AGS - Auditor General for Scotland

Alba – The Alba Party

asp - Act of Scottish Parliament

BIPA - British Irish Parliamentary Assembly

C - Constituency

CALRE - Conference of Regional Legislative Assemblies

CEEAC - Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

CJ - Criminal Justice Committee

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

CPG – Cross Party Group

CPPP - Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

CVDR - COVID-19 Recovery Committee

DPLR - Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

DPO – Deputy Presiding Officer

ECYP - Education, Children and Young People Committee

EFW - Economy and Fair Work Committee

EHRCJ - Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

EIR – Environmental Information Request

EU - European Union

F - Female

FE - Further Education

FMQs - First Minister’s Questions

FOI - Freedom of Information

FOI(S)A – Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002

FPA - Finance and Public Administration Committee

G - Government Bill

Green - Scottish Green Party

h:mins - hours and minutes

HE – Higher Education

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

HMP – His Majesty’s Prison

Hrs - Hours

HSCS - Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Lab - Scottish Labour Party

LCM - Legislative Consent Memorandum

LD - Scottish Liberal Democrats

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

LGHP - Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

M - Male

M - Member’s Bill

Mins - Minutes

MP - Member of the UK Parliament

MS - Multiple Sclerosis

MSP - Member of the Scottish Parliament

n/a - not applicable, or not available

No. - Number

NPA - No Party Affiliation

NZET - Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

PA - Public Audit Committee

PE – Petition

PO – Presiding Officer

PY - Parliamentary year (13 May 2023–12 May 2024)

R - Region

RAI - Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Ref. - Reference

S - Substitute Committee Member

S6 - Sixth Session of Parliament

S6M - Session 6 Motion

SCPA – The Scottish Commission for Public Audit

SI -Statutory Instrument

SJSS - Social Justice and Social Security Committee

SNP - Scottish National Party

SP - Scottish Parliament

SPPA - Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

SPCB - Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

SPICe - Scottish Parliament Information Centre

SPSO - Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

SSI - Scottish Statutory Instrument

UK - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

WASPI - Women Against State Pension Inequality

YOI – Young Offenders Institution

% - 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 and 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.

The most recent Scottish Parliament election was held on 6 May 2021. See Scottish Parliament Statistics 2021-2022 and the2021 Election Results Briefing for detailed analysis and statistics.

There were no by-elections during this parliamentary year.

These tables provide a list of all MSPs who served during the third parliamentary year of Session 6. They are listed alphabetically by party and then by surname, with a note of the constituency or region that they represent, any resignation or election dates and any changes during the parliamentary year.

A total of 130 MSPs served during the third parliamentary year of Session 6.

8 Members have served continuously since Session 1, 1999.

Dual mandate is the term used to describe those MSPs who, in addition to their seat in the Scottish Parliament, also hold a seat in either the House of Commons (MPs), House of Lords (Peers) or represent a ward in their local council (Councillors).

1 MSP held a dual mandate during the third parliamentary year of Session 6.

Douglas Ross MSP (Con):

• MSP for Highlands and Islands (from 6 May 2021)

• MP for Moray (from 8 June 2017)

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.

Presiding Officer

• Alison Johnstone (NPA)

Deputy Presiding Officers

• Annabelle Ewing (SNP)

• Liam McArthur (LD)

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.

Membership of the SPCB

• Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) (NPA)

• Claire Baker (Lab)

• Jackson Carlaw (Con)

• Maggie Chapman (Green)

• Christine Grahame (SNP)

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 (Alison Johnstone) (NPA)

• George Adam (SNP) (until 8 May 2024)

• Alexander Burnett (Con) 

• Jamie Hepburn (SNP) (from 8 May 2024)

• Gillian Mackay (Green)

• Martin Whitfield (Lab)

When taking the oath or affirmation, MSPs are able to repeat the oath or affirmation in a second language of their choice.

21 MSPs chose to repeat the oath or affirmation in a second language in Session 6.

During the third parliamentary year of Session 6, 13 May 2023 to 12 May 2024, the total time spent in plenary sessions was 464 hours 07 minutes.

The Parliament sat on 108 calendar days

There was no parliamentary business in July and August

The Scottish Parliament met in the Chamber throughout the parliamentary year. All meetings were Hybrid.

