Chamber
Plenary, 08 Mar 2007
08 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Complaint
Brian Monteith's suggestion that he has not had natural justice does a great disservice to the Scottish parliamentary standards commissioner and the Standards and Public Appointments Committee. The incident, which occurred in June last year, has been thoroughly investigated. Mr Monteith took up the opportunity, which was offered by the committee, to make a written submission. There was nothing new in it, so we decided that we did not need to hear any further argument. He did not offer any new argument today.
His second point was that, somehow, nobody else understands the meaning of the word "embargo" and that, because he has been a professional in the field, he is the authority on the matter. That is a weak defence. Donald Gorrie dealt with Mr Monteith's third point effectively.
Members will be aware that there have been complaints in previous years about the leaking of documents from committees. Regardless of what information was ultimately transmitted to the media, Mr Monteith admits that he gave information to a journalist. He has argued about the term "embargo". If he wants definitive guidance to be issued, the Standards and Public Appointments Committee has agreed to draw the Conveners Group's attention to its report on the complaint and to the Scottish parliamentary standards commissioner's comments. It will be for the Conveners Group to decide whether action is required.
The fact remains that Mr Monteith was a member of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill Committee and was briefed on and agreed to the special procedures relating to private bills. In breaching the procedures he breached the members' code of conduct and we recommend a sanction that is proportionate and reasonable.
His second point was that, somehow, nobody else understands the meaning of the word "embargo" and that, because he has been a professional in the field, he is the authority on the matter. That is a weak defence. Donald Gorrie dealt with Mr Monteith's third point effectively.
Members will be aware that there have been complaints in previous years about the leaking of documents from committees. Regardless of what information was ultimately transmitted to the media, Mr Monteith admits that he gave information to a journalist. He has argued about the term "embargo". If he wants definitive guidance to be issued, the Standards and Public Appointments Committee has agreed to draw the Conveners Group's attention to its report on the complaint and to the Scottish parliamentary standards commissioner's comments. It will be for the Conveners Group to decide whether action is required.
The fact remains that Mr Monteith was a member of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill Committee and was briefed on and agreed to the special procedures relating to private bills. In breaching the procedures he breached the members' code of conduct and we recommend a sanction that is proportionate and reasonable.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5678, in the name of Brian Adam, on behalf of the Standards and Public Appointments Committee, on a breac...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
The details of the complaint that was made against Mr Monteith are set out in the report that the Standards and Public Appointments Committee published on 1 ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
I call Brian Monteith. Mr Monteith, you have three minutes.
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Ind):
Ind
Three minutes? Thank you, Presiding Officer.I oppose the Standards and Public Appointments Committee motion for three reasons. First, I was denied natural ju...
Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Mr Monteith:
Ind
No, I will not.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
The member should be finishing.
Mr Monteith:
Ind
I have worked in the media for 16 years. I understand what an embargo means. To give a member a statement that has an embargo on it means that the statement ...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I respect the fact that the Scottish parliamentary standards commissioner ruled against Brian Monteith, but I am genuinely concerned about how minority repor...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
Although I do not wish to comment on many of the issues that Brian Monteith covered, I do not wish to be part of what can look like a kangaroo court. He was ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
The Standards and Public Appointments Committee contacted Brian Monteith and said that it wished to take further representations from him so that he could cl...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Brian Monteith's suggestion that he has not had natural justice does a great disservice to the Scottish parliamentary standards commissioner and the Standard...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.I will not comment on the pros and cons of the case, but I am concerned that Mr Monteith had only three minutes in whi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
That is a statable opinion, but the matter is not covered by the standing orders. In essence, the timings are directed by the business motion. If Mr Neil thi...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Further to Mr Neil's point of order, although standing orders do not cover every jot and tittle of what has gone on i...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
That might be a statable opinion, but it is not a point of order. If members want rules on such matters, they must consider how such rules could be introduce...