Business Motions
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S4M-08355, in the name of Joe FitzPatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out a stage 2 timetable for the Landfill Tax (Scotland) Bill.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Landfill Tax (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 28 November 2013.—[Joe FitzPatrick.]
Motion agreed to.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S4M-08356, in the name of Joe FitzPatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out a stage 2 timetable for the Tribunals (Scotland) Bill.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Tribunals (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 21 February 2014.—[Joe FitzPatrick.]
Motion agreed to.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S4M-08364, in the name of Joe FitzPatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Tuesday 26 November 2013
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Ministerial Statement: Independence White Paper
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 27 November 2013
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Portfolio Questions
Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Independence White Paper
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 28 November 2013
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.30 pm Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions
followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Independent Expert Review of Opioid Replacement Therapies in Scotland
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 3 December 2013
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 4 December 2013
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions
Rural Affairs and the Environment;
Justice and the Law Officers
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 5 December 2013
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.30 pm Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time—[Joe FitzPatrick.]
Paul Martin has asked to speak against the business motion. Mr Martin, you have up to five minutes.
19:58
I rise on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party to oppose the business motion in the name of Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau.
Members will note that, next Tuesday, after great debate, there will be a statement on the independence white paper. However, the sting in the tail is that the Scottish Government will arrange for an inspired parliamentary question next Tuesday morning so that it can launch the white paper at an event in the Glasgow science centre, clearly sidelining the role of the Scottish Parliament.
The arrogance and contempt that the Scottish Government displays for the Parliament is beyond belief. It makes no sense to anyone other than the Scottish Government that, on the very day that it will apparently set out its vision for the future of Scotland, it will sideline the role of the Parliament.
I will make clear our position, which I understand is the position of the other main parties that are represented on the Parliamentary Bureau. Next Tuesday, there should be a statement to the Parliament first—[Interruption.]
Order. Can we hear the member speak, please?
There should be a statement to the Parliament first, with the white paper being launched and released to the Parliament at the same time. It is the Government’s business if the First Minister wants to massage his already inflated ego by then presenting the white paper to a very carefully selected audience in the Glasgow science centre.
It is the media. [Laughter.]
Order. Could members please settle down? We have just had the most fantastic debate, which was conducted in a great spirit of respect across the chamber, so could we now have the same kind of respect for members who are speaking?
The chamber is not the Government’s selected audience; it is elected democratically by the Scottish people. The principles that we stand for are written on the parliamentary mace before you, Presiding Officer: wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity. What we see before us in the business programme ensures that the Government has no respect for those words. We oppose the business motion in the name of Joe FitzPatrick.
I call Joe FitzPatrick to respond. You have up to five minutes.
20:00
Thank you very much. That makes 10 minutes that we could have spent continuing the debate that we just had. It was a fantastic debate and a great advert for this Parliament. [Interruption.]
Order.
The language that has been used by some Opposition members about next week’s business has been nothing short of ridiculous—although I could use other words—especially when we consider that, just last week, during the landmark passing of the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill at stage 3, they showed little interest in the referendum. Of the last nine speakers in last week’s debate, none came from the no parties. They could have pressed their buttons, but they all sat on their hands. [Interruption.]
Order.
The rank hypocrisy of the Opposition on this issue today is further exposed when we look at their behaviour in the chamber just four years ago.
Mr FitzPatrick, could you address the motion?
Absolutely. I am addressing the motion and Mr Martin’s speech.
The Government, which was then a minority, was delayed in holding a debate on a similar publication on Scotland’s future because the Opposition voted to block it. That hypocrisy is there on the record for all to see.
To be clear, the Scottish Government is proposing that an inspired parliamentary question will be answered on Tuesday morning prior to the launch, which will be a press conference. The answer to the IPQ will include access for members to the full contents of the white paper and hard copies will be lodged in the Scottish Parliament information centre. The Deputy First Minister will then make a ministerial statement on Tuesday afternoon and on Wednesday there will be a full parliamentary debate, allowing the better together members to bring their combined wisdom to bear in the chamber. To any reasonable person, that would seem to be a comprehensive and balanced proposal.
