SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY CORPORATE BODY
Parliamentary Outreach
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether there has been a lower demand for parliamentary outreach meetings involving communities and projects in schools from some parts of the country than from others. (S2O-11320)
We do not collect details of the requests that are received for outreach events. Our aim is to achieve a broad spread of engagement throughout Scotland.
Given the written answers to Chris Ballance about constituencies in which outreach teams have not had events in the past couple of years, could the SPCB investigate whether there is evidence that some constituency members in the West of Scotland and the Borders do not wish to promote outreach events because they would have to appear on platforms with regional MSPs of a different party?
We should remember that a number of events can take place. They include community outreach, which involves members and parliamentary staff, parliamentary officials engaging with community groups, and MSPs in schools. The breakdown by parliamentary region of all outreach activity—including MSPs in schools—from September 2004, when the outreach team was set up, to November 2006 is: Highlands and Islands, 18 per cent of the total activity; Mid Scotland and Fife, 16 per cent; West of Scotland, 12 per cent; North East Scotland, 12 per cent; South of Scotland, 11 per cent; Glasgow, 11 per cent; and Central Scotland, 7 per cent.
I call Jamie Stone.
Does the member agree that there is much to learn in how allowances can be used to develop MSPs' staff and that it is disadvantageous that our staff, many of whom have been in our service—
We are not on that question yet, Mr Stone; I will try to call you when we reach it.
Members' Allowances Scheme
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has considered commissioning an independent review of the members' allowances scheme. (S2O-11321)
On 7 November, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body received an oral report on the type of issues that would be involved in a review of the allowances scheme.
Does the member accept that there is public concern about the issue? Does she agree that there is a need for any review to be conducted by independent investigators and that all results, including the interim findings that are being discussed at the moment, should be made public?
I want to correct a misconception that crept into that last question. What is currently being prepared by officers is an issues paper that identifies just the issues and options. No decisions are involved—the work is purely investigatory, through collecting and researching information. It is important to clarify the basis of what we have asked our officers to do.
I note what Nora Radcliffe says, but will the issues and options paper include consideration of removing the payment of our staff salaries from the members' support allowance? Will the SPCB consider setting up an independent and separate framework, with a proper graded salary scale, so that we do not have to deal with both rent and remuneration for our staff from the scheme?
Christine Grahame makes a good point; I am certain that that issue will be laid out for consideration, because it is fundamental to how we employ and pay our staff and to how allowances are set up. The question illustrates the interdependence of all the allowances schemes and the fact that we need a radical, thorough and informed review that is given time to be properly debated.
Will the SPCB acknowledge in its legacy paper that constituency case work is a vital and substantial component of the work of MSPs and seek to explore how appropriate staff and other resources can be made available to MSPs to enable them to undertake that task? In so doing, will it reflect on the experience that we have gained over eight years and consider the relative workloads of constituency and regional list members and MPs, who have considerably greater staff and other resources to enable them to provide a service to their constituents?
Mrs Deacon makes excellent points, all of which I am sure will be taken on board. What more can I say? I totally agree with everything that she said.
There have been complaints about the operation of the Edinburgh accommodation allowance for five years. Given that, does the member agree that the fact that there will not be a report before the end of this session that will stop the unacceptable practice of members of this Parliament being able to profit personally from a public allowances scheme will do nothing to allay the genuine public concern that exists on that issue alone and will help drag down the Parliament as a whole? Will she give us an assurance that in the six months that we have left in this session, a report will be produced to take the personal profit element out of the allowances scheme before the next session so that no member sitting in the Parliament can profit personally from the use of an allowances scheme that was supposed to make up for expenses, not to allow MSPs to build up a property portfolio?
The member slightly misrepresents the facts of the case. None of the capital that is required to purchase a property is provided from the public purse. The interest on the mortgage is reimbursed. In point of fact, that is a cost-effective way of reimbursing members who live too far from Edinburgh to commute daily. There will not be a report before the end of the session. The questions that have been asked about the Edinburgh accommodation allowance have been answered.
Is Mrs Radcliffe aware that, given that I am a constituency member, my staff cannot travel to Dumfries, which is only a mile outside my constituency—and indeed contains the main offices of the local authority and all other agencies—unless the expense of the journey is taken off my MSA? If I were a regional member, my staff could travel from Stranraer to North Berwick and claim the expenses from the staff travel allowance. Disregarding Tommy Sheridan's remarks, surely that anomaly justifies our having a serious, in-depth and urgent review of all allowances in time for the next Parliament to adopt its findings, rather than waiting for the next Parliament to initiate and determine such a review.
The member raises good points. The anomalies were included in the first allowances scheme because we did not have the experience of a working Parliament and we did not know how constituencies and regions would work out. We have a lot of experience to draw on to put together a better allowances scheme that will enable us to deliver more easily the service that our constituents require.
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it holds on the average time taken between the Scottish public services ombudsman deciding to investigate a case and the publication of the final report and, if it does not hold such information, what plans it has to introduce a procedure to monitor this issue. (S2O-11324)
We do not hold the information that Mr Neil seeks. I hope, however, that Mr Neil will be interested to know that, although there is no procedure in place for monitoring the processes in the ombudsman's office, when I gave evidence to the Finance Committee last week, I mentioned that, as part of the budget scrutiny exercise, we had asked questions about the measure of efficiency in the ombudsman's office and that the ombudsman had agreed to discuss that with us. Those discussions will take place shortly. As part of those discussions, we will request regular information from the ombudsman on performance with regard to reducing the backlog and we intend to monitor that on a monthly basis.
I draw Mr Scott's attention to the concerns of many members about the time that it takes to get reports from the ombudsman. I am dealing with one case in which it has taken 11 months for a decision to be made on whether to investigate the issue at all. I am not sure whether the issue is to do with resources, efficiency or some other matter. However, I emphasise that, for those people who want the ombudsman to resolve an issue, the problem is of major concern. I ask that the member and the SPCB do everything they can to address the issue as a matter of urgency.
I agree that this is a matter of concern for members and the SPCB. We know that there is a backlog. However, I should say that, as part of the latest budget round for 2007-08, we agreed a budget of 7.3 per cent over this year's approved budget, which will enable the ombudsman to employ an additional seven staff to deal with complaints and inquiries. As Mr Neil's arithmetic is nimble, he will know that that is an increase in staff of almost 20 per cent. However, the ombudsman has had a 49 per cent increase in complaints and a 60 per cent increase in inquiries. We hope that the increase in staff will enable the ombudsman to deal with the claims more quickly, which will allay members' fears in that regard.
Holyrood Building Project (Loss Recovery)
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what sums it will seek to recover in legal claims associated with the Holyrood building project, which breaches of contract are involved in such actions and whether it will seek to recover from the construction managers the losses incurred as a result of the trades package that was awarded to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd. (S2O-11317)
The SPCB is well aware of Mr Ewing's great interest and concerns. Indeed, Mr Ewing asked a question on this matter at the last SPCB question time on 10 May. As indicated then, the SPCB agreed to meet Mr Ewing. It duly did so. I can assure members that the SPCB has taken note of Mr Ewing's submissions on these matters.
As the chamber knows, I have pursued this matter for five years. The large folder that I have with me is the second file of 2006 on the topic.
Could you leave some time for the answer, Mr Ewing?
Finally, I stress that the decision has cost the taxpayer £4 million.
I stress that that was your second "Finally".
Mr Ewing raises several issues.
I am afraid that that concludes questions to the corporate body.