Collette Stevenson, the SNP MSP for East Kilbride, asked during a Wednesday morning committee meeting whether Transport Scotland was a registered charity. Graeme Cook corrected the question in the session after about two hours of evidence on Scotland's rail services.
Graeme Cook's response
Cook told the committee: "Transport Scotland is a non-departmental government body,". He added: "Transport Scotland is an agency so all of the Transport Scotland staff are already part of the civil service." He also said: "Transport Scotland is the same legal entity as the Scottish government."
Collette Stevenson since 2021
Stevenson has been the SNP MSP for East Kilbride since 2021 and sits on the equality, human rights and civil justice committee as well as the transport committee. She is also a substitute member of the delegated powers and law reform committee, and has previously asked questions during committee meetings about the Clyde Metro development.
Stephen Gethins on Radio
On Radio, Stephen Gethins described Stevenson as "a really good colleague and fantastic local advocate". He said it would be unfair to comment directly on her committee question because he was not at the meeting, adding: "But Collette is a great colleague and I wasn't sitting on the committee."
Gethins also said: "At Westminster, where they get paid a whole lot more than they do in the Scottish parliament, they could sometimes do with upping their game and that's something I saw daily," and, "You might expect politicians to talk about something they have not seen when they were not in the room or involved in it, but I am not one of them". The exchange left the correction on the record and Stevenson’s defence came afterward, with no formal consequence stated.
