Keith Brown: Andy Wightman introduced the bill to Parliament less than a year ago and I, too, congratulate him on bringing it to this important and historic stage. However, in truth, it has been a very long journey to get to this stage, in a process that started well before the Parliament had even come into being. I feel as though I have travelled much of that journey alongside it. As a former council...
Keith Brown: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the justice secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding offering routine Covid-19 testing to police officers. (S5O-05115)
Keith Brown: The cabinet secretary will know that police work is such that social distancing is often not possible. Police officers must enter homes or visit hospitals and get close to people, all of which can put them at far greater risk of contracting and spreading the virus. Will the cabinet secretary explain what consideration has been given to prioritising police officers to receive the vaccine and...
Keith Brown: 7. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to boost the tourism sector in the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency. (S5O-05104)
Keith Brown: As the cabinet secretary knows, the Stirling and Clackmannanshire region provides a truly world-class offering, and visitors spend more than £350 million annually in the local economy—at least, that was the case before the pandemic. How will the Scottish Government support development in the sector through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire city region deal, to ensure that the sector grows?...
Keith Brown: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I could not vote. I would have voted yes.
Keith Brown: 8. To ask the Scottish Government how Scotland’s international environment centre could contribute to meeting the country’s climate change ambitions. (S5O-05008)
Keith Brown: The cabinet secretary is correct in saying that £17 million of investment will be made in my constituency as part of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire city region deal and the environment centre. It will also provide the best possible conditions and infrastructure for businesses to flourish and ensure a cleaner, greener and healthier environment for future generations. Does the cabinet...
Keith Brown: In addition to what appears to be the most comprehensive set of measures from any Government in these islands, as the cabinet secretary mentioned, what plans do the Scottish Government and VisitScotland have to encourage those who seek to holiday locally this year and to ensure that attractions across Scotland can benefit from what we all hope will be an increase in domestic tourism?
Keith Brown: The First Minister will be aware that the Tory Government at Westminster is advertising jobs in the Cabinet Office’s union unit for which knowledge of Scottish issues is deemed only “desirable”. Does the First Minister agree that that unit is no more than a costly flag-waving exercise and an outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money?
Keith Brown: I come to the debate with the benefit, most recently, of being a member of the Local Government and Communities Committee, which has held three meetings to hear and consider evidence from a range of bodies on the issues that are covered by the bill. I wish also to draw on my experience working as a local government officer for nearly two decades, as a councillor for 11 years and as a member...
Keith Brown: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children and young people are accessing places at school and nursery during the current lockdown period. (S5O-04962)
Keith Brown: The guidance advises that the number of children taking up those places in schools during the strict lockdown period should be kept to the absolute minimum that is necessary. The advice to employers is to think critically about what staff they consider to be key workers and to ruthlessly prioritise those providing absolutely essential services to the public in this time of emergency. However,...
Keith Brown: 3. To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has produced regarding the provision of education in prisons under the current Covid-19 restrictions. (S5O-04939)
Keith Brown: As the cabinet secretary will be aware, staff who provide learning across 13 prisons in Scotland are employed by Fife College and subcontracted by the Scottish Prison Service. As per guidance, the college has moved to remote learning, but staff who are subcontracted to the SPS—[ Inaudible .]—their place of work, which can mean attending three different workplaces. Will the cabinet...
Keith Brown: On a point of order, Presiding Officer—
Keith Brown: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I voted yes, but I have not had a confirmation.
Keith Brown: I welcome the opportunity to have this debate, even at this inauspicious time, after a long day. I am particularly grateful to those members who have stayed behind to debate what is an extremely important matter for so many people in my constituency, across Scotland and across the United Kingdom. I record my thanks to members who supported the motion to allow the debate to take place. That...
Keith Brown: I agree with much of what Jeremy Balfour has said so far, the inescapable logic of which is that he should support the extension of the benefit uplift beyond March, when I presume that the pandemic will be having an even greater effect on people.
Keith Brown: 8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the supermarket sector regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. (S5O-04872)