Call for views on making Holyrood committees work more effectively

Call for views on making Holyrood committees work more effectively

Ensuring committees are structured and equipped to deliver their key role in holding the Scottish government to account is being considered by the Scottish Parliament’s Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.

The inquiry will look at issues such as the size of membership, remit of committees and the impact, if any, of introducing elected conveners. It will also explore how committees evaluate their work and the approaches to pre and post legislative scrutiny.

Now the committee has launched a call for views so that those who engage with committees can have their say on what changes need to be made.

Speaking as the call for views launched, committee convener Martin Whitfield MSP said: “The Scottish Parliament is a relatively young legislature. But that does not mean that we do not need to reflect on our practices and procedures to make sure they are meeting the needs of the Scotland in which we find ourselves today.

“Committees play an essential role in the work of the Parliament. Scrutinising legislation and holding the government to account are vital. But we want to know if there are changes that need to be made to make these work more effectively.

“We know, for example, that elected conveners are in place in other parliaments in the UK and beyond, but what impact might they make at Holyrood? And would changes to the remits structure and size of committees have an impact on how they do their work.

“We want to hear from you if you have worked with or given evidence to a committee about what practices and procedures you think needs to change.”

The call for views is open until 22 April 2025.

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