AG/S4/13/32 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR …described as the ―Wonga coup‖, under which...

AG/S4/13/32 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR MEETING ON TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2013 9.00 am: Room Q1.03 1.

Minutes (a) Draft minutes of 5 November 2013 (b) Matters arising

(attached)

2. Future business programme

(PB/S4/13/138)

3. Procedural motion: approval of an SSI Budget (Scotland) Act 2013 Amendment Order 2013 [draft]

(PB/S4/13/139)

4. Legislation – referral of a draft proposal Local Government Accountability and Transparency (Scotland) Bill

(PB/S4/13/140)

5. Publication scheme – consideration of any exempt papers

Date of next meeting – Tuesday 19 November 2013

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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU POSSIBLE MOTIONS FOR MEMBERS’ BUSINESS

1. Bureau Members will be aware that under Rule 5.6.1(c) the Bureau has a duty to ensure that there is a period of time available for Members’ Business following Decision Time.

2. Motions submitted for Members’ Business are shown below. S4M-07068# Christine Grahame: Abbotsford House Refreshed—That the Parliament welcomes the reopening of Abbotsford House to the public on 4 July 2013; notes that this follows a multi-million pound restoration; understands that Abbotsford House was the home of Sir Walter Scott, the author of world-famous works such as Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and Waverley; welcomes the return of 13,500 objects from Sir Walter's eclectic collection, which includes Rob Roy’s dirk, dagger, gun and broadsword, a hunting knife that belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie and a blotter owned by Napoleon that contains a lock of his hair; understands that the collection includes around 400 items of armoury, which have been re-hung in the entrance hall and the north armoury and around 9,000 books; congratulates everyone who has worked hard on the restoration and building the new visitor centre, and believes that the reopening of Abbotsford House and the Borders railway will not only rekindle interest in Sir Walter Scott, his life and works, but increase tourism to the Borders.

S4M-07133# Ruth Davidson: Glasgow Marathon Campaign—That the Parliament welcomes the Glasgow Marathon Campaign, which is seeking to reinstate the full-distance marathon race in the city; understands that there has been an increase in the range and popularity of road-running events in the city; considers that, given Glasgow’s status as Scotland’s largest city and experience in hosting major sporting and cultural events, a marathon would provide a tremendous financial, cultural and health boost; recalls the marathons that were held in Glasgow from 1979 to 1988; looks forward to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which will see a race over the distance through the city's streets, and notes the aims of the Glasgow Marathon Campaign.

S4M-07191# John Wilson: Market for Payday Lending—That the Parliament welcomes the decision of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to refer the market for payday lending in the UK to the Competition Commission; considers that the OFT remains concerned about deep-rooted problems with the way competition works; understands that, by referring the market now, the work of the commission will be able to provide the Financial Conduct Authority with a sound evidential basis on which to develop its rules and apply its new powers after it takes over responsibility for regulating the payday market from April 2014; further notes concerns raised following the latest UK Government Spending Review about the new "work first" policy, described as the ―Wonga coup‖, under which unemployed people, including those in Central Scotland, would have to wait seven days before claiming benefits, and considers that such a policy is likely to cause more financial hardship for unemployed people and that it would force more people to rely on payday loan companies.

S4M-07494# David Torrance: Congratulations to Fife Gingerbread—That the Parliament congratulates Fife Gingerbread following its success in securing a grant of £48,770 from the Big Lottery Young Start initiative for the Teen Parent Project in Kirkcaldy; understands that this award will ensure the continuation of its vital work with teenage parents for another year; considers that the project offers an important service for teenage parents between the ages of 16 and 19, providing advice and support where required; acknowledges that the funding will enable the project to expand and develop, and wishes the Teen Parent Project the very best going forward.

S4M-07550# Murdo Fraser: A9 Average Speed Cameras—That the Parliament notes the Scottish Government’s decision to install average speed cameras on the A9; recognises the road safety impact of average speed cameras on the A77 but acknowledges that there are

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differences between the two roads; notes what it sees as the concerns outlined in a letter to the Minister for Transport and Veterans from the Federation of Small Businesses and the views of other key stakeholders who use the road; believes that, under the current road design, driver frustration is a critical factor in many accidents on the A9 and that average speed cameras could exacerbate this problem if there is no increase in the speed limits for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and, prior to the installation of the cameras, notes calls for the Scottish Government to trial a speed limit increase on the A9 for HGVs that weigh more than 7.5 tons.

S4M-07651# Dennis Robertson: Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight—That the Parliament welcomes the annual Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight, which runs from 7 to 22 September 2013; recognises that it is a celebration of what it considers Scotland’s fantastic produce and a festival with over 200 events each year; congratulates the organisers of the Huntly Hairst in Aberdeenshire West, which kick-started the fortnight on 7 and 8 September; believes that everyone in Scotland should have access to the best Scottish produce; notes calls for supermarkets to buy locally to support local farmers and produce makers, and looks forward to a lively fortnight of Scottish food and drink.

S4M-07723# Murdo Fraser: Stroke Association Feeling Overwhelmed Campaign—That the Parliament supports the Stroke Association’s Feeling Overwhelmed campaign on the emotional impact of stroke; understands that around 13,000 people in Scotland have a stroke every year and that there are over 120,000 stroke survivors living in Scotland; further understands that in 2011-12 there were 2,579 people in Mid-Scotland and Fife who had a stroke, of whom 1,631 survived; believes that stroke can have significant psychological consequences and that for many the emotional impact of stroke can be as devastating as the physical; understands that research conducted for the Feeling Overwhelmed campaign has found that over half of stroke survivors felt depressed and two thirds experienced anxiety as a direct result of their stroke; notes that, despite this, over a third of stroke survivors reported that they felt abandoned after leaving hospital and nearly half said that they had received no information or practical advice to help them cope with the emotional impact of stroke, and notes calls for the Scottish Government to help ensure that psychological and emotional support for stroke survivors is given a higher priority in the health and social care system in Scotland.

S4M-07735# Siobhan McMahon: Hemiplegia Awareness Week 2013—That the Parliament recognises that Hemiplegia Awareness Week will take place from 14 to 18 October 2013; understands that hemiplegia, which is caused by damage to a part of the brain, can occur before or during birth and affects 1 in 1,000 children across the UK; notes that hemiplegia affects either the right or left side of the body with varying degrees of weakness, resulting in limited control to the affected side and possible hidden problems such as epilepsy or visual or speech impairment; considers that Hemiplegia Awareness Week represents a valuable opportunity to increase knowledge and understanding of hemiplegia, particularly the impact that it has on people and their families; notes that this year’s activities include Mitten Monday where people can wear a mitten on one hand only to promote hemiplegia awareness and mimic one of the possible physical aspects of hemiplegia; believes that more should be done to assist those people and families affected by the condition, and notes calls for people and organisations to support and participate in Hemiplegia Awareness Week 2013.

