Dave Petrie: The minister has mentioned twice that actions speak louder than words, but will she offer some words of comfort to the islanders of Tiree? The island is arguably the windiest place in the UK and arguably self-sustainable in renewables, but the islanders cannot get wind turbines because their order is not big enough.
Dave Petrie: There is no question but that the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 was most welcome, but let us not beat about the bush: the implementation of free personal care has been a joke, but not many elderly people are laughing. In a typical case in Argyll and Bute, an applicant waits months for assessment and months for a decision, only for the council to plead poverty and offer them a...
Dave Petrie: Any issue concerning children must be tackled sensitively and examined with the utmost scrutiny. As other members have said, whatever decision we reach today must be driven by the best interests of the child. As a parent and a former teacher and children's panel member, I am only too well aware of the importance to a child of a stable family background. Children are one of the most vulnerable...
Dave Petrie: I am not suggesting that they will not be good parents. All that I am saying is that we are looking at commitment and that if people want to commit themselves to being good parents, it makes sense, from the point of view of security for the child, for them to enter a civil partnership. The proposal to enable anyone in a non-formalised relationship to adopt could undermine the welfare of the...
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether Caledonian MacBrayne has removed a facility enabling the purchase of subsidised six-journey ticket books in respect of vehicles of five metres or less; if so, what the reasons are for this decision and which of its routes will be affected.
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the regeneration of Caithness and Sutherland, in light of any loss of jobs as a result of the decommissioning of Dounreay nuclear power station.
Dave Petrie: I apologise for the state of my voice. I assure members that it has nothing to do with the world cup. It gives me great pleasure to open this important and worthwhile debate on behalf of my party. The Conservative party has always recognised the value of immigration and migrant communities. It is a common characteristic of the British, and of the Scots in particular, to mix and integrate with...
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a progress report on the commitment to upgrade the A82 Tarbet to Inverness trunk road. (S2O-10259)
Dave Petrie: The minister will be fully aware of my particular concern about the section of the road from Tarbet to Inverarnan. Bearing in mind the extensive consultation over the past 20-odd years, does the minister agree that an early start—within the next two years—is perfectly feasible? Does he further agree that, in the spirit of fitness for all, cycleways should be included?
Dave Petrie: I thank Fergus Ewing for bringing this crucial issue to the chamber. When I first came to the Highlands and Islands as a graduate civil engineer in the 1970s, the streets were paved not with gold but with black gold, namely tar. Regrettably, 30 years on, the same tar exists in patches. The roads I designed comprised 9in of bottoming, 4in of tar, drainage offlets, culverts and bridges....
Dave Petrie: Would Tavish Scott question that? It is an excellent trunk road. We are now demanding a similar upgrade from Tarbet to Inverness. I addressed the Scottish Trades Union Congress conference in Inverness last weekend. The residents of Caithness are seriously concerned over future employment prospects with the closure of Dounreay. Irrespective of whether one believes in the nuclear industry,...
Dave Petrie: I thank Maureen Macmillan for bringing this valuable debate to the chamber. The history of the United Kingdom, Scotland and the Highlands and Islands has been characterised by millennia of migration from all over the world. That has been fused into our culture and it has created the economic and social wealth that we enjoy today. The elevenfold increase in the registration of overseas...
Dave Petrie: Okay. Investment and support for migrant workers will only help to bring further benefits and maintain our long tradition of welcoming all cultures to arguably one of the most attractive locations in western Europe—no bias intended.
Dave Petrie: I thank Cathy Peattie for bringing the debate to the chamber. Many of us, at some point in our lives, will either be carers or will need carers, or both. It is a consequence of the fragility of our society. As one who is related to carers, who is involved with those who care for elderly relatives and who is also a politician, I fully support carers week and all the good work that carers do...
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a progress report on the commitment in "A Partnership for a Better Scotland" to reduce secondary 1 and secondary 2 class sizes in English and maths to 20 by 2007. (S2O-10102)
Dave Petrie: Having taught secondary mathematics from North Berwick to Fort William over the past three years, I confirm that there is no evidence to support the minister's optimistic view. Average S1 and S2 class sizes in maths and English are still around the 30-plus mark. Will the minister give a commitment that he will not only secure maths and English teachers—I appreciate that he is talking about...
Dave Petrie: Deprivation should concern all political parties in Scotland. If we spend our time in office without addressing the issue we will have failed the people who elected us. Deprivation is not the preserve of inner cities; it is also prevalent in rural and island areas. Accordingly, I am pleased to support the debate. I am encouraged that the Scottish Executive has attempted to address the...
Dave Petrie: No, thank you. In conclusion, I welcome the debate, which is on a crucial issue, and trust that valuable contributions from all sides will put an end to such a blight on our society.
Dave Petrie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd has any plans to charge tourist operators for unoccupied seats on coaches on ferry routes across the CalMac network. (S2O-10000)
Dave Petrie: I have discussed the matter with CalMac. Bearing in mind the increasingly fragile nature of the Highlands and Islands economy, has an assessment been conducted of the likely impact of the move on the use of routes by tourism operators? I have been advised by one major bus company that it is extremely concerned over this extraordinary move, which has been confirmed by CalMac.
