Plenary, 27 Jun 2007

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Official Report 412KB pdf

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Points of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek a ruling from you in relation to the terms of motion S3M-254, in the name of Bruce Crawford, which he has just moved. The motion proposes a number of appointments, including that of Helen Eadie MSP to the Subordinate Legislation Committee. Now, I know that I am getting old but, unless my memory fails me, I seem to recall that some two weeks ago we overwhelmingly passed a similar motion; I recall voting for it.

On that day in the chamber, we were compelled to listen to some petulant and ill-mannered remarks from Mrs Eadie about my party's convenership of the Equal Opportunities Committee. She went on to complain about being proposed to serve on both the Subordinate Legislation Committee and the Equal Opportunities Committee without her consent and she promised to resign from both committees in protest.

I am sure that none of us would want to see a repetition of the infantile behaviour that was displayed by Mrs Eadie on that occasion, if motion S3M-254 should be agreed to at decision time. Before we vote on the motion, therefore, I ask for clarification from you as to whether on this occasion Mrs Eadie agrees to her appointment to the Subordinate Legislation Committee. If that is the case, can she be given the opportunity to apologise to the chamber for her remarks about my party's convenership of the Equal Opportunities Committee, which she clearly now repudiates?

I am sure that we are all grateful to the member for the point of order, which is not a point of order—it may be a point of revenge.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I prefer to sit in the cheap seats, but I believe that from your elevated seat you are responsible for good conduct and the effective passage of business in the chamber. It has long been my belief that we should have proper microphones in here. As you are responsible for the effective conduct of business, I ask that, during the summer recess, you undertake to investigate better miking for the chamber. No one could hear a word that any of us up here was saying earlier. [Interruption.] I have been rudely interrupted by Mr Ewing, but it is okay, Presiding Officer—you do not need to discipline him.

I take the member's point, but I am not entirely sure that it is a point of order. However, we will look into the matter.