| reasoned amendment |
A colloquial term for an amendment to a motion — particularly a motion to agree the general principles of a bill at Stage 1 or to pass it at Stage 3 — which sets out reasons for or against supporting the motion, or which amends the motion so as to indicate – whilst agreeing that the bill should proceed – that some issues to do with the bill arouse concern. |
| recess |
A non-sitting period when the Parliament is not dissolved, but is not meeting for a particular length of time. The dates of recesses are decided by the Parliament on a motion from the Parliamentary Bureau that has regard to Scottish school holidays (rule 2.3). |
| Reconsideration Stage |
For a public bill, the member in charge of a bill may, after the bill is passed, by motion propose that the Parliament reconsiders the bill (rule 9.9). In the procedure for a private bill, any member may, after the bill is passed, by motion propose that the Parliament reconsiders the bill (rule 9A.11). The purpose of the Reconsideration Stage is to resolve concerns over the competency of a bill. |
| region |
An electoral area which contains a number of Scottish parliamentary constituencies. There are currently 8 regions, each of which returns 7 MSPs. The regions are also the European Parliamentary electoral regions as they existed at the time of devolution. |
| regional member |
An MSP returned for 1 of the 8 electoral regions in Scotland using the additional member system. Regional members are often colloquially called list members because they are generally elected as part of a political party’s list of candidates for that region. |
| register of cross-party groups |
The official record of cross-party groups recognised by the Standards Committee, as provided for in the Code of Conduct for MSPs, and published on the Parliament’s website. |
| register of members interests |
A register which lists details of MSPs’ interests under categories such as remuneration, sponsorship and gifts. It can be consulted on the Parliament’s website and at the Information Desk in the Parliament (in hard copy). Information about the registration of interests can be found in section 1 of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. |
| registered political party |
A political party which is registered under the Registration of Political Parties Act 1998. Registered parties can submit lists of candidates to be regional MSPs. Registered political parties are also entitled to financial assistance for their parliamentary work. |
| registrable interest |
For the purposes of the Code of Conduct for MSPs and related legislation, an interest which must be registered. |
| registration of interests |
A scheme, required by legislation and under the Code of Conduct for MSPs, to ensure that registrable interests of MSPs are entered in the register of members’ interests, in order to provide ethical transparency in their parliamentary conduct. |
| Reid principles |
Colloquial term, sometimes used in the media, to describe the 5 key principles set out in the Presiding Officer’s Guidance on Relationships between MSPs, which was approved by the Parliament on 6 July 2000. See section 8 of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. |
| rejection (of a bill) |
Under the Standing Orders, a bill is rejected if the vote at Stage 3 is not valid. This applies even if a majority of those who voted backed the bill. A Stage 3 vote is valid only if the number of members who voted is more than one quarter of the total number of MSPs. |
| reporter |
A member of a parliamentary committee appointed by that committee to report to it on any competent matter. Sometimes know as a rapporteur. A committee may appoint different reporters to report to it on different matters. |
| reserved matters |
Matters which are reserved to the UK Parliament at Westminster and are therefore not within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. The reserved matters are listed in schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 |
| resignation of member |
An MSP may at any time resign his or her seat in the Parliament by giving written notice to the Presiding Officer (section 14, Scotland Act; rule 1.3). |
| resolution |
The form by which decisions of the Parliament are taken, being the terms of a motion agreed to by the Parliament. Resolutions do not generally have the force of law, but are effective as an expression of the will of the Parliament. See, for a particular type, tax-varying resolution. |
| roll-call vote |
A form of voting at a meeting of the Parliament or in a committee, where the roll is called alphabetically and the members are asked to declare orally their vote (‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘Abstain’). |
| royal assent |
The stage in the legislative process when the approval of the sovereign turns a bill that has been passed by the Parliament into an Act of the Scottish Parliament. |
| royal proclamation |
See proclamation. |
| Rural Affairs and Environment Committee |
A subject committee of the Parliament, of 8 members, the remit of the committee is to consider and report on agriculture, fisheries and rural development and other matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment. |
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