 Good morning and welcome to the second meeting of the solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland amendment bill committee in 2020. Today we will take consideration stage of the bill. Consideration stage normally consists of consideration of objections first and then formal proceedings and amendments. In this instance, no objections were lodged. The promoters have suggested 11 amendments and I have lodged them all on the promoters behalf. The committee will need to debate on deciding those amendments and also formally consider and agree the individual sections and long title of the bill. However, before it can do that, the committee is first required to screen the amendments to ensure that they do not adversely affect private interests. In that event, it might be necessary to defer the rest of consideration stage until anyone who might be adversely affected had had an opportunity to make their views known. However, my view, based on the advice that I have received from the clerks, is that none of those amendments adversely affect private interests. Do committee members agree? Could you indicate agreement by saying so? Are we nodding heads? Thank you very much. In that case, we can now turn to the disposal of the amendments. Any voting again would be required by nodding your agreement or saying your agreement. I am now going to move on to the marshaled list. I call amendment 1 on behalf of the promoter. Amendment 1 is group with amendments 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. Amendments 1, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 address the committee's recommendation at preliminary stage that the procedure set up in the bill for winding up the society be strengthened. We were concerned that, in the worst case, the procedures in the bill may not be detailed or robust enough to manage any tensions over the disposal of the society's assets should the society, one day, have to be wound up. The committee recommended that the society's members be consulted as to how any property being distributed. Amendments 7, 8 and 9 now set a requirement that this consultation takes place and that it occurs before the meeting where members would discuss a proposal to wind up the society. The committee also questioned whether the bill should specify a quorum for certain meetings where key decisions about the society would be made and whether a voting threshold should be considered. Amendments 1, 10 and 11 address the issue and ensure that a voting threshold must be set up for any decision to wind up the society. I welcome those amendments proposed by the promoter and I am pleased to move amendment 1 on the promoter's behalf. Does any other member wish to address this? No one is indicating it. The question therefore is whether amendment 1 would be agreed to. Are we all agreed? That is a nodding agreement. Thank you very much. This is very strange but there we are. I call amendment 2 in my name on behalf of the promoter. Amendment 2 is grouped with amendments 5 and 6. Amendments 2, 5 and 6 are minor and technical amendments. Amendment 2 relates to the wee-type link of the widows fund as the dependence fund. Amendment 5 clarifies that the type of general meeting that a member created under a new form of membership is not entitled to participate in. Amendment 6 makes the 1871 act more consistent in terms of style. I move amendment 2 on the promoter's behalf. Does any other member wish to address that? No member is indicating that. The question is whether amendment 2 would be agreed. Are we all agreed? We are all agreed. Amendment 2 is therefore agreed. I call amendment 3 on behalf of the promoter. Amendment 3 is grouped with amendment 4. Amendment 3 and 4 relates to the procedure for closing the dependence fund. In its preliminary stage report, the committee noted that the bill requires that society's members are notified in advance of any proposal to close the dependence fund completely. However, the bill does not require a newtons or prospective a newtons to be notified. Amendments 3 and 4 therefore require that all a newtons and prospective a newtons be notified in advance of any decision to close dependence fund completely. I believe that those amendments will improve the bill and I am pleased to move amendment 3 on the promoter's behalf. Does any other member wish to address that? No member is indicating that. The question is whether amendment 3 would be agreed to. Are we all agreed? We are agreed. Amendment 4 is therefore agreed. Amendments 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 have all been previously debated and moved amendments 4 to 11 on block. Does any member object to a single question that we have put on amendments 4 to 11? No member objects. The question is therefore that amendments 4 to 11 be agreed. Are we all agreed? Thank you. Members have indicated agreement that they are therefore agreed. The question is that section 1 be agreed to. Are we all agreed? We are all agreed. The question is that sections 2 to 5 be agreed to. Are we all agreed? Yes, thank you very much. We are all agreed. The question is that the long title be agreed to. Are we all agreed? That ends consideration of the bill. As consideration of the bill is complete, it is very likely to be the final meeting of the committee, and the bill will now proceed to the final stage, which will take place in the chamber. I thank the promoters and members for their assistance and work on the bill, and I close this meeting. Thank you very much.