Alison Johnstone
Green
There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that Amendment S6M-11027.1, in the name of Rachael Hamilton, which seeks to amend motion S6M-11027, in the name of Paul McLennan, on the “Rural & Islands Housing Action Plan”, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
The Presiding Officer:
The Parliament is not agreed, so we will have a short suspension to allow members to access digital voting.
17:15 Meeting suspended.
17:17 On resuming—
The question is, that Amendment S6M-11027.1, in the name of Rachael Hamilton, be agreed to. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
Colin Beattie
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted no.
Division number 1
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-11027.1, in the name of Rachael Hamilton, is: For 55, Against 65, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that amendment S6M-11027.2, in the name of Mark Griffin, which seeks to amend motion S6M-11027, in the name of Paul McLennan, on the “Rural & Islands Housing Action Plan”, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
The Presiding Officer:
There will be a Division.
Division number 2
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-11027.2, in the name of Mark Griffin, is: For 22, Against 96, Abstentions 3.
Amendment disagreed to.
The next question is, that motion S6M-11027, in the name of Paul McLennan, on the “Rural & Islands Housing Action Plan”, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
The Presiding Officer:
There will be a Division.
Division number 3
Decision Time
The Presiding Officer:
The result of the Division on motion S6M-11027, in the name of Paul McLennan, on the “Rural & Islands Housing Action Plan”, is: For 69, Against 53, Abstentions 0.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan that will support the Scottish Government’s ambition to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, of which 10% will be in rural and island areas and help attract people to, and retain people in, these communities; recognises that the action plan complements a range of other vital work being taken forward to support sustainable economic growth and to deliver for rural and island communities; considers that it marks an important step in tackling challenges to deliver and retain more homes of all tenures and puts in place the systems and support for the delivery of the right homes in the right place, and believes that achieving delivery of ambitions will require the Scottish Government to work collaboratively with a wide range of partners, including local authorities, registered social landlords, community organisations and Scottish Government agencies, to deliver committed and coordinated action that will support thriving rural and island communities.
I propose to ask a single question on two Parliamentary Bureau motions.
As no member has objected, the question is, that motions S6M-11043, which is on committee membership, and S6M-11044, which is on substitution on committees, both of which are in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to.
Motions agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that—
Ivan McKee be appointed to replace Stephanie Callaghan as a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee;
Stephanie Callaghan be appointed to replace Ivan McKee as a member of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee; and
John Mason be appointed to replace James Dornan as a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.
That the Parliament agrees that—
Emma Harper be appointed to replace Christine Grahame as the Scottish National Party substitute on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee; and
James Dornan be appointed to replace Stephanie Callaghan as the Scottish National Party substitute on the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.
That concludes decision time.
Members’ business will be published tomorrow, 1 November 2023, as soon as the text is available.
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.
