Plenary, 30 Sep 1999

Meeting date: Thursday, September 30, 1999

Official Report 887KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Thursday 30 September 1999

[THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 09:31]

On a point of order. Presiding Officer, you are aware that this is our third non-Executive day, and that the Procedures Committee has been discussing the issue of who should wind up on such days. On the first occasion, when allowing the Executive to wind up, you said that you had not set a precedent. Will you consider allowing the Opposition to wind up on this occasion, so that the Procedures Committee can make a judgment based on both precedents?

That is a very polite point of order, Mr Russell, but I have decided to keep to the previous practice, with the compromise that the Opposition and Executive spokespersons will have the same amount of time. However, I make it clear again that my decision is not to be regarded as setting a precedent, and that the Procedures Committee is currently considering the question of who should wind up such debates.

Before the meeting begins, I wish to inform members that I am to participate on behalf of the Parliament in an international conference on federalism in Quebec. The conference is to be opened by the Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien, and closed by President Clinton. I might add that all costs for the conference are to be met by the organisers. While there, I shall take the opportunity to meet the Speaker of the House of Commons in Canada, and shall therefore be absent from the meetings in this chamber next Wednesday and Thursday. I trust that members will grant me leave of absence.

Before we come to the first item of business this morning, I wish to announce that there will be a ministerial statement at 12.30 pm on Beattie Media and the activities of professional lobbying firms.