Committee for the Future could rebuild trust in politics, Holyrood leaders told

Party leaders are being urged to back the creation of a new Committee for the Future at Holyrood – with the group behind the plea insisting it could not only help with Scotland’s long-term plans but also work to restore trust in politics.

Carnegie UK suggested setting up such a committee in the Scottish Parliament would “help embed long-term thinking into everyday decision-making”.

Sarah Davidson, the independent foundation’s chief executive, added it could also “rebuild public trust by opening up decision-making” and could help hold the government to account on long-term challenges such as dealing with climate change.

She made the plea in a letter sent to the leaders of the six political parties at Holyrood, as well as new Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson.

With Scotland’s economy and society “likely to be substantially affected by long-term trends such as climate, demographic and technological change”, Davidson told them that a Scottish Parliament Committee for the Future could examine these issues in depth and across government portfolios, “drawing on available data about long-term trends”.

She added that such a committee “would strengthen the work of other committees by highlighting major future challenges and opportunities, and help to embed long-term thinking across the work of the Parliament”.

And noting that “public confidence in democratic institutions is now at a worrying low”, she said that the establishment of the committee “could help to rebuild trust between the Parliament and the public”.

Davidson told the Press Association: “Scotland has no shortage of ambition for the future, but too often discussion about the long term only appears at election time.

“A Committee for the Future would help embed long-term thinking into everyday decision-making, ensuring today’s policies and spending choices properly reflect the interests of future generations.

“This is a practical, cross-party reform that could strengthen how the Parliament holds Government to account on long-term challenges like climate, technological and demographic change.

“It also offers a chance to rebuild public trust by opening up decision-making and giving the public a stronger voice in shaping Scotland’s future.”

An Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: “Any decision about the establishment of committees is a matter for the Bureau.”