– in the Scottish Parliament am ar 31 Hydref 2024.
Alison Johnstone
Green
There are five questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that, if the Amendment in the name of Ivan McKee is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Ross Greer will fall.
The first question is, that amendment S6M-15086.3, in the name of Ivan McKee, which seeks to amend motion S6M-15086, in the name of Kenneth Gibson, on behalf of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, on Scotland’s commissioner landscape, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
Alison Johnstone
Green
I remind members that, if the Amendment in the name of Ivan McKee is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Ross Greer will fall.
We move to the vote on amendment S6M-15086.3, in the name of Ivan McKee, which seeks to amend motion S6M-15086, in the name of Kenneth Gibson, on behalf of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, on Scotland’s commissioner landscape. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
Paul Sweeney
Llafur
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I cannot connect. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Mr Sweeney. We will ensure that that is recorded.
I am aware that Beatrice Wishart would like to make a point of order. I can confirm, Ms Wishart, that you have voted and your vote has been recorded.
Beatrice Wishart
Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol
Thank you, Presiding Officer.
Rhif adran 1
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
I remind members that if the Amendment in the name of Sarah Boyack is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Ross Greer will fall—it has fallen already. [ Laughter .]
The next question is, that amendment S6M-15086.2, in the name of Sarah Boyack, which seeks to amend motion S6M-15086, in the name of Kenneth Gibson, on behalf of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, on Scotland’s commissioner landscape, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Rhif adran 2
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:08,
31 Hydref 2024
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-15086.2, in the name of Sarah Boyack, is: For 24, Against 92, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next question is, that motion S6M-15086, in the name of Kenneth Gibson, on behalf of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, on Scotland’s commissioner landscape, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
The vote is closed.
Lorna Slater
Green
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My screen is stuck. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Green
I can confirm, Ms Slater, that your vote was recorded.
Rhif adran 3
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:08,
31 Hydref 2024
The result of the Division on motion S6M-15086, in the name of Kenneth Gibson, on behalf of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, on Scotland’s commissioner landscape, as amended, is: For 92, Against 24, Abstentions 0.
Motion, as amended, agreed to,
That the Parliament welcomes the Finance and Public Administration Committee’s 7th Report, 2024 (Session 6), Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape: A Strategic Approach (SP Paper 642); agrees with the recommendation that a dedicated committee should be established to carry out a “root and branch” review, with the purpose of creating a clear strategic framework to underpin and provide more coherence and structure to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) supported body landscape, which should complete its work by June 2025, and further agrees that, while this review is undertaken, there should be a moratorium on creating any new SPCB supported bodies, or expanding the remit of existing bodies, while recognising that, for proposals within Bills that have already been introduced, these are now for the Parliament to take a decision on, respecting the lead committees’ roles in scrutinising legislation within their remits.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next question is, that motion S6M-15088, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, which is a legislative consent motion on the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
The vote is closed.
Alex Cole-Hamilton
Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted to abstain.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Mr Cole-Hamilton. We will make sure that that is recorded.
Rhif adran 4
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:08,
31 Hydref 2024
The result of the Division on motion S6M-15088, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, which is a legislative consent motion on the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill, is: For 87, Against 26, Abstentions 4.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that all relevant provisions of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill, introduced in the House of Commons on 18 July 2024, so far as these matters alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament.
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.
A proposal for new legislation that is debated by Parliament.
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
