National Galleries of Scotland Bill: Consideration Stage
As three members are present, we are quorate. I welcome everybody to the committee's only meeting at the consideration stage of the National Galleries of Scotland Bill and remind people to turn off their mobile phones and pagers. We have received apologies from Margaret Smith, who is unwell and unable to be with us. Maureen Macmillan is on her way to the meeting.
Our first item of business is the consideration stage of the National Galleries of Scotland Bill. I welcome Maureen Macmillan, who has just arrived.
I am sorry for being late. You know that I am congenitally incapable of—
The meeting has just started.
Normally, there would be two separate phases to the consideration stage, but no objections have been made to the bill and no amendments have been lodged. Therefore, only one meeting will be held at the consideration stage.
Under rule 9A.9.3(a) of the Parliament's standing orders, the promoters of the bill must be invited to appear before the committee. We are again pleased to welcome Michael Clarke and Scott Robertson from the National Galleries of Scotland. I invite them to make any further comments on the preliminary stage report and debate.
Mr Michael Clarke (National Galleries of Scotland):
Thank you, convener, but we do not have any further remarks to make, other than to thank committee members and their parliamentary colleagues for their swift and helpful consideration of the bill. We are grateful for the cross-party support that the bill has attracted.
As members do not have any questions for the promoters of the bill, I thank the witnesses for their time.
We now proceed to detailed consideration of the bill. I should explain that this part of the consideration stage procedure is identical to the stage 2 procedure for public bills.
We are in the unusual position of having no amendments to consider. However, under rule 9A.9.5 of the standing orders, we have a formal duty to consider each section of the bill and its long title.
Members should be aware that the only way in which it is permitted to oppose agreement to a section is by lodging an amendment to leave out the section. Therefore, if members want an entire section to be deleted, they must have lodged an amendment that proposes doing so. A section cannot be opposed if such an amendment has not been lodged. No such amendments have been lodged. However, if any member wants to oppose the question that a section or schedule be agreed to, he or she has the option of proposing a manuscript amendment. If that happens, I will decide whether to allow the amendment to be taken.
Sections 1, 2 and 3 agreed to.
Long title agreed to.
That concludes the consideration stage of the bill. I thank members for their attendance.
Meeting closed at 13:20.