This search includes all content on the Scottish Parliament website, except for Votes and Motions. All Official Reports (what has been said in Parliament) and Questions and Answers are available from 1999. You can refine your search by adding and removing filters.
I can envisage a situation in which, particularly with groups that have a considerable non-MSP membership, the non-MSPs could easily outweigh the MSPs, which might not be appropriate.
Civil servants do a hard job, but I am concerned, Donald Gorrie, that instead of relying on the good sense of MSPs and the Presiding Officer, some rigid principle will be landed on us like a stone weight.
Where a member of staff works, or provides services, for more than one MSP, the MSPs involved should agree who is to be identified as the responsible MSP.
If part of that, as is claimed in the press, is demands from MSPs for additions, I would like to know who made the demands, what was demanded and who authorised them.
Members should also have received, either with the agenda or subsequently, papers from Michael Russell MSP and Phil Gallie MSP. There is also a letter from Lord James Douglas-Hamilton MSP, which makes some points on behalf of the Conservative group.
That is the educational process that happens in parallel with, in addition to and prior to engagement with MSPs. I have a question about the Scottish Civic Forum's funding.
I hope that the fact that other agencies are opening up their files will force the institutions that have given no firm commitment in that regard to give access to their own files. Linda Fabiani MSP and Janis Hughes MSP are here. Do you want to comment, Linda?