Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 March 2026 [Draft]
19 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time
Non-Government Bills Unit
I have no skin in this game, because I will not be returning to Parliament after the election. However, I feel—as other members have said that they felt during the session—that we have not been particularly well served by the non-Government bills unit. That is not because the staff are not excellent—they are excellent—but because there are too few of them. That has meant that we are all having to deal with a backlog of members’ bills now, which, frankly, is not good enough.
In the same item of business
1. Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider increasing the resources and staffing available to the non-Government bills unit. (...
Maggie Chapman (Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body)
Green
The NGBU is a clerking team that is supported by Parliament’s lawyers and external drafters. It provides impartial and confidential support to members of Par...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I have no skin in this game, because I will not be returning to Parliament after the election. However, I feel—as other members have said that they felt duri...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Could we have a question, please, Mr Stewart?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I would like the corporate body to look at the matter very seriously, and I would like assurance that that will be done so that we can have an NGBU that work...
Maggie Chapman
Green
The corporate body has produced guidance on members’ bills for all members for session 7. In doing so, we have sought to ensure that the system is as equitab...