Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee,

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 31, 2000

Official Report 174KB pdf

---

Local Economic Development

Item 2 is on the local economic development inquiry parliamentary debate. Members will recall that the committee expressed the desire to have an opportunity to debate in the chamber the issues addressed in the local economic development report. There is normally a lying time of eight weeks for a report before the Executive produces a response, but the Executive has indicated that it is quite happy to participate in a debate before a formal response is published. It is up to ministers to determine how far they want to go in their remarks to Parliament on the subject.

The paper indicates that the debate is scheduled for the afternoon of 22 June. Because of changes to the parliamentary programme, the debate will now take place on 8 June, a week tomorrow, from 10 o'clock in the morning until 12 noon. The committee has before it a recommendation for arrangements for the debate and we will consider members' views on the order of speaking. A draft motion to be considered by Parliament is included in the note from the clerks. Is the proposed motion acceptable to members?

Members indicated agreement.

The Executive has indicated that ministers want to take part in the debate. The ministerial contribution is likely to be in the latter part of the debate. The normal sequence of events would be that a member of the committee, usually the convener, would open the debate and another member, usually the deputy convener, would close. Other members are free to participate in the debate and should submit a request to speak to the Presiding Officer. If there are no comments on the proposals, does the committee agree to them?

Members indicated agreement.

We will submit the motion in the appropriate way.

What will the speaking times be? Will the limit be four minutes all the way through?

I imagine that the opening and closing speeches will be slightly longer. I cannot give you a detailed answer. I do not know what the attitude is about, for example, party speeches. I am not certain what rules will apply in this case. I will get the clerks to advise members of the speaking time arrangements that will apply.

I do not think that there is party political time.

We will confirm the arrangements on speaking times, to ensure that we are all on the same wavelength. We have agreed the motion, that the convener will open the debate, the deputy convener will close it and ministers will take part.