Chamber and committees

I should have declared that I am one of them.

The committee has struggled with that over the years. We could spend more money in any sector today and save money in year 25, but where do we get the money today?

We have covered a lot of ground already, but I would like to pursue the idea of merging organisations. This will probably apply more to the second panel than to you. To be simplistic, the two of you, Mr Hamilton and Dr Plastow, are both dealing with information, so why could you not be the one organisation? Yours is quite small, Dr Plastow, and you have said how difficult it is with a small number of staff and that one more or one fewer member of staff would make a huge difference to your budget. However, putting yourselves together would give a bit of flexibility, it would mean that you could save half a member of staff or that if somebody is off sick it is not such a big deal.

Similarly, Ms Johnston and Mr Bruce, merging your organisations has already been suggested. You are both looking at the same cases, so that is duplication. I accept that in your submissions you think that it is not duplication, but it is duplication because you are both looking at the same cases. Surely, at a time of pressure that is a way forward. Could you comment on that?

Are you not on a slightly smaller scale than them? They are dealing with thousands of cases.

Could you not have two commissions within the one organisation?

Mr Bruce made a point earlier about how things appear to the public. Those inspectors might appear to be less independent than you are.

Therefore, if I merge you, I will merge you with someone else. That is fine.

If it is independence of thought, is it more important who we appoint to the positions than whether they are answerable to the Parliament or Government or whatever?

I will continue with you, Ms Killean. If a child is on the autism spectrum and is a victim of something, which commissioner would they go to if there were three?

You are certainly the highest profile at the moment. Would you then have to reach agreements with all the other commissioners—say, if we have 14—as to who does what?