During the third parliamentary year Session 6, 13 May 2023 to 12 May 2024 , the total time spent on parliamentary business was 464 hours 07 mins

This section contains a breakdown of time spent on Bills. For more information on each bill, see Chapter 5.

Time spent on Emergency Bills

These are Government bills where a motion has been lodged to treat it as an Emergency Bill

No time was spent on Emergency Bills.

Time spent on Committee Bills

No time was spent on Committee Bills.

Time spent on Hybrid Bills

No time was spent on Hybrid Bills.

Time spent on Private Bills

No time was spent on Private 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.

There can be more than one contributor at Time for Reflection. Some contributors may represent more than one religion, faith or belief, so the totals may not match and may be greater than the total number of Time for Reflections.

The table only lists religions, organisations and individuals that have spoken during this parliamentary year, it is not a full list of religions or beliefs.

For a full list of Time for Reflections please refer to the fact sheet Contributors to Time for Reflection: Session 6.

The total number of general questions selected during the parliamentary year was 265.

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

The total number of First Minister’s questions selected during the parliamentary year was 209.

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.(b). 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.(b).

Portfolio oral questions were answered in a running rota of themes. The rotation repeats:

From 1 May 2023

Week 1: Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy; Finance and Parliamentary Business; Net Zero and Just Transition

Week 2: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

Week 3: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

From 4 September 2023

Week 1: Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy; Finance and Parliamentary Business; Net Zero and Just Transition

Week 2: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

Week 3: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

Week 1: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

Week 2: Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy; Finance and Parliamentary Business; Net Zero and Just Transition

Week 3: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

From 8 January 2024

Week 1: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

Week 2: Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy; Finance and Parliamentary Business; Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition

Week 3: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

From 19 February 2024

Week 1: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

Week 2: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

From 4 March 2024 

Week 1: Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy; Finance and Parliamentary Business; Transport

Week 2: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

Week 3: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

Week 1: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care; Social Justice

Week 2: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Justice and Home Affairs; Education and Skills

Week 3: Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy; Finance and Parliamentary Business; Transport

The Parliament also continued the 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 784.

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 79.

The total number of urgent questions selected during the parliamentary year was 8.

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 28

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

The total number of urgent questions selected during the parliamentary year was 0

The total number of written questions lodged during the parliamentary year was 9063. This does not include 15 written questions that were withdrawn.

The total number of written questions to the SPCB lodged during the parliamentary year was 31.

A motion is a way for MSPs to:

• raise awareness of an issue

• suggest a topic for debate

• recognise a group, business or individual

• agree Parliamentary business

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 total number of motions lodged during the parliamentary year was 4193. This does not include 23 motions that were withdrawn.

A motion can be moved 'without notice'. A 'motion without notice' will usually ask for a motion to be taken at shorter notice than is normally allowed under Standing Orders, i.e. on the same day that it is lodged. The Presiding Officer decides whether this takes place immediately following the Parliament's agreement or at a later time on the same day.

The total number of Members' Business debates during the parliamentary year was 106.

For a full list of Members' Business debates, please refer to the fact sheet Members' Business debates: Session 6

When the UK Parliament introduces primary legislation (Bills) that affect Scotland, the Scottish Government will lodge a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM). The LCM explains how the bill impacts Scotland and whether the Scottish Government believes the Scottish Parliament should consent to it or does not agree to consent to the UK Parliament considering a Bill. Further LCMs on the same Bill may be added to in a supplementary memorandum.

Typically, a Scottish Parliament committee examines the LCM and publishes a report with its recommendations. The report helps inform the Parliament's decision.

The Scottish Government may draft a Motion on Legislative Consent to invite the Parliament to vote to either withhold or agree to consent to one or more relevant provisions in the Bill. There may or may not be a debate before the vote.

After the Scottish Parliament has voted on a Motion on Legislative Consent, the Clerk writes to the Clerks of the two Houses of the UK Parliament to inform them of the Scottish Parliament’s decision.

Please refer to the fact sheet Legislative consent processes in the Scottish Parliament for further details of the process.

