Decision Time
There are three questions to be put as a result of today's business. The first question is, that motion S1M-3730, in the name of Jim Wallace, that the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill be passed, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
No.
There will be a division.
For
Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Barrie, Scott (Dunfermline West) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Edinburgh Central) (Lab)
Brankin, Rhona (Midlothian) (Lab)
Brown, Robert (Glasgow) (LD)
Butler, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab)
Canavan, Dennis (Falkirk West)
Chisholm, Malcolm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab)
Craigie, Cathie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab)
Curran, Ms Margaret (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab)
Deacon, Susan (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)
Eadie, Helen (Dunfermline East) (Lab)
Elder, Dorothy-Grace (Glasgow) (Ind)
Fabiani, Linda (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Ferguson, Patricia (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab)
Fitzpatrick, Brian (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab)
Gillon, Karen (Clydesdale) (Lab)
Gorrie, Donald (Central Scotland) (LD)
Grahame, Christine (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Harper, Robin (Lothians) (Grn)
Henry, Hugh (Paisley South) (Lab)
Home Robertson, Mr John (East Lothian) (Lab)
Hughes, Janis (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab)
Jackson, Dr Sylvia (Stirling) (Lab)
Jackson, Gordon (Glasgow Govan) (Lab)
Jamieson, Cathy (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab)
Jamieson, Margaret (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
Jenkins, Ian (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD)
Lamont, Johann (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab)
Livingstone, Marilyn (Kirkcaldy) (Lab)
Lyon, George (Argyll and Bute) (LD)
MacAskill, Mr Kenny (Lothians) (SNP)
Macdonald, Lewis (Aberdeen Central) (Lab)
MacDonald, Margo (Lothians) (Ind)
Macintosh, Mr Kenneth (Eastwood) (Lab)
MacKay, Angus (Edinburgh South) (Lab)
Maclean, Kate (Dundee West) (Lab)
Macmillan, Maureen (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Martin, Paul (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab)
McAllion, Mr John (Dundee East) (Lab)
McAveety, Mr Frank (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab)
McCabe, Mr Tom (Hamilton South) (Lab)
McLeish, Henry (Central Fife) (Lab)
McMahon, Michael (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab)
McNeil, Mr Duncan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab)
McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab)
McNulty, Des (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab)
Morrison, Mr Alasdair (Western Isles) (Lab)
Muldoon, Bristow (Livingston) (Lab)
Mulligan, Mrs Mary (Linlithgow) (Lab)
Munro, John Farquhar (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD)
Murray, Dr Elaine (Dumfries) (Lab)
Oldfather, Irene (Cunninghame South) (Lab)
Peacock, Peter (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Peattie, Cathy (Falkirk East) (Lab)
Radcliffe, Nora (Gordon) (LD)
Raffan, Mr Keith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
Robison, Shona (North-East Scotland) (SNP)
Robson, Euan (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD)
Rumbles, Mr Mike (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD)
Scott, Tavish (Shetland) (LD)
Simpson, Dr Richard (Ochil) (Lab)
Smith, Iain (North-East Fife) (LD)
Smith, Mrs Margaret (Edinburgh West) (LD)
Stone, Mr Jamie (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
Thomson, Elaine (Aberdeen North) (Lab)
Wallace, Mr Jim (Orkney) (LD)
Welsh, Mr Andrew (Angus) (SNP)
White, Ms Sandra (Glasgow) (SNP)
Whitefield, Karen (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab)
Wilson, Allan (Cunninghame North) (Lab)
Abstentions
Aitken, Bill (Glasgow) (Con)
Davidson, Mr David (North-East Scotland) (Con)
Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James (Lothians) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallie, Phil (South of Scotland) (Con)
Goldie, Miss Annabel (West of Scotland) (Con)
Harding, Mr Keith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Johnstone, Alex (North-East Scotland) (Con)
McGugan, Irene (North-East Scotland) (SNP)
McIntosh, Mrs Lyndsay (Central Scotland) (Con)
McLeod, Fiona (West of Scotland) (SNP)
Monteith, Mr Brian (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Mundell, David (South of Scotland) (Con)
Scott, John (Ayr) (Con)
Young, John (West of Scotland) (Con)
The result of the division is: For 71, Against 0, Abstentions 15.
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees that the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill be passed.
The next question is, that motion S1M-3757, in the name of Margaret Curran, on the passing of the Building (Scotland) Bill, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees that the Building (Scotland) Bill be passed.
The third and final question is, that motion S1M-3917, in the name of Patricia Ferguson, on the approval of a special grant report, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees that the Special Grant Report No.1: Special Grant for Scotland Asylum Seeker Assistance - Report by Scottish Ministers (SE/2003/15) be approved.
That concludes decision time.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Is not it the practice in Parliament that anything that a man—or woman, for that matter—says when addressing members in the chamber is the member's responsibility and is not the responsibility of the Presiding Officer? Was not it the case in an earlier debate when Mr Jim Wallace intervened—or raised his point of order—on Mr McLetchie, that the Presiding Officer made a judgment on what had been said and gave an opinion at that time?
Such issues are covered by the requirement that members be courteous and respectful. I do not want to make an instant judgment on the matter to which Mr Gallie referred; I will have to see the Official Report of the debate. I make no judgment at this point, but I have said simply that the Presiding Officer, who has sent me a note, will agree to consider the matter as it appears in the Official Report and will come back to the Liberal Democrats—and, indeed, to you, Mr Gallie, because you have raised the point—early next week. I hope that that is acceptable. [Interruption.]
Order—there is another point of order. If we are having points of order, perhaps members could sit or leave the chamber.
Can the Deputy Presiding Officer tell us why on this occasion—because members have previously presented misleading information in the chamber—the Presiding Officer has decided to look into the matter?
We do not always have to give reasons, but it seems to me to be perfectly reasonable for Sir David Steel to take the view that, until he has read the Official Report on the matter, he will make no judgment. As I said, Mr Matheson, no judgment has been reached. There has simply been an agreement to read the Official Report and to come back to the Liberals and Mr Gallie—and, indeed, to you, Mr Matheson—at the beginning of next week.
I have a serious point of order. I have raised previously what I regarded as points of order, but I was ruled against by the Presiding Officer. I accepted those rulings because I assume—I think that standing orders will bear me out—that it is the job of the Presiding Officer to decide on what is and is not pertinent, what is trivial and what is worthy of further consideration.
I put it to you, Presiding Officer, that what happened earlier this afternoon is not worthy of further consideration.
I was not in the Presiding Officer's chair at that time. I cannot add anything to the remarks that I made to the Liberal Democrats when they raised the matter. Sir David Steel will consider the matter and will come back to you as well, Ms MacDonald, early next week.
We can now move on to the members' business debate.