Contents
- Portfolio Question Time
- Urgent Question
- Scottish Education System
- Business Motions
- Parliamentary Bureau Motions
- Decision Time
- #IWill Week 2022
Business Motions
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-07120, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 13 December 2022
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Ministerial Statement: Medication Assisted Treatment and Workforce Update
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 14 December 2022
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Covid Recovery and Parliamentary Business;
Finance and Economy
followed by Health, Social Care and Sport Committee Debate: Health Inequalities
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 15 December 2022
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Net Zero, Energy and Transport
followed by Ministerial Statement: Scottish Budget 2023-24
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Asset Transfers and Community Empowerment – Five Years On
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 20 December 2022
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
8.00 pm Decision Time
Wednesday 21 December 2022
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs and Islands;
Health and Social Care;
Social Justice, Housing and Local Government
followed by Stage 3 Debate: Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.15 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 22 December 2022
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.45 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 12 December 2022, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.—[George Adam]
I call Alexander Burnett to speak to and move amendment S6M-07120.1.
I apologise for giving short notice of my intention to speak on the business motion and my amendment.
Throughout the journey of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill through Parliament, we have consistently asked for more time to be given to the legislation, against a background of tunnel vision from the Scottish National Party, which wanted to wrap everything up before Christmas.
The SNP has ignored our requests, with excuses that seem to change each time the matter is raised. The most recent excuse, from the First Minister—that, because the issue was loosely mentioned by the Government six years ago, that somehow counts as half a decade of scrutiny of the text of the bill—is utterly ridiculous. On another occasion, the Minister for Parliamentary Business told me that there is such a busy programme that we cannot possibly take our time over the bill, meanwhile granting an extension to the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill to allow the minister to fly to Egypt. Further, that busy programme did not stop business from other parts of the Parliament being completely sidelined by the drive to avoid a gender vote in 2023.
In the last week before Christmas, there could be a Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee debate, an update on the national planning framework or perhaps more scrutiny of the budget than the 40 minutes of questions to which we are currently limited. Even the Parliamentary Bureau’s strategic planning meeting has been punted into the new year.
There is no good reason for the Government to be going to this length to push everything else out of the way. We are simply asking that adequate time be given for scrutinising the bill and that that does not come at the expense of other important parliamentary business.
What possible reason could the Scottish Government have for being so opposed to having stage 3 in the new year? Last time I raised the issue in the chamber, I alluded to a secret answer being the true factor behind the hurry. Whispers and rumblings from around the Parliament, including in some SNP corridors, conclude that it is to do with one thing: ensuring that the Scottish Government does not lose any more ministers. That is quite simply not an acceptable reason to rush legislation, and it should certainly not be the reason why we delay discussing the many other issues that the country faces.
Therefore, we are seeking to amend the business programme to take the bill off the agenda for the rest of this year. We should focus on the business that was sidelined and, at the same time, allow more time to take evidence on the bill from stakeholders who are being prevented from giving evidence.
We will, however, support next week’s business—namely, the budget—taking place, so we will support the business motion. However, that does not rule out our trying again next week to ensure that the Scottish Government sees reason. I urge members to support my amendment so that that does not have to happen.
I move amendment S6M-07120.1, to leave out from “Tuesday 20 December 2022” to “12.45 pm Decision Time”.
17:26
Here we go again—it is a wee bit like groundhog day in the chamber. The proposed business was discussed by the Parliamentary Bureau, as all the business managers know. The bureau, including the Conservative Party business manager, unanimously agreed the business programme.
Will the minister take an intervention?
Take the intervention.
I know that the member is quite new to the bureau and that he is learning on the job, so to speak, but when I look at the fact—
Minister, resume your seat for a second. Can we listen to the minister without the shouting, particularly from members on the front benches? It is up to the minister whether he takes an intervention.
I am looking at the position that we are in. It appears that the Tories’ plan for the last week is to shut the Parliament a week early and create a Tory MSP Christmas holiday. They want to do that instead of dealing with the hard issues that the Parliament has to deal with. I do not think for one minute that the people of Scotland would appreciate this nonsense from the Conservative Party.
On the issue at hand, there is much talk from the Tories about the Government trying to railroad the bill through. The reality is that, as the Presiding Officer will be aware, an extra week was given between stages 2 and 3 after one of the business managers asked for that. I said that we would work to do that. Not only that, but, this week, there was a request from the Labour Party, because of the debate on the issue, to extend the time for an extra hour, and I quite happily agreed to that with members. Therefore, when members have made reasonable requests, I have been able to work with colleagues to make them happen.
The serious point here is the abuse by the Tory party in its attempts to close the Parliament a week early before Christmas.
The question is, that amendment S6M-07120.1, in the name of Alexander Burnett, which seeks to amend motion S6M-07120, in the name of George Adam, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
There will be a division. There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
17:29 Meeting suspended.17:33 On resuming—
We move to the vote on amendment S6M-07120.1, in the name of Alexander Burnett, which seeks to amend motion S6M-07120, in the name of George Adam, setting out a business programme.
The vote is now closed.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My machine was unable to connect. I would have voted no in that division.
Thank you, Mr Swinney. I will make sure that that is recorded.
For
Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con)
Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Cameron, Donald (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)
Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con)
Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con)
Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con)
Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con)
Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con)
Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con)
White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con)
Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)
Against
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP)
Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green)
Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab)
Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP)
Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green)
Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP)
McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP)
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab)
Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab)
Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (SNP)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP)
Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
The result of the division on amendment S6M-07120.1, in the name of Alexander Burnett, is: For 30, Against 91, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that motion S6M-07120, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 13 December 2022
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Ministerial Statement: Medication Assisted Treatment and Workforce Update
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 14 December 2022
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Covid Recovery and Parliamentary Business;
Finance and Economy
followed by Health, Social Care and Sport Committee Debate: Health Inequalities
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 15 December 2022
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Net Zero, Energy and Transport
followed by Ministerial Statement: Scottish Budget 2023-24
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Asset Transfers and Community Empowerment – Five Years On
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 20 December 2022
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
8.00 pm Decision Time
Wednesday 21 December 2022
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs and Islands;
Health and Social Care;
Social Justice, Housing and Local Government
followed by Stage 3 Debate: Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.15 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 22 December 2022
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.45 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 12 December 2022, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-07121, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on a stage 1 timetable.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 17 March 2023.—[George Adam]
Motion agreed to.
Previous
Scottish Education System