Keith Harding: I am sorry, but I have not got the time. The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland should start from scratch rather than using the existing boundaries as a basis for change, and it should determine the first proposals for consultation. PR for local elections could mean yet another different system and even more confusion. It would also be a danger to our well-established system of...
Keith Harding: If Tricia Marwick will listen to what I say, I will answer the question that she wants to ask. Effective representation is best provided by the direct election of all councillors on a first-past-the-post basis at ward level. However, if it becomes inevitable that some form of PR will be introduced after the next Scottish Parliament elections, it is vital that we retain the member-ward link....
Keith Harding: The Liberal-Labour coalition tends to disagree with both Kerley and McIntosh on the timing of elections and we are entitled to our opinion on PR. Before going as far as changing the system used, we could increase accountability, produce strong governance and end crony power in our cities through directly elected provosts. Far from championing democracy for the people of Scotland, the SNP has...
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive what the total costs were of the publication, including the design, photocopying, printing, internet connection of text, distribution and launch of Benefits from the Warm Deal in Scotland 2000-01: A Report by the Scottish Executive and how many copies were distributed.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what the full costs were of establishing Communities Scotland, including the costs of any external consultants for design purposes and (b) what the full costs will be of winding up Scottish Homes.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive what financial and other support it provides to the Association of Scottish Community Councils.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to alter the geographical boundaries of local authorities.
Keith Harding: May I reply to that?
Keith Harding: The Scottish Executive's decision to postpone the next council elections to 2003, so that they coincide with the next Scottish Parliament elections, is an affront to democracy. The Scottish Tories can support four-year terms and the piloting of innovations to improve turnout in local elections, but we must oppose the principles of the bill, because of the plans to synchronise elections....
Keith Harding: I will give way in a moment—let me get a bit further into my speech. To evidence my point, we need only reflect on the three council seats that the Scottish Tories have won from the Executive parties during the past two months. How can local issues be highlighted and councils made more accountable if local government elections are treated as a mere sideshow to the Scottish Parliament...
Keith Harding: Like other people, we are setting out a timetable to discuss the issue. It seems that the Executive's initial view, which tended towards separate elections, changed only when Labour councillors, who favour hiding their poor performance, argued for larger turnouts from combined polls. Despite what the minister said, the results of the consultation on the bill give no more than lukewarm support...
Keith Harding: To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-19461 on 12 November 2001, what the total costs were of publishing, printing and distributing the Scottish Parliament Annual Report 2000 to 2001 in languages other than English.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16777 by Rhona Brankin on 9 August 2001, what attempts have been made to inform local authorities and others of the need to comply with the 31 December 2001 deadline for removing all ozone depleting substances from refrigerators prior to their disposal.
Keith Harding: As the Conservative local government spokesman, I am pleased to contribute to the debate. The bill, as members have already said, endeavours to resolve a problem in the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act 2000, which unintentionally removed the statutory right of some parents with children just below school age to make a placing request. The bill should restore that right to parents of...
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the number of local authorities.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from organisations or residents of Fife regarding its consultation document Review of Strategic Planning .
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive what power local authorities have to make contributions to Nuclear Free Local Authorities and what information it has on the level of any such contributions made in each of the last three years.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to amend the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to allow the practice of co-option of student representatives to council committees which cover the education functions of local authorities.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides any financial or administrative assistance to Nuclear Free Local Authorities.
Keith Harding: To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of publishing, printing and distributing its document, A Policy on Architecture for Scotland .