Jonathan Bray, who is one of the leading experts on bus franchising development across the United Kingdom, has said that if Scotland adopts the panel-based approach by giving to the traffic commissioner unilateral power to veto SPT’s plans for a bus franchise, that

“will be a serious mistake which ultimately will be seen as such ... It’s hard to see any rational justification for it other than it serves the interests of those who wish to maintain the status quo for as long as is possible.”

He also said that the panel should be “deleted from the process” and that the regional transport authority—SPT—should be given the unfettered ability to implement, democratically, the desired scheme for the region. That has the support of the Parliament, in committee and, I would contend, in this chamber.

Will the minister agree to revise the proposal to have the powers in question vested in the traffic commissioner and to come back to Parliament with a revised scheme and amend the legislation accordingly?