Seòmar agus comataidhean

I am grateful for that comment. Are you back with us, Bob?

So it is in relation to those very specific areas that committees involve themselves in.

You have talked about the very small pool in which people go fishing for board members. Are you confident that the revised code can break that dam or widen the pool?

I have no relevant interests to declare.

I like committees that move this fast.

We move to a discussion about the legacy paper. I see that Alexander Stewart would like to comment on it.

I thank Alexander Stewart for opening the meeting and for bringing to the chair not just his age but his vast experience of committees in the past. I welcome all the members who are new to the Parliament, such as Paul McLennan and me, as well as those who have—shall we say?—a few more years of experience. We will look to them for guidance in the committee’s work.

In my view, this is a very important and powerful committee, which has a huge responsibility to the Parliament and the people of Scotland. From the outset, I wish to put on public record my recognition of the lack of gender balance on the committee, which has occurred in the process of creating the membership of the committee rather than as the act or intention of any of its members. With the permission of members, I intend to write to the Parliamentary Bureau about that matter and raise it at the Conveners Group as a matter of urgency. The effect of the situation that we find ourselves in might directly affect aspects of the committee’s responsibility, particularly with regard to standing orders rules 6.4.1(b) and (d). I have every confidence in each member of the committee, but I am concerned that, in fulfilling our responsibilities, we will not be able to carry the confidence of those whom we serve or who seek to rely on the committee. I hope that the members of the committee are in agreement with that action and I am happy to discuss it in more detail when we turn to our programme of work later.

Item 6 is the legacy paper that was prepared by the previous committee to show the work that it covered and to indicate the areas that it felt we should look at. I would like to get the committee’s permission to write to the session 5 committee members to thank them, particularly the convener, for their work and for the legacy paper, which encompasses a huge amount of work and raises a number of significant questions that we will look at. Do I have the committee’s agreement to do that?

Members indicated agreement.

Absolutely. I agree with those points.

Item 4 is to decide whether to take item 7 in private. Just to give a short explanation, a number of items will come before the committee that it would be better to take in private so that full and frank discussion can take place. There is no intention to avoid transparency in our decisions or in our opinions or views; it is just to allow full discussion to take place. In the current meeting, item 7 is about our programme for work. Do members have any comments before I invite us to take that item in private?

As no one wishes to speak, do members agree to take that item in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Congratulations, Bob. You certainly have committee experience dating all the way back to 2007, including in relation to local government and subordinate legislation. In fact, I think that you have experience of virtually all committees but, most importantly from my point of view, you were a member of the predecessor of this committee, so I will be looking to you for advice, wisdom and support. Congratulations.