We need your support to keep TheyWorkForYou running and make sure people across the UK can continue to hold their elected representatives to account.
Donate to our crowdfunderThursday, 15 December 2005
Scottish Parliament Thursday 15 December 2005 [THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 09:15]
Good morning. We start with stage 3 of the Family Law (Scotland) Bill. I will make the usual announcement about the procedures to be followed. First, we deal with amendments to the bill, and then...
Group 1 is on void marriages and civil partnerships. Amendment 1 is grouped with amendments 2 and 5.
Group 2 is on circumstances in which marriage by cohabitation with habit and repute may have effect. Amendment 6, in the name of Pauline McNeill, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 3 is on occupancy rights: dealings with third parties. Amendment 7, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, is grouped with amendment 26.
Group 4 is on divorce/dissolution of civil partnership: separation periods. Amendment 35, in the name of Brian Adam, is grouped with amendments 8, 9, 27, 28 and 54. If amendment 35 is agreed to,...
Group 5 concerns the postponement of a decree of divorce where a religious impediment to remarry exists. Amendment 36, in the name of Stewart Stevenson, is grouped with amendments 37, 38 and 10.
Group 6 is on the breakdown of communication between partners and the effect of that on children. Amendment 39, in the name of Margaret Mitchell, is grouped with amendment 52.
Group 7 is on special destinations. Amendment 11, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 29 and 30.
Group 8 is on payments towards the maintenance of children. Amendment 40, in the name of Phil Gallie, is the only amendment in the group. I ask Mr Gallie to be brief.
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to promote the teaching of co-operative principles in schools. (S2O-8475)
To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions have been reached by NHS Scotland about concerns raised at public meetings in Stornoway on 30 November and 1 December 2005 in respect of the...
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to monitor the amount of green-belt land being rezoned for housing in new structure plans. (S2O-8459)
To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons public sector agencies can learn from recent cases of racial discrimination upheld by the Court of Session. (S2O-8494)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for further reducing truancy rates in schools. (S2O-8490)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the statutory definition of overcrowding in social rented housing. (S2O-8457)
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given to national health service boards in respect of the identification and prevention of osteoporosis. (S2O-8508)
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive's Cabinet. (S2F-1999)
I, too, endorse the First Minister's comments about the city of Glasgow's bid for the Commonwealth games. My party certainly extends its very best wishes to the city in its endeavours. To ask the...
To ask the First Minister when he last met the Secretary of State for Scotland and what issues were discussed. (S2F-2005)
To ask the First Minister what impact the United Kingdom Government's adoption of a similar scheme will have on Scotland's fresh talent initiative. (S2F-2010)
To ask the First Minister what research has been undertaken by the Scottish Executive into establishing any links between childhood obesity and social deprivation. (S2F-2003)
To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Executive has had with Her Majesty's Government in respect of payment of security costs for the G8 summit at Gleneagles. (S2F-2002)
The next item of business is a member's business debate on motion S2M-3482, in the name of Paul Martin, on excess winter deaths in greater Glasgow. The debate will be concluded without any...
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the future of the Forth road bridge. (S2O-8428)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports the tertiary education sector in making links with China. (S2O-8461)
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the total cost of the Edinburgh tram scheme and what proportion of such cost the Executive will fund. (S2O-8449)
To ask the Scottish Executive how regional transport partnerships are developing public transport in Scotland. (S2O-8498)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are sufficient bus compliance officers to monitor the enforcement of bus registration in Scotland. (S2O-8470)
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on providing concessionary fares to mature students and what action it plans to take on this issue. (S2O-8510)
To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation has been carried out of its action to reform the operation of the High Court. (S2O-8503)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the clerking of district courts. (S2O-8463)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many class A drug offences have been reported this year and how this compares with previous years. (S2O-8453)
To ask the Scottish Executive what long-term plans it has for the female unit in HM Prison Inverness. (S2O-8446)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging local authorities and police forces to make full use of their powers to address antisocial behaviour. (S2O-8472)
To ask the Scottish Executive what advantages have been gained from the Reliance contract for the transportation of prisoners. (S2O-8424)
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice last met the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway constabulary. (S2O-8441)
Resumed debate.
We resume our consideration of amendments to the Family Law (Scotland) Bill. Group 9 is on the abolition of the status of illegitimacy. Amendment 12, in the name of the minister, is grouped with...
Group 10 is on court orders concerning parental responsibilities and the role of wider family members. Amendment 41, in the name of Rosemary Byrne, is the only amendment in the group.
That brings us to group 13, on the definition of conduct constituting abuse. Amendment 45, in the name of Stewart Stevenson, is the only amendment in the group.
Amendment 15 moved—[Hugh Henry].
Group 14 is on the meaning of "cohabitant". Amendment 16, in the name of Fergus Ewing, is grouped with amendments 17, 18 and 18A.
Group 15 is on the matters that a court may take into consideration in making financial provision when a cohabitation ends. Amendment 22, in the name of Fergus Ewing, is grouped with amendments...
Group 17 is on provision for cohabitant dying intestate. Amendment 47, in the name of Pauline McNeill, is grouped with amendments 48 and 49.
Group 18 is on the definition of "child" in relation to family interdicts. Amendment 50, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 51 and 4.
Group 19 is on the termination of power of attorney on dissolution of civil partnership. Amendment 25, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, is the only amendment in the group.
Amendments 52 and 53 not moved.
Amendment 26 moved—[Hugh Henry]—and agreed to. [Amendment 4 moved—[Marlyn Glen].]
Amendment 30 moved—[Cathy Jamieson]—and agreed to.
Group 20 is on the Lord Advocate's role as party to proceedings in actions for divorce or the dissolution of civil partnerships. Amendment 31, in the name of the minister, is grouped with...
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-3628, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the Parliament agrees that the Family Law (Scotland) Bill be passed.
The next item of business is consideration of motion S2M-3741, in the name of Ross Finnie, on the Animal Welfare Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation. Motion moved, That the Parliament...
The next item of business is consideration of three business motions—S2M-3725, S2M-3726 and S2M-3729—in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out...
The next item of business is consideration of a Parliamentary Bureau motion. I ask Margaret Curran to move motion S2M-3738, on the establishment of a committee. Motion moved, That the Parliament...
There are three questions to be put as a result of today's business. The first question is, that motion S2M-3628, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the Family Law (Scotland) Bill be passed, be...
The Scottish Parliament is the national legislature of Scotland, located in Edinburgh. The Parliament consists of 129 members known as MSPs, elected for four-year terms; 73 represent individual geographical constituencies, and 56 are regional representatives.