Liam McArthur: ...on that subject, on which I believe reform is urgently needed and for which I expect the Energy Bill will now deliver a solution. The independent analysis that was commissioned by the joint working group that was set up by both Governments underscores the opportunities and barriers to unlocking the renewables potential of our islands, and the importance of doing so if we are to meet our...
Alasdair Allan: ...Adamson, Neil Bibby and Nanette Milne all highlighted the point that was made throughout the debate about the importance of women in science. It is worth adding that Angela Constance’s strategic group on women and work is looking at the skills gap in terms of gender and that the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s report “Tapping all our Talents—Women in science, technology, engineering...
Alasdair Allan: ...Adamson, Neil Bibby and Nanette Milne all highlighted the point that was made throughout the debate about the importance of women in science. It is worth adding that Angela Constance’s strategic group on women and work is looking at the skills gap in terms of gender and that the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s report “Tapping all our Talents—Women in science, technology, engineering...
Liam McArthur: ...last Friday. Improvements are needed in communications, not just with the travelling public but with the wider community. Many are directly affected, as the minister heard from the Orkney tourism group representatives last week. Wider questions are also being asked about the contract that was specified, negotiated and agreed between the Government and Serco. For example, all the details of...
Liam McArthur: Does the cabinet secretary agree that, following on from the working group’s excellent report, it is worth pursuing in the work that is done with the UK Government the idea of the Crown Estate underwriting some of the risk and cost of putting in place the cable infrastructure that is needed to support renewables not only in Orkney but in the Western Isles and Shetland?
Sandra White: ...the children—to work their way through and understand the system. A different approach was needed then and is definitely needed now; we need to look at that. In my work, I was involved with a group, supported by Glasgow City Council social work department, that worked with unaccompanied asylum seekers. The concern about age always raised its head when I visited the groups and the...
Liam Byrne: ...up the road. The mortality figures published by the Library over the past few days show that 1.2 million citizens die between the age of 65 and 69, and 60% of those are in the bottom three income groups. Mortality rates for the poorest in our country are twice the level of the richest, and we must take great care, not just with projections about life expectancy, but also about healthy life...
Stuart McMillan: ...remain at a distinct disadvantage compared with those on the mainland. I have touched on that point in previous debates. The situation will render many projects uneconomic—I expect that Liam McArthur will touch on that in his speech, as he is an Orkney MSP. Given the significant renewables resources that are located on and around Scotland’s islands, a fairer system must be found. The...
Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average duration is of a claimant on employment and support allowance, by age group.
Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average duration is of a claimant on jobseeker's allowance, by age group.
Mark Harper: The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking last met on 17 June 2013. A list of invitees and attendees is in the following table: Meeting date: 17 June 2013 Name Title Attendees Mark Harper MP Minister for Immigration (Chair) Oliver Heald QC MP Solicitor-General David Mundell MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland Baroness...
Liam McArthur: ...the situation in my board area, as I note that I am the member for the only board area—Orkney—where there is no specialist heart failure nurse. I commend Bill Braby and the local heart support group in Orkney for raising the issue with me over recent months, and for their efforts in prosecuting the case for the reinstatement of a heart failure nurse in Orkney. As others have said, Dave...
Michael Russell: Section 3 is at the very heart of the bill. During stage 2, we had a detailed discussion about widening access provisions. Liam McArthur in particular lodged a number of amendments, which I opposed at the time because I felt that they went too far in diluting the effectiveness of the provision. However, I think that the entire committee agreed that there was merit in some aspects of his...
Liam McArthur: ...that ministers have at their disposal, help to ensure that access becomes core to the mission of our universities. I welcome the recognition that a broader definition is needed for underrepresented groups, including those with learning difficulties, but I believe that fair access agreements that are linked to funding carrots and sticks could achieve the same ends. I entirely accept that...
Lord Wood of Anfield: ..., as discussed by the noble Lord, Lord Shipley. The number of people out of work for over a year is now at 900,000, three times the figure of seven or eight years ago. Just under half of this group have been out of work for two years, not just one. It is cold comfort for this group to hear that unemployment in Britain is lower than many economists expected. The coalition’s response to...
Mark Harper: The inter-departmental ministerial group on human trafficking met on 17 June 2013. The meeting considered current trends in human trafficking, a priority country analysis on Albania and an update on work to strengthen data collection following the last report of the inter-departmental ministerial group. A list of invitees and attendees is shown in the following table. Meeting date: 17...
Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many and what proportion of employment and support allowance claimants in the work-related activity group are in employment 12 to 18 months after their claim; (2) how many and what proportion of employment and support allowance claimants found fit for work are in employment 12 to 18 months after their claim; (3) how many and what...
Lord Clement-Jones: ...and find the target audience most appropriate to them. As I said, commercial operations that employ full-time leafleters tend to leaflet more indiscriminately and create the most litter. Small groups leafleting on their own behalf will leaflet more selectively and responsibly and create very little litter. The leafleting licence scheme punishes the small events and organisations that...
Liam Byrne: ...the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time is for which jobseeker’s allowance has been claimed by claimants previously in the employment and support allowance fit for work group.
Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of work-related support group decisions for employment and support allowance were successfully appealed against in the latest period for which figures are available; (2) what proportion of work-related activity group decisions for employment and support allowance ended in appeal in the latest period for which figures...