Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time.
The meeting opened at 2.30pm.
1. Time for Reflection: Father David Borland, St Andrew’s and St Cuthbert’s, Kirkcudbright led Time for Reflection.
2. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford moved S3M-941—That the Parliament agrees the following revision to the programme of business for Wednesday 28 November 2007—
after
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
insert
followed by Ministerial Statement: Pension Benefits Statements
The motion was agreed to.
3. Ministerial Statement: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney) made a statement and answered questions on Pension Benefits Statements.
4. Equality and Diversity: The Minister for Communities and Sport (Stewart Maxwell) moved S3M-928—That the Parliament is committed to securing equality of opportunity and a fairer Scotland in which diversity of need is recognised, respect for others is fostered, stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours are challenged and people have more control over their lives and welcomes Equality and Diversity Week, the creation of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the commitment of the Scottish Government to promoting and mainstreaming equality and to working in partnership with public bodies, the voluntary sector, business interests and communities to tackle disadvantage and the barriers to equality.
Johann Lamont moved amendment S3M-928.2 to motion S3M-928—
Insert at end—
"further recognises that equality impact assessment tools should be used in determining and assessing policy priorities and spending allocations, and calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward a statement to the Parliament detailing how the above commitments on equality and diversity will be delivered through the Scottish budget."
After debate, the amendment was agreed to (DT).
Hugh O’Donnell moved amendment S3M-928.1 to motion S3M-928—
Insert at end—
"further welcomes the creation of the Scottish Commission for Human Rights with a remit to promote and encourage best practice in human rights including the rights of those groups whose rights are not otherwise sufficiently promoted; regrets the absence of a commitment to the mainstreaming of equality in the Scottish budget document; is concerned at the rolling up into the local government settlement of equalities funding, including the Violence Against Women Fund and the Women’s Aid Fund where they will have to compete with other local government delivery priorities, and therefore believes that the Scottish Government should clarify its commitment to mainstreaming equality and how its identified equalities funding will support that objective."
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 15, Against 61, Abstentions 41).
The motion, as amended, was then agreed to (DT).
Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament is committed to securing equality of opportunity and a fairer Scotland in which diversity of need is recognised, respect for others is fostered, stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours are challenged and people have more control over their lives and welcomes Equality and Diversity Week, the creation of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the commitment of the Scottish Government to promoting and mainstreaming equality and to working in partnership with public bodies, the voluntary sector, business interests and communities to tackle disadvantage and the barriers to equality; further recognises that equality impact assessment tools should be used in determining and assessing policy priorities and spending allocations, and calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward a statement to the Parliament detailing how the above commitments on equality and diversity will be delivered through the Scottish budget.
5. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-942—That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 5 December 2007
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement: Health
followed by Ministerial Statement: Class Sizes
followed by Scottish Government Debate: National Fostering and Kinship Care
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.15 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Thursday 6 December 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
Health and Wellbeing
2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Summary Justice Reform
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members' Business
Wednesday 12 December 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 13 December 2007
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Liberal Democrats 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;
Justice and Law Officers
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.
6. Business Motion: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-940—That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 29 February 2008.
The motion was agreed to.
7. Approval of SSI: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-938—That the Parliament agrees that the draft Budget (Scotland) Act 2007 Amendment Order 2007 be approved.
After debate, the motion was agreed to (DT).
8. Approval of SSI: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-939—That the Parliament agrees that the draft Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (Incidental, Supplemental and Consequential Provisions) Order 2007 be approved.
The motion was agreed to (DT).
9. Committee Remit and Duration: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-937—That the Parliament agrees to amend the remit and duration of the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme Committee as follows:
Remit: To inquire into and report with recommendations for a Committee Bill on a replacement for the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme rules and the Grants to Members and Officeholders Order;
Duration: Until the Parliament has completed its consideration of the committee’s report and any ensuing Bill.
The motion was agreed to (DT).
10. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on items 4, 7, 8 and 9 as noted above.
11. Science and the Parliament, Wednesday 28 November 2007: The Parliament debated S3M-768 in the name of Des McNulty—That the Parliament welcomes the Science and the Parliament event being held on 28 November 2007 in Our Dynamic Earth, organised once again by the Royal Society of Chemistry in association with Scotland’s leading science organisations; notes that this year’s theme is "The Science Behind the Energy Debate" in recognition of the important contribution that Scotland’s scientific community can make to the debate on this vital policy area; further notes that Scotland is a world leader in many scientific disciplines; recognises the need to foster an environment that enhances pupil and student participation in science, to invest in the science infrastructure and equipment of our educational establishments, to increase investment in research along with supporting greater industrial research and to assist in the practical application of our world-beating research, and hopes that this year’s Science and the Parliament event will play a positive part in contributing to the debate on how the Parliament and the Scottish Government address Scotland’s energy needs and obligations to tackle climate change in the years ahead.
The meeting closed at 5.48 pm.
P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
28 November 2007
Appendix
(Note: this Appendix does not form part of the Minutes)
Subordinate Legislation
Negative Instruments
The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 23 November 2007 and is subject to annulment
The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 4) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/523)
laid under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972
Other Documents
The following document was laid before the Parliament on 23 November 2007 and is not subject to any Parliamentary procedure
National Galleries of Scotland Annual Accounts for year ended 31 March 2007 (SE/2007/251)
laid under section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
The following documents were laid before the Parliament on 27 November 2007 and are not subject to any Parliamentary procedure—
Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People Annual Accounts year ended 31 March 2007 (SE/2007/247)—
National Library of Scotland Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2007 (SE/2007/253)—
laid under section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
The following documents were laid before the Parliament on 28 November 2007 and are not subject to any parliamentary procedure—
Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration Annual Report 2006-07 (SE/2007/224)
laid under section 135(1)(2)(a) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994
Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration Accounts 2006-07 (SE/2007/225)
laid under section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
Accountant in Bankruptcy Annual Report and Accounts 2006-07 (SE/2007/252)
laid under section 1A(1)(c) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, section 159 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1913 and section 22(5) of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
Overseas staff in the NHS – pre-employment checks: A report prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS/2007/9)
laid under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000
Committee Reports
The following report was published on 26 November 2007
Finance Committee, 1st Report, 2007 (Session 3): Report on Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 28)
The following report was published on 28 November 2007
Subordinate Legislation Committee, 12th Report, 2007 (Session 3): Report on Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 29)