National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Official Report 253KB pdf

National Galleries of Scotland Bill: Consideration Stage

Good morning and welcome to the fifth and final meeting of the National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee. I remind committee members and members of the public to turn off mobile devices as they interfere with the sound system, even when switched to silent.

The only agenda item is the bill’s consideration stage. Although we have no amendments to deal with, standing orders oblige us to consider each section of the bill and the long title and formally agree to each. We will take the sections in order and the long title last. Standing orders allow us to put a single question where groups of sections are to be considered consecutively and, unless members disagree, that is what I propose to do. Are we agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Sections 1 to 5 agreed to.

Long title agreed to.

That ends the bill’s consideration stage. I thank my committee colleagues, Fiona McLeod and Jean Urquhart, for the time that they have taken to consider the bill. I also thank the promoter and witnesses for their contributions.

The next stage is the final stage, at which the whole Parliament will vote on whether to pass the bill. Any member may lodge amendments at that stage, which we expect to take place later in January 2016.