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Agenda item 4 is consideration of the Scottish Local Government Elections Amendment (Denmark) Regulations 2024, which is subject to annulment by resolution of the Parliament until 20 May 2024. The committee is invited to consider the instrument and decide what, if any, recommendations it would like to make.

The Delegated Powers and Legislative Reform Committee drew the instrument to this committee’s attention because it was laid fewer than 28 days before coming into force. The explanation for that has been provided by the Government in annex B of the papers. In essence, the instrument adds another country to those in which people can vote or stand for election.

Since members have no questions or comments, I invite the committee to agree that it is content to note the Scottish statutory instrument.

Members indicated agreement.

That is helpful, because we do have a commitment to the Parliament to maintain our work to a certain timetable, and that might need to be looked at.

Another point—which you have, I think, answered in part—is that this is stage 1 of the bill. This is the stage at which we take evidence on and scrutinise the bill, but there is an indication in the letter that you are seeking the committee’s views and opinions on certain assertions and ideas that are being put forward. That is probably not appropriate for stage 1.

Will you write to the committee on that?

Good morning, and welcome to the 11th meeting in 2024 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. There are no apologies.

Our first agenda item is a declaration of interests. On the record—officially and in public—I welcome Oliver Mundell MSP to the committee as a new member. Oliver, do you have any relevant interests to declare?

Our second item is a decision on taking business in private. Does the committee agree to take in private our consideration of the evidence that we are about to hear from the Minister for Parliamentary Business on the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill?

Members indicated agreement.

That would be helpful, because it is a fundamental element. Everyone seems to be in agreement on the necessity to create the legal entity. The consequences of doing that—what it looks like and how it answers—become a much bigger and more complex question.

No—it is about the detail.

On behalf of the Government?

Thank you for that.

I have a couple of further points. One goes back to your letter of 15 March to the convener of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, in which you made reference to the policy memorandum with regard to automaticity. I presume that, following what has gone on the record today, you are in a better position now to write back to both that convener and this committee on automaticity—in essence, capturing the evidence that we have heard today.

My final point—genuinely—is the question of post-legislative scrutiny. In the evidence that we have heard, including the evidence today, we have had discussions on the on-going role of pilots. What should the bill contain to ensure that there is proper and adequate post-legislative scrutiny on that? Next—I ask the question very specifically, and you will know why—on whom should the responsibility rest: the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliament? Is this the bill in which we can define that responsibility?

I am grateful.