Marwick: Holyrood has stronger checks on MSPs

MSPs have stronger checks and balances on their financial interests than elsewhere, according to the Scottish Parliament’s presiding officer Tricia Marwick.

In a letter responding to Scottish Labour Leader Jim Murphy, who called for members to be banned from taking paid directorships and consultancies, Marwick said unlike MPs at Westminster Scottish Parliamentarians face criminal proceedings if they fail to register or declare significant financial interests.

Murphy had requested: “I am writing to you to ask you to consider beginning the process of banning paid consultancy work and directorships by referring the issue to the Standards Committee to consider the appropriate changes to Parliaments’ Code of Conduct.”

Marwick replied: “We have always believed the Scottish Parliament and its members should be accountable and transparent and our current Code of Conduct reflects this.” 

The MSPs Code of Conduct states: “Members should not accept any paid work which would involve them lobbying on behalf of any person or any clients of a person or organisation,” and Marwick argues this effectively prohibits members from undertaking certain forms of consultancy work.

“I should point out that of the very limited number of MSPs who hold a second paid role, the majority receive small amounts of income for a limited amount of their time. None of the MSPs undertake the consultancy work that concerns you,” she told Murphy.

Nevertheless she added she had passed Murphy’s letter to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee as requested.