‘Parliament bus’ suggested to make Holyrood more visible in rural areas

A mobile “Parliament bus” which would visit rural parts of Scotland is among a number of suggestions from a citizens’ panel to make Holyrood more accessible.

A group of 19 randomly-chosen Scots was selected to advise MSPs on how the Scottish Parliament can better engage with under-represented communities.

Following a series of meetings in October and November, the citizens’ panel has published a report with 17 recommendations.

The group heard from MSPs, Holyrood officials, charities and academics about public participation in democracies.

One recommendation included scheduling specific time in the debating chamber for individual questions from the public to be asked.

Another was to legislate for deliberative democracy to be embedded within the parliamentary process.

Under the heading “bring the Parliament to the people”, the citizens’ panel said Parliament should test the effectiveness of displays in public spaces and information hubs around Scotland.

They also suggested: “A mobile Parliament Bus to make the Parliament visible in small or rural communities, where the public can share views, learn, ask questions, etc.”

The panel also said the Presiding Officer should have the power to compel MSPs to give a direct answer to all questions asked.

They said: “That is, a direct reply that is relevant to the question.

“This should include a process for a deferred answer if an immediate answer cannot be given.

“This will improve public trust and engagement.”

Five members of the panel will give evidence to Holyrood’s Citizens participation committee on Wednesday.

Committee convener Jackson Carlaw said: “The work of the citizens’ panel on public participation has been invaluable to our inquiry, bringing fresh perspectives and bold ideas to the table around how Parliament can better engage with individuals, groups and communities from every part of Scotland.

“Ensuring the Scottish Parliament is accessible to a diverse range of people, particularly when developing new laws or policies that affect them, is essential and the recommendations made by the citizens’ panel have certainly given the committee food for thought.

“The committee will look forward to hearing from panel members this week and learning more about their experiences of the deliberative democracy process and how MSPs and the Parliament can best deliver on their recommendations.”