Contents
- Portfolio Question Time
- Education
- Business Motions
- Parliamentary Bureau Motions
- Decision Time
- LGBT+ Veterans
Business Motions
The next item of business is consideration of business motions. Motion S6M-11651, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, sets out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 19 December 2023
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Ministerial Statement: Scottish Budget 2024-25
followed by Ministerial Statement: Implementing the Medication Assisted Treatment Standards
followed by Scottish Government Debate: From a Warm Scots Welcome to a Warm Scots Future for Ukrainians in Scotland
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.50 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 20 December 2023
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands;
NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Bill
followed by Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Debate: Standing Order Rule Changes - Proxy Voting
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 21 December 2023
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.45 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice
1.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Tuesday 9 January 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Debate: How Devolution is Changing Post-EU
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 10 January 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture;
Justice and Home Affairs
followed by Scottish Government Business
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 11 January 2024
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:
Education and Skills
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 18 December 2023, 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 Douglas Ross to speak to and move amendment S6M-11651.1.
17:04
I seek an addition to next week’s business to deliver something that the Scottish National Party and Green Government promised: a statement by the end of the year on the dualling of the A9. I am standing here, trying to be helpful to the SNP business manager and to Parliament. [Interruption.] SNP MSPs might try to ridicule that, but I am simply trying to get something inserted into the business motion that the Government promised. That is why we lodged our amendment to have that statement next week.
The Government’s most recent promise was to provide a statement by the end of the year. However, in the business motion that George Adam has just moved, which takes us up to the Christmas recess and therefore represents the last opportunity for a statement to be provided in this calendar year, there is no mention of the promised statement on the dualling of the A9. I do not think that it should be up to Opposition parties to use the parliamentary process to force the Government’s hand, but if it is unwilling to provide a statement, we must do that.
Let us look at the history of the issue. In June—six months ago—the Government was planning to update Parliament on the A9 project. It got one of its back-bench MSPs, Jim Fairlie, to submit a Government-inspired question. That type of question is used to announce to Parliament and the public a project that is ready to go. However, that question was then withdrawn—something that we believe has never happened in this Parliament before.
I questioned the First Minister about that on 15 June and he told the Parliament that the question was withdrawn because we had a new transport minister and she needed time to look at the project. She has had several months to look at it, but we are now told that she will not even be the one to make the announcement in the statement—that will be the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition. The First Minister told me that the A9 is “very important”, and he said:
“when we are ready to update Parliament with an announcement on the A9, we will absolutely do that,”
However, the Government was ready to update Parliament back in June, when it had that Government-inspired question lodged. The First Minister went on to say:
“We will also ensure, of course, that any update that we provide in a statement to Parliament is accurate.”—[Official Report, 15 June 2023; c 13.]
Let us hope that the former transport minister Michael Matheson is not involved if we are looking for accuracy.
After that, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition told us that the update would come by the end of autumn and before the start of winter. Autumn has been and gone, as has the start of winter, yet there has still been no update for MSPs and the constituents that we represent.
Earlier this afternoon, the SNP business manager, in response to my colleague Edward Mountain, told Parliament:
“We expect to update Parliament on a renewed programme in the coming days.”
Why, then, has the Government asked Parliament tonight to vote for a business motion that does not include a statement on the A9? If a statement is coming “in the coming days”, why is it not in the motion that we are asked to support tonight?
The SNP Government has made repeated promises to the communities for which the road is crucial, but they have failed to materialise. There has been very little action on this vital road for communities from Perth to Inverness, and that is why the matter is so important. It is crucial that we hear a statement on it in Parliament before the end of the year. Scottish Conservatives research has shown that, at the current pace, it may take over a century to complete the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness. It cannot and must not take that long, so we need to hear in a statement what the next steps are, when the spades will be in the ground and when the dualling will be complete.
We have repeatedly tried to get a statement in Parliament. We were told that a statement would be made by the end of autumn, and on the last day of autumn we asked for one. We asked again two weeks ago, and we asked again yesterday. At the Parliamentary Bureau yesterday, my colleague Alex Burnett, who is our party’s business manager, was told that there was a Cabinet process to be followed. Exactly how long does that Cabinet process take? We have still had no statement.
