– in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 7 June 2000.
Our next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motions. We have several such motions, which will be followed by the business motion.
We have a series of motions before us. Motion S1M-967 asks the Parliament to agree that, on Thursday 22 June, decision time should take place at 5.30 pm. Motion S1M-968 asks the Parliament to agree to suspend the standing orders on Thursday 22 June for the purpose of holding decision time at 5.30 pm. Motion S1M-974 asks the Parliament to agree that Mr Des McNulty be appointed to the Rural Affairs Committee. Motion S1M-965 asks the Parliament to agree to the timetabling of this afternoon's stage 3 debate on the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill.
We will take the first two motions first. Donald Gorrie has requested to speak. Is it on those two motions?
No, on motion S1M-965.
I am sorry. We will come to that, as it is a separate issue. Voting on motions S1M-967 and S1M-968, relating to Thursday 22 June, will be held over until decision time, as will voting on motion S1M-974—nobody has requested to speak against that.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that under Rule 11.2.4 of the Standing Orders, Decision Time of the Meeting of the Parliament on Thursday 22 June 2000 should begin at 5.30 pm.
That the Parliament agrees that Rule 5.6.1(c) of the Standing Orders be suspended for the duration of the Meeting of the Parliament on Thursday 22 June 2000.
That the Parliament agrees that Des McNulty be appointed to the Rural Affairs Committee.
I now call Tom McCabe to move motion S1M-965, on the timetable for today's business, which we must decide on right away.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that the time for consideration of Stage 3 of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill be allotted as follows, so that debate on each part of the proceedings, if not previously brought to a conclusion, shall be brought to a conclusion on the expiry of the specified period (calculated from the time when Stage 3 begins) -
Section 1 to section 9 - up to 40 minutes Section 10 to after section 12 - up to 55 minutes
Donald Gorrie wishes to speak to this motion.
I have spoken to a number of members who feel, as I do, that the Parliament spends too much time debating rather footling motions and does not allow enough time for the consideration of stages 1 and 3 of bills. I want that point on the record and hope that the Parliamentary Bureau will give it some consideration. I will not challenge this particular motion, as I do not know enough about it. However, there is a risk that some members with important things to say about bills are prevented from saying them by the timetable, while we waste a lot of time on useless motions.
Mr McCabe, do you wish to reply?
I fully accept that Mr Gorrie puts his point forward with the best of intentions. However, he serves on the Procedures Committee, which may be a vehicle for raising concerns of this nature. I point out to Parliament that when we draw up a timetabling motion we ensure that we speak to representatives of all the main parties, in particular those represented on the bureau, to ensure that people are broadly content with the proposed timetable. Donald Gorrie may want to speak to his own business manager, who I am sure will reflect his views in future.
The question is, that motion S1M-965, in the name of Mr Tom McCabe, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.