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The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-15423, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 19 November 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Impact of the UK Government’s Budget on Scotland’s Rural Economy
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 20 November 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic;
Finance and Local Government
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Impact of National Insurance Increase on Public Services
followed by Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill: Emergency Bill Motion
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.15 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 21 November 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister's Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Net Zero and Energy, and Transport
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 26 November 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 27 November 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands;
Health and Social Care
followed by Scottish Labour Party Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 28 November 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister's Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.15 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.15 pm Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Housing (Scotland) Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Housing (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 18 November 2024, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.—[Jamie Hepburn]
I call Liam Kerr to speak to and move amendment S6M-15423.2. You have up to five minutes, Mr Kerr.
17:10
I rise to speak to the amendment in my name to the minister’s business motion for next week. The minister has lodged a motion that suggests that, next Wednesday, the Parliament will debate whether to treat the proposed prisoners (early release) (Scotland) bill as an emergency bill. In other words, the bill, which we have not seen yet—we will not see it until next Tuesday—will not be subject to the usual parliamentary scrutiny. Instead, if members agree, it will be rushed through with less than a week between stages 1 and 3. That will be a big call for MSPs, and I look forward to robust, well-informed and carefully considered debate. However, the minister’s motion goes on to list stage 1 of the bill for the following day—less than 24 hours after the vote on whether to give it emergency status.
I ask colleagues to think about what the minister is saying here. Next Wednesday, we will be asked whether we are prepared to commute a legislative process that was set out in the very founding principles of the Parliament to less than a week. There will be a debate for us to decide whether that is in the interests of the people of Scotland, the Parliament and, indeed, the prisoners and victims whom the bill will directly impact. The minister, however, is so confident that we will all ignore that debate and anything that anyone says in it—so certain is he that we will all dutifully press buttons in accordance with instructions, regardless of the debate—that he has peremptorily scheduled the stage 1 debate less than 24 hours later. The minister believes that, regardless of how significant the decision to treat the bill as an emergency bill is, we will all just do what we are told. How utterly disrespectful.
I will make arguments next Wednesday against treating the bill as emergency legislation. One of the arguments that I will deploy is that the more that we pass bills without scrutiny or challenge, and without the committee input that a unicameral Parliament must surely mandate in all but the most exceptional circumstances, the more that we risk legislation by fiat from a minority Government. I submit that that is exactly what the minister has inadvertently shown himself to be doing.
I believe in the Parliament and its role, so I propose an amendment to the business motion. Although I do not believe that the bill should be deemed emergency legislation, I respect the Government’s prerogative to call that debate and, as I respect my MSP colleagues, I do not presuppose its outcome. Instead, my amendment proposes that a stage 1 debate on the bill next week be replaced with a debate on Scotland’s prisoner population. Even if MSPs decided that the bill should be treated as an emergency bill, we would then have a debate on Thursday that would help to inform MSPs on that bill at a future stage 1.
The Parliament should always be genuinely consulted and never dictated to. The minister’s presupposing of how a debate will go next Wednesday is as disrespectful as it is arrogant. Those who respect the Parliament and the job that we, as MSPs, were sent here to do will vote for my amendment on principle and against the motion if my amendment falls. Those who feel differently will no doubt fall meekly into line and do what they are told.
I move amendment S6M-15423.2, to leave out “Stage 1 Debate: Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill” and insert:
“Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Prisoner Population”.
17:14
The standing orders of the Scottish Parliament provide for emergency bills. They are very specific about the timetabling of an emergency bill, in that it should take place over one day. That has not been provided for in the business motion that the minister lodged on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau. Indeed, it refers only to stage 1. Therefore, there seems to be an attempt to amend the standing orders with regard to the timetabling of an emergency bill. Timetabling of such a bill is acceptable and has happened in the past, but there is no provision in the motion to show when that amendment is likely to happen. I am concerned about that, partly because of what we heard with regard to the proposed amendment to the motion, and because I feel that we are slightly at a loss about how to deal with the matter, given the way that it has been approached.
