The Parliament’s new procedural ‘rule book’ is published today (Friday) after it’s contents were agreed following debate in the Chamber yesterday. (Link to Standing Orders of the Scottish Parliament)

Having been working to a set of ‘inherited’ standing orders conferred upon the Scottish Parliament by a UK Statutory Instrument, these new standing orders are the Parliament’s own.

In order to allow Members the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the amended rules and to facilitate sufficient leeway for the new rules relating to Question Time to come into effect, the Standing Orders will come into force on 17 December.

Procedures Committee Convener, Murray Tosh MSP, welcomed the decision of the Parliament and was encouraged by the positive response of Members to the new set of Standing Orders, which he moved should be approved during yesterday’s debate. He said:

"I believe that the overall tone of yesterday’s debate and the positive comments from across the parties reflects the spirit of consensus and co-operation which characterised the Procedures Committee approach to the drafting of the Parliament’s own Standing Orders.

"I am confident that the new Standing Orders will improve the overall effectiveness of the Parliament and assist Members in carrying out their Parliamentary duties.

"The Committee will continue to monitor and report upon the performance of the standing orders in the New Year and is committed to improve further all aspects of Parliamentary practice and procedures."

The Standing Orders provide the rules of procedure in both the Parliamentary Chamber and Parliamentary Committees. It is expected that these rules will continue to evolve as Parliament develops.

The Procedures Committee will have a key role in continuing to monitor the performance of the standing orders and parliamentary procedure generally across all areas of parliamentary business.

BACKGROUND NOTES

The document ‘First Report of the Procedures Committee: Proposed Standing Orders of the Scottish Parliament (SP 28)’ was prepared by the Procedures Committee.

A motion seeking its approval was introduced in the Parliament yesterday by Murray Tosh MSP, Convener of the Procedures Committee and agreed after debate. The terms of the motion were:

"That the Parliament notes the terms of the First Report of the Procedures Committee entitled Draft Standing Orders of The Scottish Parliament (SP Paper 28); approves the draft standing orders set out in annex 4 of the Report and now makes the standing orders of the Parliament in terms of that draft, and agrees that those Standing Orders shall come into force on 17 December 1999."

 

Andrew Slorance: 0131 348 5605
email: andrew slorance@scottish.parliament.uk

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