Chamber
Plenary, 25 Jan 2007
25 Jan 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006 (Determinations)
Let me deal with Mr Ballance's point about sponsorship. With regard to individuals who are employed by both a member and a political party, the member should seek advice from the clerks to the Standards and Public Appointments Committee. That is precisely the clerks' role. Given that the details of such arrangements may vary from case to case, the individual circumstances of the case would need to be discussed with those whose role it is to give such advice. It is not the role of the Standards and Public Appointments Committee or the convener of that committee to give such advice. The answer will depend very much on who is paying for what. My advice to Mr Ballance is that he should consult the standards clerks as the issue relates to the act rather than to the determinations that we are considering today.
Expectations of standards in public life are constantly changing. For example, paid advocacy—cash for questions—was regarded as a matter of some concern in the early 1990s. I hope that we have moved beyond that issue today, but the example illustrates how the sands shift and why we need a system that places a range of information in the public domain. That system must be practical and capable of adaptation to meet future standards and expectations.
One reason why we have put four reports before members today is to make the process easier in the future; a bit of expenditure on energy and trees at the beginning may mean that subsequently we do not need to produce so many reports. The four reports propose a fair, practical system. I urge members to support the motions that the Standards and Public Appointments Committee has lodged.
Expectations of standards in public life are constantly changing. For example, paid advocacy—cash for questions—was regarded as a matter of some concern in the early 1990s. I hope that we have moved beyond that issue today, but the example illustrates how the sands shift and why we need a system that places a range of information in the public domain. That system must be practical and capable of adaptation to meet future standards and expectations.
One reason why we have put four reports before members today is to make the process easier in the future; a bit of expenditure on energy and trees at the beginning may mean that subsequently we do not need to produce so many reports. The four reports propose a fair, practical system. I urge members to support the motions that the Standards and Public Appointments Committee has lodged.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motions S2M-5431 to S2M-5434 inclusive, in the name of Brian Adam, on behalf of the Standards and Public Appointment...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
The Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006 received royal assent on 13 July last year. Certain sections of the act came into force the day ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
Remaining speakers will have four minutes each.
Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I hope that the time allocated is enough to cover the many important issues that arise from the four reports.My first point is one that the committee convene...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Is the member seriously suggesting that, instead of using footnotes rather than adding in information, the committee reports before the Parliament should hav...
Alasdair Morgan:
SNP
I am not suggesting that. I am saying that if footnotes are good for some matters, they are equally good for minutes, the act and the committee's membership ...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con):
Con
I am not sure whether I need to speak in the debate, because it is clear that an animated debate is taking place among Scottish National Party members. I am ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
The procedure that is being adopted is correct, and the documents set out basically what the Parliament decided on previous occasions. There is perhaps the a...
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
I congratulate the Standards and Public Appointments Committee on the completion of a useful exercise. I have a question that I hope will be answered in the ...
Brian Adam:
SNP
I thank all the members who have spoken for their contributions to the debate. Although we did not manage to attract any responses to our consultation exerci...
Alasdair Morgan:
SNP
Does the member accept that it would perhaps have been easier if the consultation document had more explicitly flagged up the fact that the limit on income f...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Again, I am grateful to Mr Morgan for that suggestion, but he is wide of the mark. Only the slothful servant needs to be commanded in all things. I do not kn...
Chris Ballance:
Green
Will I get an answer to my question?
Brian Adam:
SNP
Let me deal with Mr Ballance's point about sponsorship. With regard to individuals who are employed by both a member and a political party, the member should...