In October, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs made reference to the proposals for an emergency bill and informed the Parliament of her intention to introduce a bill to contribute to the sustainable long-term management of prisoners. She indicated that there were two elements to the bill. First, in relation to short-term prisoners with sentences of less than four years, she informed the Parliament, rightly, that with work being done, there could be a sustained reduction of some 260 to 390 individuals. The second part of the bill relates to prisoners serving sentences in excess of four years. The cabinet secretary said that the bill needed to contain that because it had been confirmed after consultation that more in-depth consideration was needed with partners. Indeed, she said that she was prioritising actions that can deliver a sustained reduction to the prison population but that
“Public safety remains paramount, which is why I am focusing only on short-term prisoners, with built-in exemptions.”—[Official Report, 10 October 2024; c 58.]
We seem to have a conflation of two bills. One relates to short-term prisoners, which, on the face of the evidence that has been presented to the Parliament, may indeed meet the criteria for being treated as an emergency. However, the second part of the bill relates to long-term prisoners, which clearly does not amount to an emergency situation from the Scottish Government’s evidence.
For those reasons, I have lodged an amendment to remove the reference in the business motion declaring the bill to be an emergency bill, which will allow, I hope, agreement within the bureau on how to deal with the issue in the normal manner before the debate is scheduled to take place.
I move amendment S6M-15423.1, to leave out from “followed by Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill: Emergency Bill Motion” to “Stage 1 Debate: Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill” and insert:
“followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.15 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 21 November 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister's Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Net Zero and Energy, and Transport
followed by Scottish Government Business.”
17:18
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that our prisons function safely and effectively for all those who live and work in our prison estate. The Scottish Prison Service must be able to accommodate those who pose the greatest risk of harm to victims and public safety. It must also be able to support rehabilitation to reduce reoffending and future victimisation.
Let me set out why we are in an urgent situation. In previous statements to Parliament, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has set out the scale of the challenge that we face. The prison population has often exceeded 8,300 this year. That is an on-going challenge to the continued safe and effective operation of the estate.
This is not just about the numbers; it is also about the complex needs of the population and the persistent pressures on prison staff. As a result of the increasing and complex prison population, the prison estate is under substantial pressure. That reduces the capacity that the Scottish Prison Service has to prepare individuals for reintegration into the community, facilitate quality purposeful activity and carry out rehabilitative work, all of which contributes to a safer Scotland. Visits to prisoners are becoming difficult to maintain, and there are increasing challenges to the effective delivery of healthcare.
The minister appears to have completely missed the point. The representations from Martin Whitfield and me were about the setting of the business for next week, not whether the bill should be treated as emergency legislation, which is the debate for next Wednesday.
This is about scheduling to enable us to have that debate. The debate is what Liam Kerr wants not to happen. What I am doing—which was clearly not done by Mr Kerr—is placing the issue in its wider context.
Our position is not unique; other parts of the United Kingdom face a similar challenge. The previous UK Government released more than 10,000 prisoners early between October 2023 and July 2024. The new Administration is now releasing many prisoners who have completed 40 per cent rather than 50 per cent of their sentence. We are taking action, but nonetheless we remain in an urgent situation. That is why the cabinet secretary informed the Parliament on 10 October that we would seek to introduce emergency legislation in November—that is this month, in case anyone has not been paying attention—that would seek to change the release point for most short-term prisoners who are serving sentences of less than four years from 50 per cent of their sentence, as currently happens, to 40 per cent. That was in a very clear parliamentary statement, in which the cabinet secretary specifically stated that she would ask Parliament’s permission to progress on an emergency basis. The scheduling of a timetabling motion for the bill and a stage 1 debate should not be a surprise to anybody, but it seemed to be a surprise to Liam Kerr. At least Martin Whitfield seemed to be paying attention in that regard.
Will the minister give way?
I will happily give way.
Does the minister also agree with the cabinet secretary that the emergency element related to short-term prisoners and, indeed, that the part that relates to long-term prisoners requires further consultation and discussion with stakeholders?
There will always have to be on-going consultation with stakeholders as to how we take forward the elements of bills that we seek to lay before Parliament. That is what we should get on with debating, because I laid out the context of the urgency of the situation, which requires an urgent response. We want to put in place a set of measures, which—if implemented in early 2025—will result in a sustained reduction of about 5 per cent in the sentenced population.
