Meeting of the Parliament 19 January 2022
Along with Christine Grahame and Maggie Chapman, I was a member of the corporate body appointment panel, and I invite MSPs to agree the appointment of Suzanne Vestri as a member of the Standards Commission for Scotland.
As the chamber will know, the corporate body supports seven independent office holders, and one of our statutory duties relates to appointing, with the agreement of the Parliament, some of the office holders.
This appointment relates to the Standards Commission for Scotland, which is part of the ethical standards framework. Its role is to encourage high ethical standards in public life by promoting and enforcing the codes of conduct for councillors and members of devolved public bodies. The commission has a convener and four members, all of whom are part time.
Let me turn to our nominee. Suzanne Vestri is a self-employed consultant who provides a range of services to voluntary and public sector organisations, including organisational development advice and the design and delivery of a range of training. She is also a board member at the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. We believe that Suzanne will bring to the post professionalism, fairness and a strong commitment to ensuring that high standards of conduct in public life are upheld. I am sure that the Parliament will want to wish her every success in her new role.
I move,
That the Parliament agrees, under Section 8 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, to appoint Suzanne Vestri as a Member of the Standards Commission for Scotland.
[Applause.]