Committee
Local Government Committee, 21 Sep 1999
21 Sep 1999 · S1 · Local Government Committee
Item of business
McIntosh Report
The recommendation states:"a panel of advisers should be appointed, by Ministers jointly with COSLA and subject to the approval of the Parliament".That is interesting.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Trish Godman):
Lab
We now enter the formal meeting, colleagues, and I welcome the public who have slipped in quietly at the back. We are going through the McIntosh report recom...
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I am sure that we had a discussion on 8.
The Convener:
Lab
Recommendations 7 and 8 are together.
Mr Gibson:
SNP
We had the committee report on it—I think that we should go straight to 9.
The Convener:
Lab
Okay, we will go straight to recommendation 9, which deals with the electoral system. It is the bit that the Kerley committee will examine. How do we see it ...
Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I think that this one should be pulled back for further discussion. The Conservatives believe that unless we can maintain the link between the councillor and...
Mr Gibson:
SNP
Perhaps I could offer a clarification. We are discussing which recommendations are contentious and which are not. The electoral system is a contentious issue...
Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab):
Lab
It is largely a question of practicality. It depends on what sort of electoral system we eventually agree on. If there was a substantial difference about, sa...
Mr Gibson:
SNP
I cannot agree with that. If we agree on the system by next summer, we could have two or possibly three years to implement it. The boundary changes for the r...
Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I understand Bristow's point, but Kenny is saying that if we reach a conclusion there is no need to hold back. That principle would apply everywhere. It woul...
Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab):
Lab
It is always a good principle not to put the cart before the horse. We might not be able to say for certain that the electoral system that we choose can be i...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab):
Lab
Time scales should not be an issue when dealing with matters of principle. Any change should be implemented in the time it takes to implement it effectively,...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
With regard to the time scale, I would have thought that we could reasonably say that any change should be introduced without avoidable delay. We all know th...
The Convener:
Lab
You are right: that is not in the bullet points and there was no such comment by McIntosh. On the other hand, we are examining the report and, if we agree, p...
Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
We will be accountable at the next general election. That might not come soon enough for some of the electorate, but it will always be hanging over us in one...
Johann Lamont:
Lab
The debate is really about competing principles and priorities. We all have the election ahead of us—you are quite right. However, as Kenny said in an earlie...
Colin Campbell:
SNP
When I was a councillor, my party put me on the list and the people had no choice about whether they would get me or somebody else as their council candidate...
Mr Gibson:
SNP
Before a candidate even gets on to a list, they must get past the party's interview panel. We can argue over the democracy of that. The Dennis Canavan situat...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
Should we deal with that now or should we wait until we have the Kerley report, which will include evidence from a range of sources and consider all the ques...
Mr Gibson:
SNP
I must apologise—I was just looking for agreement with a view to legislation being introduced for the next elections. I was not trying to open a debate on th...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
As Donald says, those changes were problematic.
Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab):
Lab
We are in danger of making heavy weather of this exercise. In referring to what I said previously—is distinguishing between contentious and semi-contentious ...
The Convener:
Lab
I agree, although I was enjoying the discussion. We were beginning to get our teeth into something and I did not particularly want to stop members.Another re...
Colin Campbell:
SNP
I think that there will be considerable discussion on that point.
The Convener:
Lab
There will.Recommendation 12 says:"The legislation governing the Local Government Boundary Commission should be reviewed with a view to providing greater fle...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
I do not think that the proposal is controversial; most people will agree with it.
The Convener:
Lab
Do Keith and Sylvia agree?
Mr Harding:
Con
I agree—I do not think that a review of the legislation would be contentious.
Colin Campbell:
SNP
Although the boundaries themselves might be contentious, the principle that they should fit communities better is not.
Johann Lamont:
Lab
It would be contentious—although not necessarily bad—to start to redraw authority boundaries.