Plenary, 15 Nov 2001

Meeting date: Thursday, November 15, 2001

Official Report 658KB pdf

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Business Motion

The next motion for consideration is business motion S1M-2451, in the name of Mr Tom McCabe.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Wednesday 21 November 2001

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Stage 1 Debate on the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Bill

followed by Financial Resolution in respect of the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Bill

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business - debate on the subject of S1M-2081 Mr John Home Robertson: Regulation of Opencast Mining in the Lothians

Thursday 22 November 2001

9.30 am Stage 1 Debate on the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill

followed by Financial Resolution in respect of the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill

followed by Executive Debate on the NHS Reform Health Care Professions Bill – UK Legislation

followed by Question Time

followed by First Minister's Question Time

followed by Business Motion

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

12.30 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business - debate on the subject of S1M-2184 Alex Neil: Contract Research Staff

2.30 pm Selection of the Parliament's Nominee for First Minister

Wednesday 28 November 2001

12.00 noon Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by First Minister's Motion to appoint Scottish Ministers

followed by First Minister's Motion to appoint junior Scottish Ministers

2.30 pm Stage 1 Debate on the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill

followed by Financial Resolution in respect of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business

Thursday 29 November 2001

9.30 am Scottish National Party Business

followed by Business Motion

2.30 pm Question Time

3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time

3.30 pm Executive Business

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business

—[Euan Robson.]

I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the fact that the Parliament has lost a great deal of time and impetus because of the activities of Labour party politicians and their careers, past, present and future. When considering the parliamentary timetable, we must ensure that we do not lose any more time.

It is significant that on Thursday 22 November we will not lose question time and will be able to proceed with a great deal of business, but we are being forced to change our timetable so quickly because there is no contest within the Labour party for the nomination to the office of First Minister. There has been a backroom fix that means that next Thursday we will be faced with a coronation of sorts.

I resent the fact that, as a member of the Parliamentary Bureau, I have been placed in a situation in which I have had to be part of a back-room fix to bring forward a timetable to ensure that we have an election. We will not stand in the way of an election taking place, but we want to put on record our growing concern that Labour party machinations to get its machine politicians in place is disrupting the business of the Parliament. It must stop soon. We need to get on with our business. I shall not move against the motion, but I want to register our concerns.

I am sure that anyone who wants to will note those comments. The changes have been made to minimise any disruption to parliamentary business. The important Equal Opportunities Committee debate on the report of its inquiry into Gypsy/Travellers and public sector policies will be rescheduled as soon as possible. Other than that, there have been no major changes to the business.

Motion agreed to.

Meeting adjourned.

On resuming—