S4M-07754# James Dornan: The Cedar Network—That the Parliament commends the work done by third sector organisations, including the Cedar Network, in assisting women and young people who are affected by domestic abuse; notes that a branch of the Cedar Network has been established in Glasgow, adding to the network in Scotland; considers the work that it does with women and children, through group work and support, to be hugely important in their recovery from domestic abuse; notes its close working relationship with a number of third sector and statutory organisations, such as the Castlemilk Domestic Abuse Project; considers that the inclusion of trained facilitators from a wide range of statutory and voluntary agencies helps to foster a multi-agency support network that is crucial to the success of the project; highlights research conducted by Nancy Lombard, a lecturer in social policy at Glasgow Caledonian University, on young people’s attitudes toward violence, which suggests that

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engaging young people in discussions on violence will help challenge gendered perceptions of violence, and considers this move toward education on violence and support for women and children to be key in helping to break cycles of domestic abuse.

S4M-07755# Roderick Campbell: Scotland's Secret Bunker 60th Anniversary—That the Parliament notes the 60th anniversary of the opening of Scotland's Secret Bunker near St Andrews, which initially served as a radar station during the Second World War and was then rebuilt as an RAF ROTOR station before becoming the Regional Seat of Government, manned by the Civil Defence Corps, and then the Regional Government HQ in 1973 before its closure and declassification in 1993; understands that the bunker was the Northern Zone Regional War Room serving as a UK Government command post that would house 300 people including senior ministers, key civil servants and the emergency services in the event of a nuclear strike; believes that the bunker is now a popular tourist attraction, having been bought in 1993 on the open market; understands that the current owner of the site has purchased another bunker, in Barnton Quarry, with the aim of renovating the site and opening it to the public; considers it fortunate that the bunker was never required to be used as a nuclear shelter, and hopes that the site remains an educational resource to allow future generations to learn about the history of the Cold War.

S4M-07776# Christine Grahame: I Come in Praise of Local Development Trusts and other Community Initiatives—That the Parliament recognises the significance and professionalism of the many local development trusts and community initiatives across Midlothian and the Borders and Scotland at large, the many individuals who give up their time, skill and energy to improving their communities such as Auchendinny, Gorebridge, Lamancha and Newlands, community hubs, Penicuik, Silverburn and Eddleston with projects such as The Lost Garden of Penicuik, Silverburn Community Garden and Hall, The Great Polish Map of Scotland at Eddleston and many more community initiatives; considers that these are solid testimony to their efforts, and notes their encouragement for other communities to dip their toes in trust waters.

S4M-07793# Linda Fabiani: Celebrating Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists—That the Parliament congratulates Michael O’Neil, a maxillofacial technologist from East Kilbride, on winning the top prize from the Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists, The Wim de Ruiter Delft Plate Award, for research that he undertook to gain his masters degree; understands that Michael pioneered a technique that enhances surgical results for patients who undergo jaw surgery; notes that maxillofacial prosthetics is the clinical healthcare science that deals with specialist rehabilitation of patients requiring treatment after, for example, traumatic injury, cancer surgery or defects from birth causing malformation, and recognises the work of maxillofacial prosthetists and technologists in Scotland and what it considers the immense benefits of this surgery to those who require it.

S4M-07824# Richard Lyle: 50th Anniversary of the JFK Assassination—That the Parliament acknowledges the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the 35th President of the United States, John F Kennedy, on 22 November 1963; remembers what it considers his great achievements as a political leader especially with regard to foreign affairs, civil rights and economic policy; commends what it believes were his efforts to limit the threat of nuclear weapons through diplomatic measures, most notably by signing the limited test ban treaty with the UK and Soviet Union; considers that he was instrumental in progressing the civil rights movement through open public support and executive orders, which resulted in interventions such as the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity; applauds what it believes was the recovery of the US economy under his presidency and understands that it enjoyed its longest sustained expansion since the second world war; recognises what it considers his ambitious vision of safely sending an American to the Moon by the end of the 1960s; believes with sadness that his time in office was unjustly cut short, and honours with sincerity and respect the memory of President Kennedy who, it understands, travelled through central Scotland in 1939 before delivering a speech in Glasgow on behalf of his father, Joseph, who was the USA’s ambassador to the UK at that time.

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S4M-07837# Jamie Hepburn: Cumbernauld Community Allotments—That the Parliament recognises what it considers the increased and improved community allotment provision in Cumbernauld through the hard work of local organisations such as Cumbernauld Allotments Association and Cumbernauld Village Action for the Community (CVAC); understands that Cumbernauld Allotments Association was created in 1997 because allotment holders feared the loss of the allotments as North Lanarkshire Council was then in the process of selling off Cumbernauld House, which included the ground that the allotments are on; considers that the allotments exist to this day and are as popular as ever thanks to the efforts of Cumbernauld Allotments Association; considers that CVAC has made brilliant progress in creating community allotments and redeveloping the historic Langriggs, elongated plots of land that run south of Cumbernauld Village main street and would traditionally have been used to grow food and be used by the local weaving industry; notes that CVAC has recently received an Awards for All grant from the Big Lottery Fund and plans to use the grant to further enhance the community allotments; considers that, without the work of dedicated volunteers and strong local community groups, Cumbernauld’s community allotments may not have existed or been such a success, and hopes that towns across Scotland will experience similar community-based achievements.

S4M-07842# David Stewart: Average Speed Cameras on the A9—That the Parliament is concerned about the impact that installing average speed cameras on the 136 mile long A9 will have on drivers; understands that the majority of users of this road are against these proposals; considers that there are other, better options available to help reduce the number of collisions on the A9, and believes that road safety is not about miles per hour, but about driver behaviour and risk management.

