Tonight the Hansard Society is hosting an event to discuss the lessons the coalition government could learn from Holyrood. Total Politics talks to Margaret Curran and Cathy Jamieson, both MPs and MSPS, who sit in both the UK and Scottish Parliament to find out if Holyrood holds wider lessons for Westminster.

Total Politics asked them both to name three things that Westminster can learn from Holyrood.

For Jamieson “the working hours are one issue that can be looked into”. Though Holyrood’s 9-5.30 is, in reality, a little optimistic for MSPs they were designed to be family friendly in a way that Westminster’s are not.

Jamieson also believes that committees in Westminster could be improved to improve “knowledge and expertise”. In Holyrood committees deal with enquiries into issues but also deal with legislation.

Her third lesson is on petitions. She states: “One of the successes of the Scottish Parliament is the public petitions committee where members of the public can raise petitions and appear to give evidence”. On this point Curran agrees. She says that the Public Petitions Committee is a great route for members of the public to directly influence the parliamentary agenda in a big way. People in Scotland feel they have a real say on what goes on in their Parliament — so that would certainly be worth looking at in Westminster.”

Curran has further suggestions on improvements that could be made — Holyrood style. She says “there could be something to be said for electronic voting, it does appear to be a much more efficient and practical way to do things.” She also thinks that the “system in Holyrood seems much tighter and based on a more common sense approach” going as far to say that she’s “not sure why Westminster didn’t incorporate more of the system we use in Scotland.”

So working hours, committees, petitions, electronic voting and expenses. Curran and Jamieson believe Holyrood has lessons for Westminster. Will their voices be heard?