Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Official Report 995KB pdf

Standing Order Rule Changes

The next item of business is consideration of motion S6M-08720, in the name of Martin Whitfield, on behalf of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, on standing order rule changes. I call him to speak to and move the motion.

It will be a pleasure to move the motion in my name. I thank Bob Doris, who seconded the motion as deputy convener of the SPPA Committee.

The motion deals with something that this Parliament has not had to deal with in its past: the death of a monarch. The changes relate to the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III. Minor changes are required to our standing orders, principally to remove references to “Her Majesty” and to replace them with “His Majesty”.

I move,

That the Parliament notes the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee’s 9th Report, 2023 (Session 6), Standing Order Rule changes - minor amendments (SP Paper 352), and agrees that the rule changes to Standing Orders set out in the annexe of the report be made with effect from 4 May 2023.

The question on the motion will be put at decision time, to which we now come.