Present:

Brian Adam (Convener)	Bill Butler
Alex Fergusson	Alex Neil
Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Deputy Convener)	Karen Whitefield

Apologies were received from Donald Gorrie.

The meeting opened at 11.01 am.

1. Replacing the Members' Interests Order: The Committee considered papers on non-financial interests and declaration of interests. The Committee agreed:

- to undertake further consultation on whether non-financial interests should be registered on a mandatory basis;

- that if registration of such interests was mandatory, a contravention of the rules would not be a criminal offence;

- to adopt the recommendations of the previous Standards Committee in relation to declaration of interests.

2. Committee Annual Report: The Committee agreed its annual report.

3. Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner: The Committee agreed Directions under the Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Act 2002.

The meeting closed at 11.24 am.

Dr Sam Jones

Clerk to the Standards Committee

Rm. 5.19, PHQ

Ext: 85239

email: samantha.jones@scottish.parliament.uk