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Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill

To help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Parliament passed two Bills in 2020. These became the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Coronavirus (No.2) (Scotland) Act 2020 (“the Scottish Acts”). The changes to the law in Part 1 of each of these Acts are due to expire on 30 September 2021.

This new Bill will extend Part 1 of each of these Acts until 31 March 2022. This means that the changes to the law in Part 1 of each of these Acts will continue to be the law until that time. An example of a change that will be extended is a protection against eviction for people who rent their homes.

This is a Government bill

The Bill became an Act on 4 August 2021

Introduced: the Bill and its documents

Overview

To help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Parliament passed two Bills in 2020. These became the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Coronavirus (No.2) (Scotland) Act 2020 (“the Scottish Acts”). The changes to the law in Part 1 of each of these Acts are due to expire on 30 September 2021.

This new Bill will extend Part 1 of each of these Acts until 31 March 2022. This means that the changes to the law in Part 1 of each of these Acts will continue to be the law until that time. An example of a change that will be extended is a protection against eviction for people who rent their homes.

The Bill will also allow secondary legislation to be used to extend Part 1 of each of these Acts further, to 30 September 2022. The Parliament would need to agree to this by approving an affirmative SSI.

The Bill also expires certain changes made in Part 1 of each of the Scottish Acts so that these will not continue to be the law after 30 September 2021. These can be found in paragraphs 12 through to 30 of the explanatory notes. An example of a change that will expire is a temporary extension of timescales relating to children’s hearings.

The Bill only relates to the Scottish Acts and not the Coronavirus Act 2020 passed by the UK Parliament.

Why the Bill was created

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a respiratory disease, which became a pandemic. In early 2020, the UK and Scottish Governments introduced a series of laws to manage the situation created by the pandemic.

Two Scottish Acts were passed, but Part 1 of each of these Acts will expire on 30 September 2021. The Scottish Government does not want everything in Part 1 of these Acts to expire while the pandemic continues. The Bill, as introduced, would therefore extend certain changes to the law made by the Scottish Acts to help the Scottish Government continue to manage the situation created by the pandemic.

Certain provisions of the Scottish Acts that are no longer necessary will expire. The Bill only extends the provisions that the Scottish Government considers are essential to the ongoing management of specific matters during the pandemic.

Accompanying Documents

Explanatory Notes (145KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021

Policy Memorandum (938KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021

Financial Memorandum (408KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021

Delegated Powers Memorandum (389KB, pdf) posted 16 June 2021

Statements on legislative competence (131KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2021

Accompanying Documents (print versions)

Explanatory Notes (153KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021

Policy Memorandum (1MB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021

Financial Memorandum (482KB, pdf) posted 17 June 2021

Delegated Powers Memorandum (220KB, pdf) posted 16 June 2021

Statements on legislative competence (186KB, pdf) posted 18 June 2021

Financial Resolution

The Presiding Officer has decided under Rule 9.12 of Standing Orders that a financial resolution is required for this Bill.

Research on the Bill

The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre (SPICe) prepares impartial research and analysis to assist MSPs in their examination of Bills and other parliamentary business.

SPICe published a blogpost on the Bill as introduced

Read the blogpost


The Bill was introduced on 18 June 2021

Stage 1: general principles

Emergency Bill

The Parliament agreed that the Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill should be treated as an Emergency Bill at the meeting of the Parliament on 22 June 2021.

Stage 1 Debate and decision

A Stage 1 debate took place on 22 June 2021 to consider and decide on the general principles of the Bill.

  • Motion title: Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill
  • Text of motion: That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill.
  • Submitted by: John Swinney
  • Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
  • Motion reference: S6M-00446
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Result 92 for, 27 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote Vote Passed

See further details of the motion


Parliament agreed the general principles of the Bill

The Bill ended Stage 1 on 22 June 2021

Stage 2: changes to the Bill

At Stage 2, MSPs can propose changes to a Bill. These are called 'amendments'. Any MSP can suggest amendments but only members of the Stage 2 committee can decide on them. 

Emergency Bill

At Stage 2, an Emergency Bill shall be considered by a Committee of the Whole Parliament.

Committee of the Whole Parliament

Documents with the amendments considered at the meeting held on 23 June 2021:

Marshalled List of amendments at Stage 2 (339KB, pdf) posted 23 June 2021

Groupings of amendments at Stage 2 (348KB, pdf) posted 23 June 2021

The Bill ended Stage 2 on 23 June 2021

Stage 3: final changes and vote

At Stage 3, MSPs can propose further amendments (changes) to the Bill. These are debated and decided on in the Debating Chamber. At this stage, all MSPs can vote on them.  There is then a debate on whether to pass the Bill. If the Bill is not passed, it ‘falls’ and can't become law. 

Debate on proposed amendments

Documents with the amendments considered at the meeting held on 24 June 2021:

Marshalled List of amendments at Stage 3 (379KB, pdf) posted 24 June 2021

Groupings of amendments at Stage 3 (500KB, pdf) posted 24 June 2021

Final debate on the Bill

Once MSPs have decided on the amendments, they debate whether to pass the Bill.

  • Motion title: Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill
  • Text of motion: That the Parliament agrees that the Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill be passed.
  • Submitted by: John Swinney
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 2021
  • Motion reference: S6M-00479
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, 24 June 2021

Result 90 for, 32 against, 0 abstained, 7 did not vote Vote Passed

See further details of the motion


Parliament decided to pass the Bill

The Bill ended Stage 3 on 24 June 2021

Bill becomes an Act

The Bill was passed on 24 June 2021 and became an Act on 4 August 2021.

Read the Act

Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Act 2021