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 Paul McLennan is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Mark Griffin will fall.
The first question is, that amendment S6M-10411.3, in the name of Paul McLennan, which seeks to amend motion S6M-10411, in the name of Murdo Fraser, on pausing the short-term lets licensing scheme, 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.
17:12 Meeting suspended.
17:14 On resuming—
I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Paul McLennan is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Mark Griffin will fall.
The question is, that amendment S6M-10411.3, in the name of Paul McLennan, be agreed to.
Members should cast their votes now.
Division number 1
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the division on amendment S6M-10411.3, in the name of Paul McLennan, is: For 65, Against 51, Abstentions 0.
As amendment S6M-10411.3 is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Mark Griffin falls.
The final question is, that motion S6M-10411, in the name of Murdo Fraser, on pausing the short-term lets licensing scheme, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
The Presiding Officer:
Could we have Mr Gibson’s microphone on, please? We are not hearing you, Mr Gibson. Could you ensure that your card is in, Mr Gibson? [
Laughter
.]
Kenneth Gibson
Scottish National Party
I should really have the card in, shouldn’t I?
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was not able to connect to the platform. I would have voted yes.
The Presiding Officer:
Thank you. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Alexander Stewart
Conservative
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was not able to get on to the platform. I would have voted no.
The Presiding Officer:
Thank you. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Ms Baillie, I confirm that your vote has been recorded. Sorry, Ms Baillie, please bear with us for a moment—I cannot hear you.
I call Jackie Baillie for a point of order.
Jackie Baillie
Labour
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The system crashed, and I think that it recorded my vote as a yes, but I actually pressed no.
The Presiding Officer:
Thank you, Ms Baillie. Your vote has been recorded. I cannot alter your vote on the record, but your point of order has been recorded.
Division number 2
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the division on motion S6M-010411, in the name of Murdo Fraser, on pausing the short-terms lets licensing scheme, as amended, is: For 62, Against 54, Abstentions 0.
Motion, as amended, agreed to,
That the Parliament recognises the success of Scotland’s growing tourism sector and that well-managed, short-term lets are a significant part of that economy; welcomes the reassurance and safeguards for visitors, hosts and communities that the short-term lets licensing scheme provides; acknowledges the work that local authorities have done to date in processing applications, and also those hosts who have submitted applications so far; highlights the six-month extension to the application deadline, giving nearly two years for hosts to comply with licensing conditions and a year to prepare and submit an application; notes the ongoing Scottish Government engagement with local authorities and the short-term lets sector across Scotland; calls on all MSPs to focus on supporting and encouraging any outstanding applications to be submitted to local authorities before 1 October 2023; confirms the Scottish Government’s ongoing work to listen to and engage with the sector, and reaffirms the Scottish Government’s commitment to an implementation review update in early 2024.
That concludes decision time.
Members’ business will be published tomorrow, Thursday 14 September 2023, as soon as the text is available.
