Section 7.16. There will be a Consultative Citizens Assembly to advise and assist Parliament and the Scottish Cabinet on matters of legislation and policy or matters of contentious concern under terms prescribed in law. The Consultative People’s Assembly will consist of members appointed in the manner prescribed by law to represent society on a vocational and functional basis.
Please scrutinise all the proposed amendments and replies before commenting or voting. Short comments are most often read and must not exceed 100 words. You can propose an Amendment at the bottom of this page - please read the guidelines .
Note that the original wording appears again first below and sustains the same comment & voting regime as all other amendment proposals.
Section 7.16. Section 7.16. There will be a Consultative Citizens Assembly to advise and assist Parliament and the Scottish Cabinet on matters of legislation and policy or matters of contentious concern under terms prescribed in law. The Consultative People’s Assembly will consist of members appointed in the manner prescribed by law to represent society on a vocational and functional basis.
Section 7.16. This properly describes the function of a Citizens Assembly - as an advisory body. his means it cannot function as a "Second Chamber" as a check on executive power. My understanding of CAs is that they are established to consider particular issues (such as the CAs in Ireland set up to discuss abortion and gay marriage). I would suggest that provision is made in Scotland for CAs (plural) as and when appropriate not one multi-purpose standing CA. Multiple CAs as and when needed would engage a wider section of the public and bring in individuals with specialist experience and knowledge (and enthusiasm)
Section 7.16. Agreed. This is not a Second Chamber but could help keep ‘The Executive’ on track. I think this should be clearly convened ’as and when’ and representing those most concerned.
Section 7.16. The text describes the Assembly by two different titles, surely by mistake.
If appointed "on a vocational and functional basis" this will be very difficult to arrange and is not the way the recent Scottish Citizens Assembly was chosen. I would suggest leaving out that phrase.
Section 7.16. A Consultative Citizens’ Assembly will be summoned from time to time at the request of at least 5 Constituency Associations convened in terms of Section 13.4. The Assembly will advise and assist Parliament and the Scottish Cabinet on specific matters of legislation and policy. Each CA will nominate one delegate and one deputy to each Assembly.
Section 7.16. This amendment providing for occasional Assemblies requires adoption of amended Section 13.4 which requires the Electoral Commission to establish and maintain non-Party Constituency Associations for this and similar functions which create closer ties between MPs and voters throughout the parliamentary term. You can vote for these CAs at https://cfs-hub.co.uk/comments/770
Section 7.16. The authority to initiate, populate, manage and brief a Citizens’ Assembly must lie with the people NOT an agency of Government. The suggestion of involving the Electoral Commission as the neutral organizing body and the all-party Constituency Associations to represent the majority view of interested Citizens is one proposal, but it would be good to see a debate on alternatives. The Constitution doesn’t want detail but the debate must address the practicalities and only then assemble the principles into a proposed amendments.
Proposed Amendments to Section
Please scrutinise all the proposed amendments and replies before commenting or voting. Short comments are most often read and must not exceed 100 words.
You can propose an Amendment at the bottom of this page - please read the guidelines .
Note that the original wording appears again first below and sustains the same comment & voting regime as all other amendment proposals.
Original Version
Section 7.16. Section 7.16. There will be a Consultative Citizens Assembly to advise and assist Parliament and the Scottish Cabinet on matters of legislation and policy or matters of contentious concern under terms prescribed in law. The Consultative People’s Assembly will consist of members appointed in the manner prescribed by law to represent society on a vocational and functional basis.
Section 7.16. This properly describes the function of a Citizens Assembly - as an advisory body. his means it cannot function as a "Second Chamber" as a check on executive power. My understanding of CAs is that they are established to consider particular issues (such as the CAs in Ireland set up to discuss abortion and gay marriage). I would suggest that provision is made in Scotland for CAs (plural) as and when appropriate not one multi-purpose standing CA. Multiple CAs as and when needed would engage a wider section of the public and bring in individuals with specialist experience and knowledge (and enthusiasm)
Section 7.16. Agreed. This is not a Second Chamber but could help keep ‘The Executive’ on track. I think this should be clearly convened ’as and when’ and representing those most concerned.
Section 7.16. The text describes the Assembly by two different titles, surely by mistake.
If appointed "on a vocational and functional basis" this will be very difficult to arrange and is not the way the recent Scottish Citizens Assembly was chosen. I would suggest leaving out that phrase.
Proposed Amendment to Section 7.16.
More specifically – not a permanent assembbly
Section 7.16. A Consultative Citizens’ Assembly will be summoned from time to time at the request of at least 5 Constituency Associations convened in terms of Section 13.4. The Assembly will advise and assist Parliament and the Scottish Cabinet on specific matters of legislation and policy. Each CA will nominate one delegate and one deputy to each Assembly.
Section 7.16. This amendment providing for occasional Assemblies requires adoption of amended Section 13.4 which requires the Electoral Commission to establish and maintain non-Party Constituency Associations for this and similar functions which create closer ties between MPs and voters throughout the parliamentary term. You can vote for these CAs at https://cfs-hub.co.uk/comments/770
Section 7.16. The authority to initiate, populate, manage and brief a Citizens’ Assembly must lie with the people NOT an agency of Government. The suggestion of involving the Electoral Commission as the neutral organizing body and the all-party Constituency Associations to represent the majority view of interested Citizens is one proposal, but it would be good to see a debate on alternatives. The Constitution doesn’t want detail but the debate must address the practicalities and only then assemble the principles into a proposed amendments.