Plenary, 15 Jun 2000

Meeting date: Thursday, June 15, 2000

Official Report 737KB pdf

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Business Motion

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S1M-1006, in the name of Mr Tom McCabe, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out the business programme. I call Iain Smith to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Wednesday 21 June 2000

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Stage 3 Debate on the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Bill

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business – debate on the subject of S1M-882 Roseanna Cunningham: Edinburgh Folk Festival

Thursday 22 June 2000

9.30 am Non-Executive Business – Scottish National Party

followed by Business Motion

followed by Executive Motion on Care Standards Bill – UK Legislation

followed by Members' Business – debate on the subject of S1M-913 David McLetchie: Milestone House Hospice

2.30 pm Question Time

3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time

followed by Stage 1 Debate on the Bail, Judicial Appointments etc (Scotland) Bill

followed by Financial Resolution in respect of the Bail, Judicial Appointments etc (Scotland) Bill

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.30 pm Decision Time

Wednesday 28 June 2000

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Committee Business – Finance Committee Debate

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business

Thursday 29 June 2000

9.30 am Ministerial Statement

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Stage 3 Debate on the Education and Training (Scotland) Bill

followed by Business Motion

2.30 pm Question Time

3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time

3.30 pm Executive Debate on Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business—[Iain Smith.]

Donald Gorrie will speak against the motion.

I want to raise with the minister the matter of the timetable for debate of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Bill on the afternoon of Wednesday 21 June.

The experience of the stage 3 debate on the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill showed that the timetable adopted for that day was totally inadequate. I am concerned that we are again limited to a debate from 2.30 pm to 5 pm. It is important that section 28 is seen to be debated for a satisfactory length of time. Will the minister give an assurance that there will be hours and not merely minutes to debate section 28? Secondly, will the minister give an assurance that more time will be allowed if consideration of the other amendments demands that?

Before the minister replies, I say to Mr Gorrie that his point about the inadequacy of the timetable for the stage 3 debate on the Standards in Scotland's School's etc Bill has been unanimously accepted by the Parliamentary Bureau. The timetable was unsatisfactory.

There will be discussions between the party business managers on the timetabling of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Bill. Because standing orders say that decision time is at 5 o'clock, that is the time that appears in the business motion.

The Parliamentary Bureau motion following time for reflection next Wednesday will set a timetable. I will be very surprised if it does not set a timetable with a later finishing time. There will be discussions between the business managers to ensure that all aspects of the bill that require full debate are fully debated in the chamber. We accept that the timetable for the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill did not quite work last week, but timetabling motions for previous stage 3 debates have worked perfectly satisfactorily. The intention is to obtain a timetabling motion that will allow adequate debate of all the key points at stage 3.

The question is, that motion S1M-1006 be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.

Meeting suspended until 14:30.

On resuming—