Presiding Officer
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
The first item of business this afternoon is the election of the Presiding Officer. I have received one valid nomination for the position of Presiding Officer—that of George Reid—but we must proceed with an election in accordance with rule 11.9 of standing orders, because election to the post requires a simple majority of those voting, who must exceed 25 per cent of the Parliament's membership.
Members should wait in their seats until I indicate that they should collect their ballot papers, which will be available at the back of the chamber. Two tables have been set aside for that purpose. The table on my left should be used by members whose surnames begin with letters from A to L and the table on my right should be used by members whose surnames begin with letters from M to Z. When collecting ballot papers, members should give their names to the clerks, who will issue the papers—one paper to one member.
Members may mark their ballot papers in the voting booths, which are located on either side of the chamber, adjacent to the rear exits. For privacy, I request that members approach the area of the voting booths only to mark ballot papers. Once members have marked their ballot papers with an X to vote for or against or to abstain, they should fold and place their ballot papers in the ballot box in the well of the chamber before returning to their seats.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
My final day would not be complete without a point of order.
As you know, paragraph 3 of rule 3.1 of standing orders says:
"In exercising any functions, the Presiding Officer and deputy Presiding Officers shall act impartially, taking account of the interests of all members equally."
During your tenure in the past four years, I have complained to you repeatedly about a lack of equality of opportunity to speak in the chamber. For example, the leaders of the Scottish National Party and the Tory party regularly took up more than half of First Minister's question time, which left little time for back benchers.
Before we vote in the secret ballot, can we have a short speech from the nominees to explain their interpretation of paragraph 3 of rule 3.1 of standing orders? Whenever I asked you about your interpretation, your only response was that some members are more equal than others. That might go down well in the House of Lords, but it does not go down well in this Parliament.
I will take Mr Canavan's point seriously. We do not have speeches on the election of the Presiding Officer. It is assumed that members know the character of the individuals who are proposed. Standing orders do not allow for election speeches—
Let me finish.
On the wider issue, I hope that Mr Canavan accepts that it will be for the Procedures Committee and the chamber to decide what adjustments to make to the general running order of Parliament in the light of the election. However, that does not alter the fact that the leaders of the major political parties in any Parliament have always been given rather more latitude than the ordinary member. That does not take away from the principle, which you are right to proclaim, of equality of treatment for every individual. I am sure that, like me, and as was his practice as Deputy Presiding Officer, Mr Reid will be totally impartial and will lean over backwards to help independent members.
Further to that point of order, Presiding Officer. Some members in this chamber were not members of the Scottish Parliament over the past four years, and they are entitled to hear from the various nominees. I realise that there is only one nominee for the post of Presiding Officer, but those members are entitled to hear from the various nominees for the job of Deputy Presiding Officer what their interpretation is of that particular standing order. Do the nominees believe in equality of membership in this chamber or do they not?
I am quite certain that the nominee for Presiding Officer and whatever nominees there are for Deputy Presiding Officer—presumably they will be members who served in the last Parliament—know perfectly well that it is part of our tradition that equality is bestowed on every member by the occupants of the chair. That has been our tradition, and it will remain the tradition.
I do not think that I can give any more explanation than that. We must proceed to the ballot.
Members voted by secret ballot.
In the ballot for Presiding Officer, the votes were as follows: For 113, Against 7, Abstentions 9.
A clear majority has expressed its preference, and more than 25 per cent of members have voted. I therefore declare George Reid to be the Presiding Officer of this Parliament. [Applause.]
George, you and I have known each other since we were students more than 40 years ago, and we have been very good friends. However, it is your service as Deputy Presiding Officer for four years, your period in that other Parliament and your service with the International Red Cross that made you such an obvious choice to be the Presiding Officer. As I take my leave of you for the last time, I wish you well. [Applause.]
It is an honour to follow David Steel into the chair of this Parliament. I want to thank members for the trust that they have placed in me. In accepting this responsibility, I now, as Presiding Officer, give up all party affiliation and pledge to work only for the greater good of this Parliament, its committees, all its members and its staff.
Over the next four years, we shall be guided by the founding principles of accessibility, accountability, equal opportunities and the sharing of power between the Parliament, the Executive and the people of Scotland. Every MSP has rights and responsibilities—each has the right to contribute and the responsibility to do so constructively and courteously. The greatest responsibility is to build public confidence in the Parliament as the place where the issues of devolved Scottish life are identified, thoroughly debated and, after proper scrutiny, decided. [Applause.]
I now declare nominations open for the two Deputy Presiding Officers. Members may collect nomination forms from my office, which is located off the black-and-white corridor—completed nomination forms should be returned to my office no later than 3.15 pm. When candidates submit nomination papers, they or their representatives should inform the clerk of the member whom they wish to act as a scrutineer on their behalf.
It is an honour to follow David Steel into the chair of this Parliament. I want to thank members for the trust that they have placed in me. In accepting this responsibility, I now, as Presiding Officer, give up all party affiliation and pledge to work only for the greater good of this Parliament, its committees, all its members and its staff.
