Section A – Today’s Business

Meeting of the Parliament

9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions

followed by Scottish Labour Party Debate: Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease in Hospitals—

S3M-2524 Margaret Curran: Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease in Hospitals—That the Parliament notes with deep concern the outbreak of Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital; considers the report from the independent review team to be a helpful starting point but believes that there are still serious questions to be addressed; notes the referral of the report by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to consider what action should be taken; recognises and supports the substantial case made by the families of Clostridium difficile victims for a public inquiry; notes that the Scottish Ministers can instruct such an inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 and acknowledges the need for wider lessons to be learned throughout the NHS in Scotland in preventing and tackling Clostridium difficile, and therefore calls on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to return to the Parliament to make a statement when the views of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal are known.

The Presiding Officer has selected the following amendment

S3M-2524.1 Nicola Sturgeon: Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease in Hospitals—As an amendment to motion (S3M-2524) in the name of Margaret Curran, leave out from "and supports" to end and insert "the case made by the families of Clostridium difficile victims for a public inquiry; acknowledges the need for wider lessons to be learned throughout the NHS in Scotland in preventing and tackling Clostridium difficile; notes that Scottish Ministers can instruct a public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005, and therefore calls on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to return to the Parliament to make a ministerial statement when the views of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal are known."

followed by Scottish Labour Party Debate: SNP Government Failure on Jobs for Newly-Qualified Teachers—

S3M-2525 Rhona Brankin: SNP Government Failure on Jobs for Newly-Qualified Teachers—That the Parliament notes with concern the recent Times Educational Supplement Scotland and General Teaching Council for Scotland surveys showing an increasing number of post-probationary teachers who are unable to secure a permanent teaching post; believes that this development represents an appalling waste of talent and is grossly unfair to those newly-qualified teachers encouraged to train to join the profession; further notes that this comes at a time when many class sizes are rising, and calls on the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning to show leadership and ensure that the Scottish Government, in conjunction with local authorities, takes early and decisive action to address this growing crisis and to make a ministerial statement before the October recess with recommendations for immediate action.

The Presiding Officer has selected the following amendments

S3M-2525.3 Fiona Hyslop: SNP Government Failure on Jobs for Newly-Qualified Teachers—As an amendment to motion (S3M-2525) in the name of Rhona Brankin, leave out from "with concern" to end and insert "that the Scottish Government has set up the Teacher Employment Working Group, due to report in October 2008, which includes members from the General Teaching Council for Scotland, teacher education institutions, COSLA, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, teacher unions, the headteachers’ associations and the Scottish Government, to establish whether the long-standing teacher workforce planning process remains fit for purpose.

S3M-2525.1 Elizabeth Smith: SNP Government Failure on Jobs for Newly-Qualified Teachers—As an amendment to motion (S3M-2525) in the name of Rhona Brankin, leave out from "show leadership" to end and insert "make a ministerial statement on this subject as soon as practicable following receipt of the report of the Teacher Employment Working Group."

S3M-2525.2 Margaret Smith: SNP Government Failure on Jobs for Newly-Qualified Teachers—As an amendment to motion (S3M-2525) in the name of Rhona Brankin, after "class sizes are rising," insert "highlighting that the SNP’s manifesto commitment to reduce class sizes to 18 in P1 to P3 is in utter chaos, with insufficient funding, a lack of a legal framework and the omission of the policy from 21 out of 32 local authorities’ single outcome agreements,".

11.40 am General Question Time—

1. Ken Macintosh: To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on a nationally-funded school building programme to help deliver school buildings around Scotland, including a new Eastwood High School and a new Barrhead High School. (S3O-4100)

2. Rhona Brankin: To ask the Scottish Executive whether its position remains that a reduction in class sizes to 18 for primaries 1 to 3 will be achieved in the lifetime of this parliamentary session, as stated by the First Minister on 5 September 2007. (S3O-4082)

3. Bashir Ahmad: To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met officials from Glen Oaks Housing Association. (S3O-4127)

4. Rhoda Grant: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will compensate NHS boards for the costs of running hospital car parks, following the recent announcement of the abolition of hospital car parking charges. (S3O-4091)

5. Hugh Henry: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it holds statistics on work-related assaults and, if so, what they were for 2006-07 and 2007-08. (S3O-4156)

6. Joe FitzPatrick: To ask the Scottish Executive what action can be taken to reduce the burden on patients, their families and staff caused by car parking charges at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and other hospitals with PFI contracts. (S3O-4135)

7. Helen Eadie: To ask the Scottish Executive when it last had discussions with chairs of NHS boards about staffing levels. (S3O-4087)

