Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish Football league clubs with a commitment to youth development have been excluded from the network of football academies to be established under the Football Partnership.
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to news release SE 1166/1999, how the Football Partnership will determine who "our best young football players" are and how these players will access the facilities of the football academies if they have no links with current Premier League clubs.
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive which of the present Premier League clubs had a long-term commitment to youth development, with either or both a coaching and training regime and a youth football academy before their involvement in the Scottish Football Partnership.
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the Children in Scotland report on key issues regarding children and young people in the review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984.
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make the proposed Code of Management Practice for owner-occupied sheltered housing compulsory.
Fiona McLeod: I reiterate Nicola Sturgeon's welcome on behalf of the SNP for the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Bill. However, I must respond to David Mundell and his colleagues, who used the words "dogmatic" and "dogmatism". We have listened to a debate in which every contribution from the Conservatives has concentrated on one school in Scotland. There are more than 3,000 schools in Scotland, and...
Fiona McLeod: I would hate to get involved in an internal Labour party dispute. We welcome the mainstreaming of special educational needs but resources must follow that intention. Again in the minister's constituency, East Dunbartonshire Council is about to cancel its plan to fill a post in psychological services in the education department. In that area, there is already a 34-week wait to have a child's...
Fiona McLeod: We cannot hide behind the legal technicality that physical punishment of three and four-year-olds in private nurseries cannot be prevented. We must address that in the bill. In conclusion, the SNP welcomes the bill. With my colleagues on the Education, Culture and Sport Committee, we will work hard at stage 2. However, I finish with the caveat that legislation alone will not improve...
Fiona McLeod: Would the member like to comment on PFI in education? We are building schools for our communities, for community use, using private finance, which means that the community cannot get access to the plans for those schools. If someone is an elected member of a school board, they have to sign secrecy waivers before they can see the plans. Is that a good use of public money to provide public...
Fiona McLeod: I begin by saying to Johann Lamont that that is exactly the line that the SNP takes—we are talking about a constructive and creative approach to building a modern Scotland that is fit for our future. I take issue, however, with what Johann said at the beginning of her speech about the need to consider this issue in the context of 18 years of Tory neglect. I remind her that we have had three...
Fiona McLeod: Nor can Johann deny that three years of Labour Government have not brought the investment for which Scotland is looking. Labour's dogma in refusing to consider public service trusts and innovative ways of financing the infrastructure of this country offers nothing to the people of Scotland. As I said, East Dunbartonshire Council needs to invest £3.3 million a year in schools. Two weeks ago,...
Fiona McLeod: rose—
Fiona McLeod: Will the minister take an intervention?
Fiona McLeod: How much funding, last year and this, has the Government given to the Scottish Pre-school Playgroup Association, which ensures that children have free play?
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to the Scottish Professional Youth Initiative; whether it will detail the nature of that support and what support will be given to the initiative in the next financial year.
Fiona McLeod: I thank Cathy Jamieson for bringing this matter before Parliament and giving me the opportunity to speak on a matter in which my family has a long-standing interest as my husband has spent his whole professional life in the safety services. I will mention more statistics. They are similar to those that Cathy Jamieson has already given us. Last year, 27 employees lost their lives in accidents...
Fiona McLeod: Will that research break the results down geographically?
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people appointed to non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, are (a) under the age of 26 and (b) under the age of 30.
Fiona McLeod: I am sure that the minister heaved a great sigh of relief on Friday evening, along with many Scottish football fans. I want to question the minister on two points that arise from his statement. We know about the rental stream shortfall. The minister said that there are reasons for that, which we understand, but he has not explained how the rental stream shortfall of £300,000 per annum will...
Fiona McLeod: To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of offences were referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Agency from Procurators Fiscal in Scotland in the last three years for which information is available broken down by Procurator Fiscal area, and what were the offences.
