– in the Scottish Parliament at 5:09 pm on 2 September 2025.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
5:09,
2 September 2025
There are six questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that, if the Amendment in the name of Russell Findlay is agreed to, the amendments in the name of Anas Sarwar and Alex Cole-Hamilton will fall.
The first question is, that amendment S6M-18671.4, in the name of Russell Findlay, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
There will be a Division. There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
We move to the vote on Amendment S6M-18671.4, in the name of Russell Findlay, which seeks to amend S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app did not connect. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Mr Gray. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Richard Lochhead
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not work. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Mr Lochhead. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 1
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
5:25,
2 September 2025
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-18671.4, in the name of Russell Findlay, is: For 27, Against 90, Abstentions 1.
Amendment disagreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
I remind members that if the Amendment in the name of Anas Sarwar is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton will fall.
The next question is, that amendment S6M-18671.2, in the name of Anas Sarwar, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
There will be a Division.
The vote is closed.
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Ms Somerville. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app did not connect. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Mr Gray. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Neil Bibby
Labour
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Mr Bibby. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 2
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
5:25,
2 September 2025
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-18671.2, in the name of Anas Sarwar, is: For 19, Against 98, Abstentions 1.
Amendment disagreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
The next question is, that Amendment S6M-18671.3, in the name of Ross Greer, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
There will be a Division.
The vote is closed.
Carol Mochan
Labour
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app seemed to do something funny—I do apologise. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Ms Mochan. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 3
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
The next question is, that Amendment S6M-18671.1, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
There will be a Division.
Division number 4
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
5:25,
2 September 2025
The result of the Division on Amendment S6M-18671.1, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, is: For 50, Against 68, Abstentions 1.
Amendment disagreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
The next question is, that motion S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
There will be a Division.
The vote is closed.
Mairi Gougeon
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Thank you, Ms Gougeon. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 5
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
5:25,
2 September 2025
The result of the Division on motion S6M-18671, in the name of John Swinney, on priorities for Scotland, is: For 66, Against 52, Abstentions 1.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government’s continued focus on its four key priorities of eradicating child poverty, tackling the climate emergency, growing the economy, and ensuring high-quality and sustainable public services; recognises that the delivery of these priorities is within the significant constraints of a constitutional settlement that hampers achieving those priorities due to the policy decisions of UK Conservative and Labour administrations, and recognises that it is only by choosing independence that Scotland can get the fresh start that its people need and deserve.
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
Unless any member objects, I propose to ask a single question on the four Parliamentary Bureau motions.
As no member has objected, the final question is, that motions S6M-18690 and S6M-18691 on committee membership and motions S6M-18692 and S6M-18693 on committee substitutes, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to.
Motions agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that—
Rhoda Grant be appointed to replace Paul O’Kane as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee;
Davy Russell be appointed to replace Foysol Choudhury as a member of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee;
Michael Marra be appointed to replace Paul O’Kane as a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee; and
Carol Mochan be appointed to replace Mark Griffin as a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.
That the Parliament agrees that Ariane Burgess be appointed to replace Mark Ruskell as a member of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee.
That the Parliament agrees that—
Michael Marra be appointed as the Scottish Labour Party substitute on the Public Audit Committee;
Foysol Choudhury be appointed to replace Daniel Johnson as the Scottish Labour Party substitute on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee;
Mark Griffin be appointed to replace Carol Mochan as the Scottish Labour Party substitute on the Social Justice and Social Security Committee; and
Rhoda Grant be appointed as the Scottish Labour Party substitute on the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.
That the Parliament agrees that Mark Ruskell be appointed to replace Ariane Burgess as the Scottish Green Party substitute on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee.
Members’ business will be published tomorrow, 3 September 2025, 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.