S4M-07859# Angus MacDonald: A Positive Future for Gaelic—That the Parliament welcomes release 2A of the 2011 Census, which finds that there are 58,000 Gaelic speakers in Scotland, a number close to that in the 2001 Census; believes that this is an important landmark for Gaelic in Scotland, signifying that the decline of the language is not inevitable and is reversible, giving fresh hope to those in Falkirk East and across the country who support, promote and implement efforts to secure a sustainable future for Gaelic-speaking communities; notes that the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 established Bòrd na Gàidhlig with a remit to promote Gaelic education and culture and to increase the number of people learning and using Gaelic; further notes that the bòrd was tasked with drafting a national Gaelic language plan that sets out strategies to reduce the decline in the number of Gaelic speakers, stabilise the number and create new foundations for growth nationally, regionally and locally; welcomes the improvement on the 2001 figures, which showed a marked reduction since 1991 in the decline in the number of Gaelic speakers in comparison with the period between 1981 and 1991; believes that detailed analysis showed that this was to a significant extent attributable to the growth in the number of children acquiring the language in Gaelic-medium pre-school groups and primary education, compensating to a degree for the loss of older Gaelic speakers; is satisfied that this trend has continued, with the new generation of Gaelic speakers helping to compensate for the loss of older Gaelic speakers; understands that, with the growth in the number of children in pre-school and primary Gaelic-medium education over the last two decades in addition to language acquisition in the home, it is expected that the overall rate of decline in the number of Gaelic speakers would be further reduced as a result of the increase in the numbers of young people acquiring and speaking Gaelic; welcomes what it considers the upsurge in recent years in the number of adult learners of Gaelic; believes that the latest Census statistics are very encouraging and give renewed hope for the future to the Gaelic-speaking community, and looks forward to further increases in Gaelic speakers resulting from the policies of the National Gaelic Language Plan through successful joint working between organisations, communities and people with an interest and common aim in securing the future of Gaelic. The member has provided the following translation: Gu bheil a’ Phàrlamaid a’ cur fàilte air foillseachadh sgaoileadh 2A de Chunntas-sluaigh 2011 a tha a’ sealltainn gu bheil 58,000 daoine ann an Alba a tha comasach air Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn, àireamh a tha faisg air an fhigear ann an Cunntas-sluaigh 2001; gu bheil i den bheachd gur e clach mhìle don Ghàidhlig ann an Alba a tha seo, gu bheil e a’ ciallachadh

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nach eil crìonadh na cànain do-sheachanta, agus gun gabh e a thionndadh air ais, agus seo a’ toirt dòchas ùr do dhaoine ann an Sgìre na h-Eaglais Brice an Ear agus air feadh na dùthcha a tha a’ cumail taic rithe, a’ brosnachadh agus a’ cur an gnìomh oidhirpean gus seasmhachd fhaighinn do choimhearsnachdan na Gàidhlig; gu bheil i a’ toirt fa-near gun do stèidhich Achd na Gàidhlig (Alba) 2005 Bòrd na Gàidhlig leis an raon-ùghdarrais a bhith a’ brosnachadh foghlam is cultar na Gàidhlig agus a bhith a’ cur ris an àireimh de dhaoine a ionnsaicheas is a chleachdas a’ Ghàidhlig; gu bheil i a’ toirt fa-near cuideachd gu bheil dleastanas aig a’ bhòrd plana nàiseanta airson na Gàidhlig a sgrìobhadh a tha a’ cur an cèill ro-innleachdan gus an crìonadh ann an àireamh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig ìsleachadh, a bhith a’ cumail suas àireamhan luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig agus a bhith a’ cruthachadh bunait ùr airson fàs gu nàiseanta is gu h-ionadail; gu bheil i a’ cur fàilte air a’ phiseach air figearan 2001, a nochd ìsleachadh follaiseach bho 1991 ann an ìre crìonadh àireamh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig an taca ri 1981 gu 1991, gu bheil i a’ creidsinn gu bheil mion-sgrùdadh air sealltainn gun robh seo gu ìre mhòr mar thoradh air fàs anns an àireimh de chloinn a tha a’ togail na cànain ann am buidhnean ro-sgoile tron Ghàidhlig agus tro fhoghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig sa bhun-sgoil, agus, gu ìre ag ath-shlànachadh call luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a tha nas sine; gu bheil i riaraichte gu bheil an treand seo air leantainn, le ginealach ùr de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a’ cuideachadh le bhith ag ath-shlànachadh airson call luchd-labhairt a tha nas sine; gu bheil i a’ tuigsinn leis an fhàs ann an àireimh na cloinne ann am foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig aig ìre ro-sgoile agus ìre na bun-sgoile a bharrachd air togail cànain san dachaigh, thathar an dùil gun tèid an ìre crìonaidh ann an àireamh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a lughdachadh barrachd mar thoradh air àrdachadh ann an àireamh na h-òigridh a tha a’ togail agus a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig; gu bheil i a’ cur fàilte air an àrdachadh mhòr ann an àireamh luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig; gu bheil i den bheachd gu bheil figearan ùr a’ Chunntais-sluaigh gu math brosnachail is gu bheil iad a’ toirt dòchas as ùr do luchd na Gàidhlig airson an àm ri teachd, agus gu bheil i a’ dèanamh fiughair ri àrdachaidhean eile ann an luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig mar thoradh air poileasaidhean ann am Plana Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig tro cho-obrachadh soirbheachail eadar buidhnean, coimhearsnachdan agus daoine aig a bheil an aon ùidh gus seasmhachd don Ghàidhlig san àm ri teachd a chruthachadh.

S4M-07869# Murdo Fraser: The Future of Medical Research Funding in Scotland Remains Strong—That the Parliament understands that, for the last 100 years, the Medical Research Council (MRC) has funded research that has led to improvements in human health, boosted the economy, established jobs and sustained a competitive environment for world-class medical research in Scotland; welcomes its centenary and celebrates what it sees as the excellent research carried out by scientists in the universities and hospitals that the MRC supports; notes that, in 2012-13, the MRC awarded £74.7 million to scientists, £9.8 million of which was spent on research studentships; understands that it is currently providing £2.7 million in grants to the University of St Andrews and £45,609 to the University of Stirling, and notes that six of Scotland's universities, including the University of St Andrews, are sharing £20 million of MRC funding to help establish a UK health informatics research centre, the Farr Institute, which is due to be operational by April 2014, will have centres in Dundee, London, Manchester and Swansea and will aim to bring together expertise in health and social and computer science from 19 universities across the UK.

