How to follow a stage 3 meeting

What documents are used at a stage 3 meeting?

If any amendments to the bill were agreed to at stage 2, stage 3 proceedings will be based on the 'as amended' version of the bill.

Like at stage 2, two documents are produced for the stage 3 meeting: 

• the Marshalled List (a list of all the stage 3 amendments lodged in the order which they appear in the bill) and 
• the Groupings (a list showing the order in which the amendments will be debated in the Chamber, with the amendments grouped together based on their subject matter).

Only amendments selected by the Presiding Officer will appear in the Marshalled List and Groupings for debate.

How does a stage 3 meeting work?

Selection of amendments, and publication of the Marshalled List and Groupings, usually takes place on the day after the deadline for amendments.

Immediately before the start of stage 3 proceedings, the Parliament may agree a parliamentary motion setting time limits for debates on groups of amendments, in order to manage debate within the time available. 

Debate on amendments happens in the same way as at stage 2, but formal questions about agreeing each section and schedule are not asked at stage 3. Voting on amendments follows the order of the Marshalled List, and normally takes place using the Chamber electronic voting system. In the event of a tie, the Presiding Officer has the casting vote.

After all the amendments have been dealt with, the Parliament debates whether or not to pass the bill. That decision is taken at Decision Time. The results of the vote on whether or not to pass the bill will be announced in the Chamber by the Presiding Officer and details of how individual MSPs voted will be published in the Official Report of the meeting.