- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As made)
This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
4.Publication of statements under the authority of the Parliament
5.Any statement which is required or authorised to be published...
7.Unless earlier revoked by an order under section 129(1) of...
STANDING ORDERS OF THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
2.The members of the Parliament returned for each constituency or...
2.A member may, immediately after taking the oath or making...
4.The Parliament’s power under section 84(3) (where a member fails...
2.Any member may, within 3 sitting days of such notification,...
4.For the purposes of section 10 (regional vacancies), the date...
CHAPTER 2: MEETINGS OF THE PARLIAMENT
2.Each session shall be divided into Parliamentary years. The first...
2.The Parliament shall decide, on a motion of the Parliamentary...
3.The Parliament may, except as mentioned in paragraph 4 or...
4.A meeting of the Parliament may continue beyond 17:30 on...
5.Any motion mentioned in paragraph 4(d) may be moved without...
6.A meeting of the Parliament shall normally begin and end...
7.A meeting of the Parliament begins when the Presiding Officer...
8.The Presiding Officer may convene the Parliament on other dates...
9.In these Rules “Members' Business” means any item of business,...
2.In considering dates of any Parliamentary recess, the Parliamentary Bureau...
2.The first meeting of the Parliament following any subsequent general...
4.If the person holding the office of Presiding Officer as...
5.If neither that person nor the former Officer is present...
7.Any reference to “the oldest qualified member” means the oldest...
2.Where the offices of Presiding Officer and of both deputy...
3.Where the Presiding Officer and both deputy Presiding Officers are...
4.Paragraphs 2 and 3 are subject to the special provisions...
2.The Parliament shall arrange for the Parliamentary corporation to pay...
2.The Parliament may decide, on a motion of the Parliamentary...
CHAPTER 3: OFFICERS OF THE PARLIAMENT
2.The Presiding Officer shall have such other functions as may...
3.In exercising any functions, the Presiding Officer and deputy Presiding...
4.The Presiding Officer’s functions may be exercised by a deputy...
5.The Presiding Officer may authorise a deputy Presiding Officer to...
2.If the Presiding Officer ceases to hold office before the...
7.Where there are 2 elected deputy Presiding Officers who represent...
9.At the beginning of the voting period, the person chairing...
10.After the person chairing the meeting has declared the result...
2.If a deputy Presiding Officer ceases to hold office before...
4.Where there are vacancies in the offices of both deputy...
5.In the case of the election of deputy Presiding Officers...
11.The following paragraphs apply to an election in any of...
12.At the beginning of a voting period, the Presiding Officer...
1.Rule 3.4 Resignation of Presiding Officer and deputy Presiding Officers
2.The Clerk shall notify the Parliament of any such resignation....
1.Rule 3.5 Removal of Presiding Officer and deputy Presiding Officers
2.The Presiding Officer or deputy Presiding Officer is removed from...
1.Rule 3.7 Election of members of the Parliamentary corporation
9.At the beginning of a voting period, the Presiding Officer...
10.The Presiding Officer shall appoint as a member of the...
1.Rule 3.8 Appointment of members of the Parliamentary corporation
2.The Presiding Officer shall notify the Parliament of any appointment...
1.Rule 3.9 Resignation of members of the Parliamentary corporation
2.The Presiding Officer shall notify the Parliament of the resignation....
1.Rule 3.10 Removal of members of the Parliamentary corporation
2.The members of the Selection Panel shall be the Presiding...
3.The Selection Panel shall recommend to a meeting of the...
4.Any member of the Selection Panel may by motion propose...
CHAPTER 4: THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
1.Rule 4.2 Designation of person to exercise functions of First Minister
3.Before the Presiding Officer puts to the Parliament the question...
1.Rule 4.5 Participation of Scottish Law Officers in proceedings
2.The Scottish Law Officer may (subject always to the provision...
3.These Rules shall apply to the Scottish Law Officer, when...
4.Paragraphs 2 and 3 are without prejudice to section 27(2)...
