Colin Beattie: I pay tribute to the First Minister. The Scottish National Party has made incredible strides during the 20 years of his leadership, going from being a party with little elected representation to winning two Scottish Parliament elections in a row, the second of which gave us the mandate for an independence referendum. That has been in no way due to chance; the First Minister’s leadership,...
Colin Beattie: 8. To ask the Scottish Government how an extension of the 1 per cent cap on child benefit to 2017 would impact on its poverty strategy. (S4O-03548)
Colin Beattie: Does the minister agree with me that Westminster should agree to devolve welfare powers to allow the Scottish Government to protect its citizens from these cuts?
Colin Beattie: Does the minister agree with comments that were made by Terry Lanagan, who is the executive director of education in West Dunbartonshire Council, at the Education and Culture Committee on 30 September, when he said, “I am quite clear, having worked in education for 37 years, that there has been no initiative in Scottish education during that time about which there has been more...
Colin Beattie: 4. To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the final version of Scotland’s national marine plan. (S4O-03864)
Colin Beattie: As the minister might know, the popular Fisherrow sands in Musselburgh are in my constituency. What plans are there to enhance recreational beach usage, and what will be done to ensure clean beaches and acceptable water quality?
Colin Beattie: 1. To ask the Scottish Government how many GP appointments were missed by patients in the last 12 months. (S4O-03881)
Colin Beattie: I have recently been in discussions with local GPs about what solutions can be employed to minimise missed appointments and so ease the burden on GP practices. Will the cabinet secretary update the Parliament on what initiatives the Government is undertaking to enable patients to cancel appointments easily?
Colin Beattie: I am pleased to have the opportunity to comment on and to commend the people who keep Scotland safe in emergencies. We have had many recent examples of catastrophic situations that emergency services have dealt with in an exemplary fashion, from the recent horrific events in Paris to the rather less dramatic but unforeseen and very real human crisis in my constituency of Midlothian North and...
Colin Beattie: ln whatever guise inequality rears its head, it is one of the most pressing issues that faces our society today. A report that was released just yesterday by Oxfam indicates that, by 2016, 1 per cent of the world’s population will own more wealth than the other 99 per cent. That situation is not only entirely undesirable but, frankly, quite unsustainable. I am sure that we all agree that...
Colin Beattie: I have not seen figures that validate that and I would challenge that statement. In separate measures, this Government aims to provide a minimum income of £7,000 to our most vulnerable university students. Westminster has chosen to scrap the education maintenance allowance that provides funding to 16 to 19-year-olds, whereas we in Scotland have kept that vital source of support. Access to...
Colin Beattie: Will the cabinet secretary confirm that all parties are represented in the talks with COSLA and that those who are involved should be consistent in what they say during the negotiations and outwith them?
Colin Beattie: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what progress the national health service is making toward meeting the demand for organ donations. (S4O-03962)
Colin Beattie: The minister will be aware of public sensitivity over organ donations. What plans are there to continue to heighten awareness and participation by the public in that vital service?
Colin Beattie: The evidence that we have clearly shows that attainment can for many Scots provide a route out of poverty and deprivation at an early age. I am sure that the Parliament is in no doubt that education is a key factor in determining where a life can be led. When our young school leavers do not have the opportunity to progress to an initial positive educational destination, not only are they...
Colin Beattie: 9. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the cashback for communities scheme. (S4O-04049)
Colin Beattie: I am sure that the cabinet secretary will agree that the cashback for communities scheme makes a real difference to communities. What funding can my constituency expect over the forthcoming year?
Colin Beattie: 4. To ask the Scottish Government what investment will be made in active travel using the future transport fund. (S4O-04107)
Colin Beattie: The minister will be aware of the Borders railway project, which goes through my constituency. Can he outline the ways in which active travel will be promoted through the railway?
Colin Beattie: I must begin with a confession: I am a bookaholic. From a very early age, I was a member of the local library in my home town of Forfar. I could not afford to purchase books, but the local library opened a window into a new world. Somehow, I found time to read several books a week. Books—fiction and non-fiction—were all grist to the mill. My vocabulary improved and I learned about places...