Section A – Today’s Business
Meeting of the Parliament
9.00 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement: 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Scotland Bill – The Role of the Supreme Court in Scots Criminal Law
S4M-00447 Kenny MacAskill: Scotland Bill - The Role of the Supreme Court in Scots Criminal Law—That the Parliament welcomes the interim report of the independent specialist group led by Lord McCluskey; believes that it provides a constructive and well-informed basis for further detailed consideration of the role of the UK Supreme Court in Scots criminal law, and looks forward to receiving the further advice and final report of the group in autumn 2011.
The Presiding Officer has selected the following amendments
S4M-00447.2 Johann Lamont: Scotland Bill - The Role of the Supreme Court in Scots Criminal Law—As an amendment to motion S4M-00447 in the name of Kenny MacAskill (Scotland Bill - The Role of the Supreme Court in Scots Criminal Law), leave out from "believes" to end and insert "further welcomes the group’s reaffirmation of the continuing role of the UK Supreme Court in constitutional and human rights issues affecting Scotland; recognises that the interim report and the work of the expert group set up by Lord Wallace raise some important questions in relation to devolution issues; regrets the inappropriate language of the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice with regard to highly respected judges of the UK Supreme Court and the threat to withdraw funding from the court, and believes that wider consultation and discussion on proposals for change are vital in order to allow proper, well-informed, thorough and detailed consideration of all the relevant issues and implications of reform."
S4M-00447.1 John Lamont: Scotland Bill - The Role of the Supreme Court in Scots Criminal Law—As an amendment to motion S4W–00447 in the name of Kenny MacAskill (Scotland Bill - The Role of the Supreme Court in Scots Criminal Law), insert at end "; notes the realistic conclusion of the interim report that "the Supreme Court would continue to make final and binding rulings on human rights issues including those arising in criminal cases from Scotland"; calls on the Scottish Government to accept this central conclusion, and further notes and expresses its appreciation of the outstanding contributions to Scottish public life and the Scottish legal system made by Lord Hope of Craighead and the late Lord Rodger of Earlsferry".
11.40 am General Question Time
1. Jim Hume: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the transport infrastructure of the south east of Scotland. (S4O-00082)
2. Adam Ingram: To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the future ownership of freshwater salmon fishing rights in Scotland held by the Crown Estate. (S4O-00083)
3. Gavin Brown: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for promoting growth in the tourism industry. (S4O-00084)
4. Colin Beattie: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote the development of geothermal energy. (S4O-00085)
5. Roderick Campbell: To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Scottish Water in connection with coastal pollution in Fife. (S4O-00086)
6. James Dornan: To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the possibility of a high-speed rail link with Scotland. (S4O-00087)
7. Paul Wheelhouse: To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and the Scottish Funding Council invested in research and development in the south of Scotland in 2010-11 and what share this represented of such investment across Scotland. (S4O-00088)
8. Linda Fabiani: To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions are available to local authorities in cases of antisocial behaviour by tenants of private landlords. (S4O-00089)
9. James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to collect uncollected fiscal fines. (S4O-00090)
10. Margo MacDonald: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to legislate for the election rather than appointment of judges. (S4O-00091)
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
1. Iain Gray: To ask the First Minister what engagements he has planned for the rest of the day. (S4F-00086)
2. Annabel Goldie: To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister. (S4F-00077)
3. Christine Grahame: To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the legal profession regarding the attendance of solicitors during interviews following the Cadder ruling. (S4F-00084)
4. Derek Mackay: To ask the First Minister what recent discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government on the issue of borrowing powers. (S4F-00091)
5. Jackie Baillie: To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take in response to figures showing that one in 10 care homes have been assessed by Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland as weak or unsatisfactory in at least one area of inspection. (S4F-00087)
6. Murdo Fraser: To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to reduce the number of attacks on ambulance and fire service crews. (S4F-00096)
12.30 pm Members’ Business
Debate on the subject of—
S4M-00193 Willie Coffey: The Scheme—That the Parliament notes the interest in, and issues raised by, BBC Scotland’s programme, The Scheme; considers that the programme, almost exclusively highlighting people with drug and alcohol addictions, gave an unfair impression of the wider community of Onthank; recognises the many challenges facing people with addictions and leading chaotic lives all over Scotland, and supports measures to assist those leading such lives who want to break the cycle of addiction and return to a normal life.
