Inside Parliament Sitting on committees Asking questions during First Ministers question time/Question time Motions and Debates - Voting on proposed laws

Committees An MSP can represent their constituents by joining a Scottish Parliament committee. What is a committee? Committees are small groups of MSPs who meet on a regular basis to scrutinise the work of the Scottish Government and examine legislation. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/visitandlearn/Education/18636.aspx http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/PublicInformationdocuments/Committees-240613.pdf What do committees do? A large part of the committees’ work involves taking evidence and gathering views from individuals and organisations when considering legislation and scrutinising the activities of the Scottish Government.

There are about 15 different committees within the Scottish Parliament including: The Education and culture committee Equal Opportunities committee Finance Committee Public Petitions Committee The Justice Committee -The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee How does being part of a committee represent their constituents?

First Ministers Question Time/ General Question Time An MSP can represent their constituents by asking a question at First Ministers/General question time. First Minister's Question Time gives the leaders of the other parties and MSPs an opportunity to ask the First Minister questions directly. This may be something concerning their constituents. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m9rb/episodes/player During a 30-minute period, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has to answer questions and justify her Governments stance on various issues. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m9rb/episodes/player

What is General Question Time? General Question Time  is when MSPs have the opportunity to ask Government Ministers about their department's policies. This allows MSPs to scrutinise decisions that MSP’s have made. MSP’s usually raise local issues at this time which have been brought to them by members of their constituency or region. For example an MSP may ask the Education Minister about the new Scottish qualifications. Health Secretary Shona Robison http://www.scottishparliament.tv/Archive/Index/1840f40e-2ac0-4633-9e86-1209039958b2?categoryId=c74d9ef0-05a6-4965-a989-7bcefa3c9b26&parentCategoryClicked=False&pageNumber=1&orderByField=ScheduledStart&queryOrder=DESC

Motions An MSP can represent their constituents by proposing a motion or taking part in a debate. A motion is a proposal for the Parliament to do something to express and opinion about an issue. It is the most common means by which MSP’s initiate debates within the Parliament chamber and often lead to a bill. MSP’s put forward motions about problems the people they represent experience and can ask Parliament to consider how to solve them.

For example recently in May 2013, Richard Baker MSP – North East Scotland, lodged a motion on a local issue in Aberdeen highlighting the on-going concerns expressed in the north east over the continuing chronic congestion – believing that as the energy capital of the world, Aberdeen requires a more efficient and effective transport network.

Debates A debate is when MSP’s will discuss issues brought up by other MSP’s and try to find a solution to the issue. When participating in debates, MSPs must bear in mind the views of their constituents as well as their overall Party stance on the issue. They must find the balance between what their constituent wants and what their Party wants..

They also debate proposals for new laws (Bills) For example, MSPs debated the Alcohol Minimum Pricing Scotland Bill. The bill received Royal Assent on 29th June 2012.

Decision Time: Voting on Proposed Laws An MSP can represent their constituents by voting on proposed laws. At the end of each day of business in the debating chamber MSPs vote. This is called ‘decision time’ and is usually held at 5pm with MSP’s voting on any business that has passed through Parliament that day. For example MSP’s passed legislation to introduce same-sex marriage in Scotland. 105 MSP’s voted in favour of this law while 18 MSP’s voted against it.

Members Bill Each MSP can introduce two Bills during one Parliamentary session (four years). If a MSP is contacted by members of the public about an issue she/he may decide to try to get a change in the law by introducing a Member’s Bill. Alex Neil introduced the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill to Parliament before he became Housing & Communities Minister in 2009. Alex's colleague Christine Grahame MSP took over responsibility for the Bill and it has now been approved by the Scottish Parliament and received Royal Assent.