orders, I suggest that we adopt the practice immediately and that we rule out of order the use of speaker, deputy speaker or more exotic epithets.

I am happy to accept that, but I wish to raise a point of order that relates to your conduct as Presiding Officer of the Parliament. As you are aware, I have given you prior notice to that effect. My point concerns the complaint that you made on behalf of the Parliament to the Press Complaints Commission, in relation to the coverage of the proceedings of the Parliament in the Daily Record. The fact that you took that action on our behalf came to light in your speech on Monday to the Church and Nation committee of the Church of Scotland. You circulated copies of the speech to members of the Parliament, the text of which makes it clear that your referral was made not in a personal capacity but on behalf of the Parliament.

As you will appreciate, Presiding Officer, complaints about coverage in the Daily Record come as second nature to the Scottish Conservatives, as we have been on the receiving end for years. However, irrespective of the merits of your complaint, there is an important point of principle. Where is your authority to submit such a complaint, given that, to the best of my knowledge, you did not seek the approval of the Parliament, the corporate body or the Parliamentary Bureau for the course of action that you have followed? In the words of the relevant section, have "proper procedures" been followed in relation to this aspect of the business of the Parliament?

Secondly, having initiated this complaint without consultation or approval, which procedures do you now intend to follow in relation to the progress of the complaint? Will you publish the text of your letter to the Press Complaints Commission? What guidance do you intend to take from the Parliament in relation to the reply that you eventually receive, and any further correspondence or proceedings that may follow?

First, thank you for your courtesy in giving me notice of your point of order—that is an important precedent. Secondly, if your point had not involved me, I would have ruled that it was not a point of order, as it does not relate to proceedings in the chamber. The substantive answer is that I will write to you and, with your agreement, I will release the text of my reply on electronic mail so that every member has access to it tomorrow.