Business Motions
The next item is consideration of business motion S2M-5237, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a revision to this week's business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees the following revision to the programme of business for Thursday 30 November 2006—
after,
2.55 pm Conclusion of Stage 3 Proceedings: Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Bill
insert,
followed by Executive Motion: Membership of the Committee of the Regions.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
Motion agreed to.
The next item is consideration of business motion S2M-5238, 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 6 December 2006
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Executive Debate: Civic Participation – Trade Union Engagement with Scotland's Civic Society
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 7 December 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Health and Community Care;
Environment and Rural Development
2.55 pm Conclusion of Stage 3 Proceedings: Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill
followed by Executive Debate: Fisheries
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 13 December 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 14 December 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning;
Justice and Law Officers
2.55 pm Conclusion of Stage 3 Proceedings: Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
With five members' bills now effectively being blocked at the committee stages by various committees, the Parliament is facing a crisis of confidence and credibility among the very people we have asked to engage with. This Parliament was supposed to be different from Westminster. Its founding principles were those of inclusion and engagement with civic Scotland. [Interruption.]
Order.
The ability to introduce a member's bill to the Parliament is seen as an opportunity for voluntary sector organisations, charities, trade unions and civic organisations not just to lobby over legislation or get wheeled in to give evidence at committees, but to be involved in drafting legislation, making the case to both MSPs and the people of Scotland. The decision not to progress those members' bills at committee and the lack of a solution from the Parliamentary Bureau has ripped up the founding principles of the Parliament and the consensus that exists.
The Education (School Meals etc) (Scotland) Bill—the free school meals bill that I introduced—is supported by a monthly campaign group involving children's charities, voluntary sector organisations and lone parents organisations. They have invested enormous amounts of time, energy and resources in the bill. The group carried out an excellent consultation, in response to which 519 responses were submitted. Those came from key stakeholders, head teachers, health professionals and education authorities.
The Parliamentary Bureau set the cut-off date and the timetable for all the bills to which I have referred. The committees knew that the bills were on their way. The committee clerks were working with me months before the cut-off date, and they were planning the committees' workload. At that time, the bureau changed the remit covering my bill so that it was held not by the Education Committee but by the Communities Committee.
Now, there is no incentive for those who introduce members' bills to do the job properly by taking the time, carrying out the consultation and ensuring that it reaches people other than the usual suspects that Executive consultations go to. The Executive's Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill is being rushed through, despite the fact that there were considerably fewer responses to the consultation for that bill than there were to the consultation for the Education (School Meals etc) (Scotland) Bill.
The Executive parties have displayed cynical behaviour. We have the ridiculous situation that the Finance Committee finished taking evidence on my bill three weeks ago—it took evidence on my bill and the Executive's bill simultaneously—yet the Communities Committee cannae find the time, despite the fact that my bill was referred to it six weeks ago. I have finally obtained a copy of the Communities Committee's workload. I am not saying that that committee does not work hard but, out of its entire workload, there is only one bill—the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill. There are five months of the session left, and the committee has nearly finished taking evidence at stage 1 on that one bill. Why are we not prioritising other proposed legislation—one more bill? Three members' bills have been knocked back, and not even one of them can get on to the Communities Committee's agenda.
The credibility of the Parliament is under pressure. This Parliament is here not only to pass Executive legislation but—[Interruption.]
I am sorry to interrupt again, Ms Curran. Other members really should listen to what is being said.
However, that is where we are heading. The criteria for members' bills have been changed three times. Now, given the timetable that has been set by the bureau, five members' bills are not going to be considered. We now have a conveyer belt for Government legislation. Welcome to Westminster mark 2.
I ask for the business motion to be referred back to the Parliamentary Bureau so that it can come forward with time on the agenda for discussing the crisis that we are now in with members' bills. If no solution is found, the Parliament has a problem of credibility with its founding principles and its engagement with civic Scotland. I oppose the business motion.
I think that Frances Curran is guilty of some degree of exaggeration in her argument. She does a great disservice to the Parliament and to the many members who serve on its committees, working very hard and discharging their responsibilities honourably. She needs to look at the evidence. Over the past four years, the Parliament has passed many members' bills that have come from among the different parties and, in doing so, members have discharged their responsibilities expertly.
We have a particular problem at this juncture. Dissolution is upon us and a range of members' bills and other bills have to be dealt with. Discussion at the Parliamentary Bureau has been thorough and non-partisan and we have attempted to deal with the issues that we face.
Presiding Officer, you ruled earlier on the bureau's decision on the referral of members' bills and I have nothing to add to that—the matter is now finished. It seems to me that the most appropriate course of action is for the Procedures Committee to consider the structure of members' bills and the time that is allocated to them, which it has indicated that it will do. It is not within my gift to find more parliamentary time—I just cannot do that—but the Procedures Committee has a role in considering the matter.
Given that the pressure that we face is one of time, it is particularly unhelpful of Frances Curran to suggest that I find more time to debate her bill, because that is not a feasible option. I ask members to acknowledge the challenges that the bureau faces and the fact that it has tried to address the issues raised and to pass the business motion.
