Business Bulletin 1999-2011

Minutes of Proceedings 1999-2011

Journal of Parliamentary Proceedings Sessions 1 & 2

Committees Sessions 1, 2 & 3

Annual reports

Meeting of the Parliament

Wednesday 26 September 2007

Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time.

The meeting opened at 2.30 pm.

1. Time for Reflection: Shobha Nagpal, Glasgow, led Time for Reflection.

2. Ministerial Statement: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney) made a statement and answered questions on Enterprise Networks.

3. Glasgow Housing Association Inspection Report: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon) moved S3M-539—That the Parliament notes the recent publication by Communities Scotland of the Inspection Report on Glasgow Housing Association (GHA); recognises the importance of putting the interests of tenants at the centre in moving forward; believes that GHA should accept the inspection report in full and deliver progress on all issues raised in the report including second stage transfer (SST) and especially those SSTs that can move forward quickly; deplores the inadequacy of the original basis for the initial transfer of houses from Glasgow City Council, and calls on all stakeholders to work together to achieve substantial improvements for local communities in Glasgow.

Johann Lamont moved amendment S3M-539.1 to motion S3M-539—

Leave out from “notes” to end and insert—

“agrees that housing is an important priority and calls on the Scottish Executive to come forward with proposals for implementing its housing policy within this session of the Parliament; further notes the Communities Scotland inspection report on Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and believes that the Executive should act to ensure that GHA meets its responsibilities to its tenants and to owners in the services it provides; further agrees that the Executive should intervene to drive forward progress of second stage transfer in Glasgow, given the critical role of community engagement and ownership in ensuring that the significant investment available to the GHA secures real and lasting improvements to Glasgow’s housing, and believes that progress should be based around the following: (1) re-establishing the ministerial progress group, bringing together the broad spectrum of interests and expertise across Glasgow’s communities, along with other key stakeholders, to explore the options available to deliver community ownership, (2) exploring the role of Audit Scotland in tackling the issues identified in the Communities Scotland inspection report and (3) exploring possibilities of community right to buy as a means of delivering community ownership.”

Robert Brown moved amendment S3M-539.1.1 to amendment S3M-539.1—

Insert at end—

“and (4) requiring GHA to develop an effective business plan which incorporates the delivery of community ownership through second stage transfers and on the basis of break-up of GHA in due course.”

After debate, the amendment to the amendment was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 74, Against 46, Abstentions 0).

The amendment, as amended, was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 60, Against 60, Abstentions 0; amendment disagreed to on casting vote).

The motion was then disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 60, Against 60, Abstentions 0; motion disagreed to on casting vote).

4. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-542—That the Parliament agrees the following revision to the programme of business for Thursday 27 September 2007—

after

2.55 pm Ministerial Statement: Rail Links to Edinburgh Airport

delete

followed by Ministerial Statement: Broadcasting

and insert

followed by Scottish Government Debate: Rail Links to Edinburgh Airport

After debate, the motion was agreed to (by division: For 106, Against 14, Abstentions 0).

5. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-544—That the Parliament agrees—

(a) the following programme of business—

Wednesday 3 October 2007

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Scottish Government Debate: Crerar Review

followed by Debate on the draft Provision of School Lunches (Disapplication of the Requirement to Charge) (Scotland) Order 2007

followed by Business Motion

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 4 October 2007

9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Scottish Labour Party Business

11.40 am General Question Time

12 noon First Minister’s Question Time

2.15 pm Themed Question Time

Education and Lifelong Learning;

Europe, External Affairs and Culture

2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Wildlife Crime

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Wednesday 24 October 2007

2.30 pm Time for Reflection

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Scottish Government Business

followed by Business Motion

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 25 October 2007

9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business

11.40 am General Question Time

12 noon First Minister’s Question Time

2.15 pm Themed Question Time—

Rural Affairs and the Environment;

Health and Wellbeing

2.55 pm Scottish Government Business

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business

and (b) that the period for members to submit their names for selection for General and Themed Question Times on 25 October 2007 should end at 12.00 noon on Wednesday 3 October.

The motion was agreed to.

6. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on item 3 as noted above.

7. Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route: The Parliament debated S3M-459 in the name of Mike Rumbles—That the Parliament notes with concern the pledge given in writing by the First Minister on 15 June 2007 to abide by the findings of the public inquiry into the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and ensure that the project is not financed by PPP/PFI funding; further notes with concern reports that the Scottish Government will make no statement on its intended method of financing the AWPR until after the public inquiry is completed; expresses its concern at the year’s delay for the estimated completion of the project that was announced in June 2007 by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change; recognises the importance of the AWPR to the economy of the north east, and believes that clarification should be given as a matter of urgency on how the project will be financed.

The meeting closed at 6.04 pm.

P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
26 September 2007

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

Subordinate Legislation

Affirmative Instruments

The following instruments were laid in draft before the Parliament on 21 September 2007 for approval by resolution—

The Fundable Bodies (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 2007

laid under section 34 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005

The Protection of Charities Assets (Exemption) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2007

laid under section 103(5) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005

Negative Instruments

The following instruments were laid before the Parliament on 21 September 2007 and are subject to annulment—

The Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/435)

laid under section 48(3) of the Food Safety Act 1990

The Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council (Listed Tribunals) (Scotland) Order 2007 (SSI 2007/436)

laid under section 49(9) of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 24 September 2007 and is subject to annulment

The Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/438)

laid under section 37(1) of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986

Other Documents

The following document was laid before the Parliament on 24 September 2007 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure

Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland Annual Report 2006-07 (SE/2007/170)

The following document was laid before the Parliament on 26 September 2007 and is not subject to any parliamentary procedure

Police call management: An initial review, a main report and key messages summary prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS/2007/8)

laid under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000

Committee Reports

The following report was published on 26 September 2007

Rural Affairs and Environment Committee: 2nd Report, 2007 (Session3): Voluntary Modulation Rates (SSI 2007/414) (SP Paper 13)