THE SNP is “very reluctantly” dropping its decision to block the formation of a new-look House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee so that the MPs on it can begin scrutiny of Government action towards the coronavirus outbreak as soon as possible.
The move follows a call from the Liberal Democrats for the committee to be reconstituted as a matter of urgency.
Their Scotland spokeswoman Wendy Chamberlain has pointed out how a recent Commons motion has enabled committees to meet remotely and some have done so. However, because the Scottish Affairs Committee has not yet been officially formed, MPs have been unable to examine matters directly affecting Scotland in relation to the virus outbreak.
In a letter to the SNP’s Pete Wishart, who chairs the committee – and at present is, technically, its only member – Ms Chamberlain, who represents North East Fife, said: “I hope you will commit to forming the committee as soon as is possible, regardless of the make-up of its members.
“I appreciate that you and your colleagues were unhappy with the Government’s proposals for the membership. I sympathise with your concerns – Liberal Democrats had 12 per cent of the votes at the 2019 General Election - yet received just two places across all the select committees.
“However, since the motion to form the committee was brought before the House on March 2, life has dramatically changed. I hope you would agree that it is important the work of the committee gets underway as soon as possible, even if you are not entirely satisfied with its make-up.”
The Lib Dem backbencher added: “At this time of crisis, the scrutinising work of the committee would be invaluable, especially now Parliament has allowed inquiries to take place remotely and during recess.”
Last month, SNP MPs talked out a Commons motion to set up the committee because they strongly objected to its composition.
The ruling Conservative Party proposed that it should have most of the members, five - one more than it had before the 2019 General Election - with the SNP having three, Labour two and the Liberal Democrats one.
The SNP opposed the move because it did not reflect the election result in Scotland, where Nationalists won 80 per cent of Scottish MPs. The SNP has proposed both it and the Tories should each have four members.
Traditionally, committee membership reflects the proportion of seats won at a General Election; consequently, the Conservatives with an 80-seat majority, should look to have most seats on all committees. However, in recent years, to reflect the election result in Scotland, the SNP has had more seats on the Scottish Affairs Committee.
However, Mr Wishart said no proper explanation had been given as to why, following the December poll, the Conservatives had not abided by this recent arrangement in how the Scottish committee should be compromised to reflect the election result north of the border.
Asked if he now believed his party’s initial objection, which blocked the formation of the Scottish Affairs Committee, had been a mistake given the national emergency, Mr Wishart told The Herald: “No, not at all. It was a point of principle for us. The Scottish Affairs Committee has for some time been different.
“But now, very reluctantly, we are dropping our decision. Given what has happened, the important thing now is to get the committee back up and running so that we can get responses from the two governments on coronavirus such as how are they working together, what is the four nations’ strategy?”
Mr Wishart, who is the MP for Perth and North Perthshire, stressed the issue of the committee’s composition had not gone away but the priority now was for its re-formation, so that MPs could get answers to key questions.
The expectation is that, once the committee is reconstituted, witnesses to a new coronavirus inquiry will include Matt Hancock, the UK Health Secretary, Jane Freeman, the Scottish Health Secretary, as well medical and scientific advisers.
A new motion will have to be passed at Westminster to re-form the committee but it is thought this might now be able to be done remotely.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, has, in the midst of the lockdown restrictions, spoken of creating a “virtual Parliament” and talks are going on behind the scenes between the UK Government and opposition party chiefs to try to examine the practicality of remote debates, statements and even votes because of the challenging circumstances.
MPs are due to return to their parliamentary duties, in whatever form they take, from April 21. However, none expects the format to be the same as it was prior to the start of the Easter recess.
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