AGS - Auditor General for Scotland

asp - Act of Scottish Parliament

BB - Budget Bill

BIPA - British Irish Parliamentary Assembly

BIT - Business Information Technology Office

CALRE - Conference of Regional Legislative Assemblies

CLRAE - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

Con - Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party

CoR - Committee of the Regions

COSLA - Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

CPA - Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

CTEEA - Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee

CTEERC - Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee

CVD - COVID-19 Committee

DPLR - Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

EEFW - Economy, Energy and Fair Works Committee

ES - Education and Skills Committee

ECCLR - Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

EHRiC - Equalities and Human Rights Committee

EU - European Union

F - Female

FE - Further Education

FCC - Finance and Constitution Committee

FM - Facilities Management

FMQs - First Minister’s Questions

FOI - Freedom of Information

G - Government Bill

Green - Scottish Green Party

HL - House of Lords, i.e. a House of Lords Bill

h:mins - hours and minutes

Hrs - Hours

HS - Health and Sport Committee

ICT - Information Communications Technology

Ind - Independent Member, i.e. a Member of the Scottish Parliament not functioning within a political party

IRO - International Relations Office

J - Justice Committee

JSP - Justice Sub-Committee on Policing

Lab - Scottish Labour Party

LCM - Legislative Consent Memorandum

LD - Scottish Liberal Democrats

LGBTI+ - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex +

LGC - Local Government and Communities Committee

M - Male

M - Member’s Bill

Mins - Minutes

MEP - Member of the European Parliament

MP - Member of the UK Parliament

MS - Multiple Sclerosis

MSP - Member of the Scottish Parliament

MSYP - Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament

n/a - not applicable, or not available

No. - Number

NPA - No Party Affiliation

P - Private Bill

PAPLS - Public Audit Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee

PBACM - Public Bodies Act Consent Memorandum

PE - Petition

PPC - Public Petitions Committee

PY - Parliamentary year (12 May 2020– 4 May 2021)

REC - Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Ref. - Reference

S - Substitute Committee Member

S5 - Fifth Session of Parliament

S5M - Session 5 Motion

SGHHC - Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints

SSC - Social Security Committee

SSCS - Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland (Amendment) Bill Committee

SI -Statutory Instrument

SNP - Scottish National Party

SP - Scottish Parliament

SPCB - Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

SPICe - Scottish Parliament Information Centre

SPPA - Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

SPSO - Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

SSI - Scottish Statutory Instrument

UK - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

UKIRO - UK and International Relations Office

US - United States of America

WASPI - Women Against State Pension Inequality

% - Percentage

There are two methods of electing Members to the Scottish Parliament. There are 73 constituency Members, based on the UK Parliament constituencies in existence prior to 2004, elected by the first past the post system. A further 56 regional Members, 7 for each of the 8 regions used in the European Parliament elections, prior to 1999, were elected using the Additional Member System. This is a form of proportional representation using party lists, which ensures that each party’s representation in the Parliament reflects its overall share of the vote.

Following the recommendations contained in the Boundary Commission for Scotland’s Report on the First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries, the Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions changed. The new constituencies and regions were used for the first time at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.

There were no by-elections in the fifth parliamentary year of Session 5.

34 MSPs, who were serving at the end of Parliamentary Session 5, chose not to stand for re-election in 2021:

• Bill Bowman (Con) North East Scotland (R)

• Aileen Campbell (SNP) Clydesdale (C)

• Peter Chapman (Con) North East Scotland (R)

• Bruce Crawford (SNP) Stirling (C)

• Roseanna Cunningham (SNP) Perthshire South and Kinross-shire (C)

• Ruth Davidson (Con) Edinburgh Central (C)

• Linda Fabiani (SNP) East Kilbride (C)

• Mary Fee (Lab) West Scotland (R)

• Neil Findlay (Lab) Lothian (R)

• John Finnie (Green) Highlands and Islands (R)

• Jeane Freeman (SNP) Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (C)

• Iain Gray (Lab) East Lothian (C)

• Alison Harris (Con) Central Scotland (R)

