Minutes for Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee 4th Meeting, 2025 Thursday, March 20, 2025

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Chamber and committees

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Minutes: 20 March 2025

Thursday, 20 March 2025

4th Meeting, 2025

Start time: 09:00am

End time: 11:14am

Location: T4.60-CR6 The Livingstone Room

Published: Friday, 21 March 2025

Committee Member attendees:

Apologies received from:

Ruth Maguire (Deputy Convener)

Substitute Member attendees:

Rona Mackay (Substitute Member)

Also present:

Dr Danielle Beswick, Committee Adviser

Minutes

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 3, 4 and 5 in private.

2. Committee effectiveness:

The Committee took evidence from—

Sir David Natzler KCB, Clerk of the House of Commons 2015-2019, Clerk of Committees 2008-09 and Clerk to the House of Commons Reform Committee (the Wright Committee) 2009-10;

Brian Taylor, Former Political Editor BBC Scotland, Columnist The Herald;

Professor Meg Russell, Director, Constitution Unit, University College London;

Gemma Diamond, Director of Innovation and Transformation, Audit Scotland;

Dr Marc Geddes, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Edinburgh.

3. Evidence Session (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

4. Code of Conduct Rule Changes (In Private):

The Committee considered draft Code of Conduct Rule changes.

5. Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 (In Private):

The Committee agreed to instruct officials to prepare proposed changes for consideration at a future meeting and to write to the Minister for Parliamentary Business to indicate that the Committee anticipates consulting Scottish Ministers on proposed changes in due course.

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