Plenary, 19 Jun 2002

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 19, 2002

Official Report 405KB pdf

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Presiding Officer's Ruling

Before we come to decision time, I refer back—

On a point of order, Presiding Officer.

I was just going to deal with two points of order that I heard earlier. Do you think that I could do that first?

If we could hear you, we might be able to understand what the points of order are, Presiding Officer. We cannot hear a word back here. There must be something wrong with your microphone.

I am sorry about that. I will speak loudly and, if everybody keeps quiet, I will rule on the two points of order that were raised this afternoon.

Mr Sheridan raised a point of order concerning a Labour party briefing that he said was issued in advance of the Executive's release of the interim report of the expert panel on school meals. I have had the opportunity to look into the matter as I promised I would, and I have been assured that the Labour party resource centre briefing was released at 12 noon today, which was 18 hours after the Minister for Education and Young People issued the report to all members at 6.30 last night. That is the answer.

Further to my earlier point of order, Presiding Officer. Can you investigate why the briefing was dated 18 June, not 19 June?

I have no knowledge of that. What is more, I understand that Mr Sheridan is invited to go and look at the documents if he wants.

I will do that.

Very good.

I turn to Mr Neil's point of order about the time for tomorrow's stage 1 debate on the School Meals (Scotland) Bill. The opportunity to raise that point came when business motion S1M-3202 was put to the Parliament last week. You all agreed it. There is nothing more that I can do about it.

On a point of order.

May I finish? You all agreed to the time for the debate. You have asked me, Mr Neil, whether I could set aside some of the time for front benchers and increase the time for back benchers. The arrangements for that are the subject of an agreement among all the parties. Although the Presiding Officer is used to being unpopular with one party at any time, to be unpopular with all four at the same time would be a bit foolish. Therefore, I do not propose to upset the arrangement that has been made between the business managers.