S4M-07941# Stewart Stevenson: Moray Council Library Closures—That the Parliament condemns the decision by Moray Council to remove a mobile library from service and close libraries in Burghead, Cullen, Dufftown, Findochty, Hopeman, Portknockie and Rothes; understands that an equality impact assessment (EIA) highlighted the adverse impact that the council's decision to close seven of its 15 libraries could have on families with young children and both older and disabled people; believes that libraries play a valuable role in communities and that the proposed closures would have a detrimental impact on education and learning and restrict the access in rural communities to information technology services; believes that this is particularly concerning as the UK Government is increasingly making access to many services online only; understands that the EIA expressed concerns that the council could fall short on its statutory duty; notes that the Scottish Library and Information Council has commissioned a review of the Public Library Quality Improvement Matrix, which examines the quality of such services and that there are calls for Moray Council to postpone its decision until after this review has been completed, and recognises the work of the Save our Libraries

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Moray campaign, which aims to bring together the communities affected by the decision in an attempt to reverse the council's decision.

S4M-07944# Michael McMahon: Hospice Care Week 2013—That the Parliament notes that 7 to 13 October 2013 is Hospice Care Week; notes that there are 24 inpatient units in Scotland caring for adults approaching the end of life, over half of which are charitable hospices; considers that there is a growing need for hospice care across Scotland and that the increased demand and need for hospice care will come from people with more complex health and social care needs; understands that hospices continue to require the support of the communities that they serve; acknowledges the ongoing Scottish Government and NHS support for hospice care in Scotland, and welcomes the call of Help the Hospices and Marie Curie Cancer Care for there to be continued commitment and support for hospice care in Scotland to meet the growing need.

S4M-08016# George Adam: YouthLink Scotland—That the Parliament congratulates YouthLink Scotland on the publication of what it considers the very positive recent inspection report by Education Scotland; notes the recognition in the report of the high quality contribution that YouthLink Scotland and its member organisations make to the achievement of Scottish Government outcomes; recognises the work that it undertakes in local authority areas such as Renfrewshire, where it considers the YMCA, the Scouts and Play the Game make an important difference on a daily basis to the lives of the young people of Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone by working with particularly vulnerable groups of young people to provide them with opportunities to undertake new challenges and adventures and, as a consequence, help them toward recognising and fulfilling their potential as individuals and as active members of society, and considers that YouthLink Scotland and its member organisations from the voluntary sector, uniformed youth organisations and local authority youth services across Scotland that apply the principles and values of youth work, have been very successful in their engagement with young people through encouraging them to use a range of life skills, assisting them in their journey to adulthood and successful futures and making Scotland the best place in the world in which to grow up as a successful learner, a confident individual, an effective contributor and a responsible citizen.

S4M-08036# Kezia Dugdale: Financial Conduct Authority's Plans to Regulate the Payday Loan Industry—That the Parliament supports the Financial Conduct Authority’s latest plans to regulate the payday loans industry as set out in its initial report on consumer credit; welcomes stricter requirements for payday lenders, which include a mandatory affordability check on borrowers, limiting the number of loan roll-overs to two and tighter restrictions on what payday lenders can say in adverts; considers that the payday lending sector represents an increasingly problematic issue in the Lothians and throughout the rest of Scotland; is concerned that advisors at Scotland’s Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) are seeing over a hundred people a week with payday loan related issues; notes that CAB provide advice to anyone who believes that they have been unfairly treated by a lender or who has problems with debt; considers it important that the lending industry is open and transparent and offers consumers a fair deal but also protects them from financial ruin, and believes that these proposals go some way toward beginning to address these issues.

S4M-08110# Rhoda Grant: World Prematurity Day 2013 and World-class Neonatal Care in Scotland—That the Parliament celebrates World Prematurity Day on 17 November 2013 and understands that 8,000 babies are born sick or premature each year in Scotland; welcomes Neonatal Care in Scotland: A Quality Framework, which creates new standards for neonatal care that aim to help ensure improvements to the care of premature and sick babies, ensuring that they receive the world-class treatment that they and their families deserve; commends Bliss Scotland and the health professionals involved in drawing up the new standards, which include increasing the number of staff in units, involving parents in the care of their baby and offering proper support and facilities to families, and looks forward to the implementation of these standards.

S4M-08138# Margaret McCulloch: Scotland's Towns Week—That the Parliament welcomes Scotland’s Towns Week, which will run from 18 to 24 November 2013; understands

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that the purpose of the week is to unite, inspire and support towns across Scotland to run or launch events, campaigns or projects that will raise the profile of the country’s towns; welcomes the series of events already planned in communities across the country, including the Scotland’s Towns Conference in Inverness on the 22 November; notes that Scotland’s Towns Partnership has developed a toolkit to help communities participate in Scotland’s Towns Week; further notes the appeal by the partnership for volunteers to come forward as Scotland’s Towns Week Ambassadors to help promote the campaign in general and their town’s inclusion in the week, and hopes that involvement in Scotland’s Towns Week helps towns across Scotland become stronger, greener and more resilient communities.

S4M-08144# James Dornan: St Andrew's First Aid Count Me In Campaign—That the Parliament congratulates St Andrew's First Aid on its Count Me In Campaign; notes that it is seeking 34,000 signatories to its pledge, which it understands is the equivalent of the number of household accidents reported on a yearly basis that are taken to hospital where basic first aid would have sufficed; understands that the campaign seeks to educate the almost three-quarters of people in Scotland, including in Glasgow Cathcart, who do not have basic first aid skills, and considers that these skills are crucial in saving lives and removing unnecessary strain on emergency services.

S4M-08169# Claudia Beamish: Thirsting for Justice—That the Parliament understands that the average daily consumption of water of Palestinian people to cover domestic and public service needs is around 70 litres per person; believes that this is well below the 100 litre limit recommended by the World Health Organization; understands that Israeli policies and practices limit access to water for people in Palestine to less than they are entitled to under international law; believes that only 31% of West Bank residents have access to the sewage network and that there is only one waste water treatment plant operating in the area; considers that there are significant barriers to access to water for agricultural use; condemns what it sees as Israel’s refusal to grant the necessary permits or military security clearance for the construction and operation of sanitation and waste water treatment facilities; understands that the situation is far worse in the Gaza Strip where, it believes, over 30 kilometres of waterworks and 11 wells operated by the water authorities were damaged or destroyed by the Israeli military during its mission, Operation Cast Lead; understands that the Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which is known as the Goldstone report, deemed that the Israeli actions were ―deliberate and systematic‖; applauds the Thirsting for Justice Campaign, which, it understands, works directly with communities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and notes the campaign's aim to encourage European citizens, including those in the south of Scotland, to demand that governments put pressure on Israel to comply with international law and for human rights to be respected in Palestine.

