House of Commons - Scottish Affairs

Select Committee on Scottish Affairs Second Report

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO THE REPORT

WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1998

Members present:

Mr David Marshall, in the Chair

Mrs Irene Adams
Miss Anne Begg
Mr Eric Clarke

Mr Michael Moore
Mrs Sandra Osborne
Mr Desmond Swayne

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (The Operation of Multi-layer Democracy), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.—(The Chairman.)

Paragraphs 1 to 32 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 33 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 34 to 43 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 44 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraph 45 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 46 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 47 to 52 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 53 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 54 to 57 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 58 read, as follows:

"A devolved Scotland may be expected to increase its lobbying and intelligence effort in Brussels, and it is generally assumed that the Scottish Parliament will set up an office in Brussels to complement the work of UKRep and of Scotland Europa—indeed we learned from Mr McLeish that an advance party had already been sent out to reconnoitre and make recommendations. We welcome this development."

Amendment proposed, in line 5 leave out "welcome" and insert "deprecate"—(Mr Desmond Swayne.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes 1 Noes 5

Mr Desmond Swayne Mrs Irene Adams
Miss Anne Begg
Mr Eric Clarke
Mr Michael Moore
Mrs Sandra Osborne

Paragraphs 59 to 66 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 67 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 68 to 70 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 71 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 72 to 87 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 88 read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 89 and 90 read and agreed to.

Paragraph 91 read and amended.

Paragraph 91 read, as follows:

"The regional MSPs are to be elected on a closed list system, that is the electors cast a vote for a party and the names of the candidates do not appear on the ballot paper though the Minister assured us that 'there would be a publication exercise to make sure that people are aware these are the names which are on the list'.[117] We are aware that in some regions—in Bavaria for instance—the party list is an open one so that electors can alter the order of names and, consequently, the successful candidates. We heard about 30% of voters altered the order of candidates on the party list and that it was generally beneficial to female candidates (though the number of women elected can also be influenced by the party when drawing up lists under the closed list system). We feel that an open list would be more in keeping with the principle of trusting the people and giving them the maximum choice."

Amendment proposed, line 8 leave out from "candidates" to end of the paragraph.—(Miss Anne Begg.)

Question put, That the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes 2 Noes 4

Miss Anne Begg Mrs Irene Adams

Mrs Sandra Osborne Mr Eric Clarke
Mr Michael Moore
Mr Desmond Swayne

Question put, That the paragraph stand part of the Report.

The Committee divided.

Ayes 4 Noes 2

Mrs Irene Adams Miss Anne Begg

Mr Eric Clarke Mrs Sandra Osborne

Mr Michael Moore
Mr Desmond Swayne

Paragraph 92 read, amended and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report, as amended, be the Second Report of the Committee to the House.—(The Chairman.)

Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the provisions of Standing Order No 134 (Select committees (reports)) be applied to the Report.

Ordered, That the Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee be reported to the House.—(The Chairman.)

[Adjourned till Wednesday 25 November at Ten o'clock

117 Q379. Back



© Parliamentary copyright 1998	Prepared 2 December 1998