Alex Neil has brought forward a bill

There have been claims that first the Tories, and then Labour, packed quangos with their supporters.

SNP MSP Alex Neil has proposed a Public Appointments Bill which he says would ensure that all public appointments were democratically scrutinised by the parliament.

Public Services Minister Peter Peacock is due to disclose the Scottish Executive's response on Tuesday.

Ministers oppose the bill, which they argue would replace a structured system with political show trials and would deter worthwhile applicants.

Instead, the Scottish Executive will propose an independent commissioner to scrutinise all appointments.

MSPs would be given new and continuing powers to supervise the overall process.

This extends what is already the practice and makes it much more open and accountable to the parliament.

Labour MSP Frank McAveety

The new move is being personally driven by First Minister Jack McConnell, who sees reform as a key plank of his programme.

Labour MSP Frank McAveety said: "This extends what is already the practice and makes it much more open and accountable to the parliament.

"There already is a fairly transparent process, but it is to convey that confidence that the vast majority of those who are appointed do not cut across what we would call the political dialogue."

However, Mr Neil said that the appointments process was already politicised.

"The appointments are made by ministers who are politicians," he said.

"In everything else that ministers do they are scrutinised by the parliament - why not scrutinise them in relation to appointments."