Parliament Workbench
Data: Motions & questions to 19 Nov 2026 · Votes to 12 Nov 2026

Motion For Debate · S5M-23536 · Session 5

Business Support

Carried Lodged by Richard Leonard Lab Lodged 30 Nov 2020 Debate 2 Dec 2020

The motion

That the Parliament notes that 5 December 2020 is Small Business Saturday and that small businesses, including those in the hospitality sector, are an irreplaceable source of jobs and community across Scotland; believes that many of these businesses are at risk because of COVID-19 restrictions and a lack of financial support, and calls on the Scottish Government to urgently outline how it will allocate the remaining £2.2 billion of Barnett consequentials to provide this support and save businesses and jobs, and work with businesses and trade unions to devise a sustainable long-term plan to support small businesses.

What MSPs voted on: the motion as amended

Labour’s motion was rewritten by an SNP amendment (S5M-23536.2) before this vote. A vote ‘for’ was a vote for the SNP’s wording.

That the Parliament notes that 5 December 2020 is Small Business Saturday and that small businesses, including those in the hospitality sector, are an irreplaceable source of jobs and community across Scotland
66 words removed by S5M-23536.2; believes that many of these businesses are at risk because of COVID-19 restrictions and a lack of financial support, and calls on the Scottish Government to urgently outline how it will allocate the remaining £2.2 billion of Barnett consequentials to provide this support and save businesses and jobs, and work with businesses and trade unions to devise a sustainable long-term plan to support small businesses.
S5M-23536.2 SNP and should be celebrated and supported; recognises that many businesses are at risk because of the wider economic impacts of COVID-19 despite more than £2.3 billion of financial support allocated by the Scottish Government, including the Strategic Framework Business Fund, the £15 million second phase of the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund and the £30 million Local Authority Discretionary Fund; welcomes the use of Barnett consequentials to provide this support and save businesses and jobs, alongside other forms of support from the UK Government such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support; recognises the ongoing work with businesses, local government and trade unions to do everything possible to support and sustain businesses of all sizes in all sectors, and agrees that the finance secretary should provide additional detail to the Finance and Constitution Committee in December 2020 with an update on the allocation of consequentials to date.

Final wording as read into the Official Report at Decision Time. The marked changes are worked out by this site from the amendment texts and match that wording.

Amendments

  1. S5M-23536.2 SNP Kate Forbes Agreed vote, 65–56
  2. S5M-23536.1 Conservative Maurice Golden Fell per the Official Report
  3. S5M-23536.3 Green Patrick Harvie Not put to a vote (worked out by this site: never called at Decision Time: not selected or not moved)

Vote

1 division
  1. 2 Dec 2020
    Business Support
    S5M-23536as amended by SNP
    Carried
    96 for, 23 against, 1 abstained

Amendments

3
  1. S5M-23536.1
    Business Support
    Maurice Golden Con Lodged 1 Dec 2020
    No recorded vote
  2. S5M-23536.2
    Business Support
    Kate Forbes SNP Lodged 1 Dec 2020
    Carried
    65 for, 56 against
  3. S5M-23536.3
    Business Support
    Patrick Harvie Green Lodged 1 Dec 2020
    No recorded vote

Supporters

No MSP has added their name to this motion.

In the Official Report

5 contributions mention S5M-23536
  1. 2 Dec 2020
    Business Support
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-23536, in the name of Richard Leonard, on business support. 16:41

  2. 2 Dec 2020
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Kate Forbes is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Maurice Golden will fall. The question is, that amendment S5M-23536.2, in the name of Kate Forbes, which seeks to amend motion S5…

  3. 2 Dec 2020
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The result of the division on amendment S5M-23536.2, in the name of Kate Forbes, which seeks to amend motion S5M-23536, in the name of Richard Leonard, on business support, is: For 65, Against 56, Abstentions 0. Amendment agreed to.

  4. 2 Dec 2020
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The amendment in the name of Maurice Golden is pre-empted. Therefore, the next question is, that motion S5M-23536, in the name of Richard Leonard, on business support, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

  5. 2 Dec 2020
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The result of the division on motion S5M-23536, in the name of Richard Leonard, as amended, is: For 96, Against 23, Abstentions 1. Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament notes that 5 December 2020 is Small Business Saturday and…