Hansard

The member raises a fascinating and interesting problem, which has, to some extent, been handled in both the evidence that we have had and discussions within the committee. There are a number of ways in which votes can be reflected even if they are not cast in the chamber. The committee has, in various situations, visited whether we wanted to address the concept that is known as pairing, for example.

However, what the committee wished to do with proxy voting was reflected in the very first debates that the committee brought to the chamber and in the discussions that we have had. That is to protect the members who, under certain circumstances, need to step away from the obligations of being an MSP but still be in a position to reassure their constituents that the constituents’ vote, through their elected representative, appears in this chamber for the purposes of legislation.

If there were a situation, as was suggested in an earlier intervention, in which a member was being pressured by someone else to extend a proxy vote, I deeply hope that they would be able to find it in themselves to reach out and say no, because the majority of constituency MSPs are sent here because of who they are. Obviously, the list MSPs are sent under a party-political list, but we are all individuals and we have an individual responsibility to our constituents, and we should answer to that.

I realise that time is late, so I will simply move the motion that is in my name but is on behalf of the committee and, I hope, following the vote, the whole chamber.

I move,

That the Parliament notes the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee’s 12th Report, 2023 (Session 6), Standing Order Rule changes - Proxy Voting (SP Paper 489), and agrees that the rule changes to Standing Orders set out in the annexe of the report be made with effect from 22 December 2023.