S4M-08202# Elaine Murray: All Aboard the Food Train—That the Parliament welcomes the award of a £59,474 Investing in Communities: Supporting 21st Century Life grant to Food Train Limited in Dumfries and Galloway; congratulates Food Train on its progress from its beginnings in Dumfries in 1995 as a service to assist older people with their weekly grocery shopping to a multi-award-winning charity supporting older people in six local authority areas in Scotland, with the intention of expanding further; notes that Food Train now also offers home support and befriending services, and understands that this award will support the continuation of Food Train Friends in Annandale and Eskdale and its expansion into other parts of Dumfries and Galloway, supporting at least 160 vulnerable people aged 65 and older to reduce social isolation and support their independence.

Record of Members’ Business taken by the Parliament from 8 June 2011

Date MSP Party Subject

8/6/2011 Marco Biagi SNP Green Investment in Edinburgh

9/6/2011 Elaine Murray LAB Ban on Use of Wild Animals in Circuses

15/6/2011 Bob Doris SNP Fighting Sectarianism and Anti-Irish Racism

16/6/2011 Mark McDonald SNP North Sea Taxation

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22/6/2011 Elaine Smith LAB There is a Better Way

23/6/2011 Stuart McMillan SNP David MacBrayne Group Supports Coastguards

29/6/11 Margaret Mitchell CON Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland

30/6/11 Willie Coffey SNP The Scheme

7/9/11 David Stewart LAB Young Drivers

8/9/11 Aileen McLeod SNP Flavour Fortnight 2011

14/9/11 Rob Gibson SNP Remembering the Russian Arctic Convoys

15/9/11 Hugh Henry LAB Upper Clyde Shipbuilders

21/9/11 Bill Kidd SNP UN International Day of Peace, 21 September 2011

22/9/11 Jamie Hepburn SNP Save the Children Report, Making Work Pay – The Childcare Trap

28/9/11 James Dornan SNP Battling Scotland’s Drinking Culture

29/9/11 Paul Martin LAB Stop the Closure of Lightburn Hospital

5/10/11 Rob Gibson SNP Germany Exits Nuclear Energy

6/10/11 Christine Grahame SNP Jeremy Hunt Doesn’t Get the Picture so Neither Does the Borders

26/10/11 Jenny Marra LAB Fuel Poverty in Scotland

2/11/11 Sandra White SNP Mordechai Vanunu, Israel’s Nuclear Whistleblower

3/11/11 James Kelly LAB Nail the Rogues Campaign

9/11/11 Margaret Mitchell CON Prescription Medicine Waste

10/11/11 Liam McArthur LD Damaging Impact of Air Discount Scheme Changes

16/11/11 Dave Thompson SNP The People’s Bible

17/11/11 Siobhan McMahon LAB British Heart Foundation’s Heart Start Event

23/11/11 Jim Eadie SNP Act of Settlement

24/11/11 John Scott CON Provision of Orthopaedic Trauma Services at Ayr Hospital

24/11/11 Christina McKelvie SNP Nuclear Test Veterans

30/11/11 Kevin Stewart SNP St Andrew’s Day

1/12/11 Neil Findlay LAB Community Benefit and the Cumulative Impact of Windfarm Developments in Communities

7/12/11 Sandra White SNP Truth About Youth Project

8/12/11 Rhoda Grant LAB MS, Better Care

14/12/11 Stuart McMillan SNP Commending Petrol and Diesel Watch

15/12/11 Sandra White SNP University of Glasgow Ranked First in the UK

21/12/11 Siobhan McMahon LAB Disability History Month

22/12/11 Jim Eadie SNP 10 Years on from Harkin-Engel, Child Trafficking in the Chocolate Industry

11/01/12 Annabel Goldie CON Volunteer Centre East Dunbartonshire

12/01/12 Margaret Burgess SNP High-interest Payday Loans

18/01/12 Elaine Murray LAB Independence Referendum, Let Wallace Vote

19/01/12 Joan McAlpine SNP Save Introducing in Scotland

25/01/12 Stewart Maxwell SNP Holocaust Memorial Day 2012

26/01/12 Patricia Ferguson LAB Save Glasgow’s Local Train Services

01/02/12 Colin Keir SNP Drum Brae Library and Community Hub Project

02/02/12 Linda Fabiani SNP Assistance Dogs are Working Dogs

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Too

08/02/12 Jamie McGrigor CON Designation of Special Areas of Conservation

09/02/12 Helen Eadie LAB Celebrating the Value of Co-operatives Internationally

22/02/12 Dennis Robertson SNP Eating Disorders, Raising the Awareness

23/02/12 George Adam SNP Take a Step in 2012 for Fairtrade

29/02/12 Iain Gray LAB Protecting Access to Justice across Scotland

01/03/12 Sandra White SNP BBC Scotland Job Cuts

07/03/12 Humza Yousaf SNP Save Gadburn School

08/03/12 John Park LAB The Living Wage, Tackling In-work Poverty

14/03/12 Sandra White SNP Commonwealth Week 2012

15/03/12 Mark McDonald SNP Changing the January Pay Date

21/03/12 John Lamont CON Local Rail Services to Berwickshire and East Lothian

22/03/12 Sarah Boyack LAB Green Investment Bank

28/03/12 Jim Eadie SNP Violence in Syria

29/03/12 Jim Hume LD The Road Forward for Community Transport

18/04/12 David Stewart LAB Devolution of the Crown Estate

19/04/12 Christine Grahame SNP Community Radio Coming from a Station Near You

25/04/12 Kenneth Gibson SNP Allotments Regeneration Initiative in North Ayrshire

26/04/12 Richard Baker LAB UCAN’s Campaign for Robot-assisted Surgery

02/05/12 George Adam SNP National MS Week

09/05/12 Elaine Smith LAB Beyond the Frame

10/05/12 Dave Thompson SNP Centenary of the Dewar Report

16/05/12 Alex Fergusson CON A Road to Health

17/05/12 Paul Wheelhouse SNP Addressing Alcohol Abuse among Scotland’s Armed Forces

17/05/12 Christine Grahame SNP Commemorating James Graham, Marquis of Montrose and Member of the First Scots Parliament

