Chamber
Plenary, 30 Mar 2000
30 Mar 2000 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Public Appointments
I shall try to be brief, having cut out quite a lot of my speech. I cannot hope to compete with the speed at which Richard Lochhead spoke.
Political parties and their networks are an inevitable route by which people are drawn into public life, and it is rather disappointing that that fact will not be for discussion in the consultation document. That aspect of public appointment puts many people off; some people simply do not want to enter a system in which there are many party political appointees, and that excludes a considerable market of people.
I do not doubt that the Executive genuinely wants to attain a measure of transparency. However, if ministers keep appointments to themselves—which seems to be a possibility—they run the risk of being accused of cronyism. Cronyism is easy in a country as small as this. We all know the line, "Ah kent yer faither"—or, in Jack McConnell's case, "Ah kent yer auntie in Bridge of Weir." It is a small country and accusations of nepotism and cronyism are easy. Therefore, we must take special steps to ensure that there is no hint of cronyism in anything that we do.
The Executive's suggestion that the First Minister should make an annual statement to the Scottish Parliament about the year's appointments will simply bolster the notion that the Executive wants to cling to control with retrospective scrutiny. That would not encourage the atmosphere of transparency that the Executive wants to foster. In the consultation paper, the Executive alarmingly veers away from pre-appointment scrutiny, on the ground that that might deter able candidates from applying.
Political parties and their networks are an inevitable route by which people are drawn into public life, and it is rather disappointing that that fact will not be for discussion in the consultation document. That aspect of public appointment puts many people off; some people simply do not want to enter a system in which there are many party political appointees, and that excludes a considerable market of people.
I do not doubt that the Executive genuinely wants to attain a measure of transparency. However, if ministers keep appointments to themselves—which seems to be a possibility—they run the risk of being accused of cronyism. Cronyism is easy in a country as small as this. We all know the line, "Ah kent yer faither"—or, in Jack McConnell's case, "Ah kent yer auntie in Bridge of Weir." It is a small country and accusations of nepotism and cronyism are easy. Therefore, we must take special steps to ensure that there is no hint of cronyism in anything that we do.
The Executive's suggestion that the First Minister should make an annual statement to the Scottish Parliament about the year's appointments will simply bolster the notion that the Executive wants to cling to control with retrospective scrutiny. That would not encourage the atmosphere of transparency that the Executive wants to foster. In the consultation paper, the Executive alarmingly veers away from pre-appointment scrutiny, on the ground that that might deter able candidates from applying.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S1M-706, on public appointments, in the name of Mr Jack McConnell.
The Minister for Finance (Mr Jack McConnell):
Lab
I welcome this opportunity to move a motion that notes the consultation exercise. I also welcome the fact that no amendments have been lodged, which creates ...
John Young (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I have found repeatedly that many people simply do not know who is on their local health board and other public bodies. Would it not be a good idea to public...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
That is an excellent idea. The information needs to be made available at both ends of the process. Yesterday, voluntary organisations, including those repres...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The SNP welcomes the publication of the consultation document, "Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland: Modernising the System", and the spirit in which t...
David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con):
Con
The Scottish Conservatives are happy to support the Executive's objective—as expressed in the consultation paper—of making public appointments more open and ...
George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD):
LD
When Alex Neil mentioned the chairman of SEPA, I was not sure whether he was arguing for a decrease in the chairman's salary or an increase in his own. No do...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Patricia Ferguson):
Lab
The time for this debate is extremely tight and we will move to closing speeches at 16:40. If members can keep their speeches to three minutes, I will be abl...
Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to endorse the minister's speech. High standards in public life are an important issue, not only for us as parliamentarians, but fo...
Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will try to keep my comments as brief as possible. I, too, welcome the debate, which is long overdue. It is imperative that we break down the barriers betw...
Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the motion moved by the minister and congratulate him on the innovative approach in the document. The consultation is welcome and will allow input ...
Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome what the minister said, and I know that we have a difficult job ahead in trying to rid the country of the curse of cronyism. Cronyism is not exclus...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
We now come to winding-up speeches, and I apologise to members whom I have not been able to call. I thank the closing speakers for giving some of their allot...
Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD):
LD
Perhaps I can draw the minister's attention to the Scottish Standing Committee for the Calculation of Residual Values of Fertilisers and Feedingstuffs. I sug...
Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I also welcome the consultation paper. As Mr McLetchie said, we are broadly in support of the initiatives that are listed therein. We hope that there will be...
Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I shall try to be brief, having cut out quite a lot of my speech. I cannot hope to compete with the speed at which Richard Lochhead spoke.Political parties a...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Does Colin Campbell agree that, contrary to the statements that were made by the Executive on its commitment to attract a wider range of candidates to the bo...
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
If Mr Campbell is giving way, he ought to sit down.
Colin Campbell:
SNP
I am sorry.
Linda Fabiani:
SNP
Does Colin Campbell agree that, even during this consultation process, we are talking about more jobs for the boys and the establishment elite?
Colin Campbell:
SNP
I am sorry that I remained standing, Presiding Officer. It is the habit of a teacher that is hard to give up. It is a way of dominating the audience. Laughte...
Mr McConnell:
Lab
The debate has been interesting and helpful. I assure members that all points raised will be taken on board both during and after the consultation process, w...