Welcome for changes to MSPs’ times of debating

Holyrood’s Presiding Officer has welcomed recommendations to spread parliament debating times more widely through the week.

Tricia Marwick said the recommendations of an inquiry into the way business is conducted at the Scottish Parliament will form a “key part” in making the institution more “topical, responsive and relevant”.

Her comments were made as a report from Holyrood’s standards, procedures and public appointments committee set out suggestions for reform.

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The report calls for debates to be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, rather than just Wednesday afternoons and Thursdays.

Committee sessions, where legislation is scrutinised and inquiries are held, should also be spread over the three mornings, rather than all day on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

However, Labour MSPs on the committee did not agree with the majority decision for the timetable change.

The review was prompted by concerns that MSPs do not sit for long enough in plenary session and are not flexible enough to react quickly to changing events.

Recommendations include making it easier to sit late into the evening, changing the format of themed question times and allowing committees to sit at the same time as debates.

The changes should be implemented after the Easter recess, the committee agreed.

Committee convener Dave Thompson, an SNP MSP, said: “There is a clear need for us to be more responsive to topical issues and to scrutinise the Government more effectively as issues arise.” At present, if something significant happens in Scotland on a Thursday night the first chance the whole parliament has to deal with it is on a Wednesday afternoon. We believe this needs to change.”