WORKING WITH PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT Kate Udy. ROLE OF PARLIAMENTARY OFFICER A Two Way Exchange of Information –To inform the Work of the Council –Influence

WORKING WITH PARLIAMENT AND

GOVERNMENT

Kate Udy

ROLE OF PARLIAMENTARY OFFICER

A Two Way Exchange of Information – To inform the Work of the Council – Influence the policy and legislative Process

INFORMING AND INFLUENCING

• Tracking and Monitoring - provision of briefs, issuing of consultations

• Networking - Parliamentary, Governmental and Political contacts

• Engaging - responding to consultations, lobbying, corresponding and meeting with stakeholders

BUSINESS BULLETINS• Business Bulletin No. 69 / 2004

» Section A: Announcements» Section B : Business Programme

Section C : Agendas of Committee Meetings » Section D: Oral Questions Selected for Answer

Section E : Written questions lodged on... » Section F : Motions and Amendments

Section G : Bills: Notices and AmendmentsSection H : New Documents

» Section I: Petitions Lodged » Section J: Notice of Decisions (Parliamentary Bureau)

Section K : Progress of Parliamentary Business

• Written Report, Answers to Written Questions

THE SCOTTISH SYSTEM

• First elected in 1999

• PR + First Past the Post = Coalition Government = Partnership Agreement

• Parliament - Single Chamber Committee system

• Combination of Standing and Subject Committees 3

HOW ARE MSPs ELECTED?

• 2 methods of electing Members to the Scottish Parliament: 73 constituency members, based on the UK parliament

constituencies, using the "first past the post" system.

56 regional members, 7 for each of 8 regions using the "Additional Member" System, a form of proportional representation using party lists.

• 129 MSPs in total

POLITICAL MAKEUP

1997Labour 56

SNP 35

Lib Dem 17

Conservative 18

Green 1

SSP 1

Independent 1

2003Labour 50

SNP 27

Lib Dem 17

Conservative 18

Green 7

SSP 6

Independent 4

THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENT AND MSPS

• To represent the views and priorities of constituents

• To scrutinise the Executive

• To legislate

• To carry out inquiries and to publicise issues in the public interest

• To agree the Executive’s budgetary priorities

• Debate the major issues of the day

HOW?

• Asking Oral Questions

• Submitting Written Questions

• Tabling Motions for Debate

• Scrutinising and amending legislation

COMMITTEES

Mandatory committees• Procedures Committee

• Standards Committee

• Finance Committee

• Audit Committee

• European & External Relations Committee

• Public Petitions Committee

• Equal Opportunities Committee

• Subordinate Legislation Committee

Subject committees• Education

• Communities

• Enterprise and Culture

• Health

• Justice 1 & Justice 2

• Local Government & Transport

• Environment & Rural Development

Ad Hoc Committees• Waverley Railway Bill

ROLE OF COMMITTEES

• Carrying out inquiries

• Proposing/initiating Legislation

• Scrutinising legislative proposals – European Parliament – International Conventions and Agreements– UK Parliament– Scottish Executive

THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS - SCOTLAND

• Stage 1 - consideration of general principles, and a decision whether they are agreed to (by Parliamentary Committee and by the Parliament)

• Stage 2 - consideration of the details of the Bill (by Parliamentary Committee)

• Stage 3 - final consideration and a decision whether it should be passed or rejected (by the Parliament).

• Royal Assent 4

STAGES OF A BILL – THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

1. Consultation

2. Publication of 1st Draft

3. Stage One

4. Call for Written Evidence

5. Committee Oral Evidence Sessions

6. Stage One Report

7. Publication of Bill as amended at Stage One

8. Stage One Debate and Vote

9. Stage Two

10. Tabling of amendments

11. Publication of marshalled list of amendments

12. Consideration of amendments

13. Publication of Bill as amended at Stage Two

14. Stage Three

15. Tabling of amendments

16. Stage Three Debate and Vote

17. Royal Assent

OPTIONAL STAGES

Referral to Finance Committee

(Stage 1, if required, and at each stage should relevant part be amended)

Referral to Subordinate legislation Committee


Referral to other subject Committee


Referral of all or part of Bill for further consideration (Stages 1 & 3 only)

THE UK SYSTEM

• 13th Century origins, 17th Century - Civil War and 1688, 1707 union with Scotland

• 20th Century, universal sufferage, reform of HoL

• Elected by First-past-the-post• 659 Members: Labour 412, Conservative

166, Liberal Democrats 52 • 666 Peers, 92 hereditary

THE UK PARLIAMENT

• The main functions of Parliament are to: make all UK law

provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government

protect the public and safeguard the rights of individuals

scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure

examine European proposals before they become law

hear appeals in the House of Lords, the highest Court of Appeal in Britain

debate the major issues of the day.

THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

1. Consultation - White or Green Papers - optional

2. Publication - optional

3. First Reading - no debate or decision

4. Second Reading - debate on general principles

5. Committee Stage - average 18 members

6. Consideration of each Clause


8. Publication of Bill as amended

9. Report Stage

10. Consideration of amendments by whole House

11. Tabling of Report Stage Amendments

12. Third Reading - Immediately after Report - Debate and vote on Bill as amended at Report

No amendments may be made

13. Bill sent to House of Lords

1. First Reading - Publication of Bill as amended in the Commons

2. Second Reading - debate on general principles

3. Committee Stage - of whole House

4. Consideration of each Clause


6. Report Stage and Third Reading

7. Consideration of further amendments

8. Amended Bill Returned to Commons

9. Commons Consideration of Lords Amendments

10. If content, vote in favour, Bill passed.

11. If not content, Commons make amendments and return to the Lords for Lords Consideration of Commons amendments etc until

12. Evocation of 1911 Parliament Act

13. Royal Assent

OPTIONAL STAGES

• Reasoned Amendment – to prevent a Bill from getting a Second Reading

• Programme Motion– For scheduling of the Bill - non debateable

• Guillotine Motion– To enforce an end time to 2nd Reading Debate,

debateable for up to 3 hours