Item 5 is consideration of eight petitions that call on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to commission an independent review of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman to make it more accountable for its performance, including the extent to which its investigations are fair and robust, and to widen its remit so that it can enforce recommendations that it makes following investigations into actions of public bodies. The petitions to be considered are PE1342, by Phyllis and Robert French; PE1343, by Sandra Smith; PE1344, by Philip Hawthorne; PE1345, by James Smith; PE1346, by William Whiteside; PE1347, by Christina Cumming; PE1348, by Mr and Mrs Corbett; and PE1349, by Iris Innes.I invite members to discuss the petitions and to consider options 1, 2 and 3, as outlined in paper LGC/S3/11/5/5.
Official Report · Committee
Petitions
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (Review) (PE1342, PE1343, PE1344, PE1345, PE1346, PE1347, PE1348 and PE1349)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Duncan McNeil Lab 4
- Alex Johnstone Con 2
- John Wilson SNP 2
- Alasdair Morgan SNP 1
The record
9 contributionsBefore the discussion begins, given some of the correspondence that we have had on the subject, I draw to my colleagues’ attention the fact that I am an elected member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
Do you want to add anything further on the proposals in the paper?
No.
I point out to members that, as a member of the Public Petitions Committee, I sat in consideration of these petitions.
Okay. Do you have any comments to add to that?
No.
On the basis of what we have heard from the SPCB in Paul Grice’s letter, but more particularly in view of what we heard from the ombudsman the last time he appeared before us, we should take no further action on the petitions and close them.
Do members agree to Alasdair Morgan’s suggestion, which is option 1, which is that we should close the petitions under rule 15.7 of the standing orders and take no further action?Members indicated agreement. Meeting closed at 12:00.
In this meeting
Everything on 9 Feb 2011 →- 10:00 Subordinate Legislation Subordinate legislation · 22
- 10:00 Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services Evidence session · 115
- 10:00 Petitions Petitions · 9
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