James Kelly: The victim surcharge fund is a welcome support for victims whose lives have been disrupted as a result of crimes having been committed against them. It is important that all victims are able to access the fund. Will the cabinet secretary explain what steps will be taken to ensure that victims who do not have direct links to the organisations that have been set up to facilitate applications...
James Kelly: The First Minister will be aware of the tragic death of a homeless man in Glasgow at the weekend. He was found dead in a car park in freezing conditions. That was reported on the day that Shelter Scotland took out a full-page advert on the front of the Herald newspaper, highlighting the deaths of 47 homeless people in Glasgow over the past year. This is a scandal that shames Scotland and...
James Kelly: I draw the First Minister’s attention to reports in the Sunday Post that rape victims whose mobile phones have been retained by Police Scotland for investigation purposes are still being charged by mobile phone companies. It is scandalous that women who are enduring an experience in which they are so vulnerable are being treated in such a hard-hearted manner. Mobile phone companies have...
James Kelly: The discussion about police stations highlights the issue of the £43 million shortfall in the capital budget, as evidenced in Police Scotland’s submission to the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing. Indeed, Deputy Chief Officer David Page described the effect of the shortfall as “putting band aids” on issues that need to be dealt with. Does the cabinet secretary accept that the shortfall...
James Kelly: I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of the statement and I offer my deepest sympathies to Mr Bayoh’s family. The circumstances in which Mr Bayoh lost his life are shocking in modern Scotland and it is unacceptable that nobody is being held legally responsible. From that point of view, I strongly support the cabinet secretary’s announcement that there will be a public inquiry....
James Kelly: 6. To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the good food nation bill. (S5O-03724)
James Kelly: Prompt action would be welcomed by all parties. Will job insecurity and low wages in the food industry be considered in the bill, in order to ensure that workers in that industry are better paid and better protected?
James Kelly: I welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate on the bill in support of next year’s European championship matches at Hampden. First and foremost, the hosting of the games by Glasgow and Scotland next year is a great opportunity. The way that UEFA has organised the tournament is different from previous tournaments in that, as Annabelle Ewing pointed out, it will take place across 12...
James Kelly: My wife and daughters did not buy me a ticket. They took me down to escort them to the venue and look after them.
James Kelly: Yes. Anyway, I spent a bit of time outside the venue just looking at how everything operated, which was interesting. I looked closely at the activities of the ticket touts and saw the way that they hassled people who had turned up at the venue with extra tickets to try to get them to sell those tickets at a reduced value. Quite honestly, there was a lot of bullying and intimidation going on....
James Kelly: Another important issue is engagement and consultation with local communities. If that is done properly, that will address some of the concerns that have been raised and will ensure that the provisions are implemented in a way that takes local communities with us. It is important to get the legislation in place to support the event. The contest presents a tremendous opportunity. Like others,...
James Kelly: 6. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to alleviate the impact of the two-child cap on social security benefits in Scotland. (S5O-03690)
James Kelly: The Tory two-child cap is an abhorrent policy, restricting payments to families on the birth of a third child and treating those families with total contempt and disrespect. Does the minister agree that the forthcoming general election presents an opportunity, with the election of a Labour Government, to scrap universal credit and put in place a social security system that treats all with...
James Kelly: I welcome the opportunity to take part in this afternoon’s debate. I thank the committee for the important work that it has done in the inquiry to highlight the key issues in respect of the two fires at the Glasgow School of Art. I recall leaving a meeting in May 2014 in Bath Street in Glasgow and heading up towards Sauchiehall Street. It was lunchtime; smoke was beginning to fill the sky...
James Kelly: I thank the minister for advance sight of her statement. We welcome it and the setting up of the fireworks review group. The minister is right that fireworks displays, when they are properly organised, can be excellent community events that people can turn up to and enjoy. However, over recent years, there have been increasing incidents of disorder, which have caused anxiety and fear among...
James Kelly: I thank Pauline McNeill for securing tonight’s debate, which allows us to send the message, loud and clear, that parliamentarians who represent constituencies and regions across Scotland will not accept the tactics that Asda is employing. The imposition of contracts on the 12,000 workers, a number of whom are in the public gallery, is disgraceful. As many members have said, Asda’s tactics...
James Kelly: This week, the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Colin McConnell, told the Justice Committee that a replacement for Barlinnie prison in Glasgow will not be operational until 2025, which is six years later than planned. Audit Scotland deems the building “high risk”. Barlinnie is 50 per cent over capacity, with many prisoners having to share cells. Of the cells that are...
James Kelly: One area of concern in the recent statistics is the rise in crimes of a sexual nature, which have gone up by 8 per cent and are at the highest level since 1971. In Glasgow, where the figure has gone up by 9 per cent, and South Lanarkshire, where it has gone up by 20 per cent, that has caused real anxiety. Does the cabinet secretary recognise the serious issue and the challenge that is...
James Kelly: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the HMICS report into the Scottish Police Authority, including the finding that it has “no clear vision, strategy or plan in place”. (S5T-01821)
James Kelly: While I was listening to the cabinet secretary’s response, I started to wonder whether he had been reading a different report from the one that I read, because the verdict in that one was damning. It said that there were serious flaws in governance, in that the chair and a number of board members had been acting well outwith their core non-executive roles. There was also said to have been a...