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About the Scottish Parliament

Guidance on Public Bills

The rules that govern the Parliament’s scrutiny of Public Bills are set out in Chapter 9 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders. This Guidance aims to explain those rules and how they are applied in practice. 

Read the Guidance on Public Bills (2MB, pdf) posted 11 May 2026

Part 1: Public Bills and background to the legislative process

  • Introduction
  • The Scottish Parliament's "legislative competence"
  • The Scotland Act 1998 and Standing Orders
  • Structure and style of Bills

Part 2: Stages of Bills – the general rules

  • Government Bills – preparation for introduction 
  • Accompanying documents  
  • Introduction of the Bill 
  • Financial Resolutions 
  • Stage 1
  • Stage 2 
  • After Stage 2
  • Stage 3
  • Reconsideration Stage 
  • From Bill to Act 
  • Withdrawal of Bills

Part 3: Stages of Bills – special cases

  • Members’ Bills
  • Committee Bills
  • Budget Bills
  • Scottish Law Commission Bills
  • Consolidation Bills
  • Codification Bills
  • Statute Law Repeals and Statute Law Revision Bills
  • Emergency Bills

Part 4: Amendments

  • Basic principles
  • Admissibility of amendments
  • Lodging amendments
  • Rules on marshalling amendments
  • Daily lists of amendments
  • Marshalled Lists
  • Grouping of amendments
  • Selection of amendments
  • Proceedings on amendments – all Stages
  • Proceedings at Stage 2
  • Proceedings at Stage 3

Annexes