Business Motion
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-2864, 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 1 June 2005
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement on Scotland and Africa
3.05 pm Local Government and Transport Committee Debate: 4th Report 2005, Inquiry into issues arising from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 2 June 2005
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Preliminary Stage Debate: Baird Trust Reorganisation Bill
followed by Executive Debate: Antisocial Behaviour
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport;
Finance and Public Services and Communities
2.55 pm Stage 3 Proceedings: Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 8 June 2005
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 9 June 2005
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Environment and Rural Development;
Health and Community Care
2.55 pm Stage 3 Proceedings: Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
Tricia Marwick wishes to speak against the motion.
At the Parliamentary Bureau yesterday, Opposition members indicated that we believed that 45 minutes was insufficient for the ministerial statement and questions on the Kerr report. We requested more time. One of the reasons that the Executive members gave for refusing to extend the time for the ministerial statement was that the Parliament would also have an opportunity for a debate on the Kerr report. When the Executive members were pressed on when that debate would take place, they would not give a date, so I reserved my right to oppose the business motion today. However, few members of the bureau could have expected the astonishing news from Andy Kerr today that the proposed debate will not take place until after the summer recess.
It is unacceptable that the debate will not take place until at least three months after the publication of the report. Mr Andy Kerr said that he wishes in the intervening period to listen to views. It is obvious that he does not wish to listen to the views of members of the Parliament.
Members of the public, some of whom have been involved in local campaigns to protect local services and who were instrumental in forcing the Executive to conduct the review in the first place, will be astonished that MSPs are not being given the opportunity to express a view. Before the Minister for Parliamentary Business raises the red herring of Scottish National Party time tomorrow, I remind her that if we had wanted to have a debate on the Kerr report, we would have had to lodge a motion on Tuesday, a day before we saw the report.
Does Tricia Marwick agree that, generally, when the Executive makes a statement of the type that it has made today on a matter of far-reaching consequence, every effort should be made to debate it fully within three working weeks?
I concur fully with the Conservative business manager on that point.
Mr Andy Kerr also said that the timing of the debate was a matter for the Parliamentary Bureau. It is not—it is a matter for the Parliament. Members should oppose the business motion because that will send a message to Executive ministers that we need and should have an interim debate on the Kerr report before the summer recess.
Yet again, the SNP and the Tories do not fail to surprise me. I wish that they expended as much energy on the substance of health issues in Scotland as on the process of debate. I note that more Tories are arguing about when the debate should be than were here to question Mr Andy Kerr.
This is not a time for cheap political points; it is a time for a degree of rationality. The greatest compliment that I can pay to Tricia Marwick is that she is being a little disingenuous, at best. Business managers are well aware that the Parliament faces a considerable workload between now and the summer recess. That workload has been generated as much by Opposition parties as by the Executive. It includes four stage 3 debates, four stage 1 debates, two committee days and two non-Executive days. [Interruption.] I hear Mr McLetchie shout that they are our bills. I understand that the Tory party does not really appreciate devolution, but we are here to legislate and will do so.
On a point of order. It was Mr Monteith who made the comment.
Perhaps Mr Monteith is concerned about being confused with his leader. He may need to think about that problem.
Given that the publication of the Kerr report and the minister's statement took place only this afternoon, surely common sense dictates that we need a period of time in which to consider in depth the report's implications before embarking on a debate. In all seriousness, my colleagues in the Parliamentary Bureau must recognise that I make every attempt to meet requests from other business managers. They know that there are many demands on our time and that a balance needs to be struck. We have substantial work to get through.
This is a major report that needs careful consideration. The Executive has made it abundantly clear that we are happy to debate the substance of the report. We need to adopt a rational approach; we need to give the report the time that it deserves; and we need to be reasonable and consistent. That is what we will do and that is why members should support the business motion this afternoon.
The question is, that motion S2M-2864, in the name of Margaret Curran, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
No.
There will be a division.
