Convener Elections Plan Examined

MSPs are to investigate the benefits and disadvantages of changing Holyrood's systems so that committee conveners must be elected.

Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick has already said that such a move could strengthen the Scottish Parliament.

Mrs Marwick has already implemented a series of reforms to the way that Scottish Parliament carries out business, adding that changing the way committee conveners are appointed was a ''natural next step'' in the process.

At the moment, it is the political parties who decide who should head up Holyrood's committees.

Earlier this year the Presiding Officer asked members of the Parliament's Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee to carry out an inquiry into changing this so they have to be voted into the role.

The committee is now set to examine the potential benefits and disadvantages of such a move, as well as whether such votes should be carried out by secret ballot.

MSPs will also consider if parties should continue to be allocated conveners in proportion to the overall number of seats they hold at Holyrood.

Committee convener Stewart Stevenson said: There can be no doubt that these proposals have come at a time of renewed interest not only in politics but also in how the Scottish Parliament operates.

The past few years has seen a number of changes to the parliamentary process, such as the introduction of topical questions and the change in sitting patterns. Our committee will examine if elected conveners should be the next step in this process.

Our committee wants to hear from those with an interest in this issue, about whether and indeed how these proposals would work in practice.''