2pm

Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2pm

Motion of Condolence

John Swinney (S6M-14899)

That the Parliament expresses its shock and sadness at the untimely death of Alex Salmond; offers its deep sympathy and condolences to his family and friends; appreciates the many years of public service that he gave as an MP, MSP, and First Minister of Scotland, and recognises the substantial and significant contribution that he made over many decades to public life, Scottish and UK politics and the cause of Scottish independence.

Further details available for S6M-14899

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2:30pm

Portfolio Questions

Portfolio: Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic

Evelyn Tweed (S6O-03845)

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings from Santander on the impact of Brexit on UK-EU trade, as it relates to Scotland's economy.

Official Report available for S6O-03845

Jeremy Balfour (S6O-03846)

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the participation of disabled people in the economy is of significant benefit.

Official Report available for S6O-03846

Daniel Johnson (S6O-03847)

To ask the Scottish Government how it evaluates the performance of the enterprise agencies in directly investing in businesses.

Official Report available for S6O-03847

Clare Adamson (S6O-03848)

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting entrepreneurship in the games sector.

Official Report available for S6O-03848

Michelle Thomson (S6O-03849)

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to sustain the economic value of the chemical production sector based around Grangemouth.

Official Report available for S6O-03849

Richard Leonard (S6O-03850)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the potential closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery and any economic impact that this may have.

Submitting member has a registered interest.

Official Report available for S6O-03850

Bob Doris (S6O-03851)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how its approach to business taxation supports the economy.

Official Report available for S6O-03851

Graham Simpson (S6O-03852)

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards securing a long-term future for Ferguson Marine.

Official Report available for S6O-03852

Portfolio: Finance and Local Government

Rhoda Grant (S6O-03853)

To ask the Scottish Government how youth groups can access funds to buy community assets.

Official Report available for S6O-03853

Stephen Kerr (S6O-03854)

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has in place for local authorities that may be unable to fulfil any legal requirements for a balanced budget in the forthcoming financial year.

Official Report available for S6O-03854

Foysol Choudhury (S6O-03855)

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve transparency in the management of Scotland's finances.

Official Report available for S6O-03855

David Torrance (S6O-03856)

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of what Scotland's fiscal position would be today had the UK remained a member of the EU.

Official Report available for S6O-03856

Audrey Nicoll (S6O-03857)

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of any engagement that it has had with the UK Government regarding potential Barnett consequential funding, how much it anticipates that it will be able to allocate in its Budget to address any risks arising from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Official Report available for S6O-03857

Ben Macpherson (S6O-03858)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues, City of Edinburgh Council and other relevant stakeholders regarding how its financial planning can support the delivery of affordable housing in Edinburgh.

Official Report available for S6O-03858

Liz Smith (S6O-03859)

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out regarding the potential impact of introducing a public health supplement to be paid by retailers in Scotland.

Official Report available for S6O-03859

Alex Rowley (S6O-03860)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with COSLA regarding the 2025-26 local government finance settlement.

Official Report available for S6O-03860

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Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Funding for Teachers and Schools in Scotland

Miles Briggs (S6M-15060)

That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government withholding £145 million in funding from local authorities will risk teacher numbers across Scotland declining further; notes that teacher numbers in Scotland have already been declining for two years in a row; acknowledges that many teachers are already struggling to obtain permanent employment; recognises the efforts of the Scottish Teachers for Permanence Campaign, which represents 3,800 teachers searching for permanent work in Scotland; expresses alarm about potential cuts to classroom assistant numbers and the school week due to shortfalls in local authority funding from the Scottish Government, and believes that Scottish Government funding should be used to improve Scotland’s schools.

Further details available for S6M-15060

Jenny Gilruth (S6M-15060.3)

As an amendment to motion S6M-15060 in the name of Miles Briggs (Funding for Teachers and Schools in Scotland), leave out from first “believes” to end and insert “calls on COSLA to accept the £145.5 million that is being made available by the Scottish Government to maintain teacher numbers, in line with the Budget (Scotland) Act 2024, as voted for by the Parliament.”

Further details available for S6M-15060.3

Pam Duncan-Glancy (S6M-15060.1)

As an amendment to motion S6M-15060 in the name of Miles Briggs (Funding for Teachers and Schools in Scotland), insert at end "; further believes that there should be regular and transparent national level data collected on vacancies in teaching roles and the numbers of registered teachers on supply lists, alongside closer monitoring of the proportion of newly qualified teachers who are in teaching roles, and reiterates that the Scottish Government should publish a comprehensive plan to address gaps in the teaching and school staff workforce as resolved by the Parliament on 15 May 2024."

