Chamber and committees

Yes, indeed. One thing that all the written submissions have been very clear about is the roles that you all have. They are all really well written submissions, so I compliment you on that.

We had a private session with a colleague who talked about New Zealand and where all the overlaps are. We also looked at the UK and where the potential overlaps are there. There is a lot of concern about overlaps, and indeed gaps in Scotland. Is there any overlap between the two of you?

Yes, indeed.

One thing that has been talked about a lot is the issue of overlaps and gaps. I will come to all of you, but I will first go back to you, Ian. Do you feel that we need a Standards Commission for Scotland and an Ethical Standards Commissioner? Is there not an overlap in the remits? Could the two be merged, for example?

Lorna, David and Ian, do you agree with that?

It is not going to be that bad—come on.

Jan Savage, your executive summary says that a

“persistent lack of access to justice, at individual and systemic level, is the driving methodology behind the calls for the creation of new public bodies to address this.”

Nicola Killean, do you think that some of the organisations that are looking for new commissioners are looking for a magic bullet?

Would strengthening that mandate mean that some of the pressures for new commissioners would abate because their proposed functions could be delivered by a modified version of the existing commissioner structure, for example?

I have to say that I do not think that anyone would be thinking about the children’s commissioner for Scotland in terms of a sunset clause, human rights or the ombudsman. I am talking about the new commissioners who come in with a specific remit to try to deliver something that they feel is not being delivered.

Should as many organisations as possible be based in the Parliament building, Ian?

Okay. I will open up the session to colleagues round the table. The first will be Michelle Thomson.