Thursday, 8 March 2007
Scottish Parliament Thursday 8 March 2007 [THE PRESIDING OFFICER opened the meeting at 09:15]
Good morning. The first item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-5712, 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 stage 3 consideration of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill. In dealing with the amendments, members should have with them the bill as amended at...
Group 1 is on findings of fact in relation to relevant inquiry reports. Amendment 11, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 2 is on removal from list: prescribed period. Amendment 29, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 3 is on organisations not permitting barred individuals to do regulated work, et cetera. Amendment 1, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 2, 32, 33 and 7.
Group 4 is on the independent barring board. Amendment 3 is grouped with amendments 4, 6 and 10.
Amendment 4 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to.
Group 5 is on the review of information in scheme records. Amendment 30 is grouped with amendment 31.
Group 6 is on fingerprints. Amendment 12 is grouped with amendments 13 and 28.
Group 7 is on unlawful requests for scheme records: permitted purpose. Amendment 35 is the only amendment in the group.
Group 8 is on fees. Amendment 36, in the name of Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, is grouped with amendments 14, 19 and 37.
Group 9 is on fostering. Amendment 15, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendment 18.
Group 10 is on police access to scheme information. Amendment 16, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Group 11 is on guidance on the operation of parts 1 and 2. Amendment 5, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the group.
Amendment 18 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to.
Amendments 6 and 19 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to.
Amendments 32, 33 and 7 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to. Amendment 37 moved—[Lord James Douglas-Hamilton].
Group 13 is on regulated work with children and protected adults. Amendment 20, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 21 to 24 and 34.
Amendments 34 and 9 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to.
Amendment 28 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to.
Amendment 10 moved—[Robert Brown]—and agreed to.
To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers were recruited by Lothian and Borders police in 2006. (S2O-12267)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the value of Scottish Water's investment in water quality in the Western Isles will be eroded if leakage in the pipe network is not...
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support the processing and marketing of Scottish produce. (S2O-12309)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce congestion on the Edinburgh city bypass. (S2O-12282)
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the cost of increased severe weather events for small harbours such as Wick. (S2O-12248)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many births there have been at St John's hospital, Livingston, in the last five years. (S2O-12296)
To ask the Scottish Executive why the number of training places for new dentists will be reduced to 150 in 2007-08 from 151 in 2006-07. (S2O-12308)
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Scottish Executive's Cabinet. (S2F-2761)
To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister and what issues they will discuss. (S2F-2762)
To ask the First Minister, in light of international women's day on 8 March, what achievements there have been which have improved women's lives in Scotland. (S2F-2769)
To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to review the management of 999 emergency calls for ambulances. (S2F-2775)
To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive is working to tackle gang-related violence. (S2F-2773)
To ask the First Minister, following the recent announcement of an increase in the number of persistent young offenders, what measures are being taken to support the children's hearings system....
To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned from the experience of John Travers, who used whistleblowing procedures to make allegations about a possible financial irregularity in...
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance and advice are given to local authorities on bridging any affordability gap for public-private partnership projects. (S2O-12253)
To ask the Scottish Executive how, in advance of publication of the Howat report, it is possible for the public to assess the achievability of the savings the Executive has targeted. (S2O-12254)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote challenge 21 to eradicate underage purchasing of alcohol. (S2O-12285)
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being provided for rural affordable and socially rented housing. (S2O-12310)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide affordable housing for first-time buyers. (S2O-12291)
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with regard to second-stage transfer of Glasgow housing stock. (S2O-12276)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to regenerate town centres. (S2O-12298)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it resources the provision of residential outdoor education courses for primary and secondary school pupils. (S2O-12281)
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the implications of recent court and tribunal decisions for the education of children with additional support needs. (S2O-12262)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve literacy and numeracy in primary schools. (S2O-12273)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage more people to take up careers as Gaelic teachers. (S2O-12316)
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact closure of the former Commonwealth games stadium at Meadowbank in Edinburgh would have on the provision of athletics facilities in east central Scotland....
I remind the Parliament of my entry in the register of members' interests as chair of the Scottish Libraries and Information Council. To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve standards...
I will now deal with the point of order that Stewart Stevenson raised yesterday evening. Mr Stevenson was concerned that the answer to a written question that he had received had subsequently...
The Minister for Parliamentary Business wishes to move a motion without notice. Motion moved, That, under Rule 11.2.4 of Standing Orders, Decision Time on Thursday 8 March 2007 be taken at 4.00...
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5631, in the name of Hugh Henry, that the Parliament agrees that the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill be passed.
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5671, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, on a legislative consent motion on the Serious Crime Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation.
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5678, in the name of Brian Adam, on behalf of the Standards and Public Appointments Committee, on a breach of the code of conduct for members...
There are three questions to be put as a result of today's business. The first question is, that motion S2M-5631, in the name of Hugh Henry, that the Parliament agrees that the Protection of...
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5653, in the name of Christine May, on Fairtrade. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. Motion...
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.