6.1 Amendments to motions are taken immediately after the motion is moved (Rule 8.6.1). Where the Presiding Officer has selected more than one amendment for debate, each is moved in turn in the order printed in Section A of the Business Bulletin (together with any amendments to it) before the original motion (or the motion as amended) is disposed of. The substantive debate normally takes place on the motion and amendments together, with each speaker able to comment on the relative merits of the various amendments.

6.2 The procedure to be followed, using the above example, would normally be as follows—

• the Presiding Officer calls motion (S3M-100), the proposer speaks in support of it (also commenting on the amendments) and then formally moves it; 
• the Presiding Officer calls the first amendment (S3M-100.1), the proposer of that amendment speaks in support of it (also commenting on the original motion and the other amendments) and then formally moves it; 
• the Presiding Officer calls the amendment to the first amendment (S3M‑100.1.1), the proposer of that amendment speaks in support of it (also commenting on the original motion and the other amendments) and then formally moves it; 
• the Presiding Officer calls any subsequent amendments (S3M-100.2) (and any amendments to these amendments), the proposer of each amendment speaks in support of it (also commenting on the original motion and the other amendments) and then formally moves it; and
• the Presiding Officer calls other speakers to speak (each of whom may comment on the original motion and any of the amendments).

6.3 Under Rule 11.4.2, the Presiding Officer shall put questions on amendments to a motion in the order in which those amendments were moved.  The question on an amendment to an amendment shall, however, be put before the question on the amendment. Therefore the Presiding Officer would first put the question on the amendment to the first amendment. Subject to any pre-emptions, the question on the first amendment is then put, then the question on the second amendment and finally the question on the original motion (as amended). Thus, the order of questions would be—

S3M-100.1.1, then;
S3M-100.1 - if this amendment is agreed to, amendment S3M-100.2 would be pre-empted as there is nothing for that amendment to “hook” on to, the word “regrets” no longer being part of the motion (as now amended), so the next question would be on S3M-100 as amended. If S3M-100.1 is not agreed to, the next question would be—
S3M-100.2, then;
S3M.100 (as amended, if S3M-100.2 is agreed to).

In most cases, the Presiding Officer puts the question on a motion and amendments at Decision Time (which normally begins at 5pm, after the main business of the day but before Members’ Business). With certain specific types of motions (listed in Rule 11.3.1) or where the Presiding Officer decides that it is appropriate to do so (under Rule 11.3.3), motions and amendments may be decided on at times other than Decision Time.

Motions and Amendments Without Notice

6.4 Under Rule 8.2.6, a motion may be moved without notice for a motion to be taken at shorter notice (i.e. earlier than the sitting day after the day on which notice of it is given). This is normally a three-stage process whereby the Member first seeks the permission of the Presiding Officer to move a motion without notice that motion S3M-xxx be taken at that day’s meeting of the Parliament. If the Presiding Officer grants permission, the Member then has the opportunity to explain to the Parliament his or her reasons as to why the motion should be debated at short notice. The Presiding Officer then puts the question to the Parliament “that motion S3M-xxx be taken at this meeting of the Parliament”. If the Parliament agrees, then the Member may move the motion on which he or she is seeking a debate.  Subject to the decision of the Presiding Officer this may take place immediately after the Parliament’s agreement or at a later time the same day.

6.5 As soon as a motion is moved without notice, it is open to other Members (at the discretion of the Presiding Officer) to propose, speak in support of and move amendments to that motion, also without notice (Rule 8.4.2).