A clearer vision for transparency

As the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations and others agree, the answer is to have the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament publish ministers’ and MSPs’ diaries. Unlike a register, this can be done with little financial burden on the public purse and without creating barriers to the participation of the general public in Scotland’s political process.

It’s senseless to advocate more legislation and bureaucracy when such a relatively simple solution can deliver the same results.

If Neil Findlay wants to enhance and rebuild the trust in politics and the political process, as he claims in the consultation, he should turn his attention to lifting the lid on City Chambers throughout Scotland, St Andrew’s House and deals behind closed doors.

Knowing who MSPs meet is one small element in a transparency process. What we really need to do is break down the secrecy surrounding local authority decision-making and highlight how millions of Scots’ lives are affected by decisions that they are given no say in.

It goes without saying that SCVO strongly supports the pursuit of a more transparent and accountable Scottish Parliament but a register isn’t the way to achieve it.

John Downie, Director of

Public Affairs, SCVO