Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate, because smoking continues to be of great concern to many of us, and I applaud Jim Hume MSP for getting the bill to this stage. As others have said, studies show that around 23 per cent of adults in Scotland smoke, which means that in Scotland as many as 60,000 car journeys are made each day on which children are exposed to...
Anne McTaggart: I thank James Dornan for securing the time in the chamber to debate what has become Europe’s worst refugee crisis since the second world war. The whole country is moved by this on-going crisis. People are taking desperate measures to cross the Mediterranean from places such as Syria and Libya, and more than 2,700 lives have been lost so far this year in unsuccessful missions to reach Europe...
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in today’s debate on democracy and devolution. On Friday it will be a year to the day since Scotland voted decisively to stay part of the United Kingdom, with a strong Scottish Parliament armed with more powers to strengthen the present constitutional arrangements and serve Scotland better, in a way that would meet the aspirations of the...
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on what has become Europe’s worst refugee crisis since the second world war, but saddened that I have to do so. Save the Children has estimated that, so far in 2015, more than 350,000 desperate people have made the journey across the Mediterranean Sea. It is estimated that more than 2,700 people have died trying to reach Europe, with the...
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee’s debate on internationalising Scottish business. Like many members, I thank the MSPs who sat on the committee and the staff for their hard work on this important issue. The world has become more interconnected through the development of high-speed communications and trade. In that regard,...
Anne McTaggart: 3. To ask the Scottish Government when it will take a decision on setting the Scottish rate of income tax. (S4O-04550)
Anne McTaggart: The Sunday Times reported a devolved tax expert, Sharon Blain, as saying that many Scottish firms offering jobs to people in other parts of the UK are concerned that they cannot make assurances about tax rates. Can that evidence influence a decision being made earlier?
Anne McTaggart: We welcome a number of the recommendations that are made in the report, including the recommendation that Creative Scotland lead the co-ordination of the industry, academia and public bodies to establish a national strategy that will deliver a sustainable Scottish games industry. We also welcome the funding commitments that were made today in advance of the debate. However, the report’s...
Anne McTaggart: 13. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the management of Glasgow Clyde College and what was discussed. (S4O-04500)
Anne McTaggart: Although the cabinet secretary has not met the management of Glasgow Clyde College recently, although one of her officers has, has the Government had a discussion with the college’s management in order to reassure students and to secure nominations for executive positions? What implications are there for the funding of the college if it does not have a students association?
Anne McTaggart: The tenor of the majority of the debate has been that, for many reasons, it is in the interests of Scotland and the broader UK to remain in the EU. Many speakers have accepted that changes need to be made, but they have suggested that it would be easier to tackle those changes from within the EU. We are right to argue that Britain’s potential exit from the EU poses huge risks for British...
Anne McTaggart: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate, as alcohol is a matter of great and on-going concern to many of the constituents of all members. Alcohol misuse and its consequence for health and community safety remain a significant challenge, not only in Scotland but throughout the UK. We all know how important relationships are. They are central to our lives and important...
Anne McTaggart: I express my pleasure at having the opportunity to take part in this important debate this afternoon. The Scotland can do framework was launched to set out areas of priority in which the Scottish Government can act to see that Scotland becomes a world-leading and innovative nation for business. It is only right that we commend the work of the stakeholders who have contributed to the framework...
Anne McTaggart: I thank my colleague Paul Martin for bringing the issue of rent-tied pubs to the chamber for debate. On the surface, this evening’s debate is about the licensed pub trade, but it is really about Scottish small businesses. The most damning statistic of all is that tenanted pubs in Scotland are 62 times more likely to close than are their free-trade counterparts. The pubs that we are talking...
Anne McTaggart: Someone has just said, “Follow that,” but members will be glad to hear that I will not be discussing many of my ailments today. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to speak in today’s debate. All of us in the chamber recognise the role and celebrate the valued contribution of allied health professionals in health and social care. They play a vital role in our communities, leading...
Anne McTaggart: 14. To ask the Scottish Government how many general practices have been unable to recruit one or more partners for more than six months. (S4O-04257)
Anne McTaggart: Given the closure of practices to new patients and the growing number of practices that are already having difficulty in recruiting and retaining GPs, and given the British Medical Association survey showing that many GPs are intending to retire and that as many as one in five are considering emigrating, how does the Government plan to recruit between 563 and 915 additional GPs by 2020?
Anne McTaggart: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate as a member of the European and External Relations Committee. Like many speakers, many of my constituents have contacted me with their concerns about the negotiations for a new transatlantic trade and investment partnership between the EU and the USA. The European Commission runs negotiations on behalf of the European Union and its...
Anne McTaggart: I am particularly pleased to contribute to the debate, as a fairly new member of the European and External Relations Committee, and I congratulate all my colleagues past and present on the committee on releasing the report, which outlines how we and other committees have engaged on European issues over the past year and sets out the priorities for EU engagement in the coming year....
Anne McTaggart: In closing the debate for the Scottish Labour Party, I must say how fantastic it is to have the opportunity to discuss the huge contribution that Scotland’s cultural and creative attractions make to our society, our economy and our diversity as a nation. As we have heard, last year was an excellent one for Scottish cultural events. In culture 2014, with its branding designed by the superb...
