| D-Day |
1 July 1999. The principal appointed day for the implementation of key provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. On that day, the Scottish Parliament assumed its powers to make laws, and Scottish Ministers assumed their executive powers. 1 July 1999 was also the day when the Parliament was officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen. |
| daily business list |
The agenda of business for the Parliament on a particular day, usually with times when each item is to be taken, published in Section A of the Business Bulletin. |
| debates |
Proceedings in the Parliament involving discussion by MSPs, usually based on a motion (sometimes with amendments) moved at the beginning of the debate. Debates may sometimes take place on a subject without there being a motion, or on a motion that is not moved (see members' business). |
| Debating Chamber |
The term used, in the Standing Orders and elsewhere, to describe the place for meetings of the Parliament. Also referred to as the Chamber. |
| Decision Time |
The period at the end of a day’s business in the Parliament (generally 17:00 on Wednesday and Thursday) when decisions are taken on most of the questions before it, whether by a division or otherwise. Some decisions, for example on business or other procedural motions, are taken at other times of day. Under the Standing Orders, Decision Time may not normally end later than 30 minutes after it begins. |
| declarable interest |
An interest which must, under the members’ interests order, be declared in relevant proceedings of the Parliament. Such an interest would be a registrable interest which would prejudice, or could be thought by others to prejudice, the member’s ability to participate in the proceedings in a disinterested way. This is referred to as a declaration of interests. Further information is available in section 3 of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. |
| declaration of interests |
See declarable interest. |
| delegated legislation |
See subordinate legislation. |
| delivery group |
A group established by the Cabinet to ensure delivery on cross-cutting Executive commitments. The membership and remit of a delivery group is agreed by Cabinet and such groups may comprise external members as well as Ministers.
Details of current delivery groups can be found on the Scottish Executive website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk). |
| Department for Constitutional Affairs |
The department responsible for the overall management of relations between the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As a result of the changes announced by the Prime Minister on 12 June 2003, the Scotland Office is now part of the Department for Constitutional Affairs. More information on the work of the DCA in relation to devolution can be found on its website (http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/index.htm). |
| deputy convener |
A member of a committee who can carry out the functions of that committee’s convener as required. The method of appointment, and the relevance of party affiliation, is set out in chapter 12 of the Standing Orders. |
| Deputy First Minister |
A non-statutory term for the Cabinet Minister who is deputy to the First Minister. |
| Deputy Minister |
A non-statutory term for a junior Scottish Minister appointed by the First Minister under the terms of section 49 of the Scotland Act 1998. |
| Deputy Presiding Officers (DPOs) |
The Presiding Officer’s two deputies, who can also preside at the Parliament’s meetings and undertake impartially other functions of the Presiding Officer in accordance with the Scotland Act 1998 and the Standing Orders. |
| devolution |
The process of decentralising the governance of Scotland, within the UK, from the central authorities (Westminster and Whitehall) to a Scottish Parliament and Executive. Similar schemes have been implemented for Northern Ireland and for Wales. |
| devolution guidance notes (DGNs) |
A series of (generally internal) advice notes from the UK Government on, for example, how the UK and devolved administrations inter-relate. They are based on related guidance in other series, such as concordats. They are available on the website of the UK Government’s Department for Constitutional Affairs (www.dca.gov.uk). |
| devolution issues |
A statutory term used in schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998 to describe particular kinds of legal issues arising from devolution, for example whether a power or action is within the competence of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Ministers or Scottish Law Officers. These can be decided by the relevant courts and, ultimately, by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. |
| devolved competence |
The remit of the Scottish Ministers, which, very broadly, is the same as the Parliament’s legislative competence. See also Executive devolution. |
| devolved matters |
Matters for which the Scottish Parliament and/or the Scottish Executive have assumed responsibility. |
| Directorate of Access and Information |
The department of the Parliament’s administration that brings together those involved in the Parliament's external communications. In addition, it is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for all who require access to, or work in, the Parliament's buildings. It comprises the Public Affairs Group, SPICe and Security. The Festival of Politics team and the Art Curator also sit within this directorate. |
| Directorate of Clerking and Reporting |
The department of the Parliament’s administration that provides procedural and administrative support for all meetings of the Parliament, the committees, the Parliamentary Bureau and the Conveners' Group. It also publishes the Official Report of the proceedings of the Parliament and its committees. It is headed by the Director of Clerking and Reporting, and is divided into 3 offices: the Chamber Office, the Committee Office and the Official Report. |
| Directorate of Legal Services |
The department of the Parliament’s administration that provides legal advice and assistance to the Parliament, the Presiding Officer, committees, the SPCB and the staff of the Parliament. |
| Directorate of Resources and Governance |
The department of the Parliament's administration that has responsibility for corporate services and administration. It is made up of 5 offices: Allowances, Corporate Policy Unit, Finance, Personnel and Procurement. |
| Directorate of Technology and Facilities Management |
The department of the Parliament’s administration that provides the Parliament with accommodation, facilities management services and information technology. It is made up of 2 offices: BIT and FM. |
| Directors' Group |
The group of Scottish Parliament staff comprising the Clerk of the Parliament and the 5 Directors. The group acts as a high level advisory group to the Clerk and provides a regular forum for joint discussion of their responsibilities. It also provides the main point of contact between the Senior Management Team and the SPCB. |
| disability allowance |
Under the members' allowances scheme, an allowance up to a specified limit per session which can be awarded by the SPCB to an MSP whose ability to undertake his or her role is impaired by disability. It is to be used in any way the SPCB decides is helpful to the MSP in undertaking that role. The SPCB may also make an award under this allowance to a member to meet costs the member may incur making reasonable adjustments to his or her local office to accommodate an employee who has a disability. This may include funds to facilitate access for disabled members of the public; provide equipment or parking spaces for disabled people; facilitate meetings for disabled people by hiring alternative premises; and contrating sign language interpreters for meetings with members of the public. |
| dissolution |
Dissolution is the official term for the end of a session. The Presiding Officer determines the date when the Parliament is expected to be dissolved and members are notified of the date by the Clerk. The Queen is required to dissolve the Parliament at least every four years to enable an ordinary general election to be held, but the Parliament can also be dissolved early, following a resolution of the Parliament supported by two thirds of all MSPs, or the Parliament’s failure to nominate a First Minister within the prescribed statutory periods, in which case an extraordinary general election is held. |
| division |
The means for deciding a question other than by consensus. See voting. |
| Document Supply Service |
The service provided by the Document Supply Team in SPICe. They supply MSPs, their staff and Parliament staff with copies of parliamentary papers and other official documents they need for their parliamentary duties. The service is similar to that provided by the Vote Office in the House of Commons and the Printed Paper Office in the House of Lords. The Document Supply Team also oversees the network of 80 partner libraries. |
| documents |
Standing orders provide for the laying before, and publication by the Parliament of any relevant document, defined as ‘anything in which information is recorded in any form’. |
| draft budget |
Proposals presented by Scottish Ministers to the Parliament by 20 September (or the first sitting day thereafter), under the written agreement between the Scottish Ministers and the Parliament (SP Paper 155, June 2000), which set out detailed expenditure plans for the next financial year. The document is provided by the Executive for parliamentary scrutiny at Stage 2 of the annual budget process, leading to the annual budget bill. |
| dual mandate |
A term to describe those MSPs who are at the same time members of the House of Commons (MPs) or House of Lords (Peers), and/or the European Parliament (MEPs). The salaries of such MSPs are abated accordingly. |
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