Plenary, 17 Feb 2000

Meeting date: Thursday, February 17, 2000

Official Report 862KB pdf

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Business Motion

We now come to business motion S1M-551. I call Tom McCabe to move the motion on behalf of the bureau.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Wednesday 23 February 2000

2.30 pm Time for Reflection followed by Executive Debate on Modernising Government followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members' Business - debate on the subject of S1M-531 Mr George Lyon: Regeneration of the Clyde

Thursday 24 February 2000

9.30 am Executive Debate on E-commerce 11.00 am Executive Debate on Punishment of Children Physical followed by Business Motion 2.30 pm Question Time

3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time 3.30 pm Executive Debate on Gaelic followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions 5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members' Business – debate on the subject of S1M-351 Alex Fergusson: Beauforts Dyke Disturbance

Wednesday 1 March 2000

2.30 pm Time for Reflection followed by Executive Debate on Local Government Grant Distribution – Local Government Finance Order (and report); Special Grants Report on Asylum Seekers; Special Grants Report on Kosovan Evacuees followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members' Business Thursday 2 March 2000 9.30 am Non-Executive Business – Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party 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.—[Mr McCabe.]

Members will be aware of the Lord Advocate's resignation. A request has been made to discuss the motion that will confirm the appointment of the new Lord Advocate and the new Solicitor General. The motion will contain the names of Mr Colin Boyd, to be confirmed as the new Lord Advocate, and Mr Neil Davidson, to be confirmed as the new Solicitor General.

Any request to debate this issue this afternoon requires all-party agreement, and discussions are in progress to confirm that agreement. However, such action requires not only the agreement of all parties, but the agreement of the Standards Committee, as this afternoon's debate is a committee slot for the Standard Committee's report on the code of conduct. Discussions are in progress and, if there is a resolution, an announcement will be made at 2.30 this afternoon.

There are very good reasons for us to have some form of discussion this afternoon on the Lord Advocate's departure. Three main issues must be canvassed: Lockerbie, the European convention on human rights, and judicial appointments. I welcome the minister's comments and urge all parties to agree to deal with the matter this afternoon.

On a point of order. In view of the unusual situation that has arisen, and given Roseanna Cunningham's comments, I should say on behalf of the Conservative group that we are minded to support the attempt to debate this matter this afternoon.

I accept that as a point of order. I could not call you to make a speech, Miss Goldie, as, under standing orders, only one speech for and against the business motion is allowed. I am looking in the direction of the convener of the Standards Committee, but I am getting no indication that he wants to raise a point of order. [MEMBERS: "Oh."] Do you have a point of order, Mr Rumbles?

I have discussed the matter with only two members of the Standards Committee. I feel that I need time to discuss it with all members of the Standards Committee first.

Very well.

The question is, that motion S1M-551 be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.

Meeting suspended until 14:30.

On resuming—

Before we begin question time, I call Tom McCabe to make a statement regarding this afternoon's business.

I indicated earlier, when moving the business motion, that discussions were taking place to secure all-party agreement to changing this afternoon's business. That agreement has now been reached. I suggest to members that this afternoon's business will now be a debate on a motion seeking the Parliament's agreement to the First Minister's recommendations to Her Majesty for the appointment of Scottish law officers.

That will have the effect of moving the proposed business, a debate on the report on the code of conduct, to the same slot next Thursday. It also means that the proposed debate on Gaelic, which would have taken place next Thursday, will now take place on 2 March.

Thank you. I have received no requests for questions on that matter. I hope that it is clear. Copies of the motion that will be debated at 3.30 pm, on the appointment of the new law officers, are available at the back of the chamber.

Before we start question time, I must stress— unless anyone believes anything in the rubbishy gossip columns of the Sunday papers—that business managers have no say over who is called at question time.