Thursday, 23 March 2006
Scottish Parliament Thursday 23 March 2006 [THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 09:15]
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S2M-4163, in the name of Nicol Stephen, on growing a knowledge economy.
Three questions have been withdrawn, so I propose to suspend the meeting at 11:55, which will give us five minutes to fill the room for First Minister's questions.
To ask the Scottish Executive what inquiries it has made to ascertain whether the voluntary sector believes that the Executive is fulfilling the commitments made in the Scottish compact. (S2O-9427)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will transfer responsibility for Careers Scotland from Scottish Enterprise to align it with the Executive's Education Department in order to promote...
To ask the Scottish Executive how many interim antisocial behaviour orders in Glasgow have been applied for and granted by the courts. (S2O-9381)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider granting rights of appeal under the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill to individuals who are in receipt of a neighbour notification as a result...
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the introduction of a social aid package that will benefit Scotland's island residents by reducing the cost of air travel between...
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing additional financial assistance to local authorities where strategic rationalisation of schools provision is on-going in order to...
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in improving energy efficiency. (S2O-9347)
I assure anyone who heard shouts of, "Come on McConnell" coming from my office this morning that the McConnell whom I was shouting for was Lee McConnell. I congratulate her on winning a...
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive's Cabinet. (S2F-2192)
To ask the First Minister whether all measures are in place to enforce the legislation on smoking in public places, which comes into force this Sunday. (S2F-2196)
To ask the First Minister how many recommendations for honours have been made by the Scottish Executive since 2003. (S2F-2202)
To ask the First Minister whether there have been any discussions at ministerial or official level with Her Majesty's Treasury since May 2003 regarding the privatisation of Scottish Water....
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements should be put in place before elderly patients are discharged from hospital and which agencies are responsible for ensuring that adequate home care...
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date all local authorities will be in a position fully to deliver free personal care for elderly people. (S2O-9359)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the section of the partnership agreement relating to health will have been implemented in full by 2007. (S2O-9352)
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care last met the chairman and chief executive of NHS Western Isles and what issues they discussed. (S2O-9349)
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice has been issued to national health service boards regarding the prescribing of Herceptin. (S2O-9377)
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to increase the level of public participation in the NHS. (S2O-9367)
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the development of a new Vale of Leven medical centre and a new Garelochhead medical centre. (S2O-9363)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a submission to the Competition Commission inquiry into the grocery market in respect of relationships between Scottish farmers and major...
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a more substantial response than it has to date to the criticisms of Scottish Water's financial strategy and the role of the Executive and the...
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to appoint a new chairman of Scottish Water. (S2O-9361)
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the context of its rural development strategy, what role rural postal services play in promoting a more diverse rural economy and thriving rural communities....
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a scheme to clean up toxic waste disposal sites. (S2O-9410)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address issues of animal cruelty. (S2O-9393)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to bring forward the planned test of contingency planning measures as the threat from avian flu increases. (S2O-9358)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish a consultation on environmental courts. (S2O-9430)
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-4164, in the name of Malcolm Chisholm, on the strategy for an aging population.
There are five questions to be put as a result of today's business. The first question is, that amendment S2M-4163.2, in the name of Jim Mather, which seeks to amend motion S2M-4163, in the name...
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-3921, in the name of Euan Robson, on the proposed closure of Coldstream and Jedburgh hospitals. The debate will 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.