Dave Petrie: The criticism was realistic and positive.
Dave Petrie: I echo what Donald Gorrie said about extra-curricular activities in schools—which the Conservative party greatly supports—and pay tribute to my esteemed mentor, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, for his support and for his excellent speech in his final parliamentary debate. As a former teacher, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. When I heard Tony Blair give his triple...
Dave Petrie: I had not realised that we have reached such an agreement, but I look forward to sending the minister a letter. If the results of the extra money that has been made available are not good enough, I want to know why that money is being wasted. The Executive wants to talk up the successes of its education policy in this debate as much as possible, but it is interesting that there is not a...
Dave Petrie: I am sorry, but I have a lot to get through. Attainment is clearly important to pupils and parents, but the Executive has not prioritised it. Lib-Lab policies are damaging our education system, but the Scottish National Party's proposals are just as reckless. It is astounding that SNP members claim to be in favour of increasing investment by abandoning PPPs and moving to a system of public...
Dave Petrie: We should clarify that nothing of the sort could happen until there was full independence. We are faced with a number of options. The Lib-Lab pact is prepared to invest money, but it has failed to raise attainment levels. The SNP is prepared to spend money, but it would not have the means to raise it. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Rather than the Government controlling...
Dave Petrie: Does the minister agree that affordable housing requires significant additional investment? Does she support the introduction of a £100 million a year trust that, by offering grants to prospective homeowners, would significantly help first-time buyers throughout Scotland—and, indeed, in the Highlands and Islands—to get on to the property ladder?
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the need to continue to provide a passenger and vehicle ferry service into the centre of Dunoon. (S2O-12338)
Dave Petrie: I thank the minister for his response, which I could have predicted. If, as I fear, a car ferry service into the centre of Dunoon is not continued, the effect on the Kyle and Bute economies will be devastating. Will the minister make a pre-election commitment to upgrade the Bute ferry terminal at Wemyss bay, with a long-overdue breakwater to protect the currently vulnerable and frequently ...
Dave Petrie: I am happy to speak to the member about the matter at length at a later stage, but I can assure him, briefly, that there are schools in the Highlands that are not particularly well resourced.
Dave Petrie: We on this side of the chamber welcome the bill, which in partnership with parents and schools can only be of immense benefit to the health and well-being of future generations. I thank the clerks and the bill team for their support in preparing the bill. We all know the background to the bill. We have rising levels of dietary problems in Scotland, with obvious health and social consequences....
Dave Petrie: It seems illogical to me that parents who can afford to pay for school lunches should be relieved of that requirement when there are significant resource issues in schools. We fully support the bill and look forward to its early implementation.
Dave Petrie: I have heard the arguments and I have listened carefully to the debate, especially Christine Grahame's speech. My major concern is the number of children who do not take up the free school meals to which they are currently entitled. We need to consider that issue seriously. I genuinely feel that parents who can afford it should provide school meals for their children. I do not agree with...
Dave Petrie: My view is that we can and should actively encourage children to stay in school at lunch time so that they can get involved in various activities and, one would hope, take up school lunches. Having worked in schools recently, I have seen the state of the resources in schools and the shortages of text books and information technology facilities. If the children of parents who can afford to pay...
Dave Petrie: I am concentrating on lunches. I can see the arguments, but I believe that school resources will suffer if parents who can afford to pay for their children's school lunches are not required to pay for them.
Dave Petrie: Will the minister give way?
Dave Petrie: In the spirit of encouraging outdoor activity for pupils, and following Patricia Ferguson's comments on the radio this morning, will the minister acknowledge the benefits that flow from schools dedicating, say, Friday afternoons to extra-curricular activities?
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the value of Scottish Water's investment in water quality in the Western Isles will be eroded if leakage in the pipe network is not addressed at the same time. (S2O-12261)
Dave Petrie: I acknowledge what the minister has said, but does she agree that pipe network leakage of around 50 per cent throughout Scotland is a massive waste of expensively treated water, and that the problem will be adequately rectified only by releasing Scottish Water from the financial limitations of the current funding process and replacing it with a not-for-profit mutual model?
Dave Petrie: I thank Alasdair Morrison, as well as other members, for bringing up this important issue. I recall with horror my only visit—in the early 1970s—to an old firm match, when the legendary Jim Baxter returned to Ibrox. I found the atmosphere of hate between the supporters electrifying and horrifying. Thankfully, things are now moving on. Bigotry, racism and discrimination in any form are...
Dave Petrie: I take Margo MacDonald's point, but I do not think that it is directly related to the debate. We need to look at the issue of more police on the streets. As recently as last Sunday, I was confronted with a mob of supporters at Meadowbank prior to the Hibs v Rangers match. They were causing public fear and havoc until they were dispersed belatedly by one solitary police vehicle. Police at a...
