MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Vol. 1, No. 72 Session 1

Meeting of the Parliament

Wednesday 10 May 2000

The meeting opened at 2.30 pm.

1. Time for Reflection: Bishop John A Mone, Bishop of Paisley, led Time for Reflection.

2. Motion Without Notice: Iain Smith, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved that motion S1M-828 be taken at this meeting of the Parliament.

The motion without notice was agreed to.

3. Business Motion: Iain Smith, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S1M-828-That the Parliament agrees to the following revision to the Business Programme as agreed on 4 May 2000-

Members' Business on Wednesday 10 May 2000 will now be on the subject of S1M-737, David Davidson: A90 Upgrade and Members' Business on Thursday 11 May 2000 will be on the subject of S1M-769, Mr John Munro: The Black Cuillin.

The motion was agreed to.

4. State of the Nation: Mr Alex Salmond moved S1M-818-That the Parliament notes that in its first year many members working in committees, in the whole Parliament and in their constituencies have been active in moving Scotland forward; regrets that the Executive has failed to match the positive approach of Scotland during the referendum campaign of 1997 and the continuing mood of Scotland for radical change and progress; notes that in particular there is a crisis in manufacturing, a reduction in local authority services including housing, a lowering of morale in the education and health services, growing impoverishment of the elderly, the reliance on expensive PFI for public investment, a deterioration in the transport infrastructure, the abdication of responsibility for genuine consultation and good governance and a general confusion and malaise in the partnership administration; recognises the support of a majority of Scots for increased power for our Parliament to tackle these problems; notes that independence and equality of status is the best possible constitutional settlement for our nation, and looks forward to offering the people of Scotland the opportunity to choose a future of economic progress and social justice based on such a settlement.

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice moved amendment S1M-818.2 to motion S1M-818-

Leave out from "regrets" to end and insert-

"recognises that the Partnership Executive working with the Parliament is already delivering on the commitments contained in the Programme for Government to make real and sustained improvements to the economic prosperity and social wellbeing of the people of Scotland; recognises that devolution is the settled will of the majority of the people of Scotland, and rejects independence for Scotland as a backward step."

David McLetchie moved amendment S1M-818.1 to motion S1M-818-

Leave out from first "notes" to end and insert-

"regrets that the Scottish Executive has failed to address the issues that really matter to the Scottish people, which has led to growing public disillusionment with its performance; believes that far greater priority should be given to addressing rising crime, raising standards in our schools, improving our transport infrastructure and tackling the crisis in the countryside and the problems of our health service, and notes that the SNP, instead of addressing these issues, continues to promote further constitutional upheaval which would be deeply damaging to the interests of everyone living in Scotland."

After debate, amendment S1M-818.2 was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 63, Against 47, Abstentions 1). As a result, amendment S1M-818.1 was pre-empted.

The motion as amended was then agreed to ((DT) by division: For 63, Against 48, Abstentions 1).

Accordingly, the Parliament resolved-That the Parliament notes that in its first year many members working in committees, in the whole Parliament and in their constituencies have been active in moving Scotland forward; recognises that the Partnership Executive working with the Parliament is already delivering on the commitments contained in the Programme for Government to make real and sustained improvements to the economic prosperity and social wellbeing of the people of Scotland; recognises that devolution is the settled will of the majority of the people of Scotland, and rejects independence for Scotland as a backward step.

5. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on item 4 as noted above.

6. A90 Upgrade: The Parliament debated S1M-737 in the name of David Davidson-That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Executive's announcement on the roads improvement programme and, in particular, the inclusion of a scheme to upgrade the Hatton Bends on the A90 near Peterhead, but believes that all of the single-carriageway sections of the Aberdeen to Peterhead road should be upgraded and that the construction of an Aberdeen bypass should proceed as a matter of urgency.

The meeting closed at 5.44 pm.

P E Grice

Clerk of the Parliament

10 May 2000

Appendix

(Note: this Appendix does not form part of the Minutes)

Subordinate Legislation

Negative Instruments

The following instruments were laid before the Parliament on 9 May 2000 and are subject to annulment-

laid under the Clean Air Act 1993

laid under the Food Safety Act 1990

Not subject to any Parliamentary procedure

The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 8 May 2000 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure

laid under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985

The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 9 May 2000 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure

laid under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985

Other Documents

The following documents were laid before the Parliament on 5 May 2000 and are not subject to any Parliamentary procedure-

National Disability Council Annual Report 1999-2000 (SE/2000/55)

laid under the Disability Discrimination Act 1985

The following document was laid before the Parliament on 9 May 2000 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure

Committee Reports

The following Report was published on 9 May 2000