Official Report 946KB pdf
18:04
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In your guidance on conduct in the chamber, which is underpinned by our standing orders, it says that members, including ministers, have a personal responsibility to be accurate and truthful in their contributions during parliamentary proceedings.
I am concerned that the First Minister may have erred at First Minister’s question time today when attributing a quote to counsel to the Scottish hospitals inquiry. The First Minister stated—as a quote—that
“there is no evidence of external pressure on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to open the hospital early or before it was ready to be opened.”
However, it appears that no such statement has been made by counsel to the inquiry. I seek the Presiding Officer’s guidance on how a member could rectify such an error if it had occurred and set the record straight.
As Martin Whitfield and all members will be aware, the accuracy of a member’s contribution is not a matter for the chair to rule on, but, as a matter of courtesy and respect, I expect all members to always strive to be accurate in their contributions. Members are also aware of the mechanisms that are available to them if they wish to correct the record.
Next
Business Motion