23/05/12 Jenny Marra LAB Deaf Awareness Week

24/05/12 Kenneth Gibson SNP Glasgow Epilepsy Genetics Service

30/05/12 Aileen McLeod SNP Rio+20

31/05/12 Elaine Murray LAB Improvements to the A75

06/06/12 Colin Keir SNP Royal Highland Education Trust

07/06/12 John Mason SNP The Death Penalty in India

13/06/12 Liz Smith CON Scotland’s Mountain Rescue Teams

14/06/12 John Park LAB Celebrating Fife’s Outdoor Education Centre

20/06/12 Rob Gibson SNP Remember Cunningham Graham

21/06/12 Jamie Hepburn SNP Time for an International Arms Trade Treaty

27/06/12 Patricia Ferguson LAB Scottish Government Cuts Threaten Creativity

28/06/12 Christina McKelvie SNP Success of Armed Services Advice Project

04/09/12 George Adam SNP Renfrewshire Witch Hunt 1697, Shining the Light for Community-

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based Events

05/09/12 Kenneth Macintosh LAB Humankind Index

06/09/12 Annabel Goldie CON River City

11/09/12 Kevin Stewart SNP Aberdeen City Centre

12/09/12 Clare Adamson SNP Scottish Steelworkers’ Memorial Fund

13/09/12 Claire Baker LAB Welcoming Fife Diet’s New Food Manifesto 2012

18/09/12 Graeme Dey SNP Keep Scotland Beautiful

19/09/12 Christine Grahame SNP The Great Polish Map of Scotland

20/09/12 Sarah Boyack LAB Fair Access to the Legal Profession

25/09/12 John Mason SNP Gambling Proliferation

26/09/12 Kevin Stewart SNP Work Capability Assessments

27/09/12 Hugh Henry LAB NSPCC

02/10/12 Liam McArthur LD No to Nuisance Calls

03/10/12 Linda Fabiani SNP October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

04/10/12 David Stewart LAB Isle of Gigha,10 Years of Pioneering Land Reform

23/10/12 David Torrance SNP 5th Fife Scout Group, Kirkcaldy,

Scottish Championship Award

24/10/12 Margaret Mitchell CON Dyslexia

25/10/12 Willie Coffey SNP Neil Armstrong

30/10/12 Hugh Henry LAB Protection of Workers

31/10/12 Roderick Campbell SNP The Vivarium Trust and Co-housing for Older People

01/11/12 Kenneth Gibson SNP Time to Introduce Presumed Consent

06/11/12 Adam Ingram SNP William Murdoch, The Scot Who Lit the World

07/11/12 Kezia Dugdale LAB Living Wage Week

08/11/12 John Mason SNP Glasgow 2014, Scotland’s Time to Shine

13/11/12 John Scott CON British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly Autumn Plenary

14/11/12 Neil Findlay LAB Christian Aid, Tax Justice Bus

15/11/12 Nigel Don SNP Scottish Literature on the Big Screen

20/11/12 Jim Eadie SNP Caring for and Curing Boys and Men with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

21/11/12 Claudia Beamish LAB Scotland’s National Museum of Costume

22/11/12 Linda Fabiani SNP Open Your Eyes to Destitution in Scotland

27/11/12 James Dornan SNP Celebrating St Andrew’s First Aid Week

28/11/12 Iain Gray LAB Value of Instrumental Music Tuition

29/11/12 Christine Grahame SNP A Scottish Media Panel

04/12/12 Jamie Hepburn SNP White Ribbon Campaign 16 Days of Action to Tackle Violence Against Women

05/12/12 Margaret Mitchell CON 40th Anniversary of Lanarkshire Samaritans, Hamilton

06/12/12 Patricia Ferguson LAB Bobath Scotland

11/12/12 Alison McInnes LD Camphill Scotland

12/12/12 Mark McDonald SNP Grampian Launches Autism Alert Card

13/12/12 Richard Baker LAB Edwards Syndrome and Support for Babies with Palliative Care Needs

18/12/12 Christina McKelvie SNP Migrants’ Rights Day

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19/12/12 Rob Gibson SNP Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters’ Marine Energy Constraints

20/12/12 Drew Smith LAB Job Losses at Clydesdale Bank

08/01/13 Kenneth Gibson SNP The Origins of Addiction

09/01/13 Malcolm Chisholm LAB 20 Years of Zero Tolerance Campaigns

10/01/13 John Mason SNP Mergers and Acquisitions

15/01/13 Adam Ingram SNP Scottish Coal Industry

16/01/13 Rhoda Grant LAB Sustainable Biomass

17/01/13 Bob Doris SNP Day Centre in Glasgow

22/01/13 Alex Johnstone CON Safer Social Networking for Children

23/01/13 Bruce Crawford SNP The Leprosy Mission Scotland

24/01/13 Helen Eadie LAB Clinical Standards for Cardiac Rehabilitation

29/01/13 James Dornan SNP Make Young People Your Business

30/01/13 Joan McAlpine SNP South of Scotland Television

31/01/13 Drew Smith LAB Work Not Play

05/02/13 Dave Thompson SNP Prohibit Cold Calling for Property Maintenance and Repairs

06/02/13 Annabel Goldie CON Street Stuff

07/02/13 Margaret McCulloch LAB Retail in Scotland

19/02/13 Jim Eadie SNP Lothiansound Talking Newspaper Celebrates 25

th Anniversary

20/02/13 Chic Brodie SNP Scotland’s Historic Buildings

21/02/13 David Stewart LAB 50 Miles Per Hour Campaign

26/02/13 David Torrance SNP Congratulating Fife Gingerbread on 25

th Anniversary

27/02/13 John Mason SNP Families Need Fathers

28/02/13 Sarah Boyack LAB Enough Food for Everyone IF Scotland Plays its Part

05/03/13 Liam McArthur LD Postcode Lottery for People with Multiple Sclerosis

06/03/13 Murdo Fraser CON Endangered Species and Wild Land Conservation

07/03/13 Christina McKelvie SNP #Scotlandhour

12/03/13 Jean Urquhurt GROUP The Role of Crofting in the Highlands and Islands

13/03/13 Bob Doris SNP Dr David Livingstone’s Bicentenary

14/03/13 Neil Findlay LAB Lessons from Orgreave

19/03/13 Mark McDonald SNP Count Us In

20/03/13 Jackie Baillie LAB Dementia Carers’ Voices

21/03/13 Angus MacDonald SNP 75 Years of Young Farmers Clubs in Scotland

26/03/13 Bob Doris SNP Kurdish Contribution to Scotland, Remembering Halabja

27/03/13 James Kelly LAB Bicentenary Celebrations of Dr David Livingstone’s Birth

