MINUTE OF THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY CORPORATE BODY (SPCB) MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 AT 10.30AM, IN Q1.03 QH
Present: Tricia Marwick MSP (Chair) Linda Fabiani MSP John Pentland MSP Liam McArthur MSP
Apologies: Liz Smith MSP
In attendance: Ken Hughes Michelle Hegarty David McGill Judith Morrison Alan Balharrie Derek Croll Colin Chisholm Lorna Foreman Susan Duffy Andrew Proudfoot Brian Mitchell Lisanne Robertson Callum Thomson Linda Orton Billy McLaren Huw Williams Eric MacLeod Tess Schmigylski Judith Proudfoot, Secretary
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
1. The SPCB agreed the minutes of the previous meetings held on 3 and 10 February 2016.
MATTERS ARISING
2. The SPCB noted updates on:
2.1 the legal action in relation to those camping without permission on the Parliament grounds; and
2.2 actions following the interruption to IT services in the Chamber on 4 February.
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Issues by correspondence
3. The SPCB noted the following items had been dealt with by correspondence since the previous meeting:
3.1 SPCB(2016)Paper 18 – the SPCB noted an update on planning for the change of the domain name for the Scottish Parliament to ‘parliament.scot’.
3.2 SPCB(2016)Paper 19 – the SPCB agreed a Member-sponsored event to take place in the landscaped area.
3.3 SPCB(2016)Paper 20 – the SPCB noted the forthcoming parliamentary travel and approved the details and associated costs as set out in the paper.
3.4 SPCB(2016)Paper 21 – the SPCB noted the draft strategic plans submitted by the Standards Commission for Scotland and the Scottish Human Rights Commission.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
4. The Report covered another very busy period in respect of both parliamentary business, with the consideration of 14 Bills still to be completed before dissolution, and a number of substantial engagement activities such as the John Bellany and the Scottish Women’s Hospital exhibition; the annual International Women’s Day event; and a programme of events in connection with the Edinburgh International Science Festival.
5. The SPCB noted the Report.
REIMBURSEMENT OF MEMBERS’ EXPENSES SCHEME: UPRATING OF PROVISION – SPCB(2016)Paper 11
6. The SPCB agreed the indices to be applied to uprate the Members’ Expenses provision for the financial year 2016-17. In so doing, the SPCB noted that the indices used were consistent with those used in previous years.
REIMBURSEMENT OF MEMBERS’ EXPENSES SCHEME: ACCOMMODATION – SPCB(2016)Paper 22
7. The SPCB agreed to lay a motion seeking Parliament’s agreement to enable any future Presiding Officer whose main residence was in a ‘Group 2’ constituency to have the option to claim for leased residential costs.
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REIMBURSEMENT OF MEMBERS’ EXPENSES SCHEME: STAFF COST PROVISION – oral
8. The SPCB noted an update on planning for the new Session by the Human Resource Office following the resolution of the Parliament on 10 November 2015.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE – oral
9. The SPCB agreed the framework for discussions with the TUS on staff terms and conditions.
CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR MSPs – SPCB(2016)Paper 12
10. The SPCB agreed the scope and content of the programme of support for Members in Session 5.
OFFICEHOLDERS: REQUEST FOR CONTINGENCY FUNDING – SPCB(2016)Paper 13
11. The SPCB agreed an application for contingency funding from the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.
OFFICEHOLDERS: REQUEST FOR CONTINGENCY FUNDING – SPCB(2016)Paper 14
12. The SPCB agreed an application for contingency funding from the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The SPCB noted that the funding was in relation to a fixed 1-year project and was approved for the 2016-17 financial year only.
OFFICEHOLDERS: COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCOTLAND - oral
13. The SPCB agreed a request from the Commissioner to re-profile funding, previously approved for an additional post, to take account of the recruitment process.
CATERING TARIFFS – SPCB(2016)Paper 15
14. The SPCB agreed tariffs for each of the catering outlets for 2016-17.
USE OF CORPORATE IDENTITY BY MEMBERS – SPCB(2016)Paper 16
15. The SPCB agreed to discuss this matter further at the next meeting.
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BUSINESS INFORMATION – SPCB(2016)Paper 17
16. The SPCB agreed that the policy to provide business publications to MSPs electronically via the Members’ Portal would be extended in Session 5 to include all meeting packs. As an interim measure, parliament officials would continue to email meeting packs to Members so that their staff could print on their behalf. In the medium term parliament officials would consider whether there were other technical options to enable ease of printing for Members and their staff.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Staffing matter
17. The SPCB discussed a senior staffing matter and agreed that a formal paper would be brought to the next meeting.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
18. The next SPCB meeting was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 16 March 2016.
SPCB secretariat March 2016
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