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 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: 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 begin the debate by speaking to my amendment 5. The amendment seeks to achieve the same effect as one that I proposed at stage 2 at the Local Government and Regeneration Committee and later withdrew on the strength of an undertaking from the minister that he would reconsider the issue in detail. Amendment 5 seeks to expand the definition of a high hedge so that the bill will...
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: I thank my colleague, Neil Findlay, for securing the debate, and I welcome the members of our mining community who are here today in Parliament to highlight the grave injustice that was perpetrated by police against our mining community. In the light of the South Yorkshire Police post-Hillsborough cover-up, there is now an Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation into a similar...
Anne McTaggart: I am keen to contribute towards the debate on the quality of the lives of children in Scotland—most importantly, on how we can continue to improve the services and opportunities that we offer to our youngest citizens. As a mother of three children, I know full well that Scotland is often an exceptional place for young people to grow up in. However, I also know, through my work experience in...
Anne McTaggart: 4. To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to Her Majesty’s Young Offenders Institution Polmont to implement recommendations arising from the full inspection carried out in October 2012. (S4O-01898)
Anne McTaggart: How does the Scottish Government plan to address the fact that, currently, only 45 per cent of young offenders at Polmont access education programmes? Does the cabinet secretary share my view that greater participation in those programmes, smaller class sizes and increased opportunities to participate in learning during evenings and weekends are imperative if we hope to reduce reoffending...
Anne McTaggart: 7. To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to address the issues identified by the report of the commission on women offenders. (S4O-01888)
Anne McTaggart: The report cited the failure of the Scottish Government’s mental health strategy to place sufficient emphasis on women in prison. Given that more than 80 per cent of female prisoners in Cornton Vale have a recognised serious mental health problem, does the cabinet secretary recognise the importance of that issue?
Anne McTaggart: Like others, I congratulate the members of the Finance Committee and their support team on their informative report and thank them for it. Demographic change and the ageing population in particular are becoming a major concern in relation to Scotland’s fiscal sustainability. The Finance Committee’s report on the issue highlights some key issues and concerns with regard to the implications...
Anne McTaggart: As a parent of three lovely young children and a former chair of the Blairdardie primary school parent board in Glasgow, I am delighted to take part in the discussions on the importance of parenting. I welcome the Scottish Government’s £18 million investment in a national parenting strategy that develops information, advice and support for those with guardianship and caring...
Anne McTaggart: As a member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, I have been involved in discussions about both the pace and the quality of public service reform in local authorities for some time. Our discussions and evidence-taking sessions illustrated some of the key issues that local authorities, stakeholders and communities face in seeking to achieve reform that makes way for a...
Anne McTaggart: The example that Mr Stewart mentions was excellent. The recent report by the Finance Committee on Scotland’s changing demographics, which showed an increase in the number of people of pensionable age, illustrates the challenges that we face and highlights our responsibility to evolve our public services in a way that provides high-quality and efficient resourcing into the future. The...
Anne McTaggart: I am delighted to contribute to this debate on the 50 miles per hour campaign, and I thank David Stewart MSP for securing the time for it. I know that my colleague has a wealth of experience in advocating on road safety issues and is well placed to illustrate the key issues that surround the important proposal. The UK Government has welcomed the proposition to increase the speed limit for...
Anne McTaggart: As a member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, I welcome the opportunity to scrutinise the Government’s proposals in the High Hedges (Scotland) Bill. It is clear that the bill aims to address what can often be a major source of anti-social behaviour in our communities and intends to provide individuals with a course of action to address the problem of overhanging or...