3.Before the Presiding Officer puts to the Parliament the question...
CHAPTER 5: THE PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AND MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESS
3.The Parliamentary Bureau shall have such other functions relating to...
4.The Parliamentary Bureau shall not be regarded as a committee...
2.Members who represent a political party with fewer than 5...
6.Where a party or group representative ceases to hold office...
7.A party or group representative may arrange for another member...
3.The Parliamentary Bureau shall not consider any business if the...
4.Matters to be decided by the Parliamentary Bureau shall, in...
5.A party or group representative shall carry one vote for...
6.A deputy Presiding Officer may attend any meeting of the...
7.The Parliamentary Bureau may invite members who are not members...
2.The business programme shall include an agenda of business for...
3.The business programme shall be notified to members in the...
2.The daily business list shall be notified to members in...
3.The Parliament may, on a motion of the Parliamentary Bureau,...
4.If any emergency business arises, the Presiding Officer may allow...
2.The Parliamentary Bureau shall ensure that sufficient time is set...
2.“Consideration of financial proposals” means consideration by committees of documents...
3.“Consideration of draft budgets” means consideration by committees of documents...
2.The Business Bulletin shall include– (a) the business programme;
3.The Business Bulletin shall be issued to members by whatever...
4.The Clerk shall keep the Business Bulletin under review and...
2.Any member may by motion propose the establishment of a...
3.The Parliamentary Bureau may, whether in response to such a...
4.A committee established by the Parliament to deal with a...
6.The Parliamentary Bureau shall by motion propose the establishment of–...
2.In particular, each committee shall conduct such inquiries into such...
3.A member may indicate to the Parliamentary Bureau his or...
2.Where the Committee considers it appropriate, it may by motion...
2.The Committee may also consider and, where it sees fit,...
3.In these Rules, “public expenditure” means expenditure of the Scottish...
2.No member of the Scottish Executive or junior Scottish Minister...
2.The Committee may refer matters to the Parliamentary Bureau or...
3.The convener of the Committee shall not be the convener...
4.The Parliamentary Bureau shall normally propose a person to be...
2.In these Rules, “equal opportunities” includes the prevention, elimination or...
2.The Parliament shall, on a motion of the Parliamentary Bureau,...
3.The Parliament may decide, on a motion of the Parliamentary...
2.Where a matter is to be considered jointly under paragraph...
3.Any report on the joint consideration of a matter shall...
4.Any of those committees may establish a sub-committee to consider...
CHAPTER 7: CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
2.Any person addressing the Parliament on the invitation of the...
2.The Presiding Officer may allocate speaking time, whether for proceedings...
3.The Presiding Officer may order a member to stop speaking...
4.A speaker may not be interrupted except by the Presiding...
2.Members shall at all times conduct themselves in an orderly...
2.For the purposes of paragraph 1, legal proceedings are active...
4.Nothing in this Rule shall prevent the Parliament from legislating...
1.Rule 7.7 Calculating the length of debates or the number of speakers
CHAPTER 8: MOTIONS AND POINTS OF ORDER
6.Normally, a motion shall not be taken before the sitting...
4.Immediately after the motion is moved, the Presiding Officer may...
5.All motions may be debated, except as provided in these...
6.The Presiding Officer shall examine all amendments of which notice...
5.The question on an amendment shall be put in accordance...
2.Subject to paragraph 3, a motion for a tax-varying resolution...
3.A motion for a tax-varying resolution may be moved after...
4.Members may propose amendments to a business motion. If, when...
3.Members shall normally be given at least 2 sitting days'...
2.A motion referred to in paragraph 1 shall take precedence...
3.Any member may, by motion without notice, propose that a...
2.If the motion is agreed to, the Parliament shall proceed...
3.The Presiding Officer shall normally take an immediate decision on...
4.A Bill must, before introduction, be signed by the member...
5.The Clerk shall ensure that notice of the introduction of...
