Committees and Witnesses in the Scottish Parliament: Beyond the ‘usual suspects’?

Abstract

The committees of the Scottish Parliament play an important role in scrutinising the legislation and policies of the Scottish Government, and indeed the work of other organisations. A key element of that task is gathering evidence, including from those who appear as witnesses, yet relatively little has been written about that work. This article draws upon an analysis of committee witnesses and interviews with MSPs and officials to provide further understanding of how witnesses are selected, describe some of their characteristics, and consider how they contribute to committee inquiries. It suggests that while the Parliament has made progress in seeking evidence from beyond the ‘usual suspects’, there would be further benefits in diversifying further the voices from which committees hear.