During the parliamentary year there were:

• 11 Legislative Consent Memorandums published

• 6 Supplementary memorandums published

• 8 Legislative Consent Motions lodged

• 7 Legislative Consent Motions passed

• 1 Legislative Consent Motions withheld

• 5 UK Bills subject to LCMs fell at prorogation

Prorogation is the formal name given to the period between the end of a session of Parliament and the State Opening of Parliament that begins the next session.

There were no Public Bodies Act Consent Memorandums or Motions lodged during the third parliamentary year of Session 6.

The total number of Ministerial Statements during the parliamentary year was 51.

For a full list of Ministerial Statements, please refer to the Fact Sheet Ministerial Statements: Session 6

Committee announcements were introduced as a result of the Commission on Parliamentary Reform’s recommendation that committees be allowed to make significant or urgent announcements and set out the findings from recently published committee reports during chamber meetings.

The total number of committee announcements during the parliamentary year was 4.

For a full list of committee announcements, please refer to the fact sheet Committee Announcements: Session 6

The Presiding Officer made 1 ruling during the parliamentary year:

• On 31 May 2023, the Presiding Officer made a ruling that she understood that embargoed copies of a report were provided to assist members in their preparation for the debate.

The Presiding Officer made 1 statement during the parliamentary year:

• On 22 June 2023, the Presiding Officer made a statement that Members would be deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Winnie Ewing, and she had asked for the flags outside the Parliament to be lowered that day as a mark of respect.

The total number of electronic votes during the parliamentary year was 362

On 6 December 2022 the Parliament agreed to Motion S6M-07078 which introduced a pilot proxy voting scheme, with effect from 4 January 2023.

The scheme is set out in the Scottish Parliament Standing Orders Temporary Rule 5 – Proxy Voting Pilot and may be varied by the Presiding Officer at any time, in consultation with the Parliamentary Bureau and the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.

A Member may designate another Member as their proxy to vote in a meeting of the Parliament or of a Committee of the Whole Parliament in the following circumstances:

• Illness where the Member is unable to attend the Parliament (when a Member has a severe illness, requires medical intervention or has an illness that prevents them from attending the Parliament for a sustained period of time).

• Parental leave (including mothers and fathers taking leave in relation to the birth or adoption of a child; Members fostering or taking on a kinship role; and Members who experience complications relating to pregnancy).

• Bereavement 

A Member can designate any other Member as their proxy. A Member can only designate one proxy at a time.

There were 0 instances of the Presiding Officer using a casting vote during parliamentary year.

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 are therefore not full time members of committees.

The following table lists the MSPs and those committees each MSP was a member of, or substitute member of, during the parliamentary year.

The Conveners Group is made up of all the conveners of each mandatory or subject committee, excluding conveners of Private/Hybrid Bill Committees and Bill Committees.

Under Rule 6A.3.1 of the Standing Orders the Presiding Officer convenes and chairs meetings of the Conveners Group. The Presiding Officer can delegate their functions to convene and chair the Conveners Group to a Deputy Presiding Officer under Rule 3.1.5.  

Remit: The Group handles a range of matters, for example:

(a) approval of travel by committees or committee members

(b) approval of meetings of committees outside Edinburgh

(c) consideration of the biannual programme of committee meetings

(d) endorsement of funding for civic participation events and external research

(e) making recommendations to the Bureau on committee business to be scheduled in the Chamber.

Convener

• Liam McArthur (LD)

Members

• Karen Adam (SNP) (from 20 February 2024) 

• Clare Adamson (SNP)

• Claire Baker (Lab)

• Ariane Burgess (Green)

• Jackson Carlaw (Con)

• Finlay Carson (Con)

• Jim Fairlie (SNP) (20 April 2023 – 14 July 2023) 

• Kenneth Gibson (SNP) (until 15 May 2023); (from 20 June 2023) 

• Clare Haughey (SNP)

• Richard Leonard (Lab)

• John Mason (SNP) (23 May 2023 – 19 June 2023) 

• Stuart McMillan (SNP)

• Edward Mountain (Con) 

• Audrey Nicoll (SNP)

• Kaukab Stewart (SNP) (until 12 February 2024) 

• Collette Stevenson (SNP)

• Sue Webber (Con)

• Martin Whitfield (Lab)

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.

The total number of committee meetings held during the parliamentary year was 493