The question is, that motion S2M-5238, in the name of Margaret Curran, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
No.
There will be a division.
For
Adam, Brian (Aberdeen North) (SNP)
Aitken, Bill (Glasgow) (Con)
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)
Brocklebank, Mr Ted (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Brown, Robert (Glasgow) (LD)
Brownlee, Derek (South of Scotland) (Con)
Butler, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab)
Canavan, Dennis (Falkirk West) (Ind)
Chisholm, Malcolm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab)
Craigie, Cathie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab)
Crawford, Bruce (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
Cunningham, Roseanna (Perth) (SNP)
Curran, Ms Margaret (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab)
Davidson, Mr David (North East Scotland) (Con)
Deacon, Susan (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)
Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James (Lothians) (Con)
Eadie, Helen (Dunfermline East) (Lab)
Fabiani, Linda (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Ferguson, Patricia (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab)
Fergusson, Alex (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con)
Finnie, Ross (West of Scotland) (LD)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallie, Phil (South of Scotland) (Con)
Gibson, Rob (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Gillon, Karen (Clydesdale) (Lab)
Glen, Marlyn (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Goldie, Miss Annabel (West of Scotland) (Con)
Gordon, Mr Charlie (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab)
Gorrie, Donald (Central Scotland) (LD)
Grahame, Christine (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Henry, Hugh (Paisley South) (Lab)
Home Robertson, John (East Lothian) (Lab)
Hughes, Janis (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab)
Hyslop, Fiona (Lothians) (SNP)
Ingram, Mr Adam (South of Scotland) (SNP)
Jackson, Dr Sylvia (Stirling) (Lab)
Jackson, Gordon (Glasgow Govan) (Lab)
Jamieson, Cathy (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab)
Jamieson, Margaret (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
Johnstone, Alex (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Mr Andy (East Kilbride) (Lab)
Lamont, Johann (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab)
Livingstone, Marilyn (Kirkcaldy) (Lab)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
Lyon, George (Argyll and Bute) (LD)
MacAskill, Mr Kenny (Lothians) (SNP)
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)
Marwick, Tricia (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
Matheson, Michael (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Maxwell, Mr Stewart (West of Scotland) (SNP)
May, Christine (Central Fife) (Lab)
McAveety, Mr Frank (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab)
McCabe, Mr Tom (Hamilton South) (Lab)
McConnell, Mr Jack (Motherwell and Wishaw) (Lab)
McFee, Mr Bruce (West of Scotland) (SNP)
McGrigor, Mr Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
McLetchie, David (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con)
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)
Milne, Mrs Nanette (North East Scotland) (Con)
Mitchell, Margaret (Central Scotland) (Con)
Morgan, Alasdair (South of Scotland) (SNP)
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)
Neil, Alex (Central Scotland) (SNP)
Oldfather, Irene (Cunninghame South) (Lab)
Peattie, Cathy (Falkirk East) (Lab)
Petrie, Dave (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
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, John (Ayr) (Con)
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)
Stevenson, Stewart (Banff and Buchan) (SNP)
Stone, Mr Jamie (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow) (SNP)
Swinney, Mr John (North Tayside) (SNP)
Tosh, Murray (West of Scotland) (Con)
Wallace, Mr Jim (Orkney) (LD)
Watt, Ms Maureen (North East Scotland) (SNP)
Welsh, Mr Andrew (Angus) (SNP)
White, Ms Sandra (Glasgow) (SNP)
Whitefield, Karen (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab)
Wilson, Allan (Cunninghame North) (Lab)
Against
Alexander, Ms Wendy (Paisley North) (Lab)
Baird, Shiona (North East Scotland) (Green)
Ballance, Chris (South of Scotland) (Green)
Ballard, Mark (Lothians) (Green)
Byrne, Ms Rosemary (South of Scotland) (Sol)
Curran, Frances (West of Scotland) (SSP)
Harper, Robin (Lothians) (Green)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Leckie, Carolyn (Central Scotland) (SSP)
Monteith, Mr Brian (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Ind)
Ruskell, Mr Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Scott, Eleanor (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Sheridan, Tommy (Glasgow) (Sol)
Abstentions
MacDonald, Margo (Lothians) (Ind)
Martin, Campbell (West of Scotland) (Ind)
Swinburne, John (Central Scotland) (SSCUP)
Turner, Dr Jean (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind)
The result of the division is: For 104, Against 13, Abstentions 4.
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 6 December 2006
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Executive Debate: Civic Participation – Trade Union Engagement with Scotland's Civic Society
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 7 December 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Health and Community Care;
Environment and Rural Development
2.55 pm Conclusion of Stage 3 Proceedings: Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill
followed by Executive Debate: Fisheries
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 13 December 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 14 December 2006
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister's Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time—
Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning;
Justice and Law Officers
2.55 pm Conclusion of Stage 3 Proceedings: Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business.
The next item of business is consideration of business motions S2M-5239 and S2M-5240, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out timetables for legislation.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 19 January 2007.
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 19 January 2007.—[Ms Margaret Curran.]
Motions agreed to.