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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 24 November 2024
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Displaying 1196 contributions

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Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

I was not asking for anybody to carry that out. I am probing the understanding of what the corporate body does. The committee has heard significant concerns from members of the corporate body about not only their capacity but the locus that they have to undertake those roles appropriately. They do not have the capacity to do it. It seems to me that, with the commissioners, the thinking is, “We don’t really know where to put this, so it will go there.” The result is that the SPCB role is growing like Topsy, but it does not have the capacity to do it.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

It is not everything; I was just saying that there are a few things that have been difficult for the Government that it has parked in this place. Anyway, I will move on.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

But the Government must see a limit to that point, where it says that we cannot just continue to bestow functions and responsibilities upon a limited body and ask it to continue undertaking that work for ever.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

You have validated that approach and said that it is the right thing for lobbyists and others to advocate for a new commissioner. Is it not the role of the Government to say no?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

Thank you for your evidence so far, minister. What is the threshold of public finance that would command your attention?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

What is the Government’s and your understanding of the role of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

So do you think that the Parliament should get more money and have a higher budget?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

But the Parliament says that it does not currently have the capacity to scrutinise the existing commissioners. Should there be more MSPs to do that work?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

That is a fine distinction, minister. You mentioned that the Parliament passed a vote, but some of those commissioners were certainly introduced when the Scottish National Party had a majority.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape

Meeting date: 4 June 2024

Michael Marra

It feels a little bit like the Parliament is the place where difficult things are parked. For instance, last week, we had an amendment from the Government on Michael Matheson’s iPad bill. The amendment was agreed to by Parliament, but it was lodged by the Deputy First Minister. It finished by calling on

“the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to initiate an independent review of the Parliament’s complaints process to restore integrity and confidence in the Parliament and its procedures.”

That is not anywhere near being within the terms of reference of the corporate body.