Will the minister take an intervention?
Yes, I will give way very briefly.
Can the minister clarify and confirm that if we do not agree to the business motion this evening, we cannot proceed with the stage 1 debate next week? The motion is about allowing the Scottish Prison Service to get on and undertake the actions that it needs to undertake to keep prisoners and victims safe.
I absolutely concur with that point. I make no assumptions about how people will vote, although it was interesting of Liam Kerr to suggest that he thinks that I am asking people to “meekly” fall in line. I look forward to seeing whether there will be great variance in how the Conservative members vote this evening or whether they will meekly fall in line with Mr Kerr’s request.
In relation to Ms Chapman’s point, if we do not vote for the business motion that is before us because the amendments in the name of Liam Kerr and/or Martin Whitfield are agreed to, we put in jeopardy our ability to have an urgent response to what we all recognise is an urgent situation that is placing our prison estate under great pressure, which is not good for those who work in the prison estate. Let us remember those who work in that estate as well as those who are incarcerated there. If the business motion that is before us is not agreed to, the Government and the Parliament will not be allowed to respond urgently.
The matter is urgent, as is reflected in the timetable that the Government has developed. The Government’s starting point is to maximise parliamentary scrutiny as far as is possible. Mr Whitfield made the point that standing orders ordinarily prescribe that an emergency bill be dealt with and disposed of within one day. I am not asking Parliament to do that. I am asking for an expedited timescale that is quicker than normal, but one that is not as constrained as one day.
On that basis, I urge Parliament to reject the amendments in the names of Mr Kerr and Mr Whitfield and to vote for the business motion that is before us.
I remind members that if the amendment in the name of Liam Kerr is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Martin Whitfield will fall.
The question is, that amendment S6M-15423.2, in the name of Liam Kerr, which seeks to amend motion S6M-15423, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
There will be a division.
There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
17:14 Meeting suspended.
I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Liam Kerr is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Martin Whitfield will fall.
We come to the vote on amendment S6M-15423.2, in the name of Liam Kerr, which seeks to amend motion S6M-15423, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme.
Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer, I would have voted yes.
Thank you, Mr Bibby. We will ensure that that is recorded.
For
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)
Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab)
Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con)
Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con)
Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con)
Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con)
Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab)
Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba)
Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab)
Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Richard Leonard]
Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con)
Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con)
White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)
Against
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP)
Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green)
Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green)
Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn]
McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD)
McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn]
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP)
Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
The result of the division on amendment S6M-15423.2, in the name of Liam Kerr, is: For 48, Against 70, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that amendment S6M-15423.1, in the name of Martin Whitfield, which seeks to amend motion S6M-15423, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
There will be a division.
For
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)
Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab)
Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con)
Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con)
Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con)
Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con)
Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD)
McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab)
Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Richard Leonard]
Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con)
Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con)
White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
Against
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP)
Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green)
Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green)
Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn]
McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn]
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP)
Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
The result of the division on amendment S6M-15423.1, in the name of Martin Whitfield, is: For 51, Against 67, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that motion S6M-15423, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
There will be a division.
For
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP)
Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green)
Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green)
Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green)
Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn]
McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn]
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP)
Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
Against
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)
Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab)
Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con)
Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con)
Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con)
Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con)
Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD)
McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab)
Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab)
Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Richard Leonard]
Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con)
Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con)
White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
The result of the division on motion S6M-15423, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, is: For 68, Against 51, Abstentions 0.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 19 November 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Impact of the UK Government’s Budget on Scotland’s Rural Economy
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 20 November 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic;
Finance and Local Government
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Impact of National Insurance Increase on Public Services
followed by Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill: Emergency Bill Motion
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.15 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 21 November 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister's Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Net Zero and Energy, and Transport
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 26 November 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 27 November 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands;
Health and Social Care
followed by Scottish Labour Party Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 28 November 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.15 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.15 pm Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Housing (Scotland) Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Housing (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 18 November 2024, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-15424, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on a stage 2 timetable for the Scottish Languages Bill.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Scottish Languages Bill at stage 2 be completed by 20 December 2024.—[Jamie Hepburn]
Motion agreed to.
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