Editing Scottish Parliament (section)

== Parliamentary chamber ==
[[File:Debating chamber, Scottish Parliament (31-05-2006).jpg|thumb|Seating in the [[debating chamber]] is arranged in a semicircle, with ministers sitting in the front section of the semicircle, directly opposite the presiding officer and parliamentary clerks.]]

The [[debating chamber]] of the Scottish Parliament has seating arranged in a [[hemicycle]], a design which is common across European legislatures, intended to encourage consensus and compromise.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 1997 |title=Horseshoe chamber shapes up Dewar says Scottish parliament design will not follow the confrontational template of Westminster |work=The Herald |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12350379.Horseshoe_chamber_shapes_up_Dewar_says_Scottish_parliament_design_will_not_follow_the_confrontational_template_of_Westminster/ |access-date=3 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lockhart |first=David |date=19 February 2014 |title=Westminster and Holyrood: A tale of two parliaments |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-25776433 |access-date=25 February 2017 |archive-date=20 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170320053534/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-25776433 |url-status=live }}</ref> There are 131 seats in the debating chamber. Of the total 131 seats, 129 are occupied by the Parliament's elected MSPs and two are seats for the Scottish Law Officers—the [[Lord Advocate]] and the [[Solicitor General for Scotland]], who are not elected members of the Parliament but are members of the Scottish Government. As such, the Law Officers may attend and speak in the plenary meetings of the Parliament but, as they are not elected MSPs, cannot vote.<ref>{{cite legislation UK |year=1998 |chapter=46 |act=Scotland Act 1998 |section=27 |access-date=17 January 2021 |date=19 November 1998}}</ref>

Members are able to sit anywhere in the debating chamber, but typically sit in their party groupings.<ref name="Chamber" /> The First Minister, Scottish [[List of Scottish Governments|cabinet ministers]] and law officers sit in the front row, in the middle section of the chamber. The largest party in the Parliament sits in the middle of the semicircle, with opposing parties on either side.<ref name="Chamber" /> The Presiding Officer, parliamentary clerks and officials sit opposite members at the front of the debating chamber.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/WHITDC_071013.pdf |title=The Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=17 January 2021 |archive-date=14 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814124905/http://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/WHITDC_071013.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In front of the Presiding Officers' desk is the parliamentary [[ceremonial mace|mace]],<ref name="bbc mace">{{cite news |date=1 July 1999 |title=A symbol of authority |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/scottish_parliament_opening/377090.stm |access-date=1 July 2016 |archive-date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516232823/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/scottish_parliament_opening/377090.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> which is made from silver and [[inlaid]] with gold panned from Scottish rivers and inscribed with the words: ''Wisdom'', ''Compassion'', ''Justice'' and ''Integrity''.<ref name="mace">{{Cite web |date=15 July 1999 |title=Parliament Mace to go on display at the Museum of Scotland |url=http://scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-99/pa0029.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907080409/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-99/pa0029.htm |archive-date=7 September 2006 |access-date=12 October 2006 |publisher=Scottish Parliament}}</ref> The words ''There shall be a Scottish Parliament'', which are the first words of the Scotland Act, are inscribed around the head of the mace,<ref name="bbc mace" /><ref name="mace" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Donald Dewar's speech at the opening of the Scottish Parliament 1 July 1999 |url=http://www.parliament.scot/EducationandCommunityPartnershipsresources/The_New_Parliament_Levels_A-F.pdf |access-date=23 June 2016 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |archive-date=16 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816161907/http://www.parliament.scot/EducationandCommunityPartnershipsresources/The_New_Parliament_Levels_A-F.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> which has a ceremonial role in the meetings of Parliament,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.parliament.scot/business/businessBulletin/bb-99/bb-02-07an.htm |title=Business Bulletin 30/1999 Announcements |publisher=Scottish Parliament |website=archive.parliament.scot |date=2 July 1999 |access-date=12 April 2023 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412162519/https://archive.parliament.scot/business/businessBulletin/bb-99/bb-02-07an.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> representing the authority of the Parliament to make laws.<ref name="mace" /> Presented to the Scottish Parliament by the Queen upon Parliament's official opening in July 1999, the mace is displayed in a glass case, suspended from the lid. At the beginning of each sitting in the chamber, the lid of the case is rotated so that the mace is above the glass, to symbolise that a full meeting of the Parliament is taking place.<ref name="Chamber" />