Plenary, 27 Mar 2002
Meeting date: Wednesday, March 27, 2002
Official Report
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Point of Order
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In November, I lodged two written questions asking the Scottish Executive about the process for announcing appointments to the membership of public bodies, when the procedures were introduced and on how many occasions since their introduction the procedures had not been followed.
Last Sunday, an article in Scotland on Sunday revealed that, in 411 cases, the political activity declaration had not been completed and the correct procedure had not been followed.
At 15:31 yesterday, I received a response to my written questions by e-mail from Andy Kerr. At almost the same time, a press release was issued in which the minister quoted in full his reply to me, but did not reveal the fact that it was my written question that had instigated the investigation in the Executive. I ask you to consider the release of the information to Scotland on Sunday, which I consider to be serious. I ask you also to consider all the facts and to record your displeasure at the gross discourtesy that has been shown by a minister to a member of the Scottish Parliament.
I thank the member for giving me notice of the point of order, which allowed me to check up on the facts. The press release to which you referred was issued at 4 o'clock, which was nearly half an hour after you received the reply by e-mail. I have to say that the question of what is or is not contained in a press release is a matter for the Executive, not me.
Your complaint that the answers did not appear on the Parliament's website on the day on which they were answered is justified. I am sorry about that; it was a simple oversight for which the member should receive an apology. However, the matter is an internal one for the Parliament.
I do not know anything about the report in Scotland on Sunday. I do not know how closely it is related to the question, as I am afraid that I have not seen it, but I do not think that it is a matter for a point of order.