Workload affecting ability to scrutinise bills

The convener of Holyrood's Justice Committee has warned the Scottish Government of launching too many laws and leaving MSPs too little time to scrutinise them.

Christine Grahame, SNP MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, made her comments as committee conveners were given an opportunity to quiz First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on a range of topics, from the NHS to education.

Ms Grahame said she was repeating concerns about workloads raised a year ago, but 'nothing has changed'.

Speaking at the conveners' committee, Ms Grahame said: "The level of legislation leaves no time – none whatsoever – for post-legislative scrutiny and hardly any time for a brief inquiry. When you've so many balls in the air, it makes scrutinising very difficult to do properly.”

She asked the First Minister: “Can consideration be given to the legislative workload of the justice committee?”

The First Minister said she was "not unsympathetic" to Ms Grahame's case. She told her: "The Government does take account when drawing up its legislative programme of the relative workloads of different committees.

"It's also the case that the Minister for Parliamentary Business is always available to discuss ongoing issues of scheduling and workload of committees. I would encourage any convener that feels there is an issue around its workload to take up that opportunity."

She said she would be "more than happy" to consider if the Government could have talks with committee conveners about the balance of Bills in its legislative programme and "what that means for the workload of different committees".

But she stated: "There is often very good reason for the Government's legislative programme in particular having the shape it does, because there will be particular issues that require to be dealt with."

The First Minister also said: "The Justice Committee is a good example of a committee that has had a heavy legislative workload in many of the years of this Parliament, but has never the less retained a very high level of scrutiny, both of the legislation and the Government in general."