Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Official Report 894KB pdf

Parliamentary Bureau Motions

The next item of business is consideration of three Parliamentary Bureau motions. I ask Liz Smith, on behalf of the bureau, to move motion S5M-21506 on the establishment of a committee and motions S5M-21507 and S5M-21508 on the suspension and variation of standing orders.

Motions moved,

That the Parliament shall establish a committee of the Parliament as follows:

Name of Committee: COVID-19 Committee

Remit: To consider and report on the Scottish Government’s response to COVID-19 including the operation of powers under the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act, the Coronavirus Act and any other legislation in relation to the response to COVID-19 and any secondary legislation arising from the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act and any other legislation in relation to the response to COVID-19.

Duration: For the duration of the operation of the powers under the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act, the Coronavirus Act and any other legislation in relation to the response to COVID-19.

Number of members: 9

Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party.

Membership: Willie Coffey, Annabelle Ewing, Shona Robison, Stewart Stevenson, Murdo Fraser, Adam Tomkins, Monica Lennon, Ross Greer, Beatrice Wishart.

That the Parliament agrees that, as appropriate, for meetings of the Parliament including meetings of committees or sub-committees established by the Parliament, for the duration of the public response to the Novel coronavirus COVID-19, this being the period up to and including 26 June 2020, and such further period or periods as are determined by the Presiding Officer from time to time following consultation with the Bureau and notified to the Parliament in the Business Bulletin—

(a) Rule 2.7.1 be suspended and replaced with—

“1. Subject to Rule 2.7.2 and 2.7.3, meetings of the Parliament shall be held either in the Debating Chamber of the Parliament, Holyrood, or remotely, by video conference in a virtual Debating Chamber hosted on such platform as may be provided by the Parliamentary corporation; and references in the Rules to ‘the Chamber’ are to be interpreted accordingly.”

(b) In Rule 11.7.1 the words “the electronic voting system” be suspended and replaced with the words “an electronic voting system”.

(c) Rule 12.3.2 be suspended and replaced with—

“2. A committee shall meet—

(a) in Scotland at such place as it may decide, with the approval of the Parliamentary Bureau and the Conveners Group, or

(b) remotely by video conference hosted on such platform as may be provided by the Parliamentary corporation.

2A. A decision under Rule 12.3.2 shall, in the event of any disagreement between the Parliamentary Bureau and the Conveners Group, be referred to the Parliamentary corporation for a determination. The Parliamentary Bureau may require the Conveners Group to make a decision under Rule 12.3.2 within a specified period. If the Conveners Group does not make a decision within that period, the decision on the approval shall be made by the Parliamentary Bureau.”

That the Parliament agrees that in regard to motions S5M-21283, S5M-21284, S5M-21285 and S5M-21286—

(1) the references to “the duration of the public response to the Novel coronavirus COVID-19” be read as references to (a) the period from 17 March 2020 up to and including 26 June 2020 and (b) such further period or periods as are determined by the Presiding Officer from time to time following consultation with the Bureau and notified to the Parliament in the Business Bulletin, and

(2) they shall apply, as appropriate, to meetings of the Parliament, including meetings of committees or sub-committees established by the Parliament taking place during those periods—[Liz Smith.]