Seòmar agus comataidhean

Apologies, Dr Fox. We seem to be losing the line, so I think that we will try with just audio. Do you want to try now?

Good morning. I welcome everyone to the 10th meeting in 2022 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. I remind members who are attending virtually to place an R in the BlueJeans chat function if they want to come in on any issue.

Item 1 is a decision on whether to take in private item 3, which is consideration of the evidence that we will hear today. Does the committee agree to take item 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

I want to pursue that, Dr Fox. As a member, I came into the Parliament during Covid and never saw it in what someone described as its golden time—although I think that its golden time is still to come. Do you think that human beings just cannot get over that problem with regard to communication and simply need to meet and talk in person straight away? Are we not capable of creating a different culture that will still facilitate the creation of laws outside of chamber discussions, however that might happen? Should we be confident that human beings themselves, given their ability to communicate and articulate things, will find ways of doing that even if the ability to sit in the same room does not exist?

The microphones will be controlled by other people, but you are now switched on and we can hear you very clearly.

Dr Williamson, I understand that there are slight problems with your connection, so we will have an audio contribution from you, which I hope we will be able to hear more clearly.

Good morning. I welcome everyone to the ninth meeting in 2022 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. I remind members who are participating virtually to type R in the chat function on BlueJeans if they would like to come in on any issue.

Under agenda item 1, the committee is invited to take items 3, 4 and 5 in private. Item 3 is for the committee to consider its next steps in relation to its inquiry into future parliamentary procedures and practices; item 4 is for the committee to consider draft code of conduct rule changes; and item 5 is for members to consider draft correspondence. Do members agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Absolutely—your consistency in attendance has been incredibly helpful.

That is helpful. We will ask for a slightly wider report from the clerks that goes beyond just the statistics to what other evidence is available on when the flexibility is being used. Are members happy with that?

Members indicated agreement.

Item 2 is consideration of the rules that relate to committee substitutes, which were varied in the period from the beginning of the pandemic until the dissolution of Parliament at the end of session 5. The purpose of that was to provide more flexibility if committee members were unable to attend committee meetings and to ensure that committee work was not adversely affected by the pandemic.

The chair of the Conveners Group has written to the committee following a discussion on committee substitutes. In his letter, he has suggested that the committee might wish to consider having two named substitutes rather than one. The current situation regarding substitutes is covered in rule 12.2.A of the standing orders, which is on “Participation by substitutes”. It says:

“Where a committee member—

(a) is unavailable for a committee meeting (or any committee activity taking place other than at a meeting) because of illness, family circumstances, adverse travel conditions beyond the member’s control, a requirement to attend to other Parliamentary business or urgent constituency business”,

a substitute member may participate in their place.

I invite comments from members.

Thank you. That is helpful. Would Sue Webber like to comment?