On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Under rule 6.2, “Functions of all committees”, it is clear that a committee may
“examine such matters within its remit ... as it may determine appropriate or as may be referred to it by the Parliament or another committee”.
During First Minister’s question time today, the First Minister said:
“we also need to consider whether there is a case for a wider review of SPT. I am aware that the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee has already proposed such a review as part of its forward work programme.”
The Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee intends, towards the end of the parliamentary session, to conduct an inquiry into the wider aspects of regional transport partnerships, but we have not specifically discussed Strathclyde partnership for transport, although we are certainly aware of the situation and might well discuss it. My point of order—which is purely for clarification—is to ask whether I am correct in understanding that, if such a discussion were to take place at the committee, it would be at our behest rather than as a result of referral by the Parliament.
I can absolutely confirm that it is within the gift of the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee to dictate its own work programme. The matter is not technically a point of order, but you now have the matter on the record.