Plenary, 25 Oct 2001

Meeting date: Thursday, October 25, 2001

Official Report 748KB pdf

---

Point of Order

On a point of order. [Interruption.]

I have a point of order myself: could members please settle down.

I refer to the unfortunate spectacle involving the First Minister and David McLetchie that we witnessed during today's First Minister's question time.

Is it the case that, had David McLetchie phrased his questions properly under rule 13.3 of the standing orders, he could have questioned the First Minister?

Is it the case that, having refused the question on the basis that he did, the Presiding Officer had the opportunity to provide equal treatment to the First Minister?

The First Minister went on to give a personal statement without having requested to be allowed to do so under rule 13.1. He gave what I thought was a pale imitation of a personal statement, which consisted simply of reading out a letter. Is it the case that, if the First Minister wants to end further speculation, he is still able to make a personal statement with comment under rule 13.1 and that the appropriate way for that to be done would be through a request to the Presiding Officer?

On the last issue, the member might have a point, but the fact is that rule 13.1 on personal statements has never been used in this chamber. It is perfectly open to any member at any time to ask my permission to make a personal statement and I would make a judgment on any such request.

On whether David McLetchie's question could have been framed in another way, I cannot answer hypothetical questions. I must deal with the question as it was put.

Rule 13.3.3(b) states that questions to the Scottish Executive must

"relate to a matter for which the First Minister, the Scottish Ministers or the Scottish Law Officers have general responsibility".

I interpret the last part of that to mean a general responsibility to this Parliament. The fact is that members are not answerable in this Parliament for what they did or did not do in another Parliament. Soon after my election, I discussed this matter with the then Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd. We agreed that we would be extremely vigilant to ensure that the rights of each Parliament were not trespassed on by members. That agreement has been taken seriously at that end and I am obliged to do the same at this end.

On whether the answer was inadmissible, I have already said that the question and the answer were equally out of order.