Over the next four years, we shall be guided by the founding principles of accessibility, accountability, equal opportunities and the sharing of power between the Parliament, the Executive and the people of Scotland. Every MSP has rights and responsibilities—each has the right to contribute and the responsibility to do so constructively and courteously. The greatest responsibility is to build public confidence in the Parliament as the place where the issues of devolved Scottish life are identified, thoroughly debated and, after proper scrutiny, decided. [Applause.]
I now declare nominations open for the two Deputy Presiding Officers. Members may collect nomination forms from my office, which is located off the black-and-white corridor—completed nomination forms should be returned to my office no later than 3.15 pm. When candidates submit nomination papers, they or their representatives should inform the clerk of the member whom they wish to act as a scrutineer on their behalf.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. There is not yet a new Executive, but I congratulate you on behalf of the existing Executive and representatives of the Scottish Labour party and assure you that, in building public confidence and ensuring that the founding principles of transparency, accountability and participation are carried through, you will have the full co-operation of Executive ministers and Labour MSPs. We wish you well in the post.
You have had a distinguished career in politics and other aspects of life. Following on from Sir David Steel and with your connections and activities far beyond the shores of Scotland, you will carry on a great tradition. As long as there is a devolved Parliament in Scotland, I hope that it will not be insular, but will recognise that we are part of a much wider world. We will work co-operatively, constructively and closely with you, Presiding Officer, and we hope that together we can ensure that the second session of the Scottish Parliament is even more successful than the first session. [Applause.]
I add the SNP's congratulations to Mr McConnell's good wishes. I do not regret Mr Reid's elevation from the ranks of the SNP to the post of Presiding Officer. He has been a dear party colleague over many years, and I know that the office is worthy of the contribution that he has to make to Scottish politics.
Mr McConnell referred to Mr Reid's international experience. Without a doubt, that experience will shape much of his ambition for the Parliament and its contribution to the world and shaping of the lives of people in Scotland. He was one of the people who designed the statutes of the Parliament and established its founding principles, to which he referred. I cannot think of a more fitting person to take forward those principles in the challenges that lie ahead. On behalf of the SNP, I wish him every success in the office of Presiding Officer. [Applause.]
Presiding Officer, I echo the sentiments that Mr McConnell and Mr Swinney have expressed in congratulating you on your election to the post of Presiding Officer with a share of the vote that many of us would dream of and envy. Controversial refereeing decisions will no doubt be made from the chair in the next four years—as they were made in the past four years—but I am sure that you will bring to every decision that you take in the Parliament the impartiality, integrity and sense of fair play that you brought to the post of Deputy Presiding Officer. All Conservative members wish you well and pledge you their full co-operation and support. [Applause.]
Presiding Officer, on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I warmly congratulate you on your election to the post of Presiding Officer. The overwhelming support that you received and the fact that you were unopposed are marks of the confidence that we have in you—not least because of the way in which you discharged your duties as Deputy Presiding Officer with a sense of fairness and justice. I know that you will bring those qualities to the office of Presiding Officer. We sat together on the consultative steering group and I therefore know your commitment to the founding principles of this Parliament. I am sure that you will remind us how important those principles are in the eyes of the people of Scotland.
As has been said, Presiding Officer, your international reputation goes before you. We expect a lot of our Presiding Officer, not least that he or she be an ambassador for the Parliament at home and abroad. We know that you will discharge that duty with confidence. With your qualities, there is no better person to be a worthy successor to Sir David Steel. [Applause.]
Presiding Officer, may I offer on behalf of the Scottish Green Party my heartiest congratulations on your appointment. You have been nothing short of exceptionally fair when chairing the proceedings of this chamber over the past four years. There is nothing more reassuring for smaller parties than to see the Presiding Officer make this little sign with the hand—a sign that means, "Some time before the end of the debate, if you promise to keep your contribution short, you will get in." I look forward to your chairmanship over the next four years with eager anticipation. [Applause.]
Presiding Officer, on behalf of the Scottish Socialist Party, I congratulate you. However, it has to be said that it is a loss to the back benches not to have you on them. Over the past four years of the Parliament, you made some of the best speeches that this chamber has ever heard. We will miss your strength of feeling and your ability to deliver an informed and passionate speech. Now that I have said that, I hope that we will get a fair crack of the whip. [Applause.]
Further to the point of order that was raised by the First Minister, Presiding Officer, may I congratulate you on your elevation? I noted that you took up the spirit of the suggestion that was made by my colleague Mr Canavan, who referred to paragraph 3 of standing order 3.1. I promise you, Presiding Officer, that if you stick to that standing order, I will be very responsible.
I, too, would like to add my congratulations to you, Presiding Officer. I hope that your tenure as Presiding Officer will ensure that there is real equality of opportunity for all members of this Parliament over the next four years. That has certainly not been the case over the past four years.
Thank you to all. I now suspend this meeting of Parliament until 3.30 pm.
Thank you to all. I now suspend this meeting of Parliament until 3.30 pm.
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—