– in the Scottish Parliament at 6:51 pm on 5 November 2025.
Alison Johnstone
Green
6:51,
5 November 2025
There are seven questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that Amendment S6M-19512.3, in the name of Neil Gray, which seeks to amend motion S6M-19512, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on Scotland’s maternity services, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 9
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next question is, that Amendment S6M-19512.2, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, which seeks to amend motion S6M-19512, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on Scotland’s maternity services, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 10
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next question is, that Amendment S6M-19512.1, in the name of Willie Rennie, which seeks to amend motion S6M-19512, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on Scotland’s maternity services, be agreed to.
Amendment agreed to.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next question is, that motion S6M-19512, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on Scotland’s maternity services, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
Division number 11
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
6:51,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division on motion S6M-19512, in the name of Jackie Baillie, as amended, is: For 73, Against 27, Abstentions 20.
Motion, as amended, agreed to,
That the Parliament is alarmed by the serious patient safety issues raised in recent inspection reports of maternity services; agrees that a national investigation into the design and delivery of maternity services should take place if Scotland’s new Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce recommends it, and that it should give full consideration to staff and patient welfare; notes that the taskforce will review the findings of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s inspections into all maternity units in Scotland; recognises that no neonatal unit in Scotland is closing: notes that the new model of neonatal intensive care in Scotland was recommended by the Best Start 2017 report, following robust clinical evidence on the safest and best possible model for the sickest babies; notes that, following the downgrading of the consultant-led maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital in 2016, women in Caithness can face a 100 mile trip down the A9 to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to give birth, and calls on the Scottish Government to commission an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.
Alison Johnstone
Green
As motion S6M-19421 is a motion to pass a bill, the question must be decided by a Division. The next question is, that motion S6M-19421, in the name of Mairi Gougeon, on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill at stage 3, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division. Members should cast their votes now.
The vote is closed.
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to connect to the system. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, First Minister. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 12
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
6:51,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division on motion S6M-19421, in the name of Mairi Gougeon, is: For 85, Against 28, Abstentions 9.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill be passed.
Alison Johnstone
Green
The next question is, that motion S6M-19535, in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on approval of a Scottish statutory instrument, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Alison Johnstone
Green
There will be a Division.
The vote is closed.
Clare Adamson
Scottish National Party
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted yes.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Thank you, Ms Adamson. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Division number 13
Decision Time
Alison Johnstone
Green
6:51,
5 November 2025
The result of the Division on motion S6M-19535, in the name of Graeme Dey, on approval of an SSI, is: For 66, Against 51, Abstentions 5.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that the Early Release of Prisoners (Scotland) Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved.
Alison Johnstone
Green
I propose to ask a single question on four Parliamentary Bureau motions. As no member has objected, the question is, that motions S6M-19536, on approval of an SSI, motion S6M-19537, on the office of the clerk, S6M-19538, on campaign recess dates, and S6M-19539, on recess dates, in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to.
Motions agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees that the Carer’s Assistance (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments, Revocation, Transitional and Saving Provisions) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved.
That the Parliament agrees that the Office of the Clerk be closed on Wednesday 24 (am), Monday 29, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 December 2025.
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) for the purpose of the pre-election campaign period from 26 March to 8 April 2026 (inclusive), that the office of the clerk be closed from 26 March to 8 April 2026 (inclusive);
(b) in respect of meetings of committees and sub-committees during the pre-election campaign period, that, in rule 12.3.3, the word “normally” in the second sentence be suspended; and
(c) for the purpose of the lodging of written questions immediately prior to the pre-election campaign period, that rule 13.3.4A be suspended and replaced with—
“The last day on which written questions may be lodged in the current session is Thursday 12 March 2026.”
That the Parliament agrees, for the purposes of the pre-election campaign period from 26 March to 8 April 2026 (inclusive), the following parliamentary recess dates under Rule 2.3.1: 26 March to 8 April 2026 (inclusive).
Alison Johnstone
Green
That concludes decision time.
Members’ business will be published tomorrow, 6 November 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.
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.
