News Story

Former MSPs have expressed “disappointment” in Holyrood committees, with a think tank saying reform is necessary to regain public trust.

A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) included statements from former high-profile MSPs, who told the think tank in a series of “exit interviews” that the Parliament has not been performing as intended.

The departing MSPs raised specific concerns with the way parliamentary committees operate.

When the Parliament was set up in 1999, committees aimed to encourage collaborative discussions, allowing MSPs the time to develop subject expertise and contribute meaningfully to policy matters.

However, in anonymous interviews, MSPs described backbenchers questions as “rubbish” and accused them of scrolling on Twitter during debates.

“Anonymous MSP 1” said: “If you go as a minister to be interrogated by the opposition or backbenchers, the greatest disappointment is always how rubbish their questions are because they’re all sitting on their phones, you get to their shot, they ask a pre-prepared question.

“It’s either political or general most of the time. And then they go back to scrolling on Twitter.”

Another MSP, “Anonymous MSP 2”, said: “You have legislation that grows arms and bells and whistles.

“(During recent debates) I was thinking, I cannot believe we’re actually accepting or agreeing to this amendment that, in one line, will give somebody a headline but will cause a huge tail end of policy issues.”

Researchers found that the median time MSPs serve on committees has been limited to about one-and-a-half to two years, compared with five-year parliamentary terms, which they believe restricts their ability to develop the kind of subject expertise that longer tenures would provide.

The think tank recommends that reforms to Parliament be designed by a new Citizens’ Commission on Scotland’s Democracy, giving citizens a formal role in reviewing and reporting on the functioning of Scottish democracy through citizens’ assemblies and juries.

Dave Hawkey, senior research fellow at IPPR Scotland, said: “Scotland faces formidable challenges, from cutting emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate crisis to managing the aging population and reducing inequality. Solving each of these will need bold and far-reaching policy, including ideas from every corner of Scottish society.

“Low trust in politics is a major barrier to building the consensus we need to successfully guide Scotland through these changing times if citizens lack trust in politics, they will not agree to pay the taxes we need to fix our shared problems.”

A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: “When the Presiding Officer was elected, he made it clear that reforming Parliament and renewing its relationship with the people needed to be top priorities.

“Changes to make Parliament more effective and impactful have already begun, with reforms to the shape of the Parliamentary week.

“But that is not the only focus for change, how people engage and interact with their Parliament is being explored.

“While Parliament can and will do its part, the changes needed will require a collective effort from political parties and many others.

“Encouraging greater trust in our political institutions is a shared responsibility and we welcome the IPPR’s contribution to this important debate.”