Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Bill

All Bills introduced in the Parliament must be accompanied by specific documents. For most Bills, this includes:

Explanatory Notes: this document provides an overview of what the Bill does, plus a more detailed explanation of individual provisions.

Policy Memorandum: this sets out the objectives of the Bill. It also lists any alternatives considered, details of consultations, and an assessment of the effects of the Bill on a range of areas.

Financial Memorandum: this sets out estimates of costs, savings, and any changes to revenues expected to result from the Bill.

Delegated Powers Memorandum: this is needed if a Bill gives powers to make subordinate legislation or allows Scottish Ministers to issue directions, guidance or codes of practice.

Statements on legislative competence: two short statements, one by the Presiding Officer and one by the Member introducing the Bill. “Legislative competence” means the powers the Parliament has to make law.

For each Bill, the Presiding Officer must decide if a 'Financial Resolution' is required. The main reasons a Bill would need a Financial Resolution are that:

• it would be likely to increase public spending significantly
• it would be likely to increase taxation, or would require certain payments to be made.

If a Bill requires a Financial Resolution:

• only the Scottish Government can propose it, usually at the end of Stage 1
• until a Financial Resolution is agreed, Stage 2 can’t get under way.

An Emergency Bill is a Government Bill that needs to be enacted more quickly than the normal timetable allows.

An Emergency Bill must be introduced as a Government Bill first and then the Parliament must agree to treat it as an Emergency Bill. Stages 1 to 3 of an Emergency Bill are all taken on the same day unless the Parliament agrees to an alternative timescale.

At Stage 1, the Bill is referred immediately to the Parliament to consider the general principles. There is no committee consideration and report on the general principles.

During a Committee of the Whole Parliament, MSPs meet in the Chamber but operate under committee procedure, and with the Presiding Officer acting as convener.

A Stage 2 'Marshalled List' is a list of all the amendments that have been lodged at Stage 2 (or, if the Stage is mid-way through, all those still to be dealt with).  They are listed in the order in which they will be called by the convener and then decided on. 

A 'Groupings' list shows how the amendments that are listed in the Marshalled List have been grouped together for debate. Each group contains amendments that are related to each other, even if they are at different places in the Marshalled List.