Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time.
The meeting opened at 2.30 pm.
1. Time for Reflection: Rev Graham Blount, Scottish Churches Parliamentary Officer, led Time for Reflection.
2. Scottish Government Debate: Scottish Government’s Response to the Pre-Budget Report: The Parliament debated the Scottish Government’s Response to the Pre-Budget Report.
3. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-3008—That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 10 December 2008
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Debate: 1st Report 2008: Elections to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
followed by Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Debate: 8th Report 2008: Audit Committee - Title and Remit
followed by Ministerial Statement: Strategic Transport Projects Review
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Strategic Transport Projects Review
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 11 December 2008
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Labour Party Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Justice and Law Officers;
Rural Affairs and the Environment
2.55 pm Ministerial Statement: Local Government Finance Settlement 2009-10
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Local Government Finance Settlement 2009-10
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 17 December 2008
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Finance Committee Debate: Budget Process 2009-10
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 18 December 2008
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Finance and Sustainable Growth
2.55 pm Scottish Government Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business.
The motion was agreed to.
4. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-3009—That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Disabled Persons’ Parking Places (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 19 December 2008.
The motion was agreed to.
5. Approval of SSI: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-3010—That the Parliament agrees that the draft Budget (Scotland) Act 2008 Amendment Order 2008 be approved.
The motion was agreed to (DT).
6. Decision Time: The Parliament took a decision on item 5 as noted above.
7. South Edinburgh Suburban Railway: The Parliament debated S3M-1975 in the name of Gavin Brown—That the Parliament notes the wide public and cross-party political support that the campaign for the reopening of the South Sub railway has gathered; acknowledges the importance of the work carried out by groups such as Capital Rail Action Group (CRAG), E-Rail and TRANSform Scotland; observes that the most recent report on the reopening of the South Sub did not contain a benefit-cost ratio, which was positive in previous reports; believes that the reopening of the South Sub would ease the impact of traffic on the main routes into the city as well as playing an important role in the reduction of fuel emissions in the south of Edinburgh, and believes that there is a case for the reopening of passenger services on the South Edinburgh Suburban Railway.
The meeting closed at 5.37 pm.
P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
3 December 2008
Appendix
(Note: this Appendix does not form part of the Minutes)
Negative Instruments
The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 25 November 2008 and is subject to annulment
The Book of Scottish Connections Regulations 2008 (SSI 2008/386)
laid under 61(3) of the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006
The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 2 December 2008 and is subject to annulment
The Edinburgh Napier University Order of Council 2008 (SSI 2008/388)
laid under section 60(1) of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992
Other Documents
The following documents were laid before the Parliament on 24 November 2008 and are not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Scottish Building Standards Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08 (SG/2008/228)—
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Annual Accounts 2007-08 (SG/2008/238)—
Scottish Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund Annual Accounts 2007-08 (SG/2008/239)—
laid under section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
The following documents were laid before the Parliament on 25 November 2008 and are not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Scottish Public Pensions Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2007-2008 (SG/2008/230)—
Accountant in Bankruptcy Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08 (SG/2008/235)—
laid under section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 2 December 2008 and is not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland Annual Review 2007-08 (SG/2008/211)
laid under section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 3 December 2008 and is not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Financial Overview of the NHS in Scotland 2007-08 – A report prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS/2008/12)
laid under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
Committee Reports
The following reports were published on 21 November 2008—
Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, 7th Report 2008 (Session 3): Report on Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 173)
Subordinate Legislation Committee, 41st Report 2008 (Session 3): Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 174)
The following report was published on 2 December 2008—
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, 10th Report 2008 (Session 3): Points of Order (SP Paper 177)