PR/01/5/A AGENDA PROCEDURES COMMITTEE TUESDAY, 29 MAY 5 MEETING, 2001 the Committee Will Meet on Tuesday, 29 May at 10.30Am in C
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PR/01/5/A AGENDA PROCEDURES COMMITTEE TUESDAY, 29th MAY 5th MEETING, 2001 The Committee will meet on Tuesday, 29th May at 10.30am in Committee Room 2 1. Convener’s Casting Vote: The Committee will consider a paper. 2. Publication of Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and Parliamentary Bureau Minutes: The Committee will consider a paper. 3. Time for Conveners to Speak in the Chamber: The Committee will consider a paper. 4. Committee Agendas: The Committee will consider a paper. 5. Witness Expenses: The Committee will consider a paper. 6. Parliamentary Questions in the recess: transparency of Executive answers to parliamentary questions and Draft Report (2nd, 2001) on Parliamentary Questions: The Committee will consider papers and a draft report. 7. Draft Report (3rd, 2001) on standing order changes: financial resolutions, withdrawal of amendments to motions, and Scottish Commission for Public Audit: The Committee will consider a draft report. 8. Questionnaire based on a paper by Donald Gorrie MSP: The Committee will consider a questionnaire. 9. Decision Time: The Committee will consider correspondence from the Presiding Officer. 10. European Committee: Alteration of Remit: The Committee will consider a paper. John Patterson Clerk to the Procedures Committee Chamber Office, Room 5.19 Ext 85175 [email protected] Papers attached:- Agenda Item 1 Convener’s Casting Vote PR/01/5/1 Annex A Agenda Item 2 Publication of Scottish Parliament Corporate Body and Parliamentary Bureau Minutes PR/01/5/2 Annex A Annex B Annex C Agenda Item 3 Time for Conveners to Speak in the Chamber PR/01/5/3 Agenda Item 4 Committee Agendas PR/01/5/4 Agenda Item 5 Witness Expenses PR/01/5/5 Agenda Item 6 Parliamentary Questions in the Recess: PR/01/5/6 transparency of Executive answers to parliamentary questions and Draft Report (2nd, 2001) on Parliamentary Questions Annex A Annex B Annex C Agenda Item 7 Draft Report (3rd, 2001) – standing order PR/01/5/7 changes: Financial resolutions Withdrawal of amendments to motions Scottish Commission for Public Audit Agenda Item 8 Questionnaire based on a paper by PR/01/5/8 Donald Gorrie Annex A Agenda Item 9 Decision Time PR/01/5/9 Agenda Item 10 European Committee Remit PR/01/5/10 Annex A Annex B PR/01/5/1 FOR DISCUSSION FIFTH MEETING OF THE PROCEDURES COMMITTEE CONVENER’S CASTING VOTE Background 1. The Conveners’ Liaison Group and the Parliamentary Bureau have requested that the Procedures Committee consider the question of the use by conveners of their casting vote. (This topic appeared on the list of issues to be considered as part of the Committee Operations Enquiry.) The relevant rule in standing orders is Rule 11.8.4(b): Rule 11.5 applies where members vote in a committee or sub-committee except that— (a) only members of the committee or sub-committee may vote in that committee or sub-committee, as the case may be; and (b) the convener of a committee or sub-committee may vote and shall also exercise a casting vote in the event of a tie. 2. The matter was considered previously by the Conveners’ Liaison Group and copies of the papers presented to the Group are attached. Attendees 3. The Convener, Murray Tosh, invited the Conveners’ Liaison Group to contribute to the Committee’s consideration (copy of letter of 8 February attached). The following Conveners have been nominated by the Group to speak to the Committee: Margaret Smith, Alex Johnstone, Mike Watson and Andrew Welsh. PR/01/5/1 Purpose of the session and next steps 4. The purpose of the session today is to hear the Conveners’ Liaison Group representatives and discuss with them any points arising. The next step will be to circulate an issues paper for discussion by the Committee. 5. The Committee is invited to hear their colleagues on this issue. Clerking and Reporting Directorate May 2001 PR/01/5/2 FOR CONSIDERATION FIFTH MEETING OF THE PROCEDURES COMMITTEE PUBLICATION OF SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY CORPORATE BODY AND PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MINUTES 1. At its meeting on 12 September 2000, the Committee agreed to receive a paper on the publication of Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) and Parliamentary Bureau minutes. 2. The matter was raised initially by Lloyd Quinan in a letter to the Convener on 28 June. A copy of Mr Quinan’s letter is attached as an annex to the paper and Mr Quinan has confirmed that he will attend. 3. Members are invited to hear Mr Quinan and note the position. Clerking and Reporting Directorate May 2001 PR/01/5/2 Issue 1. Publication of Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) and Parliamentary Bureau Minutes Raised by 2. Lloyd Quinan Background 3. Lloyd Quinan wrote to the Convener on 28 June 2000, about the publication of the minutes of meetings of the SPCB and of the Parliamentary Bureau. A copy of Mr Quinan’s letter is attached at Annex A. The Committee will recall that this was also raised by Donald Gorrie.1 Current situation 4. We have asked SPCB and Bureau officials about the current position. