Meetings of Committees
All meetings take place in the Scottish Parliament, unless otherwise specified. Contact details for Committee Clerks are provided at the end of the Bulletin.
Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee
14th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 2
1. Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the Bill at Stage 2.
Finance Committee
13th Meeting, 2012
The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 1
1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether its consideration of a draft report on the Financial Memorandum of the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill should be taken in private at future meetings.
2. Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence on the Financial Memorandum of the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill from—
Ann Bain, Senior Service Manager (Revenues and Benefits), Angus Council;
Brian Cook, Head of Revenue Services, North Lanarkshire Council;
James Gray, Executive Manager - Finance, and Anita Jamieson, Executive Manager - Housing, Shetland Islands Council;
and then from—
Sam Baker, Policy Manager (Housing Supply Division), Jamie Hamilton, Policy Manager (Housing Supply Division), Marianne Cook, Policy Manager (Local Government Finance), and Stuart Law, Senior Policy Advisor (Housing Supply Division), Scottish Government.
Meeting of the Parliament
1.30 pm Time for Reflection – Pastor Stephen Hibbard, Sheddocksley Baptist Church, Aberdeen
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
1.35 pm Themed Question Time
Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth
1. Kenneth Gibson: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with North Ayrshire Council regarding the proposed changes to council tax benefit by the UK Government. (S4O-00949)
2. Humza Yousaf: To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports entrepreneurs and small business start-ups in Glasgow. (S4O-00950)
3. Aileen McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports research and development in the small and medium-sized enterprise sector in South Scotland. (S4O-00951)
4. Margaret McDougall: To ask the Scottish Executive how it encourages the use of credit unions. (S4O-00952)
5. John Wilson: To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to local authorities regarding the recovery of community charge and council tax arrears. (S4O-00953)
6. Jackie Baillie: To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is provided to West Dunbartonshire Council to tackle unemployment. (S4O-00954)
7. James Kelly: To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are in relation to the introduction of a local income tax. (S4O-00955)
8. Linda Fabiani: To ask the Scottish Executive how much support has been given to businesses in East Kilbride by the small business bonus scheme. (S4O-00956)
9. Chic Brodie: To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been created in the renewables industry in the last year. (S4O-00957)
10. James Dornan: [Withdrawn]
11. Hugh Henry: [Not lodged]
12. Richard Lyle: To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports employment in the steel industry in North Lanarkshire. (S4O-00960)
13. Duncan McNeil: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that Greenock and Inverclyde is not disproportionately affected by the current economic climate. (S4O-00961)
14. Liz Smith: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase economic activity in Perth. (S4O-00962)
15. Mary Fee: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of jobs in the renewable energy sector in West Scotland. (S4O-00963)
16. Jim Eadie: To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence it has had with the Chief Secretary of the Treasury regarding regional pay. (S4O-00964)
17. Elaine Murray: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government about the financial implications of the proposals in the Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill on the public sector. (S4O-00965)
18. David Torrance: To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance packages are available for people seeking work in the voluntary sector in Fife. (S4O-00966)
19. Kezia Dugdale: To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recently reported comments by the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, whether it will regulate so-called pay-day loans. (S4O-00967)
20. Rob Gibson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether recipients of feed-in tariff payments for renewable electricity production and heat incentives will have their contracts honoured in the event of energy policy being fully devolved. (S4O-00968)
2.15 pm General Question Time
1. Angus MacDonald: To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the types of marriage ceremony available to couples. (S4O-00939)
2. Tavish Scott: To ask the Scottish Executive what map scale is used to assess land eligible for agricultural support under the Integrated Administration and Control System 2012. (S4O-00940)
3. Claudia Beamish: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take as a result of the Court of Session judgement on the Moonzie Farm rent review case in relation to Section 13 rent reviews to ensure that the views of tenant farmers and tenants are taken into consideration . (S4O-00941)
4. David McLetchie: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the number and value of outstanding fines and penalties levied by the courts, the fiscal service and the police. (S4O-00942)
5. Paul Martin: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to widen access to services for victims of domestic abuse in Glasgow. (S4O-00943)
6. Richard Baker: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve transport infrastructure in Aberdeen. (S4O-00944)
7. Helen Eadie: To ask the Scottish Executive what checks and investigations have been carried out into care homes formerly operated by Southern Cross Healthcare. (S4O-00945)
8. Bob Doris: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making to deliver a pilot of revenue generating projects from climate challenge funding that will promote carbon reduction through financially sustainable projects. (S4O-00946)
