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The meeting opened at 9.30 am.
1. Health and Community Care Committee,
Report on Hepatitis C: Mrs Margaret Smith, on behalf
of the Health and Community Care Committee, moved S1M-2565—That
the Parliament notes, and calls
upon the Scottish Executive to act upon, the recommendations
contained within the 17th Report 2001 of the Health
and Community Care Committee, Report on Hepatitis C (SP
Paper 398).
After debate, the motion was agreed
to (DT).
2. Ministerial Statement:
The Minister for Education and Young People made a statement
on the education of looked after children.
3. Business Motion: Euan
Robson, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S1M-2589—That
the Parliament agrees—
(a) as a revision to the Business Programme agreed on 19 December
2001—
Thursday 10 January 2002
after "Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate
on Scotland’s Economy", insert—
followed by Scottish Conservative and
Unionist Party Motion on the subject of S1M-2577
Alex Fergusson: Foot-and-Mouth Disease - Public
Inquiry
(b) the following programme of business
Wednesday 16 January 2002
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish National Party Debate
on Scotland's Railways
followed by Standards Committee Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business –
debate on the subject of S1M-2588 Mr Alasdair Morrison:
Renewable Energy in the Western Isles
Thursday 17 January 2002
9.30 am Stage 1 Debate on the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Bill
followed by Financial Resolution in respect
of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motion
followed by Adoption and Children Bill
- UK Legislation
2.30 pm Question Time
3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time
3.30 pm Stage 1 Debate on the Marriage (Scotland)
Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business –
debate on the subject of S1M-2472 Richard Lochhead:
Promoting Aberdeen as Europe’s Energy Capital
Wednesday 23 January 2002
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 1 Debate on the Budget
(Scotland) Bill
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business –
debate on the subject of S1M-2402 by Alex Fergusson:
Research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Thursday 24 January 2002
9.30 am Green Party / Scottish Socialist Party
Business
followed by Business Motion
2.30 pm Question Time
3.10 pm First Minister's Question Time
3.30 pm Executive Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
(c) that Stage 1 of the Education (Disability Strategies and
Pupils’ Records) (Scotland) Bill be completed by 8 March
2002
and (d) that the Justice 1 Committee and Justice 2 Committee
report to the Local Government Committee by 21 January 2002
on the Police Pensions (Pension Sharing on Divorce) (Scotland)
Amendment Regulations 2001 (SSI 2001/459) and the Police Pensions
(Additional Voluntary Contributions and Increased Benefits)
(Pension Sharing) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2001 (SSI
2001/461); and
that the Justice 2 Committee reports to the Justice 1 Committee
by 21 January 2002 on the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 (Availability
of Solicitors) Regulations 2001 (SSI 2001/464); and
that the Justice 1 Committee and the Justice 2 Committee report
to the Health and Community Care Committee by 22 January 2002
on the National Health Service (Scotland) (Superannuation Scheme
and Additional Voluntary Contributions) (Pension Sharing on
Divorce) Amendment Regulations 2001 (SSI 2001/465).
The motion was agreed to (by division: For 33, Against 2, Abstentions
0).
4. Question Time: Questions
were answered by the First Minister and other Ministers and
junior Scottish Ministers.
5. Scotland’s Economy: Miss Annabel Goldie moved
S1M-2582—That the Parliament notes with grave concern that
in excess of 20,000 jobs were lost throughout the Scottish economy
in 2001 and that the Scottish economy has failed to perform
as well as the UK economy; further notes that the higher business
rate poundage in Scotland relative to England is having a damaging
effect on the competitiveness of Scotland’s economy, and
calls upon the Scottish Executive to restore as a matter of
urgency a business rate poundage uniform with the rest of the
UK as part of a sustained effort to reduce burdens of tax and
regulation, which are hindering the creation of jobs and prosperity
in Scotland, and demonstrate to the business community a commitment
to restoring growth and competitiveness to the Scottish economy.
The Minister for Enterprise, Transport
and Lifelong Learning moved amendment S1M-2582.2 to motion S1M-2582—
Leave out from first "notes"
to end and insert—
"endorses the work undertaken by the Executive in
its handling of the Scottish economy within the context
of a continuing stable UK economic performance; commends
the work undertaken by the Executive to help improve performance
of the Scottish economy as set out in The Way Forward:
Framework for Economic Development in Scotland and
A Smart, Successful Scotland: Ambitions for Enterprise
Networks commends the work undertaken by the Executive
to assist Scottish business to prepare for the introduction
of the euro, and supports the Executive in its aim to increase
the sustainable growth of the Scottish economy over the
long term."
