Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Official Report 978KB pdf

Point of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. What is the process for amending the Official Report when information that is shared in the chamber is incorrect or inaccurate? I am asking because during yesterday’s members’ business debate on dog attacks, when referring to the take the lead campaign, Finlay Carson made an incorrect statement when referring to me. He said:

“It is somewhat disappointing but not surprising that Emma Harper, the parliamentary liaison officer to Fergus Ewing, who originally backed the campaign, has now backed off and supports the far from satisfactory postcode lottery option of additional local authority byelaw powers”.—[Official Report, 8 May 2018; c 85.]

I was not in the chamber for the debate and could not respond, so I would like to note that I have never made any personal comment or statement about amending byelaws. I am therefore seeking your advice on how Mr Carson can amend his mistake in the Official Report.

I thank Ms Harper for advance notice of her point of order. She will know that the Official Report of that debate yesterday cannot be amended and that it is a correct record of what was stated in the chamber. However, Ms Harper has drawn the matter to the attention of Mr Carson and has put her comments on the record for all to see.