Further details available for S6M-15060.1

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Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Using the Upcoming Scottish Budget to Support Economic Growth

Craig Hoy (S6M-15061)

That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government has failed to deliver sustained levels of economic growth in Scotland; notes that this failure has cost Scotland’s public services £624 million in 2022-23 alone; recognises that the Scottish Ministers have increased income tax on people in Scotland by over £1.4 billion since 2016 and have created a damaging tax differential with the rest of the UK; acknowledges that, despite increased taxes and higher spending on devolved public services, this has failed to deliver better outcomes for the taxpayers who fund these services, and calls on the Scottish Government to examine the potential positive impact on jobs and economic growth of beginning to lower tax in the upcoming Scottish Budget.

Further details available for S6M-15061

Ivan McKee (S6M-15061.2)

As an amendment to motion S6M-15061 in the name of Craig Hoy (Using the Upcoming Scottish Budget to Support Economic Growth), leave out from “believes” to end and insert “condemns the impact of the former UK Conservative administration’s austerity and Brexit on the public finances and the wider economy; recognises that progressive taxation in Scotland has ensured that funding has been available to deliver actions to tackle poverty, like the Scottish Child Payment; notes that the latest available evidence shows that Scotland had positive net inward migration of taxpayers from the rest of the UK and was positive for every tax band; further notes that the process to develop the Scottish Budget for 2025-26 is underway; challenges those who would propose reducing tax rates to identify the public services that they would then cut to deliver the required balanced budget; deplores the call from the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party to introduce an illness tax in the form of prescription charges, and believes that the Baby Box, free prescriptions, free personal care, free eye examinations and free university tuition should be protected and sustained for the future.”

Further details available for S6M-15061.2

Mark Griffin (S6M-15061.1)

As an amendment to motion S6M-15061 in the name of Craig Hoy (Using the Upcoming Scottish Budget to Support Economic Growth), leave out from "the Scottish Ministers" to end and insert "while taxpayers in Scotland are paying more than their counterparts in the rest of the UK, almost one in six people in Scotland are on NHS waiting lists, the latest PISA statistics show that Scotland’s education system is falling further behind other countries, and local government services are under severe financial pressure; believes that people are not seeing the necessary improvements to their public services; regrets that the incompetence of the Scottish National Party administration has led to chaos in the public finances, with emergency in-year budgets for three consecutive years, and calls on the Scottish Government to end 17 years of waste and incompetence in the management of Scotland’s finances."

Further details available for S6M-15061.1

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Business Motions

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15072)

That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 5 November 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 6 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 Government Debate: Keeping The Promise
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 7 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: Social Justice
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Brexit Impacts on Scotland’s Rural Economy
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 12 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 13 November 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Parliamentary Business; Justice and Home Affairs
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist 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 14 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: Education and Skills
followed by Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Debate: UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
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 4 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.

Further details available for S6M-15072

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15073)

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Education (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 20 December 2024.

Further details available for S6M-15073

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15074)

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 28 March 2025.

Further details available for S6M-15074

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15075)

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 29 November 2024.

Further details available for S6M-15075

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15076)

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be extended to 28 February 2025.

Further details available for S6M-15076
Parliamentary Bureau Motions

Alexander Burnett on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15078)

That the Parliament agrees that nothing further be done under the Local Services Franchises (Traffic Commissioner Notices and Panels) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (SSI 2024/229)*, that is to say, that the instrument be annulled*.

Further details available for S6M-15078

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15079)

That the Parliament agrees that the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022 (Extension of Temporary Justice Measures) Regulations 2024 [draft] be approved.

Further details available for S6M-15079

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15080)

That the Parliament agrees that the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (Amendment) Order 2024 [draft] be approved.

Further details available for S6M-15080

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15081)

That the Parliament agrees that the Public Procurement (International Trade Agreements) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 [draft] be approved.

Further details available for S6M-15081

Jamie Hepburn on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-15094)

That the Parliament agrees that Elena Whitham be appointed to replace Ruth Maguire as a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.

Further details available for S6M-15094

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Approval of SSIs (if required)
5:55pm

Decision Time

Committee business

The committee will meet at 9:00am at T4.40-CR2 The Fairfax Somerville Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Declaration of interests: Tim Eagle will be invited to declare any relevant interests.

2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 5 in private.

3. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will take evidence on the Free-Range Egg Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (2024/draft) from—

Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Scottish Government
Darren Cormack, Food and Drink, Livestock Products Policy Manager, Scottish Government
Judith Brown, Solicitor, Scottish Government

4. Subordinate legislation: Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity to move—S6M-14816—That the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee recommends that the Free-Range Egg Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 be approved.

5. Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2025 to 2026: The Committee will consider a draft letter to the Scottish Government.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Emma Johnston on 85225 or at emma.johnston@parliament.scot

The committee will meet at 9:30am at TG.60-CR3 The Fleming Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 4 and 5 in private.

2. Consideration of continued petitions: The Committee will consider the following continued petitions— PE2089: Stop More National Parks in Scotland. The Committee will take evidence from—Denise Brownlee, No Galloway National Park campaign groupMhairi Dawson, National Farmers' Union ScotlandNick Kempe, Parkswatch Scotland Ian McKinnon, Lochaber National Park- NO More Campaignand then from—Rob Lucas, Galloway National Park AssociationJohn Mayhew, Scottish Campaign for National Parksand then consider—PE1610: Upgrade the A75;PE1657: A77 upgrade;PE1876: Accurately record the sex of people charged or convicted of rape or attempted rape;PE1988: Review the process for disposal of household raw sewage;PE1989: Increase defibrillators in public spaces and workplaces;PE1993: Reform the financial support for social work students on work placements;PE2039: Fair pay to student nurses while on placement;PE2053: Stop the cuts to community link workers and help secure their long-term future within GP practice teams; andPE2061: Require solicitors to ensure capacity of vulnerable individuals by having a medical professional co-sign legal documents.

and then from—

3. Consideration of new petitions: The Committee will consider the following new petitions— PE2110: Protect wild wrasse stocks;PE2111: Fund early learning and childcare from 9 months; andPE2112: Conduct an independent review of childcare costs and availability in Scotland.

4. Consideration of Evidence: The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

5. Inquiry into A9 Dualling Project: The Committee will consider a revised draft report.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Jyoti Chandola on 85227 or at jyoti.chandola@parliament.scot

The committee will meet at 9:30am at T1.60-CR4 The Clerk Maxwell Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Declaration of interests: Jamie Halcro Johnston will be invited to declare any relevant interests.

2. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 4, and future consideration of an approach paper on the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill LCM, in private.

3. Registers of Scotland: The Committee will take evidence from—

Jennifer Henderson, Keeper of the Registers of Scotland, Registers of Scotland
Chris Kerr, Accountable Officer, Registers of Scotland

4. Registers of Scotland: The Committee will consider the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Anne Peat on 85182 or at anne.peat@parliament.scot

The committee will meet at 9:30am at TG.40-CR1 The Burns Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Declaration of interests: Douglas Ross and Miles Briggs will be invited to declare any relevant interests.

2. Choice of Convener: The Committee will choose a Convener.

3. Reform of the Senior Phase: The Committee will take evidence from—

Professor Louise Hayward
Peter Bain, Executive Head Teacher and President, School Leaders Scotland (SLS)
Shona Barrie, Director of Admissions and Access, University of Stirling
Dr Douglas Hutchison, Executive Director of Education, Glasgow City Council

4. Evidence Session (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 3.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Pauline McIntyre on 85252 or at Pauline.McIntyre@parliament.scot

The committee will meet at 10:00am at T4.60-CR6 The Livingstone Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Declaration of interests: Liam Kerr will be invited to declare any relevant interests.

2. Choice of Deputy Convener: The Committee will choose a Deputy Convener.

3. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 6 and 7 in private.

4. Pre-Budget Scrutiny: The Committee will take evidence as part of its Pre-Budget Scrutiny from—

Chief Constable Jo Farrell, Police Scotland
Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors QPM, Crime and Operational Support, Police Scotland
James Gray, Chief Financial Officer, Police Scotland

and then from—

Martyn Evans, Chair, Scottish Police Authority
Lynn Brown, Chief Executive, Scottish Police Authority
Fiona Douglas, Director of Forensic Services, Scottish Police Authority

5. 3rd EU Tracker Report: The Committee will consider correspondence from the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee.

6. Pre-Budget Scrutiny: The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 4.

7. Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider its approach to the scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Stephen Imrie on 85931 or at Stephen.Imrie@scottish.parliament.uk

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What's On

Wednesday 30 October 2024

Business Bulletin

Chamber business

Parliamentary Bureau Motions

Motion of Condolence

Portfolio Questions

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Funding for Teachers and Schools in Scotland

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Using the Upcoming Scottish Budget to Support Economic Growth

Business Motions

Parliamentary Bureau Motions

Approval of SSIs (if required)

Decision Time

Committee business

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Criminal Justice Committee