Parliament (Scotland)

Parliament is overseen by a presiding officer who is elected at the first plenary meeting following an election. An official report of plenary meetings is normally published on the morning following the end of proceedings. MSPs almost always deliver their speeches in English, but they are permitted to use Scots Gaelic if they wish. A translation into English is always provided.

In contrast to the House of Commons, MSPs refer to each other by name. Although they practise the same convention of referring to each other only in the third person, enforcement is less stringent than in Westminster.