Business Motions

– in the Scottish Parliament at 5:00 pm on 16 December 2004.

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Photo of George Reid George Reid None 5:00, 16 December 2004

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S2M-2173, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for legislation.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees—

(a) that the timetable for completion of consideration of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be extended to 21 January 2005;

(b) that the Justice 2 Committee reports to the Justice 1 Committee by 24 December 2004 on the Part 1 Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003: Draft Guidance for Local Authorities and National Park Authorities (SE/2004/276) and by 7 January 2005 on the Act of Sederunt (Fees of Sheriff Officers) 2004 (SSI 2004/513); and

(c) that the Justice 1 Committee reports to the Justice 2 Committee by 24 December 2004 on the Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (SSI 2004/527).—[Ms Margaret Curran].

Motion agreed to.

Photo of George Reid George Reid None

We come to consideration of motion S2M-2174, in the name of Margaret Curran, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a timetable for stage 1 of the Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 23 December 2005.—[Ms Margaret Curran].

Photo of Tommy Sheridan Tommy Sheridan SSP 5:01, 16 December 2004

The effect of business motion S2M-2174 is seriously to undermine the role and value of members' bills in this Parliament. The Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill, in my name, has generated huge support throughout Scotland. Last year, a System 3 opinion poll recorded 78 per cent support for replacing council tax with an income-based alternative. What form that alternative takes is for Parliament to debate, but the council tax must go, for the sake of Scotland's pensioners and ordinary workers.

The bill proposal was subject to a wide-ranging four-month consultation before being introduced legally and properly on 11 November. The unacceptable motion that is before us seeks to delay consideration of it for an unprecedented 10 or 11 months. That sad motion comes to the chamber with the support of only three of the seven representatives on the bureau.

Photo of Tricia Marwick Tricia Marwick Scottish National Party

Does Tommy Sheridan share my anger and concern that the Labour convener of the Local Government and Transport Committee admitted to the bureau that he alone took the decision that the bill would be delayed until after the summer recess and that the committee has never had a chance to consider the proposal or its own work plans? Does he acknowledge the support of other Opposition parties in the face of profoundly undemocratic practice by the Executive parties?

Photo of Tommy Sheridan Tommy Sheridan SSP

I thank the member for her intervention. This whole political fix is compounded by the fact that a committee convener can come to the bureau without having consulted the committee. I am sure that if a convener from an Opposition party had done that, the bureau would have taken a dimmer view of the suggestion.

The motion is a political fix to prevent Parliament from debating council tax abolition for another 12 months. Such a fix is expected from the Labour and Tory alliance, because those two parties support the council tax, but the Liberal Democrats' opposition to council tax is exposed today as a sham. The Liberal Democrats are voting to avoid even debating the abolition of council tax, let alone allowing the Parliament to decide to ditch the council tax.

Photo of Iain Smith Iain Smith Liberal Democrat

Does the member not accept that we have established a national debate on the council tax? We are setting out an independent review of local government finance. Does not the member think that time should be given for that independent review to take place and for it to be reported on before we consider his bill, which is not just about abolishing the council tax but about introducing a national socialist service tax?

Photo of Tommy Sheridan Tommy Sheridan SSP

Sit down. That was a typical, lily-livered Liberal Democrat contribution. What the Liberal Democrats are deciding to do is to kick council tax abolition into the long grass for another three years.

We have the opportunity to debate the abolition of council tax and its replacement with an income-based alternative in January, to give our pensioners and ordinary workers some financial assistance. The Liberal Democrats are siding with Labour and the Tories, who defend the council tax. Today, the Liberal Democrats' opposition to the council tax is exposed as a sham—they should be ashamed. The Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill should be considered from January next year, not next September or October.

I urge members to oppose motion S2M-2174.

Photo of Margaret Curran Margaret Curran Labour 5:05, 16 December 2004

The Parliamentary Bureau heard from Mr Sheridan at its last meeting. Mr Sheridan was somewhat quieter at that meeting, but so was I. The bureau properly heard from Mr Sheridan and the convener of the Local Government and Transport Committee and took the decision that it did. The committee has other business to undertake and we must give reasonable preference to that.

