Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Official Report
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Standards Commission for Scotland (Reappointment of Members)
The next item of business is consideration of motion S4M-08603, in the name of Liam McArthur, on the reappointment of the convener and a member of the Standards Commission for Scotland.
17:29
I speak to the motion in my name as a member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to invite members of the Parliament to agree the reappointment of Ian Gordon as the convener and Jan Polley as a member of the Standards Commission for Scotland.
The role of the Standards Commission is to encourage high ethical standards in public life. It does that by promoting and enforcing the codes of conduct for councillors and members of devolved public bodies. In addition to promoting the codes, the commission receives reports from the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland following his investigation into alleged breaches of the code. If the commission upholds the commissioner’s findings, it determines the sanction to be applied in accordance with the legislation. The commission has five part-time members, one of whom is appointed as the convener.
Under the Scottish Parliamentary Commissions and Commissioners etc Act 2010, commission members are reappointed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body with the Parliament’s agreement. The SPCB sat as a reappointment panel on 28 November. I chaired the panel and the other members were Mary Scanlon and David Stewart. I thank Tony Swabe for confirming by way of a validation certificate that the nominations are made on merit following a fair and robust reappointment process that conformed to good practice.
Details of the information that the SPCB considered and of the criteria on which Ian Gordon and Jan Polley were assessed are set out in the report that the SPCB lodged in the Scottish Parliament information centre. Ian Gordon and Jan Polley have built up considerable experience and expertise in the commission’s work and we believe that they will continue to ensure that high ethical standards are upheld in public life. I am sure that the Parliament will want to wish them continued success in their roles.
I have pleasure in moving the motion,
That the Parliament agrees to the reappointment of Ian Gordon as the Convener and Jan Polley as a Member of the Standards Commission for Scotland under Schedule 7 of the Scottish Parliamentary Commissions and Commissioners etc. Act 2010.
The question on the motion will be put at decision time.