Plans to cut down on mail received by MSPs at Holyrood have been described as “worrying” and “slightly Orwellian”.
The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee requested that the Scottish Parliament investigate ways in which the amount of external mail received by members can be reduced.
Assistant Chief Executive David McGill recently wrote to members asking they add a line to their contact details on their parliamentary webpage stating they would prefer to be contacted by email rather than traditional mail.
That line will now be added to the contact details of all members who did not decline to have it added.
A leaked memo has confirmed that staff in the parliament’s mail room are now “recording the publications which they receive for distribution to members”.
It is said that they have found that around 20 magazines, brochures and reports are sent to MSPs each month.
Mail room staff will now contact the publishers of the most commonly received documents to ask them to clarify with MSPs whether they would “prefer to receive the documents electronically”.
In the memo to MSPs Mr McGill said: “While the majority of this waste is recycled, it still requires to be processed which has an environment impact and costs money.
“The most effective solution in relation to all of our waste streams is to reduce waste at source.”
MSPs have also been asked to get in touch if they can think of any further steps which could reduce the amount of paperwork they receive.
North East Scotland Conservative MSP Liam Kerr said “Of course we all want to minimise our carbon footprint and do our bit for the environment, but this proposal has a slightly Orwellian feel to it.
“Constituents should be able to contact their MSP however they choose, and I’m not convinced that people should be nudged into just using email.
“Constituents often send accompanying documentation with their letter, and they might not have the facility to scan and email these documents.
“The idea that mail is being monitored and organisations that regularly send reports or newsletters to MSPs will be contacted by the Parliament is also a worrying development that will leave many feeling concerned.”
