Closing the Democratic Deficit? The First Year of the Public Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament

Abstract

The closing of Scotland's perceived 'democratic deficit' and improved transparency and accountability in Scotland's governing institutions was one of the key aspirations of campaigners for a Scottish Parliament. Implicit in this was a rejection of the outdated Westminster model of government which was perceived as inadequate. This article reviews the first year of one of the Scottish Parliament's departures from the Westminster system: public petitioning. This activity has an important symbolic value for the new Parliament. It is argued that, although the new petitioning processes are at an interim stage of development, there is already evidence that these activities promote accountability, access, transparency, pluralism and democratic participation in Scotland. They thus contribute to a narrowing of the democratic deficit which existed during the years of Westminster rule.