Thursday, 8 February 2007
Scottish Parliament Thursday 8 February 2007 [THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 09:15]
Good morning. The first item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-5561, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for stage 3...
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5535, in the name of Tricia Marwick, on the Forth and Tay road bridges tolls.
The next item of business is a debate on business motion S2M-5549, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on early years education, development and care.
To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the performance of its housing policy since 1999 in tackling homelessness and providing a suitable supply of affordable social housing....
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that current planning laws are adequate to deal with rapid, competing supermarket developments and to ensure fairness and long-term benefit....
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to install Microsoft Vista on its computer systems. (S2O-11982)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take following the release of the report of the supporting and developing healthy communities task group. (S2O-11980)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to regulate the off-sales sector. (S2O-11931)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that the Burns museum project at Alloway will be completed and the visitor attraction fully operational for the 2009 year of homecoming....
There is time to squeeze in Bill Aitken. [ Laughter. ]
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive's Cabinet. (S2F-2701)
To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister and what issues they will discuss. (S2F-2702)
To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Secretary of State for Scotland and what issues he intends to discuss. (S2F-2713)
To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Executive has had with the United Kingdom Government about the recent outbreak of avian flu in Suffolk. (S2F-2708)
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive has any plans to issue guidance or legislate to make schools mobile phone free zones. (S2F-2715)
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive will conduct an urgent review of safety at level crossings without barriers. (S2F-2706)
. Mr Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to the European Commission about the proposed merger between Iberdrola and...
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting education and training for renewable energy technology installation and maintenance. (S2O-11974)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will work with business to reduce the number of unskilled workers in the workforce. (S2O-11955)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the spin-out of research from Scotland's universities. (S2O-11970)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the use of rail for passenger and freight traffic. (S2O-11951)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish the initial findings of the study of the economic, social and environmental impact and cost of retaining or removing tolls from the Tay and...
To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake has been of the young persons concessionary travel scheme. (S2O-11948)
. Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to address serious organised crime. (S2O-11941)
To ask the Scottish Executive how the establishment of a youth court in Paisley can help reduce crime. (S2O-11932)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to promote and extend the traceable bottle marking scheme nationwide. (S2O-11968)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make equal provision of drug rehabilitation and treatment services across Scotland. (S2O-11921)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its position is that the criminal convictions of those who did not pay the Skye bridge tolls should be overturned. (S2O-11972)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many anti-nuclear protestors have been arrested at the Faslane naval base since the start of the Faslane 365 campaign and how many have been charged. (S2O-11927)
To ask the Scottish Executive what innovative measures are being considered to tackle shops that fail to adhere to the law on the supply of cigarettes and alcohol to underage children. (S2O-11938)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the creation of the new category of short-term prisoner within the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill, as advocated by the...
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill. Members should have in front of them the bill as amended at stage 2, which is SP bill 66A; the...
Group 1 is on the application of the bill to airport runways, and environmental statements. Amendment 1, in the name of Maureen Watt, is grouped with amendments 2 and 3.
Group 2 comprises minor amendments. Amendment 4, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 9 and 13.
Amendment 2 not moved.
Group 3 is on developments of national significance. Amendment 16, in the name of Maureen Watt, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 4 is on notifications. Amendment 5, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 6 and 8.
Amendment 6 moved—[Tavish Scott]—and agreed to. Amendment 3 not moved.
Amendment 9 moved—[Tavish Scott]—and agreed to.
Amendments 10 to 13 moved—[Tavish Scott]—and agreed to.
Amendments 14 and 15 moved—[Tavish Scott]—and agreed to.
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5361, in the name of Tavish Scott, that the Parliament agrees that the Transport and Works (Scotland) Bill be passed.
Up to seven questions will be put as a result of today's business. In relation to this morning's debate on tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges, if the amendment in the name of Tavish Scott is...
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5425, in the name of Maureen Watt, on school transport safety. The debate will be concluded without any question being...
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.