Seòmar agus comataidhean

On the whole, we do, although there is the odd occasion when such situations arise and we just need to move forward. It is entirely up to the committee to decide one way or the other when it discusses the matter after I have left.

I am suitably chastised.

I feel that I have already explained the Government’s position in that regard, but I always like to give good value, so I will ask Rachel Rayner to talk about what she would look at in going through that process.

Gordon, could you say something from the perspective of the work that you do?

As I said earlier, when the LCM comes in, a decision has to be made about how it affects us—the Scottish Government—and how we deal with the legislation. When we go through the whole process, we have to ensure that we have covered everything. I think that what you are asking about, Mr Kerr—indeed, you said it yourself—is whether there is a template that we can use to cut and paste every LCM, but what I and my officials have been trying to say is that there is no such template, because everything is different. Some things can be more complex than others, and sometimes the process is quite simple and there is no issue. Recently, though, issues have arisen more often than not, and we then have had to lay an SSI before the Scottish Parliament.

From my experience as a back bencher and as a member of committees such as this one, I would say that we have the option of looking at the information as it comes through from the Government. You will be made aware of an LCM coming through—and, indeed, if an SSI comes through. The checks and balances to do that sort of thing are available in the Parliament as it is.

I think that you are trying to hint at the possibility of there being a better way of looking at these things. If so, I am quite open to a more transparent process for the committees and the Parliament, and I am quite happy to look at such a suggestion. Indeed, any other suggestions could be part of our consideration of the process whereby information goes backwards and forwards between us and the committee.

It is always a good thing to agree with each other.

That is me killed in Paisley now.

My door is always open to members of the committee or whoever, and we can discuss offline any matter that you might want to raise. What I often say—and people have said that this will come back to bite me—is that I do not have a monopoly on good ideas. If anyone has any, I am quite happy to steal them—I am sorry; I mean, I am happy to work with them on it.

We are. I have tried to be my usual charming self and to work constructively with the UK Government in order for business to flow, but that can be quite challenging. The UK retained EU law bill will be introduced at some point, but we do not know what it will do. That is quite concerning, because that bill will be a massive piece of work. It might or might not affect the number of SIs that we have to consider, which relates to the question that you asked. That could be quite challenging for us.

Gordon Johnstone will give you more detail, given that this is his area of expertise.