Committees in the Scottish Parliament: Types, Functions, and Impact

1. Lesson Starter • How may committees are there? • Name the different types. Give examples. • Give an example of when the committees have gathered evidence from witnesses.

2. Lesson Starter • Explain the impact of the Scotland Act (2012) on Scotland’s ability to make its own decisions. • Explain how the Sewel Convention shows Westminster to be more powerful than the Scottish Parliament.

3. Lesson Starter • What is the purpose of committees in the Scottish Parliament? • List examples of Committee names?

4. Lesson Starter • In what ways do committees uphold the values of the Scottish Parliament – the 4 founding principles?

5. What will I learn? About the work of the committees in the Scottish Parliament.

6. Success Criteria • I can recall the work a committee does • I can list the different types of committees • I can outline the different examples of committee work

7. Committees • The Committee System allows for accessibility, openness and participation. • It is generally accepted that the real work of the parliament is done in the committee rooms. • Every piece of legislation coming from the parliament will have come under the scrutiny of one or more of the committees. • Remember the stages of passing a law? Stages 1+2 scrutinises the legislation before being debated by the parliament.

8. Committees • Committees play a central part in the work of the Parliament… • Taking evidence from witnesses • Scrutinising legislation • Conducting inquiries • Most committees meet weekly or fortnightly, usually on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings, in one of the Scottish Parliament's committee rooms - or in locations around Scotland.

9. Committees and Openness • The committee system allows for the participation of as many people as possible in the democratic process...not just Scottish Gov. • Meetings normally open to public (democracy in action) and take place in Parliament or in locations around Scotland. • Since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999, around 100 committee meetings have been held outside Edinburgh.

10. Examples of External Committee Meetings • The Equal Opportunities Committeemet at the City Chambers, Glasgow in June 2010 • The Health and Sport Committeemet in a hotel in Rannoch in 2010

11. Examples of External Committee Meetings • The Equal Opportunities Committee met in Aberdeen in 2013 to discuss the issue of Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland • The Public Petitions Committee met in Stornaway in 2013 to discuss new petitions

12. What does this mean? • This situation gives committees significant strength in influencing decision making in the Scottish Parliament. • Committees scrutinise every scrap of legislation. • Most amendments to bills are made during committee meetings. • Scottish Government held to account by the work of the committees.

13. Example of Scrutiny • Margo McDonald's End of Life Assistance Bill (2010) • Committee set up with the same name to investigate and take evidence. • The bill would have allowed people whose lives became intolerable through a progressive degenerative condition, a trauma or terminal illness to seek a doctor’s help in dying. • Experts, doctors and specialists were brought in to give evidence. • The bill was rejected - defeated by 85 votes in parliament.

14. Holding the government to account • Committees hold power to propose legislation or deal with important issues that have a big impact on society. • Release of the Lockerbie bomber by Kenny Macaskill on ‘compassionate grounds’ • Justice Committee conducted an inquiry on the possible release after he became ill with cancer. • ‘Symbolic vote’- MSPs voted against it and committee denied involvement in release.

15. Membership • Committee membership is restricted to MSPs who are not in the government. • The appointment of members takes account of the balance of political parties and groupings in the parliament. • Because of the party whip- many will follow their party line within committees- sometimes can be a conflict of interest.

16. Membership • 15 committees • 5 led by the SNP, 5 Labour, 2 Conservatives, 2 Liberal Democrats and 1 Green Party. • The system means opposition parties could push through legislation or be critical towards the government. • ‘Members must work constructively, putting the interests of the country before political objectives’

17. Types of Committees • Must have mandatory committees- currently 8. • Examples- Public Petitions and Equal Opportunities Committees. • At the start of each session they establish subject committees. There are currently 7. • Justice, Education and Lifelong learning.

18. Gathering Evidence and Information • Most of the work of committees is gathering and recording of evidence. • Witnesses give evidence. • This work is mainly carried out when they have to scrutinise the activity of the government, scrutinise a bill, decide whether to propose a bill and consider proposals for a member’s bill.

19. Justice Committee Work • Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill – tackle the problem of Sectarianism- ‘Scotland’s Shame’ • MSPs on the committee backed the bill to tackle sectarianism with new jail terms of up to five years by five votes to four. • Academics and football pundits asked to give evidence to the justice committee • Representatives from both the Celtic and Rangers supporters club also gave evidence to show both sides. • Bill passed.

20. Public Petitions Committee • Considers petitions that have been submitted to the Scottish Parliament. • Key part of the commitment to openness. • Petitions can have a positive impact • Lead to changes in the law, start debates.

21. Current Public Petitions Examples • Petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to make sure every school can provide adequate sportsfacilities and resources for their students and to create a minimum level of facilities available.

22. Private Bill Committee • Private bill committees are established after a private bill has been introduced to the parliament by a person who is not an MSP. • Committees are set up to gather evidence on the bill. They can last a long time until a decision is reached. Usually to do with development of land. • Example- Edinburgh tram bill Committee- decision whether to allow trams to be built in Edinburgh.

23. Essay Question • Discuss the role of the committees in the Scottish Parliament.