 The Presiding Officer, the Right Honourable Trisha Marwick MSP, chose the David Hume Institute in Edinburgh as the forum to air her views on the Scottish Parliament's committee system. It was, she said, time for a fundamental look at how they operate. I've now come to the view that changing the culture is not enough. We need to consider structural change. Do our current committees serve us well enough? Why has no committee proposed any committee legislation since 2002, apart from procedural legislation? Why have we carried out virtually no post-legislative scrutiny? The Presiding Officer's vision for a reformed committee system involved a smaller number of committees, each with more members and each of which would span more than one government portfolio. And no MSP should have to sit on more than one committee, she said. I think it's impossible to now envisage a system where each committee would follow one ministerial portfolio directly. And I also believe that the Parliament should be clear in setting out its own policy priorities and as such shape its own committees according to our needs. The Presiding Officer also restated her support for the introduction of elected committee conveners. I do believe that being directly elected appointed by your peers would lead to that important cultural shift. And it's likely to lead to more independent-minded candidates putting themselves forward. It would also provide an alternative career structure within the Parliament for those with that kind of ambition. In the model I proposed earlier, the role of the committee convener could be a realistic career choice. The Presiding Officer spoke of her own role as setting out a positive reform agenda on behalf of the entire Parliament. Now I don't have all the answers. I know there are some who may not see further reforms in the exact way or the style that I do or at all. But I also know that many MSPs across the Parliament believe, as I do, that further change is not only desirable, but that it is necessary if we are to deal with the current workload we have and also further powers which may come to the Parliament in the future. However, I do know this and that is that we all share a cause to make sure that we build our institution to be the best it can be. I have already had discussions with conveners group, business managers and individual MSPs across the Parliament. And I want to hear the views of others, just as I want others to hear my views tonight. The Presiding Officer's full speech can be viewed or read on her webpage. Find out more or give us your views.