Anne McTaggart: I am pleased that the Minister for Local Government and Planning and Mark McDonald, the member in charge of the bill, have fully considered my amendment and will be supporting an expansion of the definition of a high hedge. I am grateful to have received cross-party support on the issue, and I thank all members who have made thoughtful contributions to the debate. I recognise the importance...
Anne McTaggart: As a member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, I welcome the opportunity to scrutinise once again the proposals of the High Hedges (Scotland) Bill. I fully support efforts to address the problem of neighbour disputes that result from overgrown vegetation and agree that local authorities should have the authority to intervene in those cases. My amendment, which was supported...
Anne McTaggart: In these tough economic circumstances, it is right that the Parliament takes time to scrutinise how Scotland uses its buying power to promote social and economic development. Our public sector spends more than £9 billion every year on procurement, and it is increasingly important that that money is used to benefit the communities that are hardest hit by rising levels of unemployment. How the...
Anne McTaggart: I thank the cabinet secretary for that. The Jimmy Reid Foundation report on procurement in the public sector identified that the Scottish Government too often locks Scottish companies out from being able to bid for public sector contracts. Often, the contracts are so large and incorporate so many distinct elements that many small and medium-sized businesses are unable to compete for them....
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this hugely important debate. Given the widespread impact of the benefit cuts on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, I will focus on the effects of welfare reform on women. Since long before the 2008 recession and the election of our coalition Government in 2010, women have been paid less than men, are more likely to be...
Anne McTaggart: Absolutely. That was not a point that I was going to cover in my speech, so I thank Bob Doris for raising it. All across Scotland, workers are being paid less, businesses are closing down and employees are being made redundant. Families are being forced out of their homes, first-time buyers are priced out of the market and graduates are taught to forget the aspirations that took them to...
Anne McTaggart: I am delighted to take part in this debate on the important subject of Scotland’s outstanding voluntary sector. I thank Gavin Brown for securing the time in the chamber to consider the pressures facing third sector organisations. The on-going economic circumstances mean that, for charities of all sizes, securing funding is a continuous struggle. In my region of Glasgow, few—if...
Anne McTaggart: I am delighted to take part in this debate on the subject of the blacklisting of Scottish construction workers. I thank my colleague Neil Findlay, not only for securing this time to discuss the disgraceful practices of some of the best-known names in the construction industry but for his tireless campaigning to achieve justice for those who have been left unemployable as a result of their...
Anne McTaggart: As a member of the Public Petitions Committee, I welcome this debate on Professor David Crichton’s petition, in which he calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to represent Scottish interests in the current discussions between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the United Kingdom insurance industry. Before I start, I want to wish the...
Anne McTaggart: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what projects it is funding to promote social, cultural and business links with Poland. (S4O-02106)
Anne McTaggart: Recent research by the University of the West of Scotland illustrates that ethnic minority entrepreneurs often fail to seek support from readily available Government sources and that immigrants in Scotland are less likely to make use of key public services. An estimated 80,000 Polish nationals are resident in Scotland. Does the minister agree that such research suggests that the Scottish...
Anne McTaggart: At the outset, I declare an interest: I once worked for North Ayrshire Council as a community worker that covered the isle of Cumbrae. I am delighted to contribute to the debate because I know how important the subject of the exceptional biological science facility based in Millport and the recent decision to close this important national resource are. I thank my colleague, Margaret McDougall...
Anne McTaggart: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it will provide to HMYOI Polmont and Education Scotland, following the decision to increase access, quality and consistency of teaching for inmates as a result of the report on HMYOI Polmont in February 2013. (S4O-02136)
Anne McTaggart: I was encouraged to learn that, on 8 May, Education Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service met various organisations, including colleges of further education, to discuss the process that will enable HMYOI Polmont to provide a secure and effective learning environment. What tangible steps have been taken to implement that new initiative, and what difference should the current young offenders...
Anne McTaggart: I am genuinely delighted to bring the campaign to recognise Mary Barbour’s achievements and legacy before the Scottish Parliament, and I thank members across the chamber for their cross-party support and for joining me in calling for a statue to be dedicated to the memory of Mrs Barbour. The impact that Mary Barbour had on the lives of women, children and ordinary families in Govan is...
Anne McTaggart: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to today’s debate and I thank the members of the Equal Opportunities Committee for their time on, and commitment to, the important subject of homelessness among Scotland’s young people. We know that all forms of homelessness are on the rise as a consequence of the challenging economic circumstances that we face. However, homelessness among...
Anne McTaggart: 4. To ask the Scottish Government what recent work it has carried out in partnership with the Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector. (S4O-02168)
Anne McTaggart: In June last year, the Government published “Action for Jobs—Supporting Young Scots into Work: Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy”, which highlighted the importance of the third sector in the Government’s plan to address growing unemployment. Given that the youth unemployment rate is now estimated to be more than 16 per cent, is the cabinet secretary satisfied that the objectives...
Anne McTaggart: I am delighted to contribute on the important subject of Age Scotland’s still waiting campaign, which promotes the extension of the existing national concessionary travel scheme. First, I congratulate Alison McInnes on securing the time in the chamber to highlight the campaign’s work. I commend Age Scotland for the excellent work that it has done to support Scotland’s older people....
Anne McTaggart: I congratulate the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on its comprehensive report on the scale and effects of underemployment in Scotland. I am keen to contribute to discussions on what is a growing economic problem and to highlight the effects of underemployment on women and young people in particular. Underemployment is a deeply concerning social problem that has the ability to mask the...
