Chamber
Plenary, 12 Jun 2008
12 Jun 2008 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Expenses Scheme
No, thank you.
The many members who have made representations on the need to ensure adequate office support have made good cases.
Finally, I want to express an opinion that I have developed during discussion of these matters. We have heard from certain members that there is an evidence base to suggest that the workload of constituency members is greater. That is used as an argument for their receiving greater staff resources. I suggest that there is a counterargument that if we believe in equality in the Parliament, perhaps we need to consider the situation that has led to what members have described. Therefore, it is equally valid for people like me to suggest that we should consider how some members choose to market themselves and how in the future we might ensure that the workload, should it be different, is balanced properly.
The many members who have made representations on the need to ensure adequate office support have made good cases.
Finally, I want to express an opinion that I have developed during discussion of these matters. We have heard from certain members that there is an evidence base to suggest that the workload of constituency members is greater. That is used as an argument for their receiving greater staff resources. I suggest that there is a counterargument that if we believe in equality in the Parliament, perhaps we need to consider the situation that has led to what members have described. Therefore, it is equally valid for people like me to suggest that we should consider how some members choose to market themselves and how in the future we might ensure that the workload, should it be different, is balanced properly.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-2092, in the name of Tom McCabe, on the expenses scheme.
Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab):
Lab
I rise, on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, to speak to the recommendations of an independent review panel on members' expenses.In light ...
Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP):
SNP
I record my thanks for the work of Sir Alan Langlands and the other members of the review panel, who presented us with a comprehensive report on a proposed n...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member give way?
Tricia Marwick:
SNP
I have very little time.It is worth recording that every member of the SPCB agreed that the Langlands report used figures at the 2007-08 level and that all f...
Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab):
Lab
Lyndon B Johnson once said:"You've got to work things out in the cloakroom. When you've got them worked out, you can debate a little before you vote."Today, ...
George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab):
Lab
Does the member agree that the study that was carried out on behalf of the Langlands committee did not examine a representative sample of regional and consti...
Michael McMahon:
Lab
I agree with that. I was coming to that point.The point that has been made about parity is the same as arguing that a head of history and a head of physical ...
Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
United we stand.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We do not need sedentary interventions between speeches, thank you.
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
I add my thanks to those that have already been recorded for the work that was done by the Langlands committee. My amendments rest on two propositions. The f...
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
Will the member give way?
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
I will establish the point and come back to the member.I agree completely with the report's identification of Sarah Boyack's office as the quality benchmark ...
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
Margo MacDonald says that the public do not care about the way in which members are elected. I suspect that she might be right in a way, but the fact is that...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
With all due respect to the member, I do not think that that point is proved.In list members' offices, which have proportionately lower numbers of individual...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
My amendment does not seek to deny our staff appropriate salaries. Does Margo MacDonald therefore regret that the SPCB removed any reference to pay scales fo...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
On the first point, I could not agree more: there should be salary scales. On the second point, I feel that the principle is either accepted or rejected. I r...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
In closing, Ms MacDonald.
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
I feel that islands MSPs are particularly hard done to. I urge all my fellow members not to vote on party-political grounds. They should think of this as a P...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I will try to keep my speech brief. I speak in support of Tricia Marwick's amendment, but I approve of and support the vast majority of what Tom McCabe said....
Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
Will the member take an intervention?
Alex Johnstone:
Con
No, thank you.The many members who have made representations on the need to ensure adequate office support have made good cases.Finally, I want to express an...
Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD):
LD
I speak in a personal capacity. The Liberal Democrats believe that this is an important matter for Parliament to decide, so we will have a free vote.I will c...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
Will the member give way?
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
Will the member give way?
Ross Finnie:
LD
Let me make this point. I do not doubt for a moment that casework is, or could be, an issue, but I find it incredible that the review panel found no other ma...
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
I accept that the inquiry was missing detailed information on that point, but I can give Ross Finnie an example. "The Code of Conduct for Members of the Scot...
Ross Finnie:
LD
I am sorry that Cathie Craigie is not listening. I have not disputed that casework is an issue; I am saying that casework is not the only issue in comparing ...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
Will the member give way?
Ross Finnie:
LD
No.I thought that that was the review panel's remit, but it does not explain why, if it was so deficient in evidence, it did not pause for reflection and cal...