Photo of Margaret Curran Margaret Curran Labour

I assure Mr Sheridan and all members that there are no political fixes at the bureau. What Mr Sheridan and others have to take on board is the fact that they do not have a majority in the Parliament. We properly have to listen to the majority as well as to the minority voice.

Photo of George Reid George Reid None

Order, Mr Sheridan.

The question is, that motion S2M-2174, in the name of Margaret Curran, be agreed to. Are we agreed?

Members:

No.

Division number 1

For: Aitken, Bill, Alexander, Ms Wendy, Baillie, Jackie, Baker, Richard, Barrie, Scott, Boyack, Sarah, Brankin, Rhona, Brocklebank, Mr Ted, Brown, Robert, Butler, Bill, Chisholm, Malcolm, Craigie, Cathie, Curran, Ms Margaret, Davidson, Mr David, Deacon, Susan, Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James, Eadie, Helen, Ferguson, Patricia, Fergusson, Alex, Finnie, Ross, Fraser, Murdo, Gallie, Phil, Gillon, Karen, Glen, Marlyn, Godman, Trish, Goldie, Miss Annabel, Henry, Hugh, Home Robertson, Mr John, Hughes, Janis, Jackson, Dr Sylvia, Jackson, Gordon, Jamieson, Cathy, Jamieson, Margaret, Johnstone, Alex, Kerr, Mr Andy, Lamont, Johann, Livingstone, Marilyn, Lyon, George, Macdonald, Lewis, Macintosh, Mr Kenneth, Maclean, Kate, Macmillan, Maureen, Martin, Paul, May, Christine, McAveety, Mr Frank, McCabe, Mr Tom, McConnell, Mr Jack, McGrigor, Mr Jamie, McLetchie, David, McMahon, Michael, McNeil, Mr Duncan, McNeill, Pauline, McNulty, Des, Milne, Mrs Nanette, Mitchell, Margaret, Monteith, Mr Brian, Morrison, Mr Alasdair, Muldoon, Bristow, Mulligan, Mrs Mary, Mundell, David, Munro, John Farquhar, Murray, Dr Elaine, Oldfather, Irene, Peacock, Peter, Peattie, Cathy, Pringle, Mike, Purvis, Jeremy, Radcliffe, Nora, Raffan, Mr Keith, Robson, Euan, Rumbles, Mike, Scanlon, Mary, Scott, John, Scott, Tavish, Smith, Elaine, Smith, Iain, Smith, Margaret, Stephen, Nicol, Stone, Mr Jamie, Tosh, Murray, Wallace, Mr Jim, Watson, Mike, Whitefield, Karen, Wilson, Allan
Against: Adam, Brian, Baird, Shiona, Ballance, Chris, Ballard, Mark, Byrne, Ms Rosemary, Canavan, Dennis, Crawford, Bruce, Cunningham, Roseanna, Ewing, Fergus, Ewing, Mrs Margaret, Fabiani, Linda, Fox, Colin, Gibson, Rob, Grahame, Christine, Harper, Robin, Harvie, Patrick, Hyslop, Fiona, Ingram, Mr Adam, Kane, Rosie, Leckie, Carolyn, Lochhead, Richard, MacAskill, Mr Kenny, MacDonald, Margo, Martin, Campbell, Marwick, Tricia, Mather, Jim, Matheson, Michael, Maxwell, Mr Stewart, McFee, Mr Bruce, Morgan, Alasdair, Neil, Alex, Robison, Shona, Ruskell, Mr Mark, Scott, Eleanor, Sheridan, Tommy, Stevenson, Stewart, Sturgeon, Nicola, Swinburne, John, Swinney, Mr John, Turner, Dr Jean, Welsh, Mr Andrew, White, Ms Sandra
Abstentions: Gorrie, Donald

Photo of George Reid George Reid None

The result of the division is: For 84, Against 42, Abstentions 1.

Motion agreed to.

That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 23 December 2005.