– in the Scottish Parliament at 5:09 pm on 3 September 2025.
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:09,
3 September 2025
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-18695, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out changes to business.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees to the following revision to the programme of business for Thursday 4 September 2025—
after
followed by Public Audit Committee Debate: The 2022/23 and 2023/24 Audits of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland
insert
followed by Motion on Legislative Consent: Employment Rights Bill - UK Legislation—[Jamie Hepburn].
Motion agreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-18696, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, which sets out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 9 September 2025
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Ministerial Statement: Actions to Support Improved Relationships and Behaviour in Schools
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Twenty Years of Scotland’s Railway Providing a Strong Platform for the Future
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 10 September 2025
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands;
Health and Social Care
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 11 September 2025
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice and Housing
followed by Ministerial Statement: GFG Business Operations in Scotland
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Supporting Scottish Exports in Response to Global Uncertainty
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 16 September 2025
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
10.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 17 September 2025
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Parliamentary Business;
Justice and Home Affairs
followed by Stage 3 Debate: Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Leases (Automatic Continuation etc.) (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 18 September 2025
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Education and Skills
followed by SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee Debate: SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 8 September 2025, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.—[Jamie Hepburn]
Motion agreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next item of business is consideration of business motions S6M-18697 and S6M-18698, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on timetabling of Bills at stage 1.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 16 January 2026.
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment to UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 28 November 2025.—[Jamie Hepburn]
Motions agreed to.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
A proposal for new legislation that is debated by Parliament.
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.