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 5. The procedures adopted by the SPCB are for the SPCB itself to determine as governed by Schedule 2, paragraph 6(2) of the Scotland Act. The relevant extract is attached at Annex B. 6. We understand that the SPCB is currently reviewing its procedures and practices and that the minute of decisions will be a part of the review. The Committee may wish to pend discussion until the outcome of that work is known. 1 Procedures Committee OR, 12 September 2000, col. 482. PR/01/5/2 Parliamentary Bureau 7. The Bureau has recently agreed to publish a note of decisions taken at its meetings in the Business Bulletin. Copies to date are attached at Annex C. 8. The Committee is invited to: • note the legal position in relation to the SPCB and to agree to await the outcome of its current review, and to • note the decision of the Parliamentary Bureau to publish its decisions. Clerking and Reporting Directorate May 2001 PR/01/5/2 Annex B Extract from the Scotland Act, Schedule 2 Proceedings and business 6(2) The corporation may determine its own procedure. PR/01/5/2 Annex C PB/note/01/2001 NOTE OF DECISIONS TAKEN AT THE MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU: 24 APRIL 2001 AT 2.00 PM Members: Presiding Officer – Sir David Steel (in the chair) Deputy Presiding Officer – Patricia Ferguson Deputy Presiding Officer – George Reid Labour Party Business Manager – Tom McCabe Scottish National Party Business Manager – Tricia Marwick Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business Manager – Lord James Douglas-Hamilton Liberal Democrat Party Business Manager – Euan Robson 1. Future Business Programme It was agreed to recommend to Parliament future business, including Members’ Business and Designations of Lead Committee as detailed in motions S1M-1863 and S1M-1864 (for text of motions see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Wednesday 25 April 2001). 2. Referral of Bill Provisions to the Subordinate Legislation Committee Referral of a number of provisions in the International Criminal Court (Scotland) Bill to the Subordinate Legislation Committee under Standing Order Rule 9.6.2 was approved. 3. Transport and the Environment Committee: Request to Appoint an Adviser The Committee’s request to appoint an adviser to assist in its inquiry into the management and maintenance of trunk roads was approved. 4. Finance Committee: Request to Appoint an Adviser The Committee’s request to appoint an adviser to assist in its inquiry into the effect on future budgets of Private Finance Initiatives and Public Private Partnerships was approved. 5. Removal of Motions from the Business Bulletin The Parliamentary Bureau agreed that criteria for the removal of motions from the Business Bulletin should be revised (for details see Announcements Section in the Business Bulletin for Thursday 26 April 2001). In future, all motions will be removed from the Business Bulletin after six weeks (excluding recess time) unless: • an individual motion has the support of at least 30 other Members and these supporters come from more than two political parties; or • the motion remains highly topical; or • the motion has been selected for Members’ Business. PR/01/5/2 The removal from the Business Bulletin of all motions over six weeks old on 30 March 2001 was approved. Ken Hughes Clerk to the Parliamentary Bureau 24 APRIL 2001 PR/01/5/2 PB/note/02/2001 NOTE OF DECISIONS TAKEN AT THE MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU: 1 MAY 2001 AT 2.00 PM Members: Presiding Officer – Sir David Steel (in the chair) Deputy Presiding Officer – Patricia Ferguson Deputy Presiding Officer – George Reid Labour Party Business Manager – Tom McCabe Scottish National Party Business Manager – Tricia Marwick Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business Manager – Lord James Douglas-Hamilton Liberal Democrat Party Business Manager – Euan Robson 6. Future Business Programme It was agreed to recommend to Parliament future business, including timetabling of completion dates for Stage 1 of the International Criminal Court (Scotland) Bill and the Scottish Local Authorities (Tendering) Bill, Members’ Business and Memberships of Committees as detailed in motions S1M-1893 and S1M-1894 (for text of motions see Section F of the Business Bulletin for Wednesday 2 May 2001). 7. Lodging of First Minister's Questions for May Holidays Arrangements for the lodging and selection of questions for First Minister’s Question Time on 10 and 31 May 2001 were agreed (for details see Announcements Section in the Business Bulletin for 2 May 2001). 8. Time for Reflection Contributors to be invited the lead Time for Reflection between September and December 2001 were agreed.