9. Jean Urquhart: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in light of the UK Government’s decision not to renew the contract for the Emergency Towing Vessel service in the Pentland Firth and other northern waters. (S4O-00947)
10. Jenny Marra: To ask the Scottish Executive what HIV prevention resources are in place in NHS Tayside. (S4O-00948)
2.35 pm First Minister’s Question Time
1. Johann Lamont: To ask the First Minister what engagements he has planned for the rest of the day. (S4F-00641)
2. Ruth Davidson: To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister. (S4F-00637)
3. Willie Rennie: To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet. (S4F-00638)
4. Rob Gibson: To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on the findings of the report by the Jimmy Reid Foundation, The Silent Crisis: Failure and Revival in Local Democracy in Scotland. (S4F-00647)
5. Elaine Murray: To ask the First Minister what information the Scottish Government was given following the abduction of Khalil Dale. (S4F-00642)
6. Gavin Brown: To ask the First Minister how many empty commercial properties the Scottish Government predicts will no longer be empty as a direct consequence of the proposals in the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Bill. (S4F-00648)
3.05 pm Scottish Government Debate: National Performing Companies
S4M-02738 Fiona Hyslop: National Performing Companies—That the Parliament welcomes the excellent work that Scotland’s world-class National Performing Companies continue to deliver; recognises that it is now five years since the start of a direct-funding relationship with the Scottish Government as set out in the recently published annual review of the companies; celebrates their ongoing commitment to delivering performances of quality and to distributing their work across Scotland; commends their innovative community and education projects, and recognises their importance in raising Scotland’s international cultural profile.
The Presiding Officer has selected the following amendment
S4M-02738.1 Patricia Ferguson: National Performing Companies—As an amendment to motion S4M-02738 in the name of Fiona Hyslop (National Performing Companies), insert at end “, and congratulates those local authorities, companies and individuals that also support the work of the National Performing Companies.”
followed by Public Body Consent Motion: Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (Abolition) Order 2012
S4M-02734 Stewart Stevenson: Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (Abolition) Order 2012 [draft] - UK Legislation—That the Parliament consents to the making of the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (Abolition) Order 2012, a draft of which was laid before the UK Parliament on 27 February 2012 and which makes provision that would be within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament if it were contained in an Act of that Parliament.
followed by Business Motions
S4M-02754 Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Business Motion—That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—
Wednesday 9 May 2012
2.30 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Ministerial Statement: The Future of European Structural Funds from 2014
followed by Finance Committee Debate: Fiscal Sustainability
followed by Public Body Consent Motion: British Waterways Board (Transfer of Functions) Order 2012
followed by Public Body Consent Motion: Inland Waterways Advisory Council (Abolition) Order 2012
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 10 May 2012
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Stage 1 Debate: Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill
followed by Financial Resolution: Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill
11.40 am General Question Time
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Justice and the Law Officers
Rural Affairs and the Environment
2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Scottish Government Growth Strategy
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 16 May 2012
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: National Library of Scotland Bill
followed by Business Motion
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 17 May 2012
9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Scottish Government Business
11.40 am General Question Time
12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time
12.30 pm Members’ Business
2.15 pm Themed Question Time
Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy
2.55 pm Scottish Government Business
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
S4M-02755 Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Business Motion—That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Criminal Cases (Punishment and Review) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 18 May 2012.
S4M-02756 Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Business Motion—That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Long Leases (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 be completed by 25 May 2012.
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion
S4M-02757 Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Committee Membership—That the Parliament agrees that Nanette Milne be appointed to replace Jackson Carlaw as a member of the Health and Sport Committee.
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Debate on the subject of—
S4M-02534 George Adam: National MS Week—That the Parliament notes the importance of National MS Week, which takes place this year from 30 April to 6 May; recognises the particular significance of MS to Scotland, which has the highest prevalence of MS anywhere in the world; congratulates the MS Society Scotland, along with local branches of the society such as the Paisley and District branch, for what it considers its excellent work supporting those affected by MS, and considers that this good work, conducted across many local authority areas, is being undermined by savage cuts to disability benefits including Employment and Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance, with people with MS being among those hardest hit because of the complex, fluctuating and often hidden nature of the condition and its symptoms.
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