Editing Scottish Parliament (section)

== Proceedings ==
[[File:The Queen at the Scottish Parliament.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Crown of Scotland]] is carried by the [[Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton|Duke of Hamilton]] as Queen Elizabeth II leaves the [[Scottish Parliament Building#Debating chamber|Chamber]], following the Opening of the [[4th Scottish Parliament|fourth Session]] in July 2011.]]
Parliament typically sits Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from early January to late June and from early September to mid December, with two-week recesses in April and October.<ref name="Brief">{{cite web |title=Issue Briefs – Scottish Parliament guide |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/issuebrief/domestic-policy/scotland/scottish-parliament-guide-$447876.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927230053/http://www.politics.co.uk/issuebrief/domestic-policy/scotland/scottish-parliament-guide-%24447876.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |access-date=16 October 2006 |publisher=Politics.co.uk}}</ref> Plenary meetings in the debating chamber usually take place on Wednesday afternoons from 2&nbsp;pm to 6&nbsp;pm and on Thursdays from 9:15&nbsp;am to 6&nbsp;pm.<ref name="Brief" /> Chamber debates and committee meetings are open to the public. Entry is free, but booking in advance is recommended due to limited space. Parliament TV is a webcast and archive of Parliamentary business back to 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parliament TV: Home |url=http://www.scottishparliament.tv/ |access-date=30 September 2016 |website=scottishparliament.tv |archive-date=19 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519135525/https://www.scottishparliament.tv/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and on the [[BBC]]'s parliamentary channel [[BBC Parliament]]. Proceedings are also recorded in text form, in print and online, in the ''Official Report'', which is the substantially verbatim transcript of parliamentary debates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Report terms of Reference |url=http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/98008.aspx |access-date=1 July 2016 |website=Parliamentary Business: Official Report: About the Official Report |publisher=Scottish Parliament |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820115800/http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/98008.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Since September 2012, the first item of business on Tuesday afternoons is usually Time for Reflection<ref name="Reflection">{{cite web |title=Contributors to Time for Reflection – Session 4 |url=http://www.parliament.scot/ResearchBriefingsAndFactsheets/Factsheets/Contributors_to_Time_for_Reflection_Session_4(1).pdf |access-date=1 July 2016 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820125252/http://www.parliament.scot/ResearchBriefingsAndFactsheets/Factsheets/Contributors_to_Time_for_Reflection_Session_4(1).pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> at which a speaker addresses members for up to four minutes, sharing a perspective on issues of [[faith]]. This contrasts with the formal style of "Prayers", which is the first item of business in meetings of the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]. Speakers are drawn from across Scotland and are chosen to represent the balance of religious beliefs according to the [[Census in the United Kingdom|Scottish census]].<ref name="Reflection" /> Invitations to address Parliament in this manner are determined by the Presiding Officer on the advice of the parliamentary bureau. Faith groups can make direct representations to the Presiding Officer to nominate speakers. Before September 2012, Time for reflection was held on Wednesday afternoons.<ref name="Reflection" />

