Annual Report 2001 - 2002
The ChamberScotland's problems and opportunities are debated in the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament and it is those debates which help shape our country. Our meetings let us examine the Scottish Executive's spending plans and policy proposals and quiz Scottish ministers on the issues of the day at 'Question Time', including First Minister's questions. The Parliamentary Bureau proposes the agenda for each meeting in what we call 'the business motion'. Once approved, business motions form a rolling business programme, usually for the coming two weeks. The Bureau is chaired by the Presiding Officer and currently includes the business managers of the four major parties. The two deputy Presiding Officers attend but cannot vote. The Bureau meets each week in private, in order that politically sensitive issues can be discussed. Most decisions are taken without a vote. The Bureau publishes a note of all final decisions taken at their meetings. Ministers in the Scottish Executive, political parties not in government, committees, and individual members can put forward business for the Parliament to consider. During the year, there have been high-profile debates and questions on:
These debates show how we are now a focal point of Scottish daily life. Throughout the year, our meetings in the Chamber covered other vital subjects such as young people's issues, culture, business and economic development, education, tourism, local government, housing and the joint bid with the Republic of Ireland to host the 2008 Euro football championships. The wide range of topics shows the many responsibilities we must cover as Scotland's Parliament. Bills that we pass are the end product of public consultation and hours of debate in committee and in the Chamber. The resulting legislation is one measure of the work we do and of the real effect we can have. In the past year, 21 bills have become acts, which is about five times the number of Scottish bills that might normally have been passed in a year in Westminster before the Parliament was set up. Another interesting feature of the Scottish Parliament is that a committee of the Parliament can put forward a bill. An example of this is the Justice 1 Committee's Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Bill which we passed on 4 October 2001. Members' bills allow individual members to come forward with proposals for legislation. This reflects how power is shared between us and the Scottish Executive. Cathie Craigie became the first female MSP to see her bill, the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Bill, passed by the Parliament in June 2001. Mike Watson's Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill was passed in February 2002. Henry McLeish MSP resigned as First Minister in November 2001. After a debate in the Parliament, the Queen appointed Jack McConnell MSP as the new First Minister. He was sworn in at the Court of Session on 27 November 2001. As a consequence of Patricia Ferguson MSP being made Minister for Parliamentary Business, a vacancy arose for one of the two Deputy Presiding Officers of the Parliament. In a secret ballot of MSPs, Murray Tosh MSP was elected Deputy Presiding Officer on 29 November 2001. 'Time for Reflection' is normally the first item of business in the Chamber each week. It gives people with a wide range of faiths and beliefs the chance to share their thoughts with us. Many religious groups have welcomed this. We hold 'Members' Business' after 'Decision Time' at the end of each meeting. This is a debate usually led by the member whose motion is chosen, with a minister responding. Over the year we have extended the time allowed for each debate from 30 to 45 minutes. This allows more members to contribute. It gives each member the opportunity to highlight issues that are unlikely to receive attention otherwise. |
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Number of bills introduced: 24 |
Number of bills which became acts: 21 |
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Police and Fire Services (Finance) (Scotland) Bill Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Bill Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Bill Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) (Scotland) Bill Erskine Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Bill Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill Water Industry (Scotland) Bill Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill School Education (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill Tobacco Advertising (Scotland) Bill Marriage (Scotland) Bill School Meals (Scotland) Bill Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman Bill (passed as the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Bill) Land Reform (Scotland) Bill Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Records) (Scotland) Bill (passed as the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) (Scotland) Bill Budget (Scotland) (No.3) Scottish Qualifications Authority Bill Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Bill Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill University of St. Andrews Postgraduate Medical Degrees Bill Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Bill |
Number of bills which became acts: 21 Convention Rights (Compliance) (Scotland) Act Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act Scottish Local Authorities (Tendering) Act Housing (Scotland) Act Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act Erskine Bridge Tolls Act International Criminal Court (Scotland) Act Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act Police and Fire Services (Finance) (Scotland) Act School Education (Amendment) (Scotland) Act Scottish Local Government (Elections) Act Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act Budget (Scotland) (No.3) Act Water Industry (Scotland) Act Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act Marriage (Scotland) Act Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Act Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Act Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) (Scotland) Act
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Of that number, four were members' bills, one was a committee bill, while the other 19 came from the Scottish Executive. |
Of that number, two resulted from members' bills, one was a committee bill, while the other 18 came from the Scottish Executive. |
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In the course of the year, we have held 67 'Members' Business' debates.
The main area of concern has been health issues - nearly a third of the topics for debate. Many of the debates were about specific conditions such as lung disease, autism and Alzheimer's. Members' Business debates have been especially useful in raising awareness of less well-known conditions. In November 2001, Johann Lamont MSP raised the issue of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited disease that affects one in 500 of the population and is the cause of most sudden heart-related deaths among people under 25. This debate was inspired by the tragic death of a young man in the MSP's constituency.
We debated a motion by Lord James Douglas-Hamilton MSP in the Scottish Parliament on Commonwealth Day, 13 March 2002. Members' Business debates are often used to mark specific events. Examples this year included a debate on International Workers' Memorial Day led by Cathy Peattie MSP and a debate on the United Nations Children's Summit led by Fiona McLeod MSP. Commemorating European Day of Languages, Irene Oldfather MSP's motion on 26 September 2001 gave members the chance to speak in other languages. Jack McConnell MSP, then Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs, responded in French. Sandra White MSP's debate on 5 December 2001 was about British Sign Language (BSL). We interpreted this debate into BSL.
While some Members' Business debates have recalled historic events such as the Donibristle Pit Disaster (led by Helen Eadie MSP on 6 September 2001), other members have chosen to celebrate organisations involved in helping the public. A debate led by Susan Deacon MSP celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Children's Hospice Association Scotland.
As representatives of the people of Scotland on devolved issues, we can comment on issues of wider concern. We held a special meeting of the Parliament during recess on 3 April 2002 to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. We also offered condolences following the sad death of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret.
As a mark of respect for the victims of the atrocities in the United States on 11 September, we cancelled business in the Chamber the following day, expressing our sympathy and support to the American people on behalf of the whole of Scotland.
