Plenary,

Meeting date: Thursday, May 16, 2002

Official Report 748KB pdf

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Point of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. If the Executive does any briefing between now and the publication of the Local Government in Scotland Bill, will it be ruled out of order?

It is not for me to rule out of order what happens outside the Parliament. I have said that an error was made and that the Executive has acknowledged that it made an error. The error did no great harm on this occasion, but I have said that I hope that such an error will not be made again.

Meeting suspended until 14:30.

On resuming—

Before we begin question time, I am sure that members would like to welcome the chairman and members of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution, who are conducting an inquiry into devolution. [Applause.] I am sure that they will find their visit educational.

Following the point of order that was raised last week, I am keen to get through more questions and answers than we have done in the past couple of weeks. That will require co-operation on both sides.