Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time.
The meeting opened at 2.30 pm.
1. Time for Reflection: Rev Andrew Jolly, Chaplain, UK Oil and Gas Industry led Time for Reflection.
2. The Local Government Finance (Scotland) Amendment Order 2010: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney) moved S3M-6127—That the Parliament agrees that the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Amendment Order 2010 be approved.
After debate, the motion was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 95, Against 0, Abstentions 13).
3. Economic Recovery Plan: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney) moved S3M-6129—That the Parliament notes the Scottish Government’s response to the global recession through the Economic Recovery Plan and notes the three core themes of investing in innovation and industries of the future, strengthening education and skills, and supporting jobs and communities.
Andy Kerr moved amendment S3M-6129.3 to motion S3M-6129—
Leave out from “through” to end and insert—
“; notes with concern that Scotland’s economic recovery is lagging behind that of the United Kingdom as a whole, with unemployment rising in the last quarter by 16,000 while falling across the UK by 33,000; further notes that two thirds of all jobs lost in the UK were in Scotland, andbelieves that the Scottish Government’scuts to key budgets in areas of economic growth,including enterprise, housing, regeneration and tourism, the failure of the ScottishFutures Trustand the cancellation of projects such as the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, with the loss of 1,300 potential jobs, risk entrenching Scotland’s relative economic decline compared with the rest of the UK under the SNP.”
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 43, Against 65, Abstentions 0).
Derek Brownlee moved amendment S3M-6129.1 to motion S3M-6129—
Insert at end—
“; regrets the decision of the UK Government to raise further the cost of employment with the proposed increase in national insurance; believes that job creation in Scotland depends on a growing private sector; calls on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government to rebalance the Scottish economy to make it less dependent on the public sector and to provide opportunities for new business creation, business growth and new jobs, and further calls on the Scottish Government to bring back to the Parliament more details on how it intends to rebalance the Scottish economy and assist growth in the private sector.”
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 18, Against 78, Abstentions 12).
Jeremy Purvis moved amendment S3M-6129.2 to motion S3M-6129—
Insert at end—
“and regrets that unemployment continues to rise in Scotland while falling in the United Kingdom as a whole.”
After debate, the amendment was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 63, Against 45, Abstentions 0).
The motion, as amended, was then agreed to ((DT) by division: For 61, Against 2, Abstentions 45).
Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament notes the Scottish Government’s response to the global recession through the Economic Recovery Plan and notes the three core themes of investing in innovation and industries of the future, strengthening education and skills, and supporting jobs and communities, and regrets that unemployment continues to rise in Scotland while falling in the United Kingdom as a whole.
4. Business Motion: Paul Martin, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-6136—That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 21 April 2010
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Transmission Charging
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 22 April 2010
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
Europe, External Affairs and Culture;
Education and Lifelong Learning
2.55 pm Stage 3 Proceedings: Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Progress Towards 18 Week Referral to Treatment
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 28 April 2010
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 29 April 2010
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12 noon First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Finance and Sustainable Growth
2.55 pm Scottish Government Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
The motion was agreed to.
5. Business Motion: Paul Martin, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-6137—That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be extended to 14 May 2010.
The motion was agreed to.
6. Business Motion: Paul Martin, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-6138—That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Alcohol (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be extended to 14 May 2010.
The motion was agreed to.
7. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on items 2 and 3 as noted above.
8. Usdaw Freedom from Fear Campaign: The Parliament debated S3M-5309 in the name of Hugh Henry—That the Parliament is shocked and horrified that there has been a 78% increase in violence and abuse against Scottish shopworkers over the last three years, according to Retailers Against Crime; believes that further measures need to be taken to deter violence against shopworkers and other workers delivering a service to the public; welcomes the Freedom from Fear campaign organised by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw), which seeks to make shops and shopping areas safer for staff and customers; recognises that the sale of age-restricted products, especially alcohol, is a frequent flashpoint for verbal abuse, threats and violence against shopworkers; further recognises the difficulties that shopworkers, including in Paisley South, have in policing age-restricted sales and how that can leave them vulnerable, isolated and under threat of prosecution when mistakes are made; considers that there would be benefit in high-profile campaigns that support the Think 25 policy and highlight to youngsters that it is an offence to attempt to buy alcohol under age, and would welcome a partnership approach to the development of strategies to prevent under-age sales rather than sting operations, which seek to prosecute shopworkers.
The meeting closed at 5.54 pm.
P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
14 April 2010
Appendix
(Note: this Appendix does not form part of the Minutes)
Subordinate Legislation
Negative Instruments
The following instruments were laid before the Parliament on 12 April 2010 and are subject to annulment—
The Stipendiary Magistrates (Scotland) Order 2010 (SSI 2010/142)
laid under section 81 of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007
The Additional Support for Learning (Appropriate Agencies) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2010 (SSI 2010/143)
laid under section 34 of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
The Additional Support for Learning Dispute Resolution (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2010 (SSI 2010/144)
laid under section 34(4) of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
The Additional Support for Learning (Sources of Information) (Scotland) Order 2010 (SSI 2010/145)
laid under section 34 of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 14 April 2010 and is subject to annulment
The Beet Seed (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2010 (SSI 2010/148)
laid under section 16 of the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964
Other Documents
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 31 March 2010 and is not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Scottish Government Rural Directorate, 2009 Return of Expenditure Incurred, Prosecutions Taken and Incidences of Notifiable Disease in Imported Animals (SG/2010/59)
laid under section 80 of the Animal Health Act 1981
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 1 April 2010 and is not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Act 2008 Second Widening Access Report - 2010/11 (SG/2010/55)
laid under section 4 of the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Act 2008
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 7 April 2010 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure
British Wool Marketing Board Report on the BWMB Agricultural Marketing Scheme 2008-09 (SG/2010/17)
laid under section 30 of the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958
Committee Reports
The following report was published on 9 April 2010
Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, 3rd Report, 2010 (Session 3): Report on Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 414)
The following report was published on 12 April 2010
Subordinate Legislation Committee, 22nd Report, 2010 (Session 3): Housing (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 (SP Paper 415)
The following report was published on 14 April 2010
Justice Committee, 7th Report, 2010 (Session 3): Legislative consent memorandum on the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill (LCM(S3) 28.1) (SP Paper 416)
Other Documents
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 14 April 2010 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure
Government Chemist Review 2009 (SG/2010/62)
laid under section 88(3) of the Scotland Act 1998