Andrew Wilson moved amendment S1M-2582.1 to motion S1M-2582—
Leave out from "restore" to end and insert—
"target a doubling of Scotland’s trend rate of
growth as a key policy objective and bring forward proposals
to deliver this including a business taxation regime and
a policy environment that place Scotland at a competitive
advantage in Europe, beginning with the removal of Scotland’s
business rate disadvantage compared to the rest of the United
Kingdom."
After debate, amendment S1M-2582.2 was agreed to ((DT) by division:
For 65, Against 49, Abstentions 2). As a result, amendment S1M-2582.1
was pre-empted.
The motion as amended was then agreed to ((DT) by division:
For 65, Against 50, Abstentions 1).
Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament
endorses the work undertaken by the Executive in its handling
of the Scottish economy within the context of a continuing stable
UK economic performance; commends the work undertaken by the
Executive to help improve performance of the Scottish economy
as set out in The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development
in Scotland and A Smart, Successful Scotland: Ambitions for
Enterprise Networks commends the work undertaken by the Executive
to assist Scottish business to prepare for the introduction
of the euro, and supports the Executive in its aim to increase
the sustainable growth of the Scottish economy over the long
term.
6. Foot-and-Mouth Disease - Public Inquiry:
Alex Fergusson moved S1M-2577—That the Parliament calls
on the Scottish Executive to instigate a full open public inquiry,
either under its aegis or preferably as a distinct part of a
full UK inquiry, into the impact of, preparations for and handling
of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Scotland, and the
economic recovery measures put in place by the Executive and
Her Majesty’s Government, in order to ensure that lessons
are learnt about the appropriate response to any future outbreak.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development moved amendment
S1M-2577.1 to motion S1M-2577—
Leave out from "calls on" to end and insert—
", recognising the need for independent scrutiny of
the handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, supports
the participation of the Scottish Executive in the Royal
Society Inquiry, the Anderson "Lessons Learnt"
Inquiry and the Royal Society of Edinburgh Inquiry and believes
that these inquiries provide ample opportunities for all
interested parties to contribute to the process."
Fergus Ewing moved amendment S1M-2577.2 to motion S1M-2577—
Leave out from "calls on" to end and insert—
"welcomes the cross-party approach towards the policy
adopted in Scotland to eradicate the foot-and-mouth disease
epidemic, but believes that it is essential that all lessons
are learned by means of a full, open and independently convened
public inquiry in Scotland and that it is important to monitor
closely the impact of the crisis upon the whole Scottish
economy and, in particular, upon those regions of Scotland
most affected by the outbreak."
After debate, amendment S1M-2577.1 was agreed to ((DT) by division:
For 65, Against 51, Abstentions 0). As a result, amendment S1M-2577.2
was pre-empted.
The motion as amended was then agreed to ((DT) by division:
For 64, Against 51, Abstentions 0).
Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament,
recognising the need for independent scrutiny of the handling
of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, supports the participation
of the Scottish Executive in the Royal Society Inquiry, the
Anderson "Lessons Learnt" Inquiry and the Royal Society
of Edinburgh Inquiry and believes that these inquiries provide
ample opportunities for all interested parties to contribute
to the process.
7. Decision Time: The Parliament
took decisions on items 1, 5 and 6 as noted above.
8. Strategic Planning in Fife: The Parliament debated
S1M-2404 in the name of Iain Smith—That the Parliament
notes the strong opposition from Fife Council, residents and
community councils in Fife to the proposals contained in the
Scottish Executive’s consultation document Review of
Strategic Planning which would split Fife for strategic
planning purposes between the cities of Dundee and Edinburgh;
further notes that Fife Council is the only local authority
area proposed to be split for strategic planning purposes; recognises
that Fife Council shares boundaries with other major public
sector agencies such as Scottish Enterprise Fife, Fife NHS Board
and Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board which, together with its unique
geography, make Fife ideally suited for strategic planning as
a single unit, and therefore considers that the Scottish Executive
should review its proposals in the light of the consultation
and retain Fife as a single strategic planning area.
The meeting closed at 5.56 pm.
P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
10 January 2002
Appendix
(Note: this Appendix does not form part of
the Minutes)
Committee Reports
The following Report was published on 10 January 2002
Subordinate Legislation Committee 1st Report 2002:
Report on Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 489)
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