Clare Haughey: I, too, thank Bob Doris for securing the debate, and I thank him and the members who signed the motion for affording us the opportunity to debate the issue. Jobcentres play an important role in supporting people who are seeking work. They are also an important point of contact for local businesses that are looking to recruit and for local and national initiatives that seek to support people...
Clare Haughey: How will effective communications on the development of the new network be delivered to clinicians and the public?
Clare Haughey: They say that people’s first step to recovery is their recognising that they have a problem, so I am thankful that the Conservatives have turned their attention to the impact that socioeconomic factors have on people’s health. It is demonstrably true that social and economic factors impact on health inequalities and that health inequalities have a greater impact on children. A child who...
Clare Haughey: I thank Richard Leonard for lodging his motion and giving us the opportunity to mark the 30th anniversary of what is a notable event in recent Scottish trade union history, which is a history that, as Richard Leonard noted in his speech, we do not celebrate enough. The Caterpillar plant in Uddingston drew its workforce from across Glasgow, Lanarkshire and beyond, and its closure would have...
Clare Haughey: Without the benefits of EU human rights legislation, there is a strong possibility that I would not be here in this chamber; and it is not a stretch of the imagination to believe that many other women MSPs might not be here today either. EU legislation has ensured that my rights as a woman, an employee and a parent are all protected. In my working life before coming to Parliament, I was...
Clare Haughey: No, not at the moment. As Ross Greer mentioned, we have already witnessed attacks on trade unions through recent legislation. We are in a period of uncertainty about the legal basis of so many of the rights that have improved the lives of everyone in this country. The repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998—an absolutely vital piece of legislation that further protects the rights of people in...
Clare Haughey: I, too, commend Emma Harper for securing the motion and for bringing the plight of the animals concerned into the spotlight. By making life as difficult as possible for puppy traffickers and illegal breeders, we can provide the best start in life to beloved pets. The import of puppies from Ireland and elsewhere into Scotland should be of major concern to us all. It is hard to overstate the...
Clare Haughey: 4. To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can give to customers who signed solar energy green deal agreements with Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Systems Ltd, which ceased trading in April 2016, in light of reports that some have found their energy bills increasing by up to three times and the value of their homes being adversely affected. (S5O-00482)
Clare Haughey: Dozens of my constituents in Blantyre have approached me to complain that they have been missold solar panels by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Systems Ltd under the UK Government’s green deal programme. That is having a huge impact on them financially and personally as they deal with the distress that it is causing them. I believe that the issue is not confined to my constituency of...
Clare Haughey: Throughout the previous parliamentary session, local authorities and Opposition politicians continually called for the council tax freeze to be lifted and for bills to increase. Does the cabinet secretary agree that, given the increase in spending powers for councils that could come from the new powers, it would be ridiculous for local authorities to refuse to use the powers in order to make...
Clare Haughey: I welcome and commend the Scottish Government’s delivery plan for creating a fairer Scotland for disabled people. I believe that it provides a comprehensive blueprint for the work that has to be undertaken over the next five years to remove the barriers that can often exclude disabled people from living as independently as possible. The plan contains many commendable points, and I...
Clare Haughey: Will the member take an intervention?
Clare Haughey: Does the Scottish Government agree with me that one way to reduce the stigma experienced by those with disabilities is for the Tory Westminster Government to treat people with dignity and respect, rather than threaten to reduce their incomes by slashing disability benefits, and to stop imposing draconian benefit sanctions on some of the most vulnerable in our society?
Clare Haughey: Does the First Minister share my concern about this week’s comment from defence secretary Michael Fallon that United Kingdom shipbuilding needs rebalancing, which suggests that there is a risk to jobs in Scotland? What representations will the Scottish Government make to the Ministry of Defence, to ensure that it keeps the promises that have been made to workers on the Clyde?
Clare Haughey: Will the member take an intervention?
Clare Haughey: I thank the Scottish Government for bringing forward the motion and giving us the opportunity to reflect on the many benefits of St Andrew’s day as a national holiday for all Scots at home, and as a day of celebration for the wider Scots diaspora. The diaspora community is much wider than many would think. Somewhere in the region of 50 million people worldwide claim a Scottish connection....
Clare Haughey: 8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Lanarkshire Council regarding the building of secondary schools. (S5O-00372)
Clare Haughey: There has been a significant increase in house building in my constituency over the past 10 years, particularly in the Halfway and Newton area of Cambuslang. Unfortunately, poor planning by South Lanarkshire Council means that there is a dearth of facilities to support that otherwise welcome expansion. Although there is new primary school provision in the area, changes to school catchment...
Clare Haughey: Will the member take an intervention?
Clare Haughey: Does Alex Cole-Hamilton accept that his party stood hand in hand with the Tories as architects of the austerity that has caused some of the worst benefit cuts in this country?