Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 March 2011
22 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Motion of Thanks
Presiding Officer, I wonder whether I can set a precedent, even as late in the session as this, by telling you that I will hurry up—instead of having you tell me. However, this is not an occasion for casting up. Annabel Goldie can refer to the 300 times that she has had a chance to ask questions of the First Minister; I will not remind the chamber that it has been two years since I got the chance to ask Alex a question.
Bitterness aside, my only real regret about the Presiding Officer’s time in the chair is his attachment to an unworthy Belgian—d’Hondt—who should have been hunted from this Parliament. I hope that the Presiding Officer’s legacy paper will recommend changes to our procedures, where they have proved to be too constraining. I think that perhaps Mr d’Hondt could be called in to give evidence.
Until we meet again—in the white heather club or in a jobcentre plus near you—I thank Alasdair Morgan, Trish Godman and Alex Fergusson for their commitment to the Scottish Parliament.
Bitterness aside, my only real regret about the Presiding Officer’s time in the chair is his attachment to an unworthy Belgian—d’Hondt—who should have been hunted from this Parliament. I hope that the Presiding Officer’s legacy paper will recommend changes to our procedures, where they have proved to be too constraining. I think that perhaps Mr d’Hondt could be called in to give evidence.
Until we meet again—in the white heather club or in a jobcentre plus near you—I thank Alasdair Morgan, Trish Godman and Alex Fergusson for their commitment to the Scottish Parliament.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan)
SNP
The next item of business is consideration of motion S3M-8185, in the name of Alex Salmond, which is a motion of thanks to the Presiding Officer.12:48
The First Minister (Alex Salmond)
SNP
Before I address the motion of thanks to the Presiding Officer, I would like to pay tribute to all those members of the Parliament—including you, Deputy Pres...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I support the motion in the First Minister’s name and pay tribute to colleagues who are leaving Parliament from all parties. However, I wish to give my perso...
Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con)
Con
I, too, support the motion in the name of the First Minister. As has already been indicated, the past four years have seen a new development in the life of o...
Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD)
LD
I, too, support the motion on behalf of my party. As one former sheep farmer to another, I say that I have appreciated Mr Fergusson’s management of our parli...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I echo the comments that have been made and express my best wishes, on behalf of my party, to those members who are not standing for Parliament again. I wish...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind)
Ind
Presiding Officer, I wonder whether I can set a precedent, even as late in the session as this, by telling you that I will hurry up—instead of having you tel...