Sub-committee to oversee policing

Chief Scottish Political Correspondent

Wednesday 20 February 2013

MSPs have agreed to put in place a special sub-committee to oversee the controversial new unified police force, after resolving an initial row over Holyrood privacy.

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ROBBIE DINWOODIE CHIEF SCOTTISH POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

The Justice Committee had planned to hold parts of its meeting in private, with convener Christine Grahame arguing this was the norm for discussions of future work which may involve named parties such as potential witnesses.

But Labour's vice-convener of the committee, Jenny Marra, argued against this, claiming there had been a growing trend under the SNP for more items to be taken in private.The issue was resolved with most parts of the agenda being discussed, and members agreeing to establish a six-member sub-committee to keep in touch with the troubled launch of the new single police force at the end of next month.A move by the two Labour members, Ms Marra and former top police officer Graeme Pearson, to specify that the main committee convener should not also convene the sub-committee, was defeated.There was strong criticism across the parties for the way the new Scottish Police Authority had gone about its business, especially the request for a round-table meetings between its members and the Justice Committee. The latter took the view that it was for them to summon the SPA and hold it to account, not to facilitate a "cosy chat".Mr Pearson expressed concern that a simple sub-committee of Justice was not a big enough vehicle to maintain scrutiny of such a contested new set-up.It was agreed that the new sub-committee should comprise Ms Grahame in the chair and five other members drawn one each from the ranks of SNP, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Green/Independent ranks.

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Sub-committee to oversee policing

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