28/03/13 Sandra White SNP Bowel Cancer, Don’t Take a Chance, Take the Test

16/04/13 David Torrance SNP Congratulating Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society

17/04/13 Kezia Dugdale LAB One Billion Rising

18/04/13 Nigel Don SNP Scotland’s Butchers Lead the Way with Quality Produce

23/04/13 Alex Johnstone CON Welcome to the National Cricket Teams of Japan

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24/04/13 Jamie Hepburn SNP Future of Scotland’s Crown Post Offices

25/04/13 John Pentland LAB Workers’ Memorial Day 2013

30/04/13 John Mason SNP Social Tourism

01/05/13 George Adam SNP MS Week 2013

02/05/13 Neil Findlay LAB Blacklisting, a Scottish and UK Human Rights Abuse

07/05/13 Gordon MacDonald SNP Dads Rock 1st Anniversary

08/05/13 Mary Scanlon CON Importance of the Freshwater Pearl Mussel

09/05/13 Mary Fee LAB Using Prisoners’ Assets to Reduce Reoffending

14/05/13 Christina McKelvie SNP Voices from the Frontline, Digital by Default

15/05/13 Aileen McLeod SNP History is Made at the Mull of Galloway

16/05/13 Margaret McDougall LAB University Marine Biological Station Millport

21/05/13 Clare Adamson SNP Electrical Safety in the Private Rented Sector

22/05/13 Joan McAlpine SNP A National Tree

23/05/13 Anne McTaggart LAB Mary Barbour Commemoration

28/05/13 Sandra White SNP Sectarian Attacks against the Shia Community

29/05/13 Margaret Mitchell CON AEDs in Scotland

30/05/13 Alison McInnes LD Still Waiting Campaign

04/06/13 Patrick Harvie GRP Protecting Tenants’ Deposits

05/06/13 John Mason SNP Bank Branch Closures

06/06/13 Paul Martin LAB Community-based Housing Associations, Building the Community

11/06/13 Christina McKelvie SNP MND Scotland Welfare Reform

12/06/13 Hanzala Malik LAB Challenging Negative Racial and Religious Stereotypes

13/06/13 Roderick Campbell SNP Sales of Interest Rate Swap Agreements

18/06/13 James Kelly LAB Parkinson’s Nurses in Scotland, Providing Effective, Safe, Person-centred Care

19/06/13 John Wilson SNP Credit Union Expansion Project

20/06/13 Christine Grahame SNP James IV and Flodden Field

25/06/13 Dave Thompson SNP Review of Specialist Heart Failure Nurse Services

26/06/13 Duncan McNeil LAB ASH Scotland’s 40th Anniversary

27/06/13 Richard Lyle SNP 100th Anniversary of World War I

03/09/13 Alex Fergusson CON The Da Vinci Challenge to be Tackled by Dalbeattie High School

04/09/13 John Wilson SNP Welcoming Oxfam’s Our Economy Report

05/09/13 Graeme Pearson SNP Enhancing Enterprise for Scotland and China

10/09/13 Graeme Dey SNP Scotland More Aware of Fair Trade

11/09/13 Christina McKelvie SNP End Revenge Porn Scotland

12/09/13 Claire Baker LAB 82% of Scots in Favour of Compulsory Microchipping

17/09/13 James Dornan SNP Disabled People in Politics

18/09/13 Nanette Milne CON Marie Curie, Signpost to Palliative Care

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19/09/13 David Stewart LAB Dunoon-Gourock Ferry Action Group

24/09/13 Gordon MacDonald SNP Al-Anon Family Groups, Supporting Families with Alcohol-related Issues

25/09/13 Jim Eadie SNP The University of Edinburgh in World’s Top 20

26/09/13 Richard Baker LAB Safety of Offshore Oil and Gas Workers

01/10/13 Fiona McLeod SNP Celebrating 100 Years of Westerton Garden Suburb

02/10/13 Aileen McLeod SNP Supporting Teenage Cancer Trust’s Education Programme

03/10/13 Jackie Baillie LAB Challenge Poverty Week

08/10/13 Nigel Don SNP Energy Action Scotland Marks its 30th

Anniversary

09/10/13 Liz Smith CON Direct Rail Link Between Perth and Edinburgh

10/10/13 Jim Hume LD CAB-run Innovative Youth Outreach Projects

29/10/13 Alison Johnstone GRP Strict Liability

30/10/13 Aileen McLeod SNP Scottish Woodlot Association, a First for Galloway

31/10/13 Malcolm Chisholm LAB Folic Acid Awareness Campaign

5/11/13 Sandra White SNP Glasgow Women’s Aid 40th

Anniversary Celebration

6/11/13 Jackie Baillie LAB No More Page 3

7/11/13 Mike MacKenzie SNP The Best Buildings in Scotland

Record of Members’ Business taken by the Parliament in Session 4

Party SNP LAB CON LD GRP IND TOTAL

Frequency (no.) 117 62 21 6 3 0 209

Frequency % 55.98 29.66 10.05 2.87 1.44 0 100

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14

BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 11 NOVEMBER 2013

DAY MORNING AFTERNOON

Monday 11 Constituency Constituency

Tuesday 12

0900-1300 Committees

1400 Time for Reflection Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1405-1420 Topical Questions 1420-1450 Ministerial Statement: Common Agricultural Policy Budget Allocation 1450-1658 Stage One debate: Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Bill 1658-1659 Financial Resolution: Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Bill 1659-1729 Scottish Government debate: Dundee, City of Culture

1729-1730 Legislative Consent Motion: Water Bill – UK Legislation 1730 Decision Time Followed by Members Business’ S4M-07688 Dennis Robertson: Action over Size 10 Models and Mannequins

Wednesday 13


1400 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1440 Portfolio Question Time: Infrastructure, Investment and Cities; Culture and External Affairs 1440-1510 Ministerial Statement: Electricity Market Reform 1510-1700 Scottish Government debate: Modernising Scotland’s Transport Infrastructure - Meeting the challenges of the 21st Century Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business’ S4M-07932 Claire Baker: National Parks, Unfinished Business

Thursday 14

0900-1100 Committees 1140-1200 General Questions 1200-1230 First Minister’s Question Time Followed by Members Business’ S4M-07752 Colin Keir: 100 Years of Conservation, Research and Education at Edinburgh Zoo

