Business Motion
Before we adjourn for lunch, we will take business motion S1M-55 in the name of Mr Tom McCabe on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau. I will take one speech against the motion if anyone indicates that they want to speak.
Before moving the business motion, I want to inform members about the proposals to improve the way in which information appears and is recorded in the business bulletin.
It will have been no surprise to anyone that, during the transition period, there have been a number of occasions on which it has been necessary to introduce business motions that amend the previously agreed business programme. Although that has happened more often than we would have liked, on each occasion it has been done in an attempt to reflect the views and requirements of other members and to ensure that discussions on particular subjects could take place. The debate that we have just had on the Holyrood project is a classic example of that.
However, the Parliamentary Bureau is conscious that the way in which changes have been set out in the business bulletin has not always been as clear or as readily understood as members would have liked.
It is equally important that members of the public who want to plan visits to the Parliament to watch specific debates can do so. The business bulletin must, therefore, provide information in a manner in which it can be readily understood by the public and which allows them to engage properly in the business of the Parliament. With that in mind, the Parliamentary Bureau is reviewing the format of the business bulletin with a view to making it as clear and as informative as possible. We hope that that process will go some way to addressing members' concerns about the changes to the business programme that have been recorded in the business bulletin.
This business motion sets out a programme of business for the Parliament up to and including Friday 2 July. The motion proposes that on Wednesday 23 June there should be a statement by the Deputy First Minister on freedom of information. That will be followed by a statement by the Minister for Children and Education on the consultation methods that will be adopted for the proposed education bill that the First Minister announced in yesterday's statement to Parliament.
That will be followed by an Executive debate on devolved legislation to be considered by the United Kingdom Parliament. There will then be consideration of Parliamentary Bureau business, including a motion that the Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 1999 be considered by the Parliament. An explanatory note on the agency agreements has been published in today's business bulletin. There will also be a motion on the opening days of the office of the clerk during the summer recess. Those last two items will be taken without debate.
The last item of business proposed for Wednesday 23 June is a members' business debate on motion SM1-47 in the name of Mr Brian Adam on the peripheral route around Aberdeen.
On the morning of Thursday 24 June, provision has been made for discussion of the first non- Executive business on a motion from the Scottish National party. The debate is expected to be about the privatisation of public services, although that is subject to confirmation. Details of the motion will be published in advance in the business bulletin.
On the afternoon of 24 June, it is intended that there will be a further question time and open question time, which will be followed by a ministerial statement on financial issues and, thereafter, a debate on the economy of Scotland.
It is proposed that the last meeting of Parliament before the summer recess should be held on the morning of Friday 2 July. It is intended that the business that day will comprise question time and open question time, followed by a debate on Executive business.
I move,
That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business:
Wednesday 23 June 1999
2.30 pm Statement by the Deputy First Minister on Freedom of Information followed by, no later than 3.00 pm Ministerial Statement on
Consultation on the Education Bill followed by Executive Debate on Devolved
Legislation to be considered by the
UK Parliament followed by Parliamentary Bureau business to include:
Motion that the Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 1999 be considered by the Parliament (to be taken without debate)
Motion on days when the Office of the Clerk is open (to be taken without debate)
5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members' Business
Debate on the subject of motion S1M-47 in the name of Brian Adam
To be concluded no later than 30 minutes after the commencement of the debate without any question being put.
Thursday 24 June 1999
9.30 am Non-Executive Business (on a motion from the SNP) followed by Business Motion 2.30 pm Question Time 3.00 pm Open Question Time followed by, no later than 3.15 pm Ministerial Statement on Financial Issues followed by Executive Debate on the Economy of Scotland
5.00 pm Decision Time Friday 2 July
9.30 am Question Time 10.00 am Open Question Time followed by, no later than 10.15 am Executive Business
There are no requests from any member to speak against the motion, so I will put the question. The question is, that motion S1M-55, in the name of Mr Tom McCabe, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
Question, That the meeting be now adjourned until 2.30 pm today, put and agreed to.—[Iain Smith.]
Meeting adjourned at 13:02.
On resuming—