• Johann Lamont (Lab) Glasgow (R)

• Richard Lyle (SNP) Uddingston and Bellshill (C)

• Angus MacDonald (SNP) Falkirk East (C)

• Lewis Macdonald (Lab) North East Scotland (R)

• Ken Macintosh (NPA) West Scotland (R)

• Derek Mackay (Ind) Renfrewshire North and West (C)

• Jenny Marra (Lab) North East Scotland (R)

• Tom Mason (Con) North East Scotland (R)

• Mark McDonald (Ind) Aberdeen Donside (C)

• Margaret Mitchell (Con) Central Scotland (R)

• Alex Neil (SNP) Airdrie and Shotts (C)

• Gil Paterson (SNP) Clydebank and Milngavie (C)

• Gail Ross (SNP) Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (C)

• Mike Rumbles (LD) North East Scotland (R)

• Michael Russell (SNP) Argyll and Bute (C)

• Elaine Smith (Lab) Central Scotland (R)

• Stewart Stevenson (SNP) Banffshire and Buchan Coast (C)

• David Stewart (Lab) Highlands and Islands (R)

• Adam Tomkins (Con) Glasgow (R)

• Maureen Watt (SNP) Aberdeen South and North Kincardine (C)

• Sandra White (SNP) Glasgow Kelvin (C)

The Presiding Officer is elected by other Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and is in charge of ensuring that the business of the Parliament is conducted effectively, on time, fairly, and within the rules and in an orderly manner. The Presiding Officer has no party allegiance whilst in the chair. There are also two Deputy Presiding Officers who must also act impartially when they are chairing parliamentary meetings; when they are not chairing parliamentary meetings they can play a full part in parliamentary business.

The Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officers continue to serve in post during dissolution and until the election of the next Presiding Officer in a new session.

On 17 March 2020 the Parliament agreed to move motions S5M-21383 to S5M-21386 on the suspension and variation of Standing Orders to allow the election of an additional Deputy Presiding Officer. This was in response to the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Motion S5M- 21284: That the Parliament agrees that, for the purposes of electing an additional Deputy Presiding Officer for the duration of the public response to the Novel coronavirus COVID-19, Rules 11.9.4, 11.9.5, 11.9.13 and 11.9.16 of the Standing Orders be suspended.

Presiding Officer

• Ken Macintosh (NPA), elected 12 May 2016

Deputy Presiding Officers

• Linda Fabiani (SNP), elected 12 May 2016

• Christine Grahame (SNP), elected 12 May 2016

• Lewis Macdonald (Lab), elected 1 April 2020

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is chaired by the Presiding Officer and is made up of four members elected by Parliament from its MSPs. It is responsible for ensuring that the Scottish Parliament is provided with the property, staff and services it requires. The SPCB considers and makes decisions on a wide range of issues concerning the running of the Parliament including the financing of the Parliament and allocation of the budget, the staffing of the Parliament, accommodation and the use and the security of parliamentary facilities.

The Presiding Officer and other members of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body continue to serve in post during dissolution and until the election of replacement members in a new session. This is the case unless an MSP resigns from the SPCB, ceases to be an MSP (other than by dissolution of the Parliament), or the MSP is removed from the SPCB by a resolution of the Parliament.

Membership of the SPCB

• Presiding Officer, Ken Macintosh (NPA): from 12 May 2016

• Jackson Carlaw (Con): from 19 August 2020

• Ruth Davidson (Con): from 10 September 2019 - 19 August 2020

• Liam McArthur (LD): from 19 May 2016

• David Stewart (Lab): from 5 November 2019

• Sandra White (SNP): from 14 November 2017

• Andy Wightman (Green): from 19 May 2016 - 18 December 2020

• Andy Wightman (Ind): from 18 December 2020

The Parliamentary Bureau consists of the Presiding Officer and representatives of each political party or group in the Parliament which has five or more Members. The representatives are nominated by the leader of each party. The main functions of the Parliamentary Bureau are:

• To propose the business programme.

