AG/S5/16/02 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR MEETING ON TUESDAY 24 MAY 2016 12noon: Room Q1.03 1. Minutes

(a) Draft minutes of 17 May 2016 (b) Matters arising

2. Future business programme

(PB/S5/16/04)

3. First Minister’s Questions

(PB/S5/16/05)

4. Business in the Chamber (PB/S5/16/06)

5. Parliamentary calendar

(PB/S5/16/07)

6. Time for Reflection

(PB/S5/16/08)

7. Publication scheme – consideration of any exempt papers

Date of next meeting – Tuesday 31 May @ 12noon

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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MEETINGS OF THE PARLIAMENT: PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS

1. This paper sets out—

a revised programme of business for week commencing 23 May 2016; and

a proposed programme of business for the weeks commencing 30 May and 6 June 2016.

2. The programme is proposed by the Minister for Parliamentary Business for

discussion and agreement by the Parliamentary Bureau.

Parliamentary Business Team May 2016

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BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 23 MAY 2016

DAY MORNING AFTERNOON

Monday 23 May

Constituency Constituency

Tuesday 24

No Business

Wednesday 25

1400 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1430 First Minister Statement: Taking Scotland Forward 1430-1700 Scottish Government Debate (without motion): Taking Scotland Forward Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time

Thursday 26

1000 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1000-1230 Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Future in the European Union

1400-1700 Scottish Government Debate (without motion): Taking Scotland Forward Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time

Friday 27 Constituency Constituency

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BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 30 MAY 2016

DAY MORNING AFTERNOON

Monday 30 May

Constituency Constituency

Tuesday 31

1400 Time for Reflection Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1430 Ministerial Statement: Common Agricultural Payments 1430-1700 Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward - Scotland’s Economy - Short Term Resilience and Long Term Opportunities 1700 Decision Time

Wednesday 01 June

1430 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1430-1700 Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland forward – Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time

Thursday 02

1200-1245 First Minister’s Question Time

1430 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1430-1700 Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward - Creating a Fairer Scotland Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time

Friday 03 Constituency Constituency

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BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 6 JUNE 2016

DAY MORNING AFTERNOON

Monday 06 June

Constituency Constituency

Tuesday 07

1400 Time for Reflection Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1405-1420 Topical Questions 1420-1700 Scottish Government Debate 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members’ Business

Wednesday 08

1400 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1440 Portfolio Question Time 1440-1700 Scottish Government Debate Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 09

1140-1200 General Questions 1200-1230 First Minister’s Question Time Followed by Members’ Business

1430 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1430-1700 Scottish Government Debate Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time

Friday 10 Constituency Constituency

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BUSINESS MOTION

Date of Lodging: 24 May 2016

Short Title: Business Motion

Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the programme of business— (a) Wednesday 25 May 2016 delete 2.00 pm Scottish Government Business

and insert 2.00 pm First Minister’s Statement: Taking Scotland Forward followed by Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward

(b) Thursday 26 May 2016 delete 2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions 2.30 pm Scottish Government Business followed by Business Motions followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions 5.00 pm Decision Time

and insert 10.00 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions 10.00 am Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Future in the European Union 2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions 2.00 pm Continuation of Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward followed by Business Motions followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions 5.00 pm Decision Time

BUSINESS MOTION

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Date of Lodging: 24 May 2016

Short Title: Business Motion

Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Tuesday 31 May 2016

2.00 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Ministerial Statement: Common Agricultural Payments

followed by Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward – Scotland’s Economy, Short Term Resilience and Long Term Opportunities

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

Wednesday 1 June 2016

2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30 pm Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward – Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

Thursday 2 June 2016

12.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

12.00 pm First Minister's Questions

2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30 pm Scottish Government Debate: Taking Scotland Forward – Creating a Fairer Scotland

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

Tuesday 7 June 2016

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2.00 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Topical Questions (if selected)

followed by Scottish Government Business

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members' Business

Wednesday 8 June 2016

2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions Education and Skills

followed by Scottish Government Business

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 9 June 2016

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

11.40 am General Questions

12.00 pm First Minister's Questions

12.45 pm Members' Business

2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30 pm Scottish Government Business

followed by Business Motions

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

PB/S5/16/05

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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU FIRST MINISTER’S QUESTIONS Introduction

1. At its meeting on 17 May 2016, the Bureau gave initial consideration to extending, up to the summer recess,—

the time allowed under Standing Orders for First Minister’s Questions from 30 minutes to 45 minutes; and

the number of questions to be allocated under Standing Orders from six to eight. The Bureau is asked is consider and agree to vary the Rules in Standing Orders up to the summer recess. Scheduling in the business programme

2. The deadline for lodging FMQs is normally 12noon on the Monday before the FMQs at which questions will be put. On the basis that the first FMQs in the session takes place on Thursday 2 June the following deadlines would apply.

3. The Office of the Clerk is closed on Monday 30 May and on the previous Friday (27 May). It would therefore be necessary, in line with previous practice, for the Bureau to seek to amend the deadline for lodging questions to 9.30am on Tuesday 31 May. The Bureau is asked to recommend to the Parliament that the first FMQs be held on 2 June and to propose an earlier lodging deadline of 9.30am on Tuesday 31 May.