Parliament deserves the opportunity to scrutinise the Government’s plans. I am hopeful that George Adam is about to stand up and say that he and the Government will accept our amendment, which proposes that a statement be included in next week’s business in order to deliver on the Government’s promises. If he does not do that, the question will fall to people such as John Swinney, Richard Lochhead, Emma Roddick, Maree Todd, Jim Fairlie, Kate Forbes and other representatives whose constituents are expecting an update in the chamber. Surely they will want to vote with the Scottish Conservatives to secure a statement in the business for next week, because their constituents expect it.
I move amendment S6M-11651.1, to insert after “2.00 pm Portfolio Questions: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care”:
“followed by Ministerial Statement: Update on the Dualling of the A9”.
I call George Adam to respond on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau.
17:09
What we have heard from Mr Ross is a complete misunderstanding—he just has no clue about how the parliamentary process works in the Scottish Parliament. That is extremely disappointing, because the whole point of the Parliamentary Bureau is for all the business managers to talk about business in a space where we can discuss the issues and bring things forward.
Will George Adam give way on that point?
We have heard enough from Mr Ross at the moment.
It comes down to basic respect for this Parliament. My job as Minister for Parliamentary Business is to ensure that we work within our Parliament’s processes. The Scottish Government remains committed to completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness, and we expect to update Parliament on a renewed programme in the coming days.
Will George Adam give way on that point?
I do not understand what the Conservative Party cannot understand about the term “days”. That sounds pretty imminent to me, but, as everyone knows, the Scottish Government follows the parliamentary business process. That includes—I will explain this for Mr Ross, because he misunderstood this bit as well—Cabinet approval of the Scottish Government business and then the bureau’s consideration of the business programme as a whole before, finally, approval by Parliament as a whole is sought.
We should use the processes in the Parliament rather than grandstand at decision time. The founding principle of the Parliament is for us all to work together to deliver for the people of Scotland, and standing there for five minutes grandstanding is not part of that.
As I said, the Scottish Government remains firmly committed to completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness, and work to determine the most suitable procurement options for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling is now well advanced. The Parliament will receive an update in the coming days. I repeat once again that it will be in the coming days.
Will George Adam give way on that point?
We are now in full panto mode with the Conservatives.
Once the date for the statement has been scheduled, I will inform Parliament in the usual manner. Can we all just calm down, allow Parliament to do its job and stop the petty grandstanding?
The question is, that amendment S6M-11651.1, in the name of Douglas Ross, which seeks to amend business motion S6M-11651, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
The Parliament is not agreed. There will be a short—
It was yes.
Sorry?
I just assumed that the Government parties were supporting the amendment. Are we not agreed?
I will ask the question again. The question is, that amendment S6M-11651.1, in the name of Douglas Ross, which seeks to amend business motion S6M-11651, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
The Parliament is not agreed, therefore we will move to a vote. There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
17:12 Meeting suspended.17:15 On resuming—
We move to the division on amendment S6M-11651.1, in the name of Douglas Ross. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.
Thank you, Ms Clark. Your vote will be recorded.
For
Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
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)
Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
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)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con)
Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con)
Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD)
McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab)
Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab)
Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab)
Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con)
Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con)
White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
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)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
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)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green)
Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
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)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (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)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
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)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
The result of the division on amendment S6M-11651.1, in the name of Douglas Ross, is: For 56, Against 62, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that motion S6M-11651, 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 19 December 2023
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Ministerial Statement: Scottish Budget 2024-25
followed by Ministerial Statement: Implementing the Medication Assisted Treatment Standards
followed by Scottish Government Debate: From a Warm Scots Welcome to a Warm Scots Future for Ukrainians in Scotland
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.50 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 20 December 2023
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands;
NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Bill
followed by Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Debate: Standing Order Rule Changes - Proxy Voting
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 21 December 2023
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.45 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice
1.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Tuesday 9 January 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Debate: How Devolution is Changing Post-EU
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 10 January 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture;
Justice and Home Affairs
followed by Scottish Government Business
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 11 January 2024
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:
Education and Skills
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 18 December 2023, 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 motions S6M-11640 and S6M-11641, on stage 1 timetables for bills. I call George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, to move the motions.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 17 May 2024.
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 31 May 2024.—[George Adam]
Motions agreed to.
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