Meeting of the Parliament 09 November 2022
To reassure Mr Bibby, I point out that, as he is well aware, it would be up to the convener of the committee to approach the Parliamentary Bureau and say that the committee needed extra time. The bureau has discussed the point and has agreed that we will review the matter weekly during stage 2 to see whether we are working within the guidelines. I hope that that makes Mr Bibby feel a lot better.
The bureau has discussed the matter and, following the discussion that I had with the committee’s convener and clerk last week, we propose a stage 2 deadline of 23 November. The bill is not a large and complex one. As I said, I agree that we must get legislation correct. We have proposed that timescale because of the size of the bill. There is no hastening of the process or rushing through of the bill. The bill will go through the process for a bill of its size.
As we have heard from Jackson Carlaw, the cabinet secretary, Shona Robison, has said that the door is open to members to discuss reasonable amendments to the bill, and that will be the case throughout the process. The timeline has been agreed by the convener and the majority of the committee members, and they are content to work to that. As I said, the bureau agreed yesterday to review the outcome of stage 2 on a weekly basis. The deadline will enable the committee to have two regular sessions to consider amendments, which is not unusual for a bill of this size. If the convener considers that a third session is required, he will raise that with the bureau, which can consider that during our weekly review.
Those arrangements meet the requirements that are set out in the Parliament’s standing orders. The purpose and aims of the bill are clear and are not wide ranging, so the timescale that is proposed is wholly appropriate.