Anne McTaggart: 8. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a time limit for temporary accommodation. (S4O-05703)
Anne McTaggart: Local authorities report significant increases in the length of time that is spent in temporary accommodation. Typical stays in temporary accommodation are now more than seven months, and for some people it can be up to two years. Will the cabinet secretary support a reduction in the length of time that homeless people have to spend in unsuitable temporary accommodation to 14 days? Will she...
Anne McTaggart: It is my great privilege to open this debate, to welcome key stakeholders and their families to the public gallery and to speak to my motion that the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill. Today, we will debate and vote on whether we as a Parliament agree to the general principles of the bill—that is,...
Anne McTaggart: No—I do not agree that that is the case. We have had bills to which up to 200 amendments have been lodged, so I do not agree that the issue of proxies need be a difficulty. I add that the provisions on proxies keep us in line with the United Kingdom structure. As I said, the bill has a single purpose: to introduce a soft opt-out system. Things need to change. The minister has asked that we...
Anne McTaggart: Yes, I certainly agree with the British Heart Foundation Scotland. Let us be clear. There is a price to be paid for delaying the decision. I have never said that the proposal is a silver bullet, but an opt-out system that is part of an effective organ donation strategy can and will improve organ donation. The legislative process takes time. It has taken me two years to get to this point....
Anne McTaggart: What is currently in place for that to happen?
Anne McTaggart: When?
Anne McTaggart: Will the minister comment on the 70-plus donors that NHSBT has said a soft opt-out would bring if we were to go ahead with it?
Anne McTaggart: Put your money where your mouth is.
Anne McTaggart: 7. To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the replacement of bursaries with loans results in students from the poorest families having the biggest debt and a reduction in terms of widening access. (S4O-05480)
Anne McTaggart: Young people from deprived backgrounds in Scotland who get to university are facing cuts to grants and bursaries. Now, 70 per cent of Scottish students who emerge debt free come from better-off backgrounds. Will the Scottish Government restore grants and bursaries to help poorer students succeed in higher education?
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to open the final stage debate on the National Galleries of Scotland Bill. Before I talk about the bill, I pay tribute on behalf of the National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee to Gareth Hoskins, the architect in charge of the galleries project, who, I am sad to say, passed away on 9 January. Committee members were fortunate enough to meet him on our site visit to the...
Anne McTaggart: I am delighted to contribute to the debate, as I believe that this is an important issue for everyone in the chamber. The Scottish Elections (Dates) Bill will change the date of the Scottish Parliament election from 7 May 2020 to 6 May 2021, so that it does not clash with the UK general election. That means that there will be a five-year term for the Scottish Parliament again, as has been the...
Anne McTaggart: 3. To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce the new peer-approved clinical system to replace the individual patient treatment request system. (S4O-05196)
Anne McTaggart: I am led to believe that the peer-approved system was promised for May 2015. Given that the individual patient treatment request system was extended and given the new guidance on dropping exceptionality, what monitoring has the Scottish Government done to ensure that the postcode lottery has been eliminated?
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to open the preliminary stage debate on the National Galleries of Scotland Bill and to provide the Parliament with some background to the committee’s scrutiny of the bill. Before I do that, I thank those who gave evidence to the committee and the National Galleries of Scotland staff who accommodated a visit and gave us such an interesting tour of the Scottish art collection. I...
Anne McTaggart: I thank Michael Russell for the opportunity to speak in the debate and congratulate him on getting this far. As we all know, St Andrew’s day is not just another day and it is not just another holiday. It is a special celebration of Scotland’s rich history and culture and it is a chance to celebrate our heritage. We trace back our lineage and revive our traditional foods, dances and...
Anne McTaggart: What role will the minister play in the EU discussions about security following the recent events in Europe?
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this afternoon’s committee debate on devolution and parliamentary oversight of intergovernmental relations. I congratulate the committee members on their report on the changing relationships between the UK and Scotland and, more specifically, on the process of parliamentary scrutiny of intergovernmental relations, and I thank them for...
Anne McTaggart: I welcome the opportunity to conclude the debate on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party. As we have heard, Scotland and Malawi have always shared close links and relationships, ever since 1859, when Scotland’s David Livingstone received a warm and inviting welcome from the area that is now Malawi. Ever since, our citizens have enjoyed continued personal links in the region, with 46 per cent...