• To propose alterations to the Daily Business List in the Business Bulletin if there should be changes in the advance programme.

• To propose the establishment, remit, membership and duration of any committee or sub-committee.

• To determine any question regarding the competence of a committee to deal with a matter and, if two or more committees are competent to deal with a matter, to determine which of those committees is to be the lead committee responsible for that matter.

Standing Orders allow Parliamentary Bureau members to arrange for another member to take their place at Bureau meetings by notifying the Presiding Officer in writing in advance.

A Deputy Presiding Officer may attend any meeting of the Parliamentary Bureau and may participate in the proceedings but may not vote unless he or she is chairing the meeting in place of the Presiding Officer, when he or she shall have a casting vote.

Members of the Parliamentary Bureau do not continue to serve during dissolution.

Membership of the Parliamentary Bureau

• Presiding Officer, Ken Macintosh (NPA): from 12 May 2016

• Patrick Harvie (Green): 15 June 2016 - 4 May 2021

• James Kelly (Lab): 3 March 2021 - 4 May 2021

• Willie Rennie (LD): 15 November 2017 - 4 May 2021

• Elaine Smith (Lab): 2 September 2019 - 3 March 2021

• Liz Smith (Con): 20 February 2020 - 14 August 2020

106 Cross-Party Groups continued from the fourth parliamentary year of Session 5.

0 Cross-Party Groups were established for the first time in the fifth parliamentary year of Session 5.

2 Cross-Party Groups ended during the fifth parliamentary year of Session 5.

104 Cross-Party Groups ended on 24 March 2021 before the pre-election period.

There were 110 Cross-Party Groups in the whole of Session 5.

The following is a list of all the Cross-Party Groups during the fifth parliamentary year of Session 5, 106 in total.

Parliament was recalled during the Christmas recess period. Meetings were held on 30 December 2020 and 4 January 2021 to allow statements from the First Minster on extended restrictions due to Covid-19 and to enable a debate to take place relating to the UK leaving the EU.On 25 March 2021 the Parliament went into recess until the day before the 2021 election. This replaced the usual dissolution period and was called a “campaign recess”.

During the campaign recess there was limited parliamentary business. It was not possible to lodge motions, questions, amendments, Members’ Bills, legislative consent memorandums, petitions, bills or subordinate legislation (although the government was still able to make urgent regulations in certain circumstances).

The Parliament was recalled on 12 April 2021 for a motion of condolence following the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

Parliamentary year total: : 448:57

Rather than the usual dissolution period, from 25 March 2021 the Parliament went into recess until the day before the election. This particular recess was called a “campaign recess”. Dissolution happened on 5 May 2021, the day before the election.

In response to the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Parliament has continued to meet in the Chamber but has also introduced some virtual sittings as well as hybrid meetings.

Parliament was recalled during the Christmas recess period. Meetings were held on 30 December 2020 and 4 January 2021 to allow statements from the First Minster on extended restrictions due to Covid-19 and to enable a debate to take place relating to the UK leaving the EU.On 25 March 2021 the Parliament went into recess until the day before the 2021 election. This replaced the usual dissolution period and was called a “campaign recess”.

During the campaign recess there was limited parliamentary business. It was not possible to lodge motions, questions, amendments, Members’ Bills, legislative consent memorandums, petitions, bills or subordinate legislation (although the government was still able to make urgent regulations in certain circumstances).

The Parliament was recalled on 12 April 2021 for a motion of condolence following the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

During the parliamentary year 12 May 2020 to 4 May 2021, the total time spent on parliamentary business was 448 hours 57 mins

Hybrid Bills

No time was spent on Hybrid Bills.

Time for Reflection is the first item of business at a meeting of the Parliament on Tuesday where a person, on the invitation of the Parliament, addresses it (and the Scottish people) for up to 4 minutes. The pattern of speakers reflects the balance of beliefs in Scotland.

Time for Reflection may have more than one speaker, therefore, the total number of speakers may exceed the total number of Time for Reflections.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Scotland in March 2020 led to changes in when and how parliamentary questions were asked Question Times took place virtually, in hybrid sessions and in the Chamber.

