Hansard

Goodness. It seems like only seconds since I was here, but here we go.

I could say that this has been a profound and extensive examination of the bill that is before us. However, it is clear—not for the first time with a bill—that it may be short and straightforward, but important. It is interesting that it is a pragmatic response to a problem of timescales. That was necessary and sensible. Nonetheless, I may not be alone in believing that constitutional matters such as this should not be driven purely by practicalities. It is clear that many members—Mary Fee referred to it—feel that there needs to be a more established convention to regulate the length of sessions of the Scottish Parliament and to provide a more permanent approach to avoiding potential clashes with other elections.

That needs to be based on a broad debate and on proper examination of the different options that are available to us. Although it will be an issue for the next session of Parliament, it is worth signalling in this debate that it is something to which we really need to apply our minds. It will not affect me because I shall not be here, but I hope—I say to Stewart Stevenson—still to be alive to exercise my vote to support my party in its enhanced and, I predict, increased presence in this Parliament, post May.

Some good work has already been done in Parliament, not least by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. The committee came up with the option of three years, but the consensus is that that is too short for a parliamentary session.

Dr Richard Simpson had concerns: he thought that we should perhaps ally the Scottish elections with the European cycle, with voting in local and Scottish Parliament elections also being held on the same day. I would not support that—I do not think that it is the best solution. The Smith commission, which I referred to in my opening speech, looked at the issue briefly and felt that there should not be an election on the same day as the elections to the UK Parliament or the European Parliament, or any nationwide local government elections. There is scope for investigating that further and for looking at what Wales and Northern Ireland have decided to do. They have both taken the step to legislate to regulate the position.

I am not advocating any one position at this stage, but am merely pointing out that it is important for the future that we do not just react on an issue-by-issue basis in order to do what we need to do to get the matter through, but instead come up with an enduring solution.

There is a myriad of possibilities. The issues are significant. They affect not just us as members of this Parliament, and they affect not just candidates who want to come to this Parliament: they also affect every voter in Scotland.

I have three minutes, Presiding Officer, and I intend to use every last second.

In conclusion, I say that this is a worthwhile bill and an important one, and my party will support it.