Mu Phàrlamaid na h-Alba

7. The focus for the international work covered by this Strategy will be underpinned by three core elements.

Policy

8. The issues that are front and centre to the Parliament. Largely, these will feature in individual committee work programmes through committee inquiries and Bill scrutiny work etc. Through exposure to learning from international best practice and the experience and thinking in other countries on such issues, the international work can develop MSPs understanding and awareness of policy proposals.

9. While some policy issues are ‘topical’ through the short time period of a committee’s scrutiny of a Bill etc, other issues might feature longer term, perhaps across all of Session 6. For example, climate change or post-EU arrangements may be issues which feature much longer term and more regularly across committee work programmes. The Parliament can, through its core international work, learn from other parliaments, countries, organisations about the actions and approaches they take.

10. This Strategy does not conflict with any international work which individual committees undertake as part of their work programmes. Rather, it can complement this and provide another, and sometimes unique, opportunity for MSPs to develop their policy awareness through the international engagement work of the Presiding Officer and the SPCB.

Procedural

11. Since 1999, the Parliament has sought to innovate and introduce different ways of working for both plenary meetings of the Parliament and the committees. Procedural work should not be seen simply through the prism of rules and procedures (Standing Orders) but also how the Parliament can create simple and effective methods of holding the Scottish Government to account.

Further information on the Standing Orders of the Scottish Parliament

12. Discussions with other parliaments can identify how they operate and why, their own rules of procedures, the approaches and principles behind how they work and why. This can then increase awareness and generate ideas on new and better ways for this Parliament to fulfil its central purpose.

13. This may be a key aspect of the Presiding Officer’s international interests given the responsibility of that role for chairing proceedings in the Chamber and the Parliamentary Bureau. The involvement of MSPs in Presiding Officer led international work would give them exposure to the importance of effective parliamentary rules and procedures and to that aspect of their role as a parliamentarian.

Corporate

14. A key role of the SPCB is to ensure the Parliament can operate effectively and that MSPs are able to carry out their duties easily and efficiently. The SPCB makes decisions on a wide range of issues, possibly backed up by published corporate strategies which it agrees, relating to the management and operation of the Parliament. These cover a wide spectrum of issues such as finance, accommodation, data protection, officeholders, lobbying, allowances.

15. Discussions with counterparts in other parliaments can identify the frameworks, decision making processes, approaches which they take to ensure the efficient running of that organisation.

16. While the policy element is directed at MSPs through their committee work, and the procedural element will sit with the Presiding Officer and MSPs, this corporate element sits very much within the interests and responsibilities of the Presiding Officer and the SPCB.