Euan Robson: I regret that I cannot answer that, as I do not entirely understand its context. I will consider it and reply privately to the member. As the minister said, it is important that the community body has to demonstrate a direct community interest in a piece of land. Other important changes are that the community—in the absence of agreement—will have to buy the land as lotted and that time...
Euan Robson: If there was no anticipation of events, how come, all of a sudden, there are 10 new permanent floating sheriffs?
Euan Robson: I welcome this debate, although we should perhaps leave it to onlookers to decide whether it has generated more heat than shed light. Although Mr Gallie's opening speech unwrapped the old parcel of assorted Tory prejudices, the Conservatives have now clearly admitted that they do not and did not support the incorporation of the ECHR into UK law. Moreover, although I acknowledge Lord James...
Euan Robson: I thank Mr Gallie for his contribution, but my focus is on the victims. There is no doubt that when crime rises, the number of victims increases. The point about that particular period of time is that there was an unnecessary increase in the number of victims. The best deterrent to crime is detection. The number of charges proved between 1986 and 1996 dropped from 184,000 to 153,000....
Euan Robson: Does Christine Grahame remember from our discussion in the Justice and Home Affairs Committee meeting on Tuesday that it was suggested that, from time to time, there are enough people in open prisons to fill but two of them—not the three that we currently have? Does she agree that there is a necessity to rationalise our prison provision, and that there is more need for higher-security...
Euan Robson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the advice to be given on the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/1840) as amended. (S1O-733)
Euan Robson: How many businesses in Scotland are aware of those regulations, let alone understand them? Does the minister appreciate the view of some fire safety professionals that the booklets and information available after the original regulations were published were inadequate and unsatisfactory?
Euan Robson: I welcome the minister's statement on the incorporation of this long-standing Liberal Democrat policy into law. Can he give examples of overarching public interest that might lead to the release of information that nevertheless has passed the harm test of substantial prejudice? When he mentions executive agencies and the coverage of the bill, does he intend to include Scottish Enterprise and...
Euan Robson: I seek clarification on subsection (6) of amendment 21. Is the minister suggesting that he is taking new powers to determine the methodology of annual capital receipts and capital expenditure? I understand the point that he made about bringing to Parliament the whole question of his decisions, but in that subsection is there any new mechanism or new power granted to ministers to change the...
Euan Robson: I welcome the changes to the threshold; the quarter figure is much more acceptable than the half. I note what Mr Welsh, the convener of the Audit Committee, has said. However, having asked some parliamentary questions about this matter in an attempt to find out which organisations might be concerned, I know that it is difficult to get an understanding of precisely which bodies might be...
Euan Robson: I would like to make three brief points. I especially welcome the new approach on safety. The Scottish sea fishing safety scheme is a good idea. I congratulate the minister on dispelling some of the confusion that the Deputy Prime Minister might have created some weeks ago. It is important that boats under 12 m in length are included—that is very useful. I agree especially with the...
Euan Robson: I express my appreciation of the opportunity to address Parliament about the problems and opportunities facing Hawick, which is the largest town in my constituency. It is a particular privilege to speak before you, Sir David, as you represented Hawick and Roxburghshire with such distinction between 1964 and 1983. Hawick is the most distant of the Scottish Borders towns from Edinburgh; in...
Euan Robson: And cattle processing.
Euan Robson: The Justice and Home Affairs Committee report describes the bill as good; by the time it is enacted, it will be legislation that all members are proud of. The Liberal Democrat manifesto contained a commitment to such a bill, although of course other parties were similarly committed. The bill would not have come about without the efforts of many people before the Parliament was established; I...
Euan Robson: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made regarding the completion of the feasibility study into the reopening of the Waverley Line in the Scottish Borders.
Euan Robson: The minister mentioned the Tweed. Will he confirm my understanding that ISA—in fact, only traces of the virus—was discovered in only one of a batch of fry in one tributary of the Tweed? Will he also confirm that the alarm that has been raised about this should be taken in context? Is he aware of any research that shows that ISA has been prevalent within the environment of Scottish rivers...
Euan Robson: As many members have said, the bill is welcome. According to the explanatory notes, it will repeal 46 acts. I am sure that the Minister for Justice knows them off by heart. The bill is part of a package. Although members have alluded to the difficulties of considering it without sight of the title conditions bill and the law of the tenement bill, it had to come first. To put it in layman's...
Euan Robson: Are figures kept on how many fine defaulters are sent to Cornton Vale? Do we know what percentage they form of annual admissions?
Euan Robson: As the constituency member for Berwickshire, I will concentrate my remarks on Duns sheriff court. As has been alluded to, Berwickshire is a robust community with a strong community spirit. When the proposals for closure were first announced, I sensed locally a campaigning atmosphere similar to that during the recent parliamentary boundary review, when a campaign was mounted, called Keep...
Euan Robson: On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I accept that—in this exceptional instance—it is appropriate for the bill to proceed on a UK-wide basis. There are good reasons to believe that that would be the quickest route to enactment of the bill. As we have already heard, if the Lords obstruct once more, the Parliament Acts can and should be employed. There was overwhelming support for the bill...