JENNY MARRA will go back to work this week and there is not a job at Holyrood she would rather be doing.
The Labour MSP returns to the Scottish Parliament from maternity leave and will continue to lead the Public Audit Committee.
She believes there is no committee more important to ensure public bodies are accountable, or more ready to ask the toughest questions of politicians, civil servants and officials.
And Justice Secretary Michael Matheson will be one of the first ministers to face Ms Marra and her committee over allegations that the Scottish Government has been interfering in the operations of Police Scotland.
The list MSP has put tackling what she calls the “ongoing crisis at the Scottish Police Authority” at the top of her to do list.
Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Phil Gormley has been absent from his £214,000-a-year job since September while bullying allegations against him are investigated.
Last week, Mr Matheson was accused of blocking Mr Gormley’s return to work after the board of the Scottish Police Authority – the supposedly independent watchdog – unanimously backed the move.
Ms Marra said: “There are clear allegations that the Cabinet Secretary has been involved and the allegations are that he has been involved inappropriately.
“Therefore, it will be our commitee’s responsiblity to make sure that he is scrutinised. So yes, I intend to call him as a witness to committee to explain what is going on.”
The SPA has faced sustained criticism over an alleged lack of transparency, a failure to investigate complaints against senior police officers and its own board members, and financial mismanagement laid bare in a scathing report by official auditors.
“Policing by consent is a very important principle in our community and that consent is only given if there is trust,” said Ms Marra.
“Every time we see these reports that trust is eroded. There is a moral obligation, I believe, to get to the bottom of what was going on.”
She added: “The SPA since its inception in 2013 has been fraught with difficulties.
“There were problems between the previous Chair, Vic Emery, and the Chief Constable, Stephen House.
“That clearly has not been resolved with new personnel at the top.”
Scottish Labour gained a new leader while Ms Marra was off, Kezia Dugdale’s sudden resignation catching the party by surprise in August.
It is understood that the Dundee-based MSP declined an invitation to serve in new leader Richard Leonard’s Shadow Cabinet to allow her to concentrate on her committee work and give herself space to adapt to juggling parliamentary business with looking after her baby son, Adam.
She praised Mr Leonard for allowing her “to continue the job I had started” and for being a “good man … a man committed to Labour politics and to securing economic equality in Scotland.” Ms Marra said: “The role of the Public Audit Committee as I see it is one of the most important scrutinising roles in parliament.
“Our job is to follow the public pound and see that taxpayers’ money is being spent effectively and efficiently.
“I think that’s important just now as we are facing cut budgets and services that are struggling.
“We need to make sure that taxpayers are getting value for money and the Scottish budget is being spent effectively.” Although Ms Marra is not the first MSP to take maternity leave, rules were changed in the Scottish Parliament last year to allow her to return to her committee job.
An informal arrangement was also put in place in June, signed by all parties except the Liberal Democrats, to allow a “pairing” arrangement for votes.
This means that an SNP MSP would abstain from voting – if required – during Ms Marra’s leave.
It will remain in place for any other members who take time off after the birth of a child.
Quickfire Q & A
Peaky Blinders or Peppa Pig?
Peppa Pig at the moment. It streams on my phone as well, which is very useful
A winter walk or a good book?
A walk
I’m A Celebrity or Strictly Come Dancing?
As a viewer, Strictly. As a participant? Neither
Gym or cinema?
Cinema. I don’t like the gym
Smart or casual?
Casual
Takeaway or cooking?
Cooking
Hard Brexit, soft Brexit or no Brexit?
No Brexit
Ms Marra, returning to Holyrood after nine months’ leave, said: “Although I was personally affected by it, I think it is a good sign that the Parliament is waking up to be more family-friendly.
“The Scottish Parliament was set up to be family-friendly, with voting at 5pm.
“There are obviously still logistical issues with that but probably some of those logistical issues are intractable.
“If I had taken maternity leave under the old rules, the chairmanship [of the Public Audit Committee] would have fallen to the Scottish Conservatives.
“That wasn’t something that I wanted to happen and it was something the chief executive of the Parliament deemed to be unfair in terms of equality.
“Workplaces start from the position that women should be allowed to leave on maternity and return with things the same.”
But Ms Marra, an MSP for North East Scotland, reckons more could be done to help new parents as they settle back into life in Holyrood.
She added: “I’m in a privileged role in my job.
“At the same time, some of the arrangements around Parliament still do make it difficult for mothers and fathers to get home for crucial teatime, bathtime and bedtime for children.
“I will struggle for that and if I was any further north it would be impossible.
“If you are going to have representatives from all communities then you need to be more flexible, perhaps with votes in the morning and at lunchtime and committee work in the afternoon.
“The Scottish Parliament should set an example to other employers – public and private – across the country.”
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell was the first Holyrood frontbencher to take maternity leave when she gave birth to her second son, Crawford, in 2014.
She said she discussed her maternity leave with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who “wanted to send a clear message: you can have children and still have a place in politics”.
And cross-party dialogue could well be taking place – at least in terms of swapping notes on how to cope with returning to work.
Ms Marra said: “As with all new mothers, I’m open to advice from any other mothers who have had to do the same!
“I think I’m experiencing the personal feelings every mother feels when they finish their maternity time. It is just lovely to spend that one-on-one time with your baby.
“I’ll be going back to the difficulties of juggling work and feeding and being up during the night but I’m not the first woman to face this and I certainly won’t be the last.
“So I think I’m going through the emotions that every woman does.
“I’m looking forward to going back to work.
“I consider representing the people of north east Scotland one of the greatest privileges.
“I’ve been committed to Labour politics for nearly 25 years, all of my adult life.
“It’s in my blood.”
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