Thursday, 1 March 2007
Scottish Parliament Thursday 1 March 2007 [THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 09:15]
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5669, in the name of Des McNulty, on dealing with illegal moneylenders.
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates would be payable in local income tax by a household with two people earning average wages and how that compares with the average band D council...
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in obtaining fair trade nation status for Scotland. (S2O-12243)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be increased community involvement in the on-going work on the draft west Edinburgh planning framework. (S2O-12203)
To ask the Scottish Executive what weight will be given to local objections when determining the location of Scotland's first marine national park. (S2O-12165)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an update on the public-private partnership scheme for schools in the Western Isles. (S2O-12236)
To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister and what issues they will discuss. (S2F-2749)
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive's Cabinet. (S2F-2750)
To ask the First Minister what recent representations the Scottish Executive has received about its contribution to international development. (S2F-2754)
To ask the First Minister, in light of the Cumbria train crash, what action it will take within its responsibilities in the interests of passenger safety. (S2F-2760)
To ask the First Minister, on the eve of the second anniversary of the fatal shooting of toddler Andrew Morton, whether the Scottish Executive considers that general air-gun sales should be...
To ask the First Minister, in light of recent statistics, what steps are being considered to help raise children out of poverty. (S2F-2751)
. Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been brought in respect of selling tobacco to underage purchasers in each of the last three years. (S2O-12199)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that local authorities will be in a position to implement the provisions of the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill. (S2O-12193)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many community police officers there are in Scotland. (S2O-12202)
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is for the public sector to bid for the right to build and operate the replacement HM Prison Low Moss and whether it will list what that...
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the prosecution and detection of environmental crime. (S2O-12188)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the chief constable of Tayside police and what issues were discussed. (S2O-12178)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out an investigation into CIA rendition flights, in light of the recent report of the European Parliament. (S2O-12186)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken through the criminal justice system to tackle loan sharks. (S2O-12217)
. Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet the Scottish funding council and the University of Glasgow to discuss the latter's presence at the...
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the involvement of business people, both at a local and national level, in the development and delivery of enterprise education...
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the dualling of the A96. (S2O-12180)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it promotes entry to apprenticeships in the construction and engineering industries by women and ethnic minority people and whether it will provide figures...
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve public transport links to health facilities. (S2O-12229)
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-5666, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for stage 3 consideration of...
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill. Members will be aware that they require the bill as amended at stage 2—SP Bill...
The first group of amendments is on the code of practice: unused fish farm sites. Amendment 14, in the name of Rob Gibson, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 2 is on the prevention of entry into Scotland of Gyrodactylus salaris. Amendment 1, in the name of Ted Brocklebank, is grouped with amendments 1A and 15.
Group 3 is on prohibition on the use of certain baits and lures. Amendment 2, in the name of Ted Brocklebank, is grouped with amendments 12, 10 and 11. In the event that amendment 2 is agreed to,...
Group 4 is on management of freshwater fisheries. Amendment 4, in the name of Dennis Canavan, is grouped with amendments 5 to 7 and 9.
Amendment 6 moved—[Dennis Canavan].
Amendments 10 and 11 not moved.
Group 5 is on sea fisheries—maximum penalty for fixed-penalty notices. Amendment 13, in the name of the deputy minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 6 is on offences of intentionally introducing live fish or spawn into inland waters—evidence of a single witness. Amendment 8 is the only amendment in the group.
As we have reached the final time limit, I exercise my power under rule 9.8.4A(a) to extend the time limit to allow Jamie McGrigor and the deputy minister to speak briefly to group 7. Group 7 is...
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5630, in the name of Ross Finnie, that the Parliament agrees that the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill be passed.
There are four questions to be put as a result of today's business. The first question is, that amendment S2M-5669.1, in the name of Kenny MacAskill, which seeks to amend motion S2M-5669, in the...
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5305, in the name of Tricia Marwick, on Tysabri for people with multiple sclerosis. The debate will be concluded...
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.
