Hansard

I give my apologies to those who are in the chamber and those who are watching, who I will detain for slightly longer before decision time because of the Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill. If they are up to date, members will have the report from the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee regarding this private member’s bill, which is passing through the House of Commons and into the House of Lords and is guided by Tracy Gilbert MP, in which we recommend agreement to this LCM.

However, I will ensure that everything is above board and as transparent as we want and seek it to be here in Scotland. Although the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee did not produce a report, it did have some questions on this matter. The convener wrote to the Scottish Government today posing two questions on how decisions would be made regarding which authority will exercise power and how the Scottish Government intends to facilitate scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament on the policy position in the relevant regulations.

I compliment the Government and, in particular, the Minister for Parliamentary Business and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government for being able to respond today to those two outstanding matters and confirming the Scottish Government’s position on them, which in no way alters the SPPA Committee’s view that consent should be given to the LCM.