The next item of business is consideration of business motion S3M-5450, in the name of Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which seeks to suspend standing orders to allow the Parliament to meet at 9 o'clock on Thursday 7 January. If any member wishes to speak against the motion, they should press their request-to-speak button now.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that "09:00" be substituted for "09:15" in Rule 2.2.3 for the purpose of allowing the meeting of the Parliament on Thursday 7 January 2010 to begin at 9.00 am.—[Bruce Crawford.]
Sarah Boyack has pressed her button. I take it that you do not wish to speak against the motion.
No.
Motion agreed to.
The next item of business is consideration of another business motion, S3M-5451, in the name of Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out a revised business programme. Again, if any member wishes to speak against the motion, they should press their request-to-speak button now.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following revision to the programme of business for Wednesday 6 January 2010—
delete
followed by Health and Sport Committee Debate: Report on the Inquiry into Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Well-being
followed by Public Petitions Committee Debate: Petition PE1150 on Community Prisons
and insert
followed by Ministerial Statement: The Decision on the Beauly to Denny Power Line
followed by Health and Sport Committee Debate: Report on the Inquiry into Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Well-being
and (b) the following revision to the programme of business for Thursday 7 January 2010—
delete
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
and insert
9.00 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement: Impact of Severe Weather in Scotland
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill—[Bruce Crawford.]
I rise to speak against the motion in the hope that the Minister for Parliamentary Business and the Parliamentary Bureau might agree to reverse the order of this afternoon's business. It is normal courtesy for relevant documents to be given to the spokespersons of other parties in advance of statements. On this occasion, the relevant documents have not been issued in advance and neither have the reporters' report on the Beauly to Denny line or the decision letter that contains the details to which the statement refers. My party made a direct request to the Government for that letter and we were told that it would not be published in advance. It is difficult for members who wish to ask questions about the statement to have any meaningful engagement when we have not had access to the detail to which the statement refers.
The Parliamentary Bureau took the decision yesterday to proceed in this way and I see no reason to demur from that position at this stage.
Motion agreed to.
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Time for Reflection