A
Abstain: MSPs might choose to abstain in a vote. This means that they are voting neither for nor against a motion. There is a special button on their voting console if they wish to abstain during a vote.
Act: A law passed by the Scottish Parliament that has received Royal Assent
Additional Member System: The voting system used to choose the MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.
B
Bill: a set of proposals that might become a law, if Parliament agrees to it.
C
Chamber: or Debating Chamber, this is the place for the meetings of Parliament.
Clerks: Clerks are people who work for the Parliament. Their job is to organise all the business in the Chamber and in Committees, and to make sure that the MSPs follow all the rules.
Coalition: an arrangement between more than one political party/group which helps them to come together to form the government. This would usually happen when no party wins more than half of the seats in the Parliament.
Committees: A group of MSPs from different parties. They deal with specialised topics like Health, the Environment, Rural Affairs and Europe.
Commons, House of: This is one part of the Parliament for the United Kingdom, where Members of Parliament meet to debate.
Constituency: A local area which elects one MSP using the First Past the Post voting system. There are 73 constituencies in Scotland.
Constituency MSPs: These MSPs are elected to represent one particular Constituency, or local area in Scotland. There are 73 of them who are elected using the First Past the Post voting system.
D
Debate: A discussion that takes place between the MSPs in the Debating Chamber of the Parliament. The topic for the debate is called a motion. The debate will often lead to a vote.
Decision Time: The time in the day when MSPs vote on the topics they have been discussing that day, using the electronic voting system.
Democracy: This means “rule by the people”, in other words everyone in the country should have a say in what happens and what is decided. In a democratic country there are elections where the people have a free choice on who they want to be in charge, they are entitled to their own opinions, and they have the right to criticise the Government.
Devolution: Where the power to make decisions moves closer to the people who are affected. The Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly are examples of devolution.
Devolved Matters: The policy issues that are decided in the Scottish Parliament, such as health, education, housing and the environment.
E
Electorate: the collective name given to all the people who have the right to vote.
Elections: These are used to pick the people in charge of our country. Everyone over the age of 16 usually gets the chance to vote in a Scottish election.
F
First Minister: The head of the Scottish Government.
First Minister’s Question Time: A period when MSPs ask questions to the First Minister at a meeting of the Parliament.
First past the post: Voting system at elections where the candidate who obtains the largest number of votes is elected.