– in the Scottish Parliament at 5:11 pm on 5 November 2025.
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:11,
5 November 2025
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. In dealing with the amendments, members should have before them the bill as amended at stage 2—Scottish Parliament bill 44A—the second marshalled list and the second groupings of amendments. The Division bell will sound and proceedings will be suspended for around five minutes for the first division of stage 3. The period of voting for the first division will be 30 seconds; thereafter I will allow a voting period of one minute.
Members should now refer to the marshalled list of amendments.
Section 23—Rent review: 1991 Act tenancies
Amendments 350 to 355 moved—[Douglas Lumsden]—and agreed to.
Amendment 229 moved—[Mairi Gougeon].
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 229 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
As this is the first division of stage 3 today, I suspend the meeting for around five minutes to allow members to access the digital voting system.
Maggie Chapman
Green
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was struggling with the app. I would have cast a vote for myself and for Lorna Slater. We would both have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Green
We will ensure that those votes are recorded.
Division number 1
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 106 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 2
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 28, Against 87, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 106 disagreed to.
Section 24—Rent review: limited duration tenancies
Amendments 356 to 362 moved—[Douglas Lumsden]—and agreed to.
Amendment 230 moved—[Mairi Gougeon].
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 230 be agreed to. Are we all agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The vote is closed.
Kenneth Gibson
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Mr Gibson. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 3
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 89, Against 27, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 230 agreed to.
Amendment 107 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Section 25—Rent review: repairing tenancies
Amendment 108 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Section 27A—Notice requirements: lease of 1991 Act holding
Amendment 109 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Section 27B—Landlord’s objection to legatee or acquirer on intestacy: near relatives and other persons
Amendment 110 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Section 27C—Legatee or acquirer on intestacy: supplementary provision
Amendment 111 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Section 27D—Succession to tenancy
Amendment 112 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Alison Johnstone
Green
Does any member object to a single question being put on amendments 107 to 112?
As no member objects, the question is, that amendments 107 to 112 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 4
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 26, Against 91, Abstentions 0.
Amendments 107 to 112 disagreed to.
Section 29—Regulation-making powers
Amendments 363 and 364 moved—[Mairi Gougeon]—and agreed to.
Amendment 113 moved—[Edward Mountain].
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 113 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
Paul McLennan
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted no.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Mr McLennan. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 5
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 46, Against 71, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 113 disagreed to.
Amendment 114 not moved.
After section 29
Amendment 365 moved—[Mairi Gougeon]—and agreed to.
Section 30—Commencement
Amendment 366 not moved.
Before schedule
Amendment 231 moved—[Mairi Gougeon].
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 231 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
Willie Rennie
Liberal Democrat
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My phone is not working. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Mr Rennie. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 6
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 90, Against 28, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 231 agreed to.
Schedule
Amendments 367 to 372 moved—[Mairi Gougeon]—and agreed to.
Amendments 373 to 376 moved—[Tim Eagle]—and agreed to.
Amendment 377 moved—[Mairi Gougeon].
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 377 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 7
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 90, Against 28, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 377 agreed to.
Amendments 378 and 379 moved—[Mairi Gougeon]—and agreed to.
Amendment 380 moved—[Mairi Gougeon].
Alison Johnstone
Green
The question is, that Amendment 380 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 8
Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Alison Johnstone
Green
5:30,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division is: For 90, Against 28, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 380 agreed to.
Amendments 381 to 391 moved—[Mairi Gougeon]—and agreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Green
That ends stage 3 consideration of amendments.
As members will be aware, I am required under standing orders to decide whether or not, in my view, any provision of a bill relates to a protected subject matter—that is, whether it modifies the electoral system and franchise for Scottish parliamentary elections. In my view, no provision of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill relates to a protected subject matter. Therefore, the bill does not require a supermajority to be passed at stage 3.
Before we move to the debate, I call Mairi Gougeon to signify Crown consent to the bill.
Mairi Gougeon
Scottish National Party
Yes, there is Crown consent to the bill.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Cabinet secretary.
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.
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 cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