For
Alexander, Ms Wendy (Paisley North) (Lab)
Arbuckle, Mr Andrew (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Baker, Richard (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Barrie, Scott (Dunfermline West) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Edinburgh Central) (Lab)
Brankin, Rhona (Midlothian) (Lab)
Brown, Robert (Glasgow) (LD)
Butler, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab)
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)
Ferguson, Patricia (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab)
Finnie, Ross (West of Scotland) (LD)
Gillon, Karen (Clydesdale) (Lab)
Glen, Marlyn (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Godman, Trish (West Renfrewshire) (Lab)
Gorrie, Donald (Central Scotland) (LD)
Henry, Hugh (Paisley South) (Lab)
Home Robertson, John (East Lothian) (Lab)
Hughes, Janis (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab)
Jackson, Dr Sylvia (Stirling) (Lab)
Jamieson, Cathy (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab)
Jamieson, Margaret (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
Kerr, Mr Andy (East Kilbride) (Lab)
Lamont, Johann (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab)
Livingstone, Marilyn (Kirkcaldy) (Lab)
Lyon, George (Argyll and Bute) (LD)
Macdonald, Lewis (Aberdeen Central) (Lab)
Macintosh, Mr Kenneth (Eastwood) (Lab)
Maclean, Kate (Dundee West) (Lab)
Macmillan, Maureen (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Martin, Paul (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab)
May, Christine (Central Fife) (Lab)
McAveety, Mr Frank (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab)
McCabe, Mr Tom (Hamilton South) (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)
Pringle, Mike (Edinburgh South) (LD)
Purvis, Jeremy (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD)
Radcliffe, Nora (Gordon) (LD)
Robson, Euan (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD)
Rumbles, Mike (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD)
Scott, Tavish (Shetland) (LD)
Smith, Elaine (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab)
Smith, Iain (North East Fife) (LD)
Smith, Margaret (Edinburgh West) (LD)
Stephen, Nicol (Aberdeen South) (LD)
Stone, Mr Jamie (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
Wallace, Mr Jim (Orkney) (LD)
Watson, Mike (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab)
Whitefield, Karen (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab)
Wilson, Allan (Cunninghame North) (Lab)
Against
Adam, Brian (Aberdeen North) (SNP)
Aitken, Bill (Glasgow) (Con)
Baird, Shiona (North East Scotland) (Green)
Ballance, Chris (South of Scotland) (Green)
Ballard, Mark (Lothians) (Green)
Brocklebank, Mr Ted (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Canavan, Dennis (Falkirk West) (Ind)
Crawford, Bruce (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
Davidson, Mr David (North East Scotland) (Con)
Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James (Lothians) (Con)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP)
Ewing, Mrs Margaret (Moray) (SNP)
Fabiani, Linda (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Fergusson, Alex (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con)
Fox, Colin (Lothians) (SSP)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallie, Phil (South of Scotland) (Con)
Gibson, Rob (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Harper, Robin (Lothians) (Green)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Hyslop, Fiona (Lothians) (SNP)
Ingram, Mr Adam (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Johnstone, Alex (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kane, Rosie (Glasgow) (SSP)
Leckie, Carolyn (Central Scotland) (SSP)
Lochhead, Richard (North East Scotland) (SNP)
MacAskill, Mr Kenny (Lothians) (SNP)
Marwick, Tricia (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
Mather, Jim (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Matheson, Michael (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Maxwell, Mr Stewart (West of Scotland) (SNP)
McFee, Mr Bruce (West of Scotland) (SNP)
McLetchie, David (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con)
Milne, Mrs Nanette (North East Scotland) (Con)
Monteith, Mr Brian (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Morgan, Alasdair (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Neil, Alex (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee East) (SNP)
Ruskell, Mr Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Scanlon, Mary (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Scott, Eleanor (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Stevenson, Stewart (Banff and Buchan) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow) (SNP)
Swinburne, John (Central Scotland) (SSCUP)
Swinney, Mr John (North Tayside) (SNP)
Tosh, Murray (West of Scotland) (Con)
Welsh, Mr Andrew (Angus) (SNP)
White, Ms Sandra (Glasgow) (SNP)
The result of the division is: For 65, Against 49, Abstentions 0.
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 1 June 2005
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement on Scotland and Africa
3.05 pm Local Government and Transport Committee Debate: 4th Report 2005, Inquiry into issues arising from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 2 June 2005
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Preliminary Stage Debate: Baird Trust Reorganisation Bill
followed by Executive Debate: Antisocial Behaviour
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport;
Finance and Public Services and Communities
2.55 pm Stage 3 Proceedings: Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 8 June 2005
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 9 June 2005
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Environment and Rural Development;
Health and Community Care
2.55 pm Stage 3 Proceedings: Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business.