On 25 March 2021 the Parliament went into recess until the day before the 2021 election. During this time it was no t possible to lodge parliamentary questions.

General Question Times was suspended on 19 March 2020. These were replaced by Members’ Virtual Question Time from 17 April 2020 – 21 May 2020.

There were no general questions asked between 12 May 2020 and 24 March 2021.

General Question Time and Portfolio Question Time in the Chamber were suspended on 19 March 2020. These were replaced by Members’ Virtual Questions which were asked during April and May 2020.

The final Members’ Virtual questions was held on 21 May 2020. It was a hybrid meeting and was listed as Members’ Question Time in the Official Report.

The total number of Members’ virtual questions answered during the parliamentary year was 44

This does not include questions which were either not lodged or withdrawn.

The total number of First Minister’s questions selected during the parliamentary year was 255.

Normally the Presiding Officer selects up to 8 questions for answer at First Minister's Question Time. These questions are numbered in the Official Report and counted in table 3.3.1.(c). In addition to questions selected in advance, the Presiding Officer may also call other Members to ask a question at First Minister’s Question Time. These supplementary questions are asked by additional MSPs on different subjects, usually constituency matters. These supplementary questions are not numbered and not counted in the table 3.3.1.(c).

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Scotland in March 2020 led to changes in when and where parliamentary questions were asked. A Members’ Virtual Question Time was held on 14 May 2020 and Members’ Question Time was held in a hybrid session on 21 May 2020. From 28 May 2020 portfolio questions returned to the usual pattern

14 May 2020 - 21 May 2020

Week 1: Members’ Virtual Question Time

Week 2: Members’ Question Time. Local Government and Communities

From 28 May 2020 portfolio questions returned to a standard pattern with oral questions answered in a running rota of themes. The rotation repeats.

28 May 2020 - 24 March 2021

Week 1: Education and Skills; Health and Sport; Communities and Local Government

Week 2: Social Security and Older People; Finance; Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

Week 3: Rural Economy and Tourism; Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity; Justice and the Law Officers

Week 4: Constitution, Europe and External Affairs; Economy, Fair Work and Culture; Education and Skills

Week 5: Health and Sport; Communities and Local Government; Social Security and Older People

Week 6: Finance; Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform; Rural Economy and Tourism;

Week 7: Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity; Justice and the Law Officers; Constitution, Europe and External Affairs

Week 8: Economy, Fair Work and Culture; Education and Skills; Health and Sport

Week 9: Communities and Local Government; Social Security and Older People; Finance

Week 10: Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform; Rural Economy and Tourism; Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity

Week 11: Justice and the Law Officers; Constitution, Europe and External Affairs; Economy, Fair Work and Culture

The Parliament continued a pilot allowing the Presiding Officer to group Portfolio questions on the same subject matter, so that these questions could be called consecutively.

The total number of portfolio questions answered during the parliamentary year was 785. This does not include portfolio questions which were either not lodged or withdrawn.

The total number of topical questions selected during the parliamentary year was 87.

The total number of urgent questions selected during the parliamentary year was 9.

Questions of an urgent or local nature can also be asked as supplementary questions during First Minister’s Questions.

The total number of SPCB questions answered during the parliamentary year was 5

Total number of SPCB oral questions which were withdrawn during the parliamentary year was 0

The total number of written questions lodged during the parliamentary year was 6735. This does not include 22 written questions that were withdrawn.

The total number of SPCB written questions lodged during the parliamentary year was 14.

On 25 March 2021 the Parliament went into recess until the day before the 2021 election. During this time it was not possible to lodge motions.

During this period Parliament was recalled on 12 April 2021 for a motion of condolence following the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

The total number of motions lodged during the parliamentary year was 2676. This does not include 9 motions that were withdrawn.

Committee motions are lodged on behalf of the Committee by the Convener.

Parliamentary Bureau motions are lodged on behalf of the Bureau by the Minister for Parliamentary Business.

