Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive when a report on the responses to its consultation on Housing: Fresh Thinking, New Ideas will be published.
Mary Mulligan: I am pleased to take part in today’s debate on the Forced Marriage etc (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Bill. I have read the Equal Opportunities Committee report, and I congratulate it on addressing the important issues in the bill while keeping the report clear and concise so that even a Johnny-come-lately such as myself can understand it. For most people, discussions on marriage...
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for the New Supply Shared Equity scheme were made in 2010.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful applicants were there for the New Supply Shared Equity scheme in 2010.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are expected to receive support from the New Supply Shared Equity scheme in 2011.
Mary Mulligan: 17. To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with FirstBus regarding services in West Lothian. (S3O-12780)
Mary Mulligan: This month in my constituency, FirstBus has reduced the frequency of the X1 service, which is an express service from Armadale to Edinburgh. That coincides with the opening of the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link and, I hope, with the opening of the new Armadale rail station in February. Does the minister think that that is just a coincidence—although both services are run by First—and how...
Mary Mulligan: I welcome another opportunity to debate a housing issue and I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of the Labour group. The private rented sector in Scotland is not big, particularly in comparison with the private rented sector in many other European countries, but it has the potential to grow, as the minister said. Given our current housing landscape, in which the public housing sector...
Mary Mulligan: I am suggesting that we need to work with the local authorities on how we incentivise them to be more proactive on registration than they are. On HMO legislation, the bill again tries to build on what already exists. I suggested that the private rented sector may expand and, similarly, changes to housing benefit rules could result in increased demand for HMOs. The Westminster Government is...
Mary Mulligan: Jim Tolson mentioned students in HMOs. Does he agree with his coalition Government at Westminster that the age for shared occupancy should be raised to 35, which will encourage not just students but young adults into that situation?
Mary Mulligan: I am always ready, Presiding Officer. I commend the Green party for its choices for debate this morning. I would have been just as content to take part in the debate on opportunities for young people, but better people than I will lead in that debate. Members: No! Let me keep my comments to the debate in hand—protecting public services in Scotland. I agree with Patrick Harvie’s motion...
Mary Mulligan: That is absolute rubbish and Mr Brownlee knows it. Everyone knows that we must tackle the deficit, but Labour does not agree with how the UK Government is doing that. My colleague Michael McMahon has clearly outlined Labour’s amendment, and I add my support for the call that the motion and our amendment make for discussions to ensure that this Parliament has the ability to vary the rate of...
Mary Mulligan: I am sorry, but there is not a lot of time in this morning’s debates. I am highly aware that Mr Swinney will claim that the Scottish Government has fully funded the council tax freeze. If that is the case, why, despite the increasing allocations over the past three years, have we seen councils continually cutting services further? Was Unison not correct when it told the Local Government and...
Mary Mulligan: What is Gavin Brown’s view of the amount that we now have to pay in unemployment benefit because of the job losses that are a result of his Government’s policies?
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Energy Assistance Package (EAP) budget for 2009-10 was spent on (a) improved insulation and (b) central heating installation.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how many households with disabled people received support under each stage of the Energy Assistance Package in 2009-10.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how many households with children received support under each stage of the Energy Assistance Package in 2009-10.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how many households with children are expected to receive support under each stage of the Energy Assistance Package in 2010-11.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the 2009-10 Energy Assistance Package budget was spent on households with children.
Mary Mulligan: To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the 2010-11 Energy Assistance Package budget is expected to be spent on households with children.