On the opening day of this Parliament in 1999, Donald Dewar said many things that are often quoted. I will quote just one:
“A Scottish Parliament. Not an end: a means to greater ends.”
Perhaps the feigned outrage of the MSPs from the no camp is because they know that next Tuesday marks a significant milestone in Scotland’s journey to those greater ends: an independent Parliament with the powers to build a better—[Interruption.]
Order. We will hear the member.
—fairer and more prosperous Scotland.
The question is, that motion S4M-08364, in the name of Joe FitzPatrick, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
There will be a division.
For
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Allan, Dr Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Allard, Christian (North East Scotland) (SNP)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Biagi, Marco (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Brodie, Chic (South Scotland) (SNP)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Burgess, Margaret (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
Campbell, Aileen (Clydesdale) (SNP)
Campbell, Roderick (North East Fife) (SNP)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
Crawford, Bruce (Stirling) (SNP)
Cunningham, Roseanna (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don, Nigel (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Eadie, Jim (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
Ewing, Annabelle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
Fabiani, Linda (East Kilbride) (SNP)
Finnie, John (Highlands and Islands) (Ind)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gibson, Rob (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Ingram, Adam (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Johnstone, Alison (Lothian) (Green)
Keir, Colin (Edinburgh Western) (SNP)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
Lyle, Richard (Central Scotland) (SNP)
MacAskill, Kenny (Edinburgh Eastern) (SNP)
MacDonald, Angus (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Mackay, Derek (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
MacKenzie, Mike (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAlpine, Joan (South Scotland) (SNP)
McDonald, Mark (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP)
McLeod, Aileen (South Scotland) (SNP)
McLeod, Fiona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
McMillan, Stuart (West Scotland) (SNP)
Neil, Alex (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
Paterson, Gil (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
Robertson, Dennis (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Russell, Michael (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Salmond, Alex (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Stevenson, Stewart (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP)
Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Urquhart, Jean (Highlands and Islands) (Ind)
Watt, Maureen (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
White, Sandra (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Wilson, John (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow) (SNP)
Against
Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Baker, Richard (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Baxter, Jayne (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Beamish, Claudia (South Scotland) (Lab)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
Brown, Gavin (Lothian) (Con)
Buchanan, Cameron (Lothian) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (West Scotland) (Con)
Chisholm, Malcolm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Davidson, Ruth (Glasgow) (Con)
Dugdale, Kezia (Lothian) (Lab)
Fee, Mary (West Scotland) (Lab)
Fergusson, Alex (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Findlay, Neil (Lothian) (Lab)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Goldie, Annabel (West Scotland) (Con)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Gray, Iain (East Lothian) (Lab)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Henry, Hugh (Renfrewshire South) (Lab)
Hilton, Cara (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Hume, Jim (South Scotland) (LD)
Johnstone, Alex (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kelly, James (Rutherglen) (Lab)
Lamont, Johann (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab)
Lamont, John (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Macdonald, Lewis (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Macintosh, Ken (Eastwood) (Lab)
Malik, Hanzala (Glasgow) (Lab)
Marra, Jenny (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Martin, Paul (Glasgow Provan) (Lab)
McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD)
McCulloch, Margaret (Central Scotland) (Lab)
McDougall, Margaret (West Scotland) (Lab)
McGrigor, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
McInnes, Alison (North East Scotland) (LD)
McMahon, Michael (Uddingston and Bellshill) (Lab)
McMahon, Siobhan (Central Scotland) (Lab)
McNeil, Duncan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab)
McTaggart, Anne (Glasgow) (Lab)
Milne, Nanette (North East Scotland) (Con)
Mitchell, Margaret (Central Scotland) (Con)
Murray, Elaine (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Pearson, Graeme (South Scotland) (Lab)
Pentland, John (Motherwell and Wishaw) (Lab)
Rennie, Willie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
Scanlon, Mary (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Scott, John (Ayr) (Con)
Smith, Drew (Glasgow) (Lab)
Smith, Elaine (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Stewart, David (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
The result of the division is: For 64, Against 54, Abstentions 0.
Motion agreed to.