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy
1. Siobhan McMahon: To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the capacity of Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland to carry out its duties in light of recent budget changes. (S4O-00092)
2. Stewart Maxwell: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to warn parents about the measles outbreak on mainland Europe and the dangers of taking abroad children who have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine. (S4O-00093)
3. Alex Fergusson: To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy last met officials from NHS Dumfries and Galloway and what issues were discussed. (S4O-00094)
4. Joan McAlpine: To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to implement the Detect Cancer Early initiative and how it will work in practice. (S4O-00095)
5. Gil Paterson: To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the increase in VAT has had on the health budget for 2011-12. (S4O-00096)
6. Derek Mackay: To ask the Scottish Executive whether procedures are in place to ensure that NHS medical staff seek a full employment history for all new mesothelioma cases. (S4O-00097)
7. John Wilson: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS boards and local authorities regarding care home places for people with dementia. (S4O-00098)
8. Claudia Beamish: To ask the Scottish Executive what role it considers specialist young carers services have in implementing the young carers strategy. (S4O-00099)
9. Bob Doris: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow offers an opportunity to promote multiculturalism in Scotland. (S4O-00100)
10. Richard Baker: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support sports development across Scotland. (S4O-00101)
11. George Adam: To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to ensure that local communities are involved in the delivery of preventative health messages. (S4O-00102)
12. David McLetchie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the availability and provision of drugs to treat cancer. (S4O-00103)
13. Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed. (S4O-00104)
14. Humza Yousaf: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the actions set out in the Diabetes Action Plan 2010. (S4O-00105)
15. Not Lodged
16. Nigel Don: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in reducing the number of smokers. (S4O-00107)
17. Jamie McGrigor: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Highland regarding the future of Cowal Hospice in Dunoon. (S4O-00108)
18. Willie Coffey: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley benefits from the Scottish Government’s focus on cities as engines of growth. (S4O-00109)
19. Not Lodged
20. Withdrawn
2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Rural Connectivity
S4M-00448 Richard Lochhead: Rural Connectivity—That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government’s wish to see a rural Scotland that is outward looking and dynamic with a diverse economy and active communities and notes that key to that is the Scottish Government’s Digital Strategy, which wishes to see all businesses and people throughout Scotland, particularly in all rural areas, fully connected to the global economy through next generation broadband access and mobile phone coverage.
The Presiding Officer has selected the following amendments
S4M-00448.2 Elaine Murray: Rural Connectivity—As an amendment to motion S4M-00448 in the name of Richard Lochhead (Rural Connectivity), leave out from "and notes" to end and insert "; welcomes the aspiration expressed in Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland that next generation broadband will be available to all by 2020; notes however that market forces alone will not deliver next generation broadband and mobile phone access to much of rural and suburban Scotland and that without public sector involvement the digital gap will widen, and therefore urges the Scottish Government to develop its strategy for investment in the necessary infrastructure throughout Scotland as a matter of priority."
S4M-00448.1 Alex Johnstone: Rural Connectivity—As an amendment to motion S4M-00448 in the name of Richard Lochhead (Rural Connectivity), insert at end "; further welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to implement superfast broadband across the whole of the United Kingdom, and calls on Scottish and UK ministers to work together to achieve the best possible coverage for rural Scotland".
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Legislative Consent Motion – Finance (No.3) Bill
S4M-00444 Richard Lochhead: Finance (No.3) Bill – UK Legislation—That the Parliament agrees that provisions of the Finance (No.3) Bill 2011, introduced in the House of Commons on 31 March 2011, in relation to Scottish agricultural levies and local taxes and relating to the transposition of Directive 2010/24/EU on mutual assistance for the recovery of claims relating to taxes, duties and other measures, so far as these matters fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament.
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time