Call for Us-style hearings for Scots Parliament’s top public appointees

A major reform of the Scottish Parliament, including changing the voting system and introducing a Us-style hearing system for senior public appointments, should be brought in to ensure Holyrood can effectively challenge and scrutinise the Scottish Government, Willie Rennie has said.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader said his party wanted to improve the operation of Scottish politics to “make it work better for people, and address emerging problems in the balance between the elected parliament and the government”.

A raft of proposals would see changing the way Parliament is elected, a return to fouryear parliamentary terms, the introduction of a recall system for all MSPS, and a new rule of “Contempt of Parliament” to “ensure minority governments cannot act as if they have a majority, “with Parliament, not ministers having the final say.”

In a major departure to current procedures, he said top public officials, including the Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government, should be appointed by hearings conducted by MSPS rather than by the government.

The position of Auditor General was hailed as one of the most independent public offices in Scotland, he said, as a result of being appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Scottish Parliament, and it could set an example for more independent appointments in other areas including education and policing.

"We’ve been in favour of Parliament having the right to appoint more senior people, like the American style hearings.” he said.