8. Ian McKee: To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are employed to determine whether water supplied at slaughter houses for the purpose of cleaning vehicles used for the transport of cattle is adequate for purpose. (S3O-4143)

9. Jeremy Purvis: To ask the Scottish Executive how many single outcome agreements signed by Scottish Ministers state that all primary 1 to 3 classes will have fewer than 18 pupils by 2011. (S3O-4170)

10. Andrew Welsh: To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is providing for youth organisations to promote positive lifestyles and encourage personal growth and good citizenship among young people. (S3O-4150)

12 noon First Minister’s Question Time—

1. Cathy Jamieson: To ask the First Minister what engagements he has planned for the rest of the day. (S3F-984)

2. Annabel Goldie: To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Secretary of State for Scotland. (S3F-985)

3. Tavish Scott: To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet. (S3F-986)

4. Alasdair Allan: To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government supports the establishment of a Scottish digital channel alongside the new Gaelic digital channel, as recommended by the Scottish Broadcasting Commission. (S3F-1000)

5. Malcolm Chisholm: To ask the First Minister what opportunity the Parliament will have to influence the remit and funding of Creative Scotland. (S3F-993)

6. Ross Finnie: To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government remains committed to its proposal to ban under-21-year-olds from purchasing alcohol in off-sales. (S3F-1005)

2.15 pm Themed Question Time—

Finance and Sustainable Growth

1. Jackie Baillie: To ask the Scottish Executive what capital funding mechanism, apart from the existing schools regeneration project, will be available to West Dunbartonshire Council for schools over the next three years. (S3O-4078)

2. Elizabeth Smith: To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the merits of its economic strategy in relation to the Council of Economic Advisers’ recommendations on education, skills and lifelong learning. (S3O-4121)

3. Jamie McGrigor: To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the threat of closure of the Vestas factory at Campbeltown and local concerns about the delay in re-establishing the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service, whether it will support the establishment of a new ferry route between Campbeltown and mainland Ayrshire. (S3O-4114)

4. Hugh O’Donnell: To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports individual credit unions and regional networks of such unions. (S3O-4168)

5. Bill Kidd: To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has had with HM Treasury about funding mechanisms. (S3O-4140)

6. John Park: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been towards a replacement Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service. (S3O-4160)

7. Jim Hume: To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to alleviate financial difficulties faced by Scots as a result of the current economic situation. (S3O-4164)

8. Willie Coffey: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the recording and reporting at a local level of outcomes achieved by the restructured enterprise network. (S3O-4131)

9. Gil Paterson: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with local authorities about the impact of the proposed sale of Glasgow Airport by BAA. (S3O-4147)

10. Bill Wilson: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote sustainable procurement, following publication of its joint report with Quality Meat Scotland, Buying Red Meat: Putting into practice the Scottish Government’s public procurement and sustainable development strategy. (S3O-4152)

11. Richard Baker: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council about the council’s current budget plans. (S3O-4079)

12. Murdo Fraser: To ask the Scottish Executive how many students will be liable to pay local income tax. (S3O-4124)

13. Derek Brownlee: To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the higher than expected level of inflation is having on the Scottish Government’s efficiency savings target. (S3O-4116)

14. Alex Neil: To ask the Scottish Executive how many renewable energy projects have been the subject of an objection to the relevant planning application by Scottish Natural Heritage in each of the last three years. (S3O-4146)

15. Mike Rumbles: To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the feasibility study by Aberdeenshire Council, whether it will provide the council with funding of £8.9 million to stabilise the Bervie Braes in Stonehaven. (S3O-4171)

16. Jim Tolson: To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging the transport of freight by rail and sea rather than road. (S3O-4175)

17. Kenneth Gibson: To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support the post office network in Scotland. (S3O-4136)

18. Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make available further financial resources to existing Scottish Business Improvement District (BID) companies, such as the Enterprising Bathgate BID Company, to improve their viability and sustainability over the longer term. (S3O-4155)

19. Gavin Brown: To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide full statistics on the take-up of the small business bonus scheme. (S3O-4161)

20. Christina McKelvie: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards meeting its targets on renewable energy. (S3O-4144)

2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Report of the Scottish Prisons Commission

followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business:

Debate on the subject of—

S3M-1839 Nigel Don: Family Law Disputes—That the Parliament recognises that current arrangements for settling family law disputes could be improved and that current law still discriminates against parents who are not married; notes that parents can find it difficult or impossible to enforce contact orders where the other parent is unco-operative and that disputes where broken families live in more than one jurisdiction within the United Kingdom are unnecessarily difficult to resolve; further notes that these issues are particularly relevant due to recent cases in the north east; encourages current moves by Scotland’s legal profession towards collaborative dispute resolution, and notes with interest the new system of less adversarial trials being developed in Australia.