2.A Bill shall on introduction be accompanied by a Financial...
3.A Bill introduced by a member of the Scottish Executive...
4.A Bill which contains any provision charging expenditure on the...
5.The documents which must accompany a Bill under this Rule...
1.Rule 9.4 Printing and publishing of Bills and accompanying documents
5.A Bill introduced in any session of the Parliament falls...
2.The Parliamentary Bureau shall also refer any provision in the...
3.In considering the general principles of the Bill and preparing...
6.If the motion is agreed to, consideration of the Bill’s...
7.If the Parliament agrees to the Bill’s general principles the...
2.The Presiding Officer shall be the convener of a Committee...
2.At Stage 3, the Parliament shall decide the question whether...
3.Proceedings on reconsideration shall be taken at a meeting of...
5.After amendments have been disposed of, the Parliament shall consider...
10.An amendment to an amendment shall be disposed of before...
11.An amendment at any Stage which would be inconsistent with...
13.The member moving an amendment may speak in support of...
5.Any Bill which contains any provisions such as are mentioned...
6.Unless the Parliament passes a resolution required in relation to...
2.Each member may introduce no more than 2 Member’s Bills...
3.For the purposes of deciding whether to make a proposal...
4.Any member may submit to the Parliamentary Bureau a draft...
6.A time shall be appointed in the business programme for...
7.If the Parliament agrees to the proposal, the convener of...
7.If a Budget Bill is dependent upon the Parliament passing...
2.A Private Bill may be introduced in the Parliament only...
3.A Private Bill introduced in the Parliament shall be signed...
5.If any requirement imposed by the committee is not complied...
6.For the purposes of determining whether any of the provisions...
2.A Consolidation Bill shall not require to be accompanied by...
3.Where a Consolidation Bill has been introduced in the Parliament,...
4.In proposing the membership of a Consolidation Committee under Rule...
5.At Stage 1 of a Consolidation Bill, the Consolidation Committee...
7.At Stage 3 of a Consolidation Bill, the Parliament shall,...
2.At Stage 1, an Emergency Bill shall be referred immediately...
5.Unless the Parliament decides otherwise on a motion of the...
CHAPTER 10: SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION PROCEDURE
2.The Clerk may require the person laying the instrument or...
3.Where any instrument or draft instrument is laid before the...
2.Where the subject matter of the instrument falls within the...
2.The Committee shall report its decision with its reasons in...
2.In addition to the provisions of Rule 12.2.2, that member...
3.The lead committee shall report to the Parliament on the...
4.If the lead committee makes a recommendation as mentioned in...
1.Rule 10.5 Motion that draft instrument be not made or submitted
2.In addition to the provisions of Rule 12.2.2, that member...
3.The lead committee shall report to the Parliament on the...
4.If the lead committee recommends that the instrument be not...
2.Any member of the Scottish Executive or junior Scottish Minister...
3.In addition to the provisions of Rule 12.2.2, that member...
4.The lead committee shall report to the Parliament on the...
5.If the lead committee recommends that the draft instrument be...
CHAPTER 11: DECISIONS AND VOTING
2.A matter requiring a decision of the Parliament shall be...
3.Where any question requires to be put to the Parliament,...
2.Decision Time is the period which normally begins at 17:00...
3.Normally, Decision Time shall end not later than 30 minutes...
4.The Parliament may, on a motion of the Parliamentary Bureau,...
2.The Presiding Officer shall put the question on an amendment...
3.Decisions may, at the discretion of the Presiding Officer, be...
3.If any member disagrees with the question put under paragraph...
4.The provisions of this Rule shall apply to amendments to...
2.The Presiding Officer shall repeat the question. The Presiding Officer...
3.Once the Presiding Officer has repeated the question, no-one except...
4.Points of order concerning the validity of the division may...
5.The Presiding Officer shall establish the numerical result of the...
2.If it appears to the Presiding Officer that the electronic...
3.Except as provided in any direction given to a committee...