Parliamentary Business Team May 2016

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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU BUSINESS IN THE CHAMBER Introduction

1. This paper sets out various items of business that require to be scheduled in the business programme over the next parliamentary year, which ends on 11 May 2017. Non-Government Business

2. Under Rule 5.6.1(b) of Standing Orders, the Bureau is required to set aside 16 half sitting days in each parliamentary year to consider business chosen by parties that are not represented in the Government. It has been the practice of the Bureau to use proportionality to allocate those half sitting days amongst the non-Government parties. This convention would provide the following results for Session 5:

Party Proportion of non-Government seats

Share of non-Government business

Conservative 46.97% 7.52 (8)

Labour 36.36% 5.82 (6)

Green 9.09% 1.45 (1)

Liberal Democrat 7.58% 1.21 (1)

3. Direct proportionality would therefore allocate eight half sitting days to the Scottish

Conservative and Unionist Party, six to the Scottish Labour Party, one to the Scottish Greens and one to the Liberal Democrats.

4. The allocation of sixteen half days to opposition business is a minimum requirement set out in Standing Orders. There is, however, nothing to prevent the Bureau from agreeing to additional allocations from the time not set aside by the Rules. The Bureau is invited to consider and agree the allocation of non-Government business to the end of the Parliamentary year on 11 May 2017. Committee Business

5. Rule 5.6.1(a) requires the Bureau to give priority to committee business on 12 half sitting days in the parliamentary year. In practice, in Session 4, the Conveners Group considered options for committee business and made suggestions to the Bureau. Members’ Business Criteria for selection

6. Guidance in relation to the timing and content of motions for Members’ business was mostly recently reviewed and agreed by the Bureau in March 2015. The guidance

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contains the following criteria at paragraph 4.2, which is used by the Bureau to select motions for Members’ business—

Motions (a) must be explicitly of only local or regional relevance; or (b) must raise issues of policy in a local or regional context and have cross-party support*; or (c) must raise issue-commemorating anniversaries or mark national ―weeks or special events and have cross-party support; and (d) must not call on anyone or any organisation to do anything, which includes taking or reversing decisions. This means avoiding the use of calls on, urges, encourages, asks etc and even should and hopes in cases in which it is clear who or what organisation is expected to take action. For (a) and (b) above, the motion must contain an explicit local or regional reference in Scotland.

7. Members may wish to note that the Bureau may exceptionally select for debate a

motion which falls outwith the above criteria, should it have cross-party support and should a majority of Bureau members support its selection.

8. Cross-party support means that Members’ business motions require the support of at least half of the parties represented in the Parliamentary Bureau (currently this would be support from three parties). The Bureau is asked to consider and endorse the criteria for selection of motions for Members’ business. Timing

9. The Bureau previously agreed that it would only select motions for debate from those admissible motions agreed by the Monday of the week preceding the debate. This timetable would allow the Bureau to begin scheduling Members’ business debates during the week beginning 6 June from relevant motions lodged by 30 May. If the Bureau wishes to schedule Members’ business debates a week earlier (in the week beginning 30 May), it would need to agree a deadline of or before Thursday 26 May. This would, of course, provide Members and external stakeholders with very limited notice. Allocation

10. In previous years, Members’ business debates have been allocated using the d’Hondt formula and it has been the practice to follow 30 calculations of d’Hondt before returning to the start again. This pattern would give the following result for Session 5: Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Week 1 SNP SNP CON

Week 2 LAB SNP SNP

Week 3 CON SNP LAB

Week 4 SNP CON SNP

Week 5 LAB SNP CON

Week 6 SNP SNP CON

Week 7 LAB GRN SNP

Week 8 SNP LAB LD

Week 9 SNP LAB SNP

Week 10 CON SNP LAB

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The Bureau is invited to consider and agree the allocation of Members’ business debates above. Questions

11. The practice is for First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) and General Questions to be held on Thursdays, with Topical Questions on Tuesdays and Portfolio Questions on Wednesdays. General and Portfolio Questions

12. The position with General and Portfolio Questions is more complex because of the lead-in times for submitting names and lodging questions. If Portfolio and General Questions are held on a Wednesday and Thursday, as is usual practice, names for selection would need to be submitted by 12 noon on the Monday of the week preceding that Thursday.

13. In addition, for a date for Portfolio Questions to be set, a rota of the ministerial portfolios would need to be approved by the Bureau and incorporated in the business programme.

14. Ministerial appointments took place on 19 May. The earliest date on which Portfolio Questions could be held is on Wednesday 8 June. This is because names would be lodged by 12 noon on Monday 30 May and questions by 12 noon on Wednesday 1 June.

15. If General Questions is scheduled for Thursday 9 June, again names would be lodged by 12 noon on Monday 30 May and questions by 12 noon on Wednesday 1 June

16. The Office of the Clerk is closed on Monday 30 May and on Friday 27 May. It would therefore be necessary, in line with previous practice, for the Bureau to seek to amend the deadline for lodging names for General and Portfolio Questions to 4.30pm on Thursday 26 May. The Bureau is asked to consider these dates in order to recommend the dates on which the first General and Portfolio Questions be held. Topical Questions

17. The deadline for lodging Topical Questions is normally 12 noon on a Monday. The Presiding Officer will select questions to be answered the following day (Tuesday).

18. As noted above, the Office of the Clerk is closed on Monday 30 May (which would be the deadline for lodging questions if the first Topical Questions was held on 31 May) and on the previous Friday (27 May). The Bureau is asked to recommend to the Parliament that the first Topical Questions be held on Tuesday 7 June (lodging deadline would be 12 noon on Monday 6 June).

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Parliamentary Business Team May 2016

PB/S5/16/07

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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU PARLIAMENTARY CALENDAR Introduction

1. This paper outlines—

possible recess dates; and

days when the Office of the Clerk will be open in 2016 and notes the public/privilege holidays in 2016.

2. Under Standing Orders, the Parliament shall decide, on a motion of the Parliamentary Bureau—

the dates of any Parliamentary recess (Rule 2.3.1); and

the days on which the Office of the Clerk is to be open (Rule 2.1.3). A sitting day is any day when the Office of the Clerk is open but not when the Parliament is in recess (or dissolved).

The following observes sitting patterns from previous years. Proposed recess dates In proposing recess dates, the Bureau must have regard to the dates when schools in any part of Scotland are to be on holiday (rule 2.3.2)—

Summer recess: 2 July to 4 September 2016 (inclusive). The start date of school holidays varies across the country. Meeting in the week beginning 27 June would allow the Parliament to debate the outcome of the EU referendum and would mean that the Parliament would be in session up to the formal opening of the Parliament on 2 July.

October recess: 8 to 23 October 2016 (inclusive). Autumn school holidays are generally taking place within these two weeks (some local authority areas have not yet published proposed autumn term dates for 2016).

Christmas recess: 24 December 2016 to 8 January 2017 (inclusive). This recess mirrors most school holidays and encompasses public and privilege holidays. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Sundays in 2016/17.

Public/privilege holidays (for noting)

Friday preceding Spring Holiday: 27 May 2016

Spring Bank Holiday: 30 May 2016

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St. Andrew's Day: 2 December 2016

Christmas Eve (afternoon): 23 December 2016

Christmas Day: 27 December 2016

Boxing Day: 26 December 2016

New Year's Day: 2 January 2017

Day after New Year’s Day: 3 January 2017 Days when the Office of the Clerk will be open and sitting days

3. Under Rule 2.1.3 of the Standing Orders, the Presiding Officer has already appointed the following days as days when the Office of the Clerk will be open: from 12 May 2016 to 31 May 2016, on all days excluding Saturdays and Sundays, Friday 27 May and Monday 30 May.

4. It is a matter for the Parliament to decide when the Office of the Clerk is to be open beyond May 2016.

5. It is suggested that the dates are—

between 31 May 2016 and 3 January 2017, the Office of the Clerk will be open on all days except: Saturdays and Sundays, 2 December 2016, 23 December (pm), 26 and 27 December 2016, 2 and 3 January 2017.

6. A motion of the Parliamentary Bureau usually sets out the sitting days for the coming

year so that diaries can be planned.

Recommendation

7. It is suggested that the Bureau lodges motions—

recommending dates of the Parliamentary recesses; and

recommending sitting days and Office of the Clerk days beyond May 2016

for consideration by the Parliament. Parliamentary Business Team May 2016

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ANNEXE

Previous recess dates 2012

February (1 week): 11 February - 19 February 2012 Easter (2 weeks): 31 March - 15 April 2012 Summer (9 weeks): 30 June - 2 September 2012 October (2 weeks): 6 October - 21 October 2012 Christmas (2 weeks): 22 December 2012 - 6 January 2013

Total period of recess: 16 weeks 2013

February (1 week): 9 to 17 February 2013 (inclusive). Easter (2 weeks): 30 March to 14 April 2013 (inclusive). Summer (9 weeks): 29 June to 1 September 2013 (inclusive). October (2 weeks): 12 to 27 October 2013 (inclusive). Christmas (2 weeks): 21 December 2013 to 5 January 2014 (inclusive).

Total period of recess: 16 weeks 2014

February (1 week): 8 to 16 February 2014 (inclusive) Easter (2 weeks): 5 to 20 April 2014 (inclusive) Summer (5 weeks): 28 June to 3 August 2014 (inclusive)1 Summer (4 weeks): 23 August to 21 September 2014 (inclusive) October (2 weeks): 11 to 26 October 2014 (inclusive) Christmas (2 weeks): 20 December 2014 to 4 January 2015 (inclusive).

Total period of recess: 16 weeks 2015

February (1 week): 7 to 15 February 2015 (inclusive). Easter (2 weeks): 4 to 19 April 2015 (inclusive). Summer (9 weeks): 27 June to 30 August 2015 (inclusive). October (2 weeks): 10 to 25 October 2015 (inclusive). Christmas (2 weeks): 19 December 2015 to 4 January 2016 (inclusive).

Total period of recess: 16 weeks

1 The summer recess in 2014 was split due to the referendum on Scottish independence