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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 14 August 2025
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Displaying 3298 contributions

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SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review

Meeting date: 27 February 2025

Richard Leonard

That is the collective view of the commissioner and the office.

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review

Meeting date: 27 February 2025

Richard Leonard

That is helpful. One of the things that we are asking every witness who appears before the committee relates to the distinction that is drawn between being a regulator and being an advocate. People say to me that the Children and Young People’s Commissioner is an advocacy commission. How do you define yourself?

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review

Meeting date: 27 February 2025

Richard Leonard

Good morning. I want to pick up the points about powers, which you might be able to help me with. As I understand it, you have investigatory powers in relation to the human rights of groups of children. You now also have investigatory powers in relation to human rights in individual cases. You said that the prosecution of individual cases rests with the SPSO, but, when the SPSO came to see the committee, she explained that the office has no enforcement powers. It can make recommendations to public bodies—even to the Parliament and to Governments—but there is no binding requirement for its recommendations to be followed. Is that the model that you want?

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review

Meeting date: 27 February 2025

Richard Leonard

That distinction is well made.

The other question that I want to put to you, which, again, is one that I put earlier to the Scottish Human Rights Commission, is about shared services. From your perspective, are there obvious barriers that are preventing greater sharing of services between the various SPCB supported bodies?

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review

Meeting date: 27 February 2025

Richard Leonard

Okay—thank you very much.

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review

Meeting date: 27 February 2025

Richard Leonard

That is interesting.

I know that this question is probably invidious, too, but could you put figures on that split? Is it now 80:20 or 50:50?

Public Audit Committee

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Meeting date: 26 February 2025

Richard Leonard

Good morning. I welcome everyone to the seventh meeting in 2025 of the Public Audit Committee.

Item 1 is a decision on whether to take items 3 and 4 in private. Do we agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Public Audit Committee

“Sustainable transport: Reducing car use”

Meeting date: 26 February 2025

Richard Leonard

Item 2 is consideration of the joint report by the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission, “Sustainable transport: Reducing car use”.

I am pleased to welcome our witnesses: Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General, who is joined by Cornilius Chikwama, audit director, and Ashleigh Madjitey, audit manager, Audit Scotland. I am pleased to say that we are also joined by Malcolm Bell, who is representing the Accounts Commission. You are welcome to the committee, Mr Bell.

We have some questions to put to you on the report, Auditor General, but before we turn to them, I invite you to make an opening statement.

Public Audit Committee

“Sustainable transport: Reducing car use”

Meeting date: 26 February 2025

Richard Leonard

Thank you very much indeed.

In your opening statement, you repeated the conclusion that you reached in the report that

“It is unlikely that the Scottish Government will achieve its target … by 2030.”

Will you elaborate on why you reached that stark conclusion and whether the target was ever achievable?

Public Audit Committee

“Sustainable transport: Reducing car use”

Meeting date: 26 February 2025

Richard Leonard

Stick to the questions, Stuart.