No "business as usual" in Parliament

by Stewart Stevenson for The Herald

Candidates are advised not to expire during the election period. That was the sobering advice offered by the handbook issued to candidates and agents by SNP HQ. Thankfully everyone – in all parties – stuck to the script and unlike the 18 who died during Parliamentary elections in the last 100 years, all candidates remain in life if not in office.

But now it's time to think not just about Government, but also about how Parliament should work. For Governments, of any complexion, should remember that they owe their office to Parliamentary decisions expressed through the views of the members elected by the public.

The first week back is swearing in and electing – in a secret ballot – the Presiding Officer and two Deputies. Week two is choosing a First Minister with week three seeing the Ministerial team in position. And then it's down to “business as usual”. Or is it?

Each new Parliament has the opportunity to look at the experience of their predecessors and move on from that. So it shouldn't simply be exactly the same as last time, it shouldn't simply be that easy option, unless we have reached a pinnacle of perfect practice. Not many, inside Parliament or outwith, will suggest that.

The Parliament's Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee is where most proposals for changing Parliament's rules and practices come from. But the new session will be well under way before anything much can come from that source.

So it's down to the Presiding Officer at their hand to set Parliament on a new road. Tricia Marwick, our outgoing PO, drove change. And her successor has to show from day one that they too, will do so.

Three changes could be considered before the first parliamentary activity after getting the Government fully in post. And all could be done by the Presiding Officer directly and quickly.

From day one in the Welsh Assembly, members had a computer before them to support their activity in the debating chamber. With the technology available 17 years ago, it brought some uncomfortable constraints. At Holyrood we need to consider how technology can support us better in debates and questions. We have allowed speeches to be read from computers, and by implication adapted, during debates. But is that enough?

If it is permissible to bring a report, book, newspaper or periodical into the chamber to refer to during a debate – and it is, why not a computer? But just as reading the Beano would not be appropriate, there are many possible computer activities that would equally bring Parliament into disrepute.

The Presiding Officer can decide an initial code of conduct – operating from day one – for using technology during debates. Our Standards Committee can take a deeper look at this later.

A source of frustration for backbenchers, both opposition and government, is how one gets to ask questions of ministers. Questions to the First Minister and Topical Questions are selected by the Presiding Officer on merit and, broadly, respect the political balance of the Parliament. That's nine or so questions a week.

But the remaining 30 are by lottery. That is fair, but fails the test of providing any member beyond party leaders with any continuity, week by week, to develop a sequence of questions over time on a subject which may be of significant interest to an individual member. They can't be sure when or if, their name will come out of the hat. I once went 13 months without being selected to ask a question.

Until the Standards Committee looks at alternative systems for the Presiding Officer to consider, the PO could permit a member “winning” the chance to ask a question to pass that right on to another MSP.

Finally at the end of the last session, Parliament found itself deeply uncomfortable, or worse, when it could not formally tell Westminster that it did not like what they were doing on Trade Union legislation. Government to Government relations are well developed but Parliament to Parliament rather less so.

We need a formal way for our Presiding Officer to exchange views with Westminster on our behalf. And for MSPs to request the PO to do so.

I didn't expire during the election and I'm leaner and healthier after 400 km walking. On Thursday I shall take the oath in the same suit I wore in 2001. Elections can be good for MSPs.