A SCOTTISH Parliament group set up to give politicians a regular opportunity to discuss Russia has collapsed because not enough MSPs could be bothered to attend meetings.
Scottish Greens MSP Andy Wightman set up the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Russia after the Holyrood election in May 2016.
A report by the parliament’s standards committee, which oversees the 94 CPGs, said the group on Russia was shut down because it “failed to comply with the code” of conduct which stipulates that at least two MSPs must be at meetings. Scotland elects 129 MSPs.
The CPG on Russia was the only Scottish Parliament group which failed to attract enough interest to continue, according to a committee report.
CPGs on recreational boating, beer and pubs, and the future of Scottish football are thriving, as are groups set up to discuss a range of other countries and territories including Cuba, Kurdistan, Palestine, Taiwan and Tibet.
Wightman said last night he was disappointed that MSPs did not take a more active interest in the meetings about Russia.
The ‘Cross-Party Groups annual monitoring report’ said: “There is one group in this session that has failed to comply with code most of the time. The CPG on Russia has failed to hold two formal meetings in a year and has failed to hold its AGM within the required timescale.
“The group contacted standards clerks on 29 November 2017 to confirm that the convener of the group has decided not to continue the CPG due to lack of engagement from other MSPs and has informed the secretariat and other MSPs.”
Wightman said: “One of the rules is you must have two quorate meetings in a year. Quorate means at least two MSPs. I am disappointed there wasn’t more active interest in it. There was a lot of interest from outside but without MSPs they [CPGs] don’t work.
“Although foreign affairs is not within legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, I think it’s important that MSPs take an intelligent interest in groups that look at global affairs. On the flip side, MSPs have a lot of pressures on their time so I don’t blame them.”
Wightman described Russia as “a very important country” to the future of Europe but said he is unlikely to reconvene the CPG.
“If there’s demand, yes, but I’m not going to flog a dead horse,” he added.
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