Committee News Release

CPROC 04/2004

PROCEDURES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS MORE TIME FOR BILL SCRUTINY

Committee convener Iain Smith said:

“This Report is the product of a major inquiry, which had as its theme the speed at which Bills progress through the Parliament. It was clear from the wide range of evidence we heard that there are key points in the scrutiny process that are often highly pressured, either for members or for witnesses and other external interests.

“What we propose is not a radical overhaul, and there is no single procedural change that will transform how Bills are handled. But the overall effect should be to build in more time where it is most needed, and also to give the Parliament more flexibility in timetabling, particularly at Stage 3.”

Some of the key recommendations of the Report are:

• That more time should be allowed for Stage 1 inquiries, including at least six to eight weeks for the submission of written evidence on any substantial Bill.

• That there should be an extra week between Stage 1 and Stage 2 to allow for the preparation of amendments.

• That the notice-period for lodging amendments should be increased by a day – from two days to three at Stage 2 and from three days to four at Stage 3 – primarily to enable members (and outside observers) to see further in advance how the amendments are to be grouped for debate.

• That there should be more flexibility in how Stage 3 proceedings are timetabled, to avoid the situation arising where whole groups of amendments have to be dealt with formally, without debate, because a timetabling deadline has already expired.

• That more time should be allowed for the debate on passing the Bill, and that it should be possible to schedule that debate for a later day than the proceedings on Stage 3 amendments.

• That the Explanatory Notes and Financial Memorandum that accompany a Bill on introduction should be revised before Stage 3 where the Bill has been amended in relevant respects.

The Report is expected to be debated on Thursday 11 November, together with (in a separate debate) the Committee’s previous report, A New Procedure for Members’ Bills (6th Report, 2004), which was published in July. (This is subject to the Parliament agreeing today to a business motion lodged yesterday on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau.)

Background

The new Report – the Committee’s 7th Report, 2004, Timescales and Stages of Bills (SP Paper 228) – is published in two volumes. Volume 1 sets out the Committee’s view, together with the recommended standing order changes, and has a summary of recommendations at the beginning. Volume 2 consists of the evidence and other supporting material.

Witnesses heard during the inquiry included the Minister for Parliamentary Business (then Patricia Ferguson MSP), two Ministers (Ross Finnie MSP and Cathy Jamieson MSP), other MSPs with experience as conveners or members of committees scrutinising Bills (Pauline McNeill, Margo Macdonald, Stewart Stevenson, Alasdair Morrison) and representatives of interested bodies who had given evidence on Bills and contributed to their scrutiny (including COSLA, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Ramblers Association, Barnardos and Save the Children). A wide range of written evidence was also received.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Richard Holligan Tel: 0131 348 6269
email: Richard.holligan@scottish.parliament.uk

For further information on the Report, or on the 6th Report, please contact:

Lewis McNaughton, Assistant Clerk to the Committee Tel. 0131 348 5178
email: procedures.committee@scottish.parliament.uk

For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 34 85000

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