1.Rule 11.9 Election of Presiding Officer and deputy Presiding Officers
11.Where in any round of voting the candidates all receive...
12.A candidate may withdraw his or her candidature at any...
13.In counting the votes, the Clerk may disregard any ballot...
14.When a candidate has been elected in accordance with this...
16.Following a declaration that a candidate has been elected or...
1.Rule 11.10 Election of members of Parliamentary corporation and selection of First Minister
2.Voting under this Rule shall be held using the electronic...
10.Where in any round of voting the candidates all receive...
11.A candidate may withdraw his or her candidature at any...
12.When a candidate has been elected or selected in accordance...
13.Where no candidate is elected at an election or selected...
2.A simple majority means that the number of members voting...
3.An absolute majority means that the number of members voting...
CHAPTER 12: COMMITTEE PROCEDURES
2.The Parliament shall decide, for each committee, on a motion...
3.In making a proposal under paragraph 2, the Parliamentary Bureau...
7.Where the convener of a committee ceases to hold office,...
8.Each committee shall have a deputy convener who shall be...
11.When the deputy convener or oldest member of the committee...
2.Any member of the Parliament may attend any meeting, or...
3.Where a committee is considering any of the business mentioned...
4.Committee meetings shall be held in public except as mentioned...
3.The committee shall arrange for the Parliamentary corporation to pay...
3.The membership of any sub-committee shall be determined by the...
4.In considering the membership of a sub-committee, the committee shall...
6.The duration of a sub-committee shall be determined by the...
7.A sub-committee shall report to the committee which established it....
8.Rules 6.3.5, 6.3.6, 12.1.7 to 12.1.10, 12.2 to 12.4 and...
2.Where the report is addressed to the Parliament, the Clerk...
3.Any committee report lodged with the Clerk shall be published...
CHAPTER 13: STATEMENTS AND PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
2.A member wishing to make a personal statement shall notify...
3.If the Presiding Officer decides that a personal statement may...
2.Where a ministerial statement is of an urgent nature, the...
2.Questions shall be in writing and lodged with the Clerk....
3.A question shall– (a) be brief, clearly worded, and address...
2.Any dispute as to whether a question is admissible shall...
3.The Clerk shall publish all written questions in the Business...
6.After any Open Questions have been selected, the Clerk shall...
7.Notice of questions selected under paragraphs 5 and 6 shall...
5.At Question Time, after a question is answered, the member...
6.At Open Question Time, after a question is answered, any...
7.A member asking a question shall, in asking the question,...
9.A question selected for answer at Question Time or Open...
3.An emergency question concerning a matter for which the First...
5.After an emergency question is answered the member who asked...
6.A member asking an emergency question shall, in asking the...
2.A question addressed to the Presiding Officer under paragraph 1...
CHAPTER 15: OPENNESS AND ACCESSIBILITY
2.Paragraph 1 is subject to the conditions which require to...
2.Members of the public admitted to the public gallery during...
2.If the person holding the office of Presiding Officer or...
4.Only a member, or the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General...
5.Any person may, on the invitation of the Parliament, address...
4.The Public Petitions Committee shall determine the proper form of...
2.A petition is admissible unless– (a) it does not comply...
3.The petitioner shall be notified of the action taken by...
CHAPTER 16: REPORTING OF PROCEEDINGS
2.The minutes shall record all the items of business taken...
3.The Clerk shall arrange for the minutes of proceedings to...
2.The Official Report shall also contain all written questions, together...
3.The Clerk shall ensure that the Official Report is printed...
2.Unless the Parliament decides otherwise, no substantially verbatim report of...
2.The draft set of standing orders proposed by the Procedures...
3.After the Parliament has made its own standing orders the...
2.Where the Parliament is in recess, notice shall be given...
3.Where notice is given in accordance with paragraph 1 or...
2.In addition, anything to be lodged with, or notified to,...
The Whole Instrument you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Instrument you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Instrument you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include: