Scottish Youth Parliament responds to recent criticisms

After a series of accusations that members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) have been involved with drugs, underage sex and alcohol, bosses have insisted all delegations must be accompanied by at least one support worker.

In a statement they said: “Any breaches of the code of conduct are treated extremely seriously and can lead to expulsion.”

The response follows remarks from SYP former chairman Kieran Collins who has questioned the relevance of the organisation:

“What is it in the last 10 years that they have actually achieved apart from a talking shop and a knocking shop for young people?” Mr Collins said. 

The SYP annually receives funding of £250,000 from the government. Mr Collins questioned: “Why are we wasting millions of pounds of tax payers’ money when we are just sitting around having a laugh?”

Mr Collins attended seven two-day sittings with the SYP. After first being elected in 2007 he became chair one year later.

At the 2008 sitting in Stirling, Mr Collins said: “One guy got so smashed that he went missing from the halls of residence where we stayed. He was unconscious and completely naked apart from his boxers. He didn't know how he got there, he didn't know where his clothes were. All because he was so smashed.”

Samantha Harvey, a former MSYP from Edinburgh, was also shocked by what went on at the meetings and saying: “They were looking for that missing boy from 1am until 3pm.”

In another 2008 sitting at Hamilton, the Grampian police force were called out at 3.50am to a disturbance caused by members of the parliament. A spokesperson said: “It was to do with people climbing out a window of the top floor to the roof. Nobody was charged.”

Former members of the SYP have expressed their concern about Mr Collins criticising the parliament.

One said: “I was so confused I thought this person was talking about a completely different organisation. They may be talking about a minority but the majority of the members like me do not act like this and may never act like this.”

Another former member said: “It’s extremely frustrating that many young people who have been part of the SYP over the years since ‘99 and done a lot of positive things over the years are being tarred by the same brush because of a few new members’ misbehaviour.”

Mr Collins was fined £270 for handling stolen goods when he failed to return an SYP laptop promptly after he left the council.