SPCB motions are lodged on behalf of the Corporate Body by a member of the SPCB.

The following motions to suspend Standing Orders were agreed during the parliamentary year:

• Motions S5M-21720-S5M-21721 on the suspension and variation of the Standing Orders were agreed on 12 May 2020.

• Motion S5M-22056 on the suspension and variation of Standing Orders was agreed on 17 June 2020.

• Motion S5M-24108 on the suspension of Standing Orders was agreed on 10 February 2021.

• Motion S5M-24236 on the suspension of Standing Orders was agreed on 25 February 2021.

The total number of Members' Business debates during the parliamentary year was 45.

Following Parliament's approval of motion S5M-21283 on 17 March 2020, Members' Business debates were suspended for the duration of the initial public response to the Novel coronavirus COVID-19. Members’ Business debates resumed on 8 September 2020.

During the parliamentary year there were:

• 14 Legislative Consent Memorandums published

• 3 Supplementary Memorandums published

• 16 Legislative Consent Motions lodged

• 16 Legislative Consent Motions passed

There were no Public Bodies Act Consent Memorandums or Motions lodged during this parliamentary year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Scottish Government Ministers gave a weekly COVID-19 update in Chamber. The total number of ministerial statements includes 25 COVID-19 updates.

Committee announcements were introduced in 2018 at the recommendation of the Commission on Parliamentary Reform. They allow committees to make significant or urgent announcements and set out the findings from recently published committee reports during chamber meetings.

There were no Presiding Officer’s rulings or statements during the fifth parliamentary year of Session 5.

This table shows figures for all electronic votes taken in the Chamber, including all votes on amendments.

There were no uses of the Presiding Officer’s casting vote in the fifth parliamentary year of Session 5.

Standing Orders (the Parliament’s rules of procedure) were changed to allow committees and the chamber to meet remotely, with the first formal hybrid meetings of Parliament taking place in May 2020. Hybrid meetings involve some MSPs or witnessess ‘dialling in’ while some are present in the committee room.

On 25 March 2021 the Parliament went into recess until the day before the 2021 election. This recess replaced the usual dissolution period, and was called a “campaign recess”.

In keeping with the spirit of dissolution, committees were required to conclude their business by 25 March 2021 and were not able to meet thereafter unless Parliament was recalled, and then only to consider business related to that recall.

The following table lists the MSPs and those committees of which they were members during the parliamentary year. Dates of service are given under each individual committee in section 4.3.

A committee usually has between five and fifteen MSPs as members. Committee members are selected having regard to the balance of political parties in the Parliament. Membership of committees is proposed by the Parliamentary Bureau. The whole Parliament approves suggestions as to which MSPs are to be members of what committee.

Each political party which has two or more MSPs may nominate one of its members to be the party’s substitute on each committee. The main role of the committee substitute is to stand in for a committee member of the same party if that member is unavailable for a committee meeting or is unable to act as a committee member at any other time because of illness, family circumstances, adverse travel conditions beyond the member’s control, a requirement to attend to other Parliamentary business or urgent constituency business. Substitute members (S) are therefore not full time members of committees.

The requirement for committee substitutes to be appointed by the Parliament on a motion of the Parliamentary Bureau was suspended on 17 March 2020 for the duration of the public response to the Novel coronavirus COVID-19. This allowed MSPs to attend committee meetings as ad-hoc substitute members.

This table lists the committees that each MSP was a member, or substitute member of, during the parliamentary year. It does not list ad-hoc substitute members.

The members of a Committee must choose a Convener from a particular political party decided by Parliament. The Parliament makes this decision following a recommendation by the Parliamentary Bureau. In addition, each Committee normally has a Deputy Convener who will chair meetings in the Convener's absence. Deputy Conveners are chosen in the same way as conveners. The Standing Orders also include provision for the appointment of an Acting Convener in circumstances where a Committee Convener is absent for an extended period of parental leave, allowing the Committee to appoint an Acting Convener on a temporary basis.

These tables are running totals for the parliamentary year.