Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 3:59 pm on 7 February 2002.

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Photo of Bill Aitken Bill Aitken Conservative 3:59, 7 February 2002

No.

No impartial observer could be anything but disappointed by the Executive's position on the bill, as outlined by Peter Peacock and the committee. The Executive's proposals are anodyne at best and will provide little confidence. One must wonder what is behind them. The fact is that the Labour party is hotchin with control freaks who are desperate to direct every aspect of Scottish public life.

The new commissioner that Peter Peacock proposes would no doubt have to meet with the approval of Keir Hardie House. It is more than likely that some party apparatchik will find his or her way on to the public payroll.

I will now deal with the Liberal Democrats. They put similar proposals to those in the bill in their election manifesto, and in opposing the bill, they have taken hypocrisy to even greater levels than we have come to expect from them. People are understandably sick and tired of their sanctimonious cant.