To allow members to consider the amendments that have been lodged at stage 2 of the Criminal Procedure (Legal Assistance, Detention and Appeals) (Scotland) Bill, I will suspend the meeting until 5 o’clock.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
I will take Patrick Harvie’s point of order first.
This is the first that we have heard of a change of timing. The amendments that have been lodged were circulated recently to members by e-mail, without any indication that the timing of the process would change. Can you provide an indication of the expected timescale for the rest of the process and indicate at what point it was decided that the time at which stage 2 would start, which was previously 4.20, should change?
The Presiding Officer took the decision that members would wish to have a bit longer to consider the amendments. I cannot answer the last part of the question—which was not a point of order—at the moment, but I will do so as soon as I can. Does Margo MacDonald have the same point of order?
My point of order refers to the code that is established when members are sworn in as members of Parliament. The clear implication is that we will produce to the best of our ability legislation that is required by the people whom we serve. I suggest that we are not doing that this afternoon. What we produce may be correct, but it will be subject to much less scrutiny than such an important piece of legislation requires. I request that we consult standing orders to see whether there is any other way of treating the matter properly.
That is not a point of order, but you have put your comments on the record. I suspect strongly that the Presiding Officer has allowed a suspension simply because members want longer to examine the amendments that have been lodged.
Further to my earlier point of order, Presiding Officer, in what way is a query about the timing of decision time not a point of order? If it is not, how are we to find out when decision time will be?
It was not about decision time—we were about to consider a bill at stage 2. Those proceedings will now start at 5 o’clock.