1400 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1700 Stage 3 proceedings: Scottish Independence Referendum Bill Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time

Friday 15 Constituency Constituency

PB/S4/13/138

15


DAY MORNING AFTERNOON Monday 18 Constituency Constituency

Tuesday 19


No Business

Wednesday 20


1400 Time for Reflection 1400 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1430 Motion of Condolence – Helen Eadie 1445-1705 Labour Party Business 1705-2000 Stage One debate: Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 2000 Decision Time

Thursday 21

0900-1100 Committees 1140-1200 General Questions 1200-1230 First Minister’s Question Time Followed by Members Business’ S4M-07824 Richard Lyle: 50th Anniversary of the JFK Assassination

1440 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1440 Portfolio Question Time: Education and Lifelong Learning 1440-1510 Preliminary Stage Debate: Burrell Collection (Lending and Borrowing) (Scotland) Bill 1510-1659 Stage One debate: Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill 1659-1700 Financial Resolution: Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time


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DAY MORNING AFTERNOON Monday 25 Constituency Constituency

Tuesday 26


1400 Time for Reflection Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1405-1420 Topical Questions 1420-1700 Scottish Government Business 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business’

Wednesday 27


1400 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1400-1440 Portfolio Question Time: Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth 1440-1700 Scottish Government Business Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time Followed by Members Business’

Thursday 28

0900-1100 Committees 1140-1200 General Questions 1200-1230 First Minister’s Question Time Followed by Members Business’

1430 Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1430-1445 Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question time 1445-1700 Scottish Government Business Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1700 Decision Time


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17

BUSINESS MOTION

Date of Lodging: 12 November 2013

Short Title: Business Motion

Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the programme of business—

(a) Tuesday 12 November 2013

after

followed by Topical Questions

insert

followed by Ministerial Statement: Common Agricultural Policy Budget Allocation

(b) Wednesday 13 November 2013

after

followed by Portfolio Questions Infrastructure, Investment and Cities; Culture and External Affairs

insert

followed by Ministerial Statement: Electricity Market Reform

BUSINESS MOTION



Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Business Motion—

(a) That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Wednesday 20 November 2013

2.00 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

PB/S4/13/138

18

followed by Motion of Condolence – Helen Eadie followed by Scottish Labour Party Business

followed by Stage 1 Debate: Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill

followed by Business Motions


8.00 pm Decision Time

Thursday 21 November 2013

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

11.40 am General Questions

12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions

12.30 pm Members’ Business

2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions Education and Lifelong Learning

followed by Preliminary Stage Debate: Burrell Collection (Lending and

Borrowing) (Scotland) Bill

followed by Stage 1 Debate: Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill

followed by Financial Resolution: Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill




Tuesday 26 November 2013

2.00 pm Time for Reflection


followed by Topical Questions (if selected)

followed by Scottish Government Business




followed by Members’ Business

Wednesday 27 November 2013


2.00 pm Portfolio Questions

Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth

PB/S4/13/138

19





followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 28 November 2013

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

11.40 am General Questions

12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions

12.30 pm Members’ Business


2.30 pm Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions





(b) That the Parliament agrees that Rules 2.2.4, 2.2.5(b) and 2.2.5(c) of Standing Orders be suspended for the purpose of allowing the Parliament to meet until 8.00 pm, and Rule 5.6.1(c) of Standing Orders be suspended for the purpose of Members’ Business on Wednesday 20 November 2013.

BUSINESS MOTION



Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees to the following revision to the programme of business for Tuesday 19 November 2013—

delete

Tuesday 19 November 2013 2.00 pm Time for Reflection

PB/S4/13/138

20

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions followed by Topical Questions (if selected) followed by Scottish Government Business followed by Business Motions followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions 5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members’ Business

PB/S4/13/139

1

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU SCOTTISH STATUTORY INSTRUMENT

1. The Bureau is invited to agree the following motion—

Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Budget (Scotland) Act 2013 Amendment Order 2013 [draft] be approved.

Purpose

2. The Order amends the Budget (Scotland) Act 2013 which authorised the Scottish Government’s spending plans for 2013-14. The Order is accompanied by the 2013-14 Autumn Budget Revision and provides supporting information. The document lists the main changes to the Scottish Government’s spending plans as—

i) funding changes as announced at Stage 3 of the 2013-14 Budget Bill on 6 February 2013, the allocation of Financial Transactions announced on 3 May 2013, further additions as outlined to the Scottish Parliament on 19 June 2013 and in-year additions reflecting Ministerial decisions (total net increase to the budget of £129.6m); ii) technical adjustments including a reduction in NHS and Teachers pension scheme estimates (AME) (-£157.6m); iii) a Whitehall Transfer from the Department for Work and Pensions to the Scottish Government (£28.8m); and iv) the transfer of resources between Scottish Government portfolios.

3. In total these changes will increase Scottish Government budget by £0.8 million from

£34,698.1 million to £34,698.9 million. Consideration by committee

4. The instrument was considered by the Finance Committee at its meeting on 4 November 2013. After debate, the motion to approve the instrument was agreed to. Parliamentary Business Team November 2013

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1

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU REFERRAL OF DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY (SCOTLAND) BILL

1. The draft proposal for the Local Government Accountability and Transparency (Scotland) Bill was lodged on 4 November 2013 by John Finnie MSP.

2. The proposal is for a Bill to remove the obligation on local authorities to appoint religious representatives to Education Committees; to remove the right of unelected members of local authority committees to vote; to require the full results of local authority voting to be published; and to require remote access to the public proceedings of local authorities.

3. The draft proposal is accompanied by a consultation document.

4. In terms of Standing Orders (Rule 9.14.5) the Parliamentary Bureau is required to

refer the draft proposal to a committee within whose remit the subject matters falls.

5. This referral is for information only – there is no expectation that the committee will scrutinise or report on the draft proposal at this stage.

6. The proposal falls within the remit of the following committee:

Committee Remit

Local Government and Regeneration Committee

The remit of the Committee is to consider and report on a) the financing and delivery of local government and local services, and b) planning, and c) matters relating to regeneration falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment.

Recommendation

7. The Bureau is invited to refer the draft proposal on Local Government Accountability and Transparency (Scotland) Bill to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee at this stage. Non-Government Bills Unit November 2013

AG/S4/13/32 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR …described as the ―Wonga coup‖, under which...

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Transcript of AG/S4/13/32 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU AGENDA FOR …described as the ―Wonga coup‖, under which...