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Digital service toolkit

A to Z



A

Act

Use upper case if you’re referring to a specific Act. Use lower case as a concept.  For example:

'The Budget (Scotland) Act 2022.'

'Some acts become law straight after Royal Assent.

B

Bill

Use upper case if you’re referring to a specific bill. Use lower case as a concept.  For example:

‘Housing Reform Bill’

'Most bills that the Scottish Parliament looks at are introduced by the Scottish Government.'

C

Cabinet Secretary

Use upper case if you’re referring to a title or specific Cabinet Secretary. Use lower case as a concept.  For example: ‘Humza Yousaf was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in May 2021.’

call for views

Lower case.  Use the phrase ‘call for views’ rather than ‘call for evidence’.

Chamber

Upper case when referring to the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

clerk

Lower case.

Code of Conduct

Upper case when referring to the thing itself but use sentence case when referring to the code MSPs have to follow.

committee

Lower case unless as part of the full name ‘Education and Skills Committee’.

Committee Bills

Upper case.

Convener

Upper case.

COVID-19

Use ‘COVID-19’ instead of 'Coronavirus' or 'Covid-19' or other variations.

Cross-Party Groups

Upper case and first two words hyphenated.

cross-party support

Lower case and first two words hyphenated.

D

Deputy Convener

Upper case.

devolved matters

Lower case.

E

enquiry

Use 'inquiry' instead.

G

general principles

Lower case.

government

Lower case unless it’s a full title. For example: ‘the Scottish Government’.  Also use ‘Welsh Government’ as it’s the full title.

Government Bill

Upper case.

H

Hybrid Bill

Upper case.

I

inquiry

Lower case. Use instead of ‘enquiry’.

L

lead committee

Lower case.

local councils

Lower case. Use ‘local councils’ not ‘local authorities’ or ‘councils’.

M

Members' Bill

Upper case. Note the apostrophe placement.

minister

Upper case for the full title, or when used with a name. Example: ‘Minister for Parliamentary Business’ or ‘Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth’. When used without the name, shortened titles are lower case. Example: ‘The health minister welcomed the research team.’

However, in certain contexts ‘the Scottish Ministers’ may have an argument for being capitalised as it’s a legal entity. ‘Scottish ministers’ though, should not be capitalised.

motion

Lower case. See also ‘business motion’.

MSP

Upper case, but ‘MSPs’ if plural.

O

Official Report

Upper case.

P

Parliament

Use upper case if you’re referring to a specific parliament. Use lower case as a concept.  For example:

'The Scottish Parliament'

'Many parliaments around the world have more than one chamber.'

petitions

Lower case, but upper case for a specific petition.

Policy Memorandum

Upper case.

Private Bill

Upper case.

S

subject committees

Lower case.

submit your views

Use instead of ‘have your say’, ‘call for views’ or ‘written evidence’.

subordinate legislation

Lower case. Use ‘secondary legislation’ as preference.

W

witnesses

Lower case.