Hugh Henry MSP

That the Parliament welcomes the recent publication by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) of its best practice guidelines for retailers, Tackling Violence Against Staff; notes that the guidelines are intended to increase awareness of the impact that violence against staff has on shopworkers and to challenge the perception that abuse is acceptable; hopes that the guidelines will encourage greater reporting of violence and abuse by promoting good practice examples of the support provided to shopworkers who may face this in the workplace; supports the contribution of the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) in the preparation of the guidelines; understands that Usdaw, through its Freedom from Fear Campaign, has been tackling the issue of violence and abuse in relation to shopworkers for over 10 years; further understands that, while progress has been made in getting retailers and the police to take action to deal with the problem, concerns still remain about the increasing incidence; notes that the BRC’s annual crime survey highlighted that, in 2010-11, workplace abuse of shopworkers had risen by 31% on the previous year, and calls on the Scottish Government to address the concerns of Usdaw and the BRC through greater legislative protection because it believes that taking abuse should not be part of any shopworker's job.

That the Parliament welcomes the recent publication by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) of its best practice guidelines for retailers, Tackling Violence Against Staff; notes that the guidelines are intended to increase awareness of the impact that violence against staff has on shopworkers and to challenge the perception that abuse is acceptable; hopes that the guidelines will encourage greater reporting of violence and abuse by promoting good practice examples of the support provided to shopworkers who may face this in the workplace; supports the contribution of the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) in the preparation of the guidelines; understands that Usdaw, through its Freedom from Fear Campaign, has been tackling the issue of violence and abuse in relation to shopworkers for over 10 years; further understands that, while progress has been made in getting retailers and the police to take action to deal with the problem, concerns still remain about the increasing incidence; notes that the BRC’s annual crime survey highlighted that, in 2010-11, workplace abuse of shopworkers had risen by 31% on the previous year, and calls on the Scottish Government to address the concerns of Usdaw and the BRC through greater legislative protection because it believes that taking abuse should not be part of any shopworker's job.

That the Parliament is concerned about the impact of the cut to the Bus Service Operators Grant; believes that this will lead to higher fares and poorer services across Scotland, including those in Renfrewshire South, and calls on the Scottish Government to reverse this cut.

That the Parliament is concerned about the impact of the cut to the Bus Service Operators Grant; believes that this will lead to higher fares and poorer services across Scotland, including those in Renfrewshire South, and calls on the Scottish Government to reverse this cut.

That the Parliament congratulates all those involved in the campaign for the provision of insulin pumps; welcomes the £1 million investment for insulin pump provision for people under 18 with type 1 diabetes; understands that 90% of the patients with type 1 diabetes in Scotland are over the age of 18 and that clarification is required regarding the number of pumps that will be made available for them, and calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that every adult who requires insulin pump therapy will have access to this treatment.

That the Parliament congratulates all those involved in the campaign for the provision of insulin pumps; welcomes the £1 million investment for insulin pump provision for people under 18 with type 1 diabetes; understands that 90% of the patients with type 1 diabetes in Scotland are over the age of 18 and that clarification is required regarding the number of pumps that will be made available for them, and calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that every adult who requires insulin pump therapy will have access to this treatment.

That the Parliament congratulates Johnstone West Sport and Fitness for Everyone on securing a £157,361 Community Spaces Scotland Grant from the Big Lottery Fund in order to reopen and renovate the McMaster Sports Centre in Johnstone; believes that the health and wellbeing of people in Johnstone and across the whole of Scotland is important; considers that being healthy and active helps lead to a happier life; commends the work of Mark McGee and all those involved in securing the money; understands that the investment will not only help those from Johnstone but also the wider community; believes that it is a testament to everyone involved in Johnstone West Sport and Fitness for Everyone that the Big Lottery Fund has recognised the organisation and how it helps the local community, and looks forward to the reopening of the McMaster Sports Centre in Johnstone. 

That the Parliament congratulates Johnstone West Sport and Fitness for Everyone on securing a £157,361 Community Spaces Scotland Grant from the Big Lottery Fund in order to reopen and renovate the McMaster Sports Centre in Johnstone; believes that the health and wellbeing of people in Johnstone and across the whole of Scotland is important; considers that being healthy and active helps lead to a happier life; commends the work of Mark McGee and all those involved in securing the money; understands that the investment will not only help those from Johnstone but also the wider community; believes that it is a testament to everyone involved in Johnstone West Sport and Fitness for Everyone that the Big Lottery Fund has recognised the organisation and how it helps the local community, and looks forward to the reopening of the McMaster Sports Centre in Johnstone. 

That the Parliament congratulates the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) on the campaign to support former employees of Woolworths who have been made redundant; considers that successful action by Usdaw has resulted in many staff receiving a payment as compensation for the loss of their jobs; believes that it is unjust that those workers employed in stores with fewer than 20 employees have not been compensated; congratulates the campaign by Usdaw and the Daily Record for justice and fairness for all former staff of Woolworths, irrespective of where they worked, and calls on the UK Government to act to remove what it considers this discrimination.

That the Parliament congratulates the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) on the campaign to support former employees of Woolworths who have been made redundant; considers that successful action by Usdaw has resulted in many staff receiving a payment as compensation for the loss of their jobs; believes that it is unjust that those workers employed in stores with fewer than 20 employees have not been compensated; congratulates the campaign by Usdaw and the Daily Record for justice and fairness for all former staff of Woolworths, irrespective of where they worked, and calls on the UK Government to act to remove what it considers this discrimination.

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Skills Development Scotland will fund modern apprenticeships for the retail sector for people aged 20 and over and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Skills Development Scotland will fund modern apprenticeships for the retail sector for people aged 20 and over and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria Skills Development Scotland uses to decide on funding for modern apprenticeships in retail.

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria Skills Development Scotland uses to decide on funding for modern apprenticeships in retail.

To ask the Scottish Executive, in conducting its audit of the preparedness of schools to implement the new national exams, whether Education Scotland has been in direct contact with department heads and classroom teachers or solely with local authority heads of education.

To ask the Scottish Executive, in conducting its audit of the preparedness of schools to implement the new national exams, whether Education Scotland has been in direct contact with department heads and classroom teachers or solely with local authority heads of education.

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates it (a) wrote to and (b) met the European Commission regarding fee support for students from other EU countries and what proposals it made to the commission on this matter.

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates it (a) wrote to and (b) met the European Commission regarding fee support for students from other EU countries and what proposals it made to the commission on this matter.

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the funding allocated under the Cashback for Communities programme between now and March 2015, broken down by the (a) amount of the award and (b) postcode of the recipient.

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the funding allocated under the Cashback for Communities programme between now and March 2015, broken down by the (a) amount of the award and (b) postcode of the recipient.