The next item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-4815, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 27 September 2006
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Crofting Reform etc. Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Crofting Reform etc. Bill
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 28 September 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish National Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
2.55 pm Ministerial Statement: Right to Buy
followed by Stage 1 Debate: St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 4 October 2006
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Executive Business
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 5 October 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Executive Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
2.55 pm Executive Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
Does the minister agree that the complexity of the Crofting Reform etc Bill, the stage 1 debate on which is proposed for next Wednesday, makes it all the more urgent that the Minister for Environment and Rural Development should respond as soon as possible to the Environment and Rural Development Committee's stage 1 report, which was published in June? That is two and a half months ago and we are now less than a week from the proposed debate. Will the minister say whether her response has been delivered this afternoon since the committee met, or whether it will be delivered to us in time to allow us to consult our constituents prior to next Wednesday?
I acknowledge Rob Gibson's concern. He is right to indicate that the committee's report was very detailed. As the member knows, crofting legislation is complex. We thought that it was important to get a good-quality response back to the committee, so we have taken time to ensure that we do that. The Executive's response will be with the committee by the close of play tomorrow.
The question is, that motion S2M-4815, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 27 September 2006
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Crofting Reform etc. Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Crofting Reform etc. Bill
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 28 September 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish National Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
2.55 pm Ministerial Statement: Right to Buy
followed by Stage 1 Debate: St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 4 October 2006
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Executive Business
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 5 October 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Executive Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
2.55 pm Executive Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-4816, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for legislation.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 10 November 2006.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
Motion agreed to.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-4817, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for legislation.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 24 November 2006.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
I understand that various issues arose when the matter was dealt with this morning at the Justice 1 Committee. That leads me to the view that, had the full information with regard to the timetabling of a number of pieces of legislation been available yesterday at the Parliamentary Bureau meeting, the bureau would not have been of a mind to agree the timetable motion today. I think that other members have expressed concerns in that respect. Margaret Mitchell, the Conservative party's representative on the Justice 1 Committee, has raised the issue with me and I await a report from her.
I am grateful to Bill Aitken for giving way. I support his remarks and I confirm that members of the Justice 1 Committee have concerns about an intolerable workload. However, we are more concerned about the detailed scrutiny of the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Bill. We got a detailed 40-page document in response to our report and we need time to take it in, so the proposed timetable will be difficult for us. I am sure that Bill Aitken would agree that voting to accept the timetable should not close the door on our going to the Parliamentary Bureau if we find that the timetable is becoming unbearable.
I agree with that. We must bear in mind the procedures with which we must deal, so the solution might well be to agree the timetable motion today and then look to the Minister for Parliamentary Business to investigate the matter and meet the interested parties to ascertain how it can be resolved. If necessary, we can take the matter back to the Parliamentary Bureau. There appears to be a real issue here.
I thank Bill Aitken and Pauline McNeill for giving me notice of their intention to raise their points.
The question is, that motion S2M-4817, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for legislation, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 24 November 2006.
The next item of business is consideration of business motions S2M-4818 and S2M-4819, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for legislation.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 3 November 2006.
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 12 January 2007.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
Motions agreed to.
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