– in the Scottish Parliament am ar 11 Ionawr 2024.
Alison Johnstone
Green
There are three questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that, if the Amendment in the name of Sandesh Gulhane is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Michael Marra will fall.
The first question is that amendment S6M-11831.2, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, which seeks to amend motion S6M-11831, in the name of Shona Robison, on Scotland’s public service values, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
The Presiding Officer:
There will be a Division.
There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
17:01 Meeting suspended.
17:02 On resuming—
I remind members that, if the Amendment in the name of Sandesh Gulhane is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Michael Marra will fall.
We move to the division on amendment S6M-11831.2, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, which seeks to amend motion S6M-11831, in the name of Shona Robison.
Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
Michael Matheson
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My vote has not been recorded. I would have voted no.
Bill Kidd
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app was not working, but I would have voted no.
Rhif adran 1
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-11831.2, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, is: For 31, Against 81, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that motion S6M-11831.1, in the name of Michael Marra, which seeks to amend motion S6M-11831, in the name of Shona Robison, on Scotland’s public service values, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Bill Kidd
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted no.
Michael Matheson
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted no.
Sandesh Gulhane
Ceidwadwyr
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect, but I would have voted yes.
Rhif adran 2
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the vote on Amendment S6M-11831.1, in the name of Michael Marra, is: For 48, Against 64, Abstentions 0.
Motion disagreed to.
The final question is, that motion S6M-11831, in the name of Shona Robison, on Scotland’s public service values, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Michael Matheson
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My vote has not been recorded. I would have voted yes.
Bill Kidd
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.
Rhif adran 3
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the Division is: For 64, Against 48, Abstentions 0.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government’s continued investment in delivering public services for Scotland’s people and communities; notes, however, the economic damage of Brexit, which means up to £3.7 billion of potential funding for these services has been lost; recognises the Scottish Government’s legacy of successful public service reform in recent years that has improved outcomes for people and communities, including health and social care partnerships and Social Security Scotland; further recognises the valuable role that public sector workers play in delivering precious public services; supports the Scottish Government’s ambitious public service reform projects in the education, justice and health and social care sectors, which will deliver further reforms over the next decade, including by focusing on prevention and early Intervention, involving people and communities in the design of public services and embracing the power of digital technologies; believes that further reform to public services will be necessary to ensure that public services remain fiscally sustainable and continue to improve outcomes for Scotland’s people and communities, and welcomes, therefore, constructive contributions from partners across the public sector, third sector and business community, as all stakeholders work to protect and reform Scotland’s public services together.
That concludes decision time.
Meeting closed at 17:10.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
An intervention is when the MP making a speech is interrupted by another MP and asked to 'give way' to allow the other MP to intervene on the speech to ask a question or comment on what has just been said.
