The Official Report is the full and authoritative written report of proceedings in the Scottish Parliament and its committees, including debates on motions and bills, ministerial statements, question time, First Minister's question time, committee inquiries and evidence sessions.

Public Information Leaflet about the Official Report

The Official Report is substantially verbatim. Shortly after the Parliament's first meeting in 1999, the Presiding Officer explained that 'substantially verbatim' means that repetitions and redundancies should be omitted and obvious mistakes should be corrected while maintaining the flavour of the speech. Inevitably, some editorial judgment has to be exercised; for example, the speaker's tone of voice or use of physical gesture may add to or even contradict what he or she is saying, and this must somehow be communicated in the written text.

Official Reports are published on the Scottish Parliament website and on paper by 8 am on the following day for meetings of the Parliament and by agreed deadlines for committee meetings. For more information, the official report can be contacted at official.report@scottish.parliament.uk.

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