The Presiding Officer (or Deputy Presiding Officer) decides who speaks in chamber debates and the amount of time for which they are allowed to speak.<ref name="PresidingOfficer" /> Normally, the Presiding Officer tries to achieve a balance between different viewpoints and political parties when selecting members to speak.<ref name="Chamber" /> Typically, ministers or party leaders open debates, with opening speakers given between 5 and 20 minutes, and succeeding speakers allocated less time.<ref name="Chamber" /> The Presiding Officer can reduce speaking time if a large number of members wish to participate in the debate. Debate is more informal than in some parliamentary systems.<ref>Burrows, N. (1999), pp. 241–260.</ref> Members may call each other directly by name, rather than by constituency or cabinet position, and hand clapping is allowed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Standing Orders of the Scottish Parliament: Chapter 7: Conduct of Meetings |url=http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/26516.aspx |access-date=1 July 2016 |publisher=Scottish Parliament |archive-date=2 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702000614/http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/26516.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref> Speeches to the chamber are normally delivered in English, but members may use [[Scots language|Scots]], [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]], or any other language with the agreement of the Presiding Officer.<ref>{{cite web |year=2004 |title=Scottish Parliament Corporate Body |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/lang-pol.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903001940/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/lang-pol.htm |archive-date=3 September 2006 |access-date=11 October 2006 |website=Scottish Parliament Language Policy |publisher=Scottish Parliament}}</ref> The Scottish Parliament has conducted debates in the Gaelic language.<ref>{{cite web |date=29 February 2000 |title=Scottish Parliament Corporate Body |url=http://scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-00/pa00-013.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051114132632/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-00/pa00-013.htm |archive-date=14 November 2005 |access-date=11 October 2006 |website=Scottish Parliament-Parliamentary Business |publisher=Scottish Parliament}}</ref>

[[File:Humza Yousaf before the Scottish Parliament chamber.jpg|thumb|right|First Minister [[Humza Yousaf]] speaks before the parliamentary chamber]] 

Each sitting day, normally at 5&nbsp;pm, MSPs decide on all the [[motion (democracy)|motions]] and amendments that have been moved that day. This "Decision Time" is heralded by the sounding of the division bell, which is heard throughout the Parliamentary campus and alerts MSPs who are not in the chamber to return and vote.<ref name="Chamber" /> At Decision Time, the Presiding Officer puts questions on the motions and amendments by reading out the name of the motion or amendment as well as the proposer and asking "''Are we all agreed?''", to which the chamber first votes orally. If there is audible dissent, the Presiding Officer announces "''There will be a division''" and members vote by means of electronic consoles on their desks. Each MSP has a unique access card with a [[microchip]] which, when inserted into the console, identifies them and allows them to vote.<ref name="Chamber" /> As a result, the outcome of each division is known in seconds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37450323 |title=How does Holyrood's electronic voting system work? |date=23 September 2016 |access-date=17 January 2021 |website=BBC News |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122042316/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37450323 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The outcome of most votes can be predicted since political parties normally instruct members which way to vote. Parties entrust some MSPs, known as [[whip (politics)|whips]], with the task of ensuring that party members vote according to the party line.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 February 2003 |title=Evidence from the Minister for Parliamentary Business – Scottish Parliament |url=http://www.comisiwnrichard.gov.uk/content/evidence/oral/scottishferguson/index-w.htm |access-date=14 November 2006 |publisher=Richard Commission |archive-date=23 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070923075715/http://www.comisiwnrichard.gov.uk/content/evidence/oral/scottishferguson/index-w.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> MSPs do not tend to vote against such instructions, since those who do are unlikely to reach higher political ranks in their parties.<ref>Kingdom, J. (1999), p. 373.</ref> Errant members can be deselected as official party candidates during future elections, and, in serious cases, may be expelled from their parties outright.<ref name="Kingdom2">Kingdom, J. (1999), p. 374.</ref> Thus, as with many Parliaments, the independence of Members of the Scottish Parliament tends to be low, and backbench rebellions by members who are discontent with their party's policies are rare.<ref name="Kingdom2" /> In some circumstances, however, parties announce "free votes", which allows Members to vote as they please. This is typically done on [[morality|moral]] issues.<ref>Kingdom, J. (1999), p. 375.</ref>

Immediately after Decision Time a "Members Debate" is held, which lasts for 45 minutes.<ref name="Chamber" /> Members Business is a debate on a motion proposed by an MSP who is not a [[Scottish Executive|Scottish minister]]. Such motions are on issues which may be of interest to a particular area such as a member's own constituency, an upcoming or past event or any other item which would otherwise not be accorded official parliamentary time. As well as the proposer, other members normally contribute to the debate. The relevant minister, whose department the debate and motion relate to "winds up" the debate by speaking after all other participants.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}