Where the text of a motion or amendment is altered, the motion or amendment is re-printed with the changes marked by asterisks in the text.

Where a motion or amendment attracts additional support after it is first published, that additional support is shown separately at the end of this section.

Motions eligible for consideration for debate as members’ business in the Parliament are marked with a hash symbol (#).

Motions submitted for members’ business in the Parliament but which have not yet received the requisite cross-party support are marked with a diamond symbol (♦).

Motions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an "R".

An indication is also provided where motions and amendments have been withdrawn.

A full list of current motions is available to view each Monday in paper copy at the Chamber Desk or alternatively on the Scottish Parliament web site at Current Motions

(http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/motionsAndAmendments/motions.htm). A search facility is also available on the Scottish Parliament web site at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/motionsAndAmendments/index.htm

New and altered motions and amendments

*S3M-7628 Cathy Peattie: Snow Party—That the Parliament applauds the residents of Canal Walk, Brightons, Falkirk who, following heavy snow, organised a "snow party", which was attended by 30 people armed with spades, shovels and home baking who spent an hour clearing the street of snow; believes that this and similar instances of locally organised action to keep streets and pavements clear of snow and ice are great examples of Scotland’s communities at their best, organising themselves to tackle adversity for the benefit of the community as a whole, and believes that such initiatives should be supported and encouraged by local authorities and the Scottish Government.

*S3M-7627 Pauline McNeill: Congratulations to Fair Isle Crafts—That the Parliament congratulates Fair Isle Crafts Ltd on the success of its Fair Isle jumpers; recognises that these jumpers have achieved worldwide success and that order books are full for the next six months; acknowledges the talent of the six people who currently make the jumpers; further acknowledges the contribution that they have made to the Scottish fashion industry, and recognises what it considers to be the increased success of the Scottish fashion industry worldwide.

*S3M-7626 Karen Whitefield: Congratulations to Airdrie Academy—That the Parliament congratulates Airdrie Academy on the annual school league tables recording what it considers to be an excellent performance by it over the past year; notes that the percentage of pupils awarded five or more Highers at grades A to C has doubled in the past year from 5 to 10%; further notes that almost a quarter of the relevant pupils achieved three or more Highers and that 40% gained at least one; considers that this constitutes an outstanding level of improvement and stands testament to the diligence and commitment of staff and pupils alike; fully expects that Airdrie Academy will continue to flourish over the coming year, and wishes everyone at the school every success in the future.

*S3M-7625 Patrick Harvie: Postal Services Bill—That the Parliament offers its strong support to the Communication Workers Union in its protest against the UK Government’s planned Postal Services Bill, which would privatise approximately 90% of Royal Mail; agrees with the Communication Workers Union that this legislation would mean the end of a trusted and vital public institution, that there would be unacceptable price increases and that it would lead to the closure of yet more essential community post offices, and calls on the UK Government to learn what are seen as the lessons of failed privatisation drives of the past, such as the UK rail network, and to properly prioritise and fully fund Royal Mail and the Post Office as a national public service of the first order.

S3M-7624 Ken Macintosh: Top Marks for Williamwood—That the Parliament congratulates Williamwood High School in East Renfrewshire on its recognition as the best performing secondary school in Scotland for the second year running; applauds the efforts of pupils, parents and staff in maintaining the highest standards at the school; pays particular tribute to the attainment levels of Williamwood pupils including what is considered the remarkable achievement of 46% achieving five or more Highers this year, and admires what it considers to be the hard work and enthusiasm, the quality of teaching, the good leadership, the support of the local authority and the involvement of parents and the wider community, all of which goes in to making Williamwood the success that it is.

S3M-7623 Christine Grahame: Halt the Attack on WikiLeaks—That the Parliament condemns what it considers the assault on free speech by the US Government and other nation states in undermining the international new media website, WikiLeaks; understands that recent additional disclosures provide evidence that the US Government planned in February 2008 to "damage and destroy" WikiLeaks; deplores what it considers to be the overtly politically motivated efforts of the US and other governments in undermining WikiLeaks; believes that among the disclosures made by this groundbreaking website is evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses by the US and other governments, and urges all countries to resist any threats or diplomatic intimidation by the US and recognise that WikiLeaks has an important role in ensuring genuinely open, transparent and accountable government.

S3M-7622 Christine Grahame: Remove the BBC Weather Tilt—That the Parliament renews calls on the BBC to remove the distorted tilt to the BBC television weather map; believes that this results in poorer detail for viewers in Scotland and gives a warped visual representation that implies that England is geographically bigger than it actually is; considers that, in the current adverse weather, it is vital for viewers in Scotland in particular to secure accurate and detailed weather forecast information and that the current tilt is reducing the amount of information that viewers in Scotland are getting, and therefore calls on the BBC to reinstate the vertical aerial map of the UK.

S3M-7621 Tavish Scott: Lerwick and Stornoway Coastguard Stations—That the Parliament notes that, together, the Lerwick and Stornoway coastguard stations cover very large and complex areas of sea and coastline consisting of the Northern and Western Isles, the Pentland Firth, the Minch, the West Highland coast and lochs, and large areas of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea including key deepwater oil fields; believes that the service that they offer to seafarers is greatly enhanced by the local knowledge that the coastguard officers in each station have of the seas, tides and coastlines in their area; fears that such knowledge would be dangerously diluted were one of the stations to close leaving the other to cover the combined area, and believes that members should resolutely oppose any plans to close the Lerwick and Stornoway coastguard stations.

Supported by: Liam McArthur, Jamie Stone*, John Farquhar Munro*

S3M-7620 Kenneth Gibson: Employment Codes—That the Parliament is opposed to the UK Government’s proposals to scrap the code of practice on workforce matters, which protects workers on outsourced public sector contracts from having different pay and conditions to colleagues working alongside them; believes that the abolition of this code of practice will create a two-tier workforce and will impact heavily on lower-paid workers, particularly in cleaning and catering services; considers that this is a regressive step that will signal to unscrupulous contractors that it is acceptable to pay employees the bare minimum and will, it believes, result in a so-called race to the bottom as some contractors competing for business cut employee wages, and believes that the UK Government should follow the lead of the Scottish Government, which has announced a living wage for employees over which it has responsibility.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, John Wilson, Stuart McMillan*, Gil Paterson*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7619# Alasdair Allan: Coastguard Centre Cuts—That the Parliament notes with concern the public consultation document launched by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that envisages what are believed to be drastic reductions in the number of maritime operations centres in the United Kingdom; notes that the proposed reductions would leave only two 24-hour centres operating, based in Aberdeen and in Southampton/Portsmouth; further notes that these would be supported by seven sub-centres and only one would be in Scotland at either Shetland or Stornoway; notes that this would result in the five operations centres in Scotland being reduced to two; believes that this raises serious questions about the future operation of the coastguard given that centres will now be covering what it considers to be such huge areas and that this has clear implications for many members of staff, and believes that these proposals require to be rethought.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Rob Gibson, Kenneth Gibson, Stewart Maxwell, John Wilson, Tavish Scott, Bill Kidd, Maureen Watt*, Stuart McMillan*, Willie Coffey*, Gil Paterson*, Brian Adam*, Robin Harper*, Dave Thompson*, Nigel Don*, Sandra White*

*S3M-7619.1 Stuart McMillan: Coastguard Centre Cuts—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7619) in the name of Alasdair Allan, insert at end ", and considers that the proposed reduction in coastguard centres will have a direct impact on maritime safety on the River Clyde, where the Clyde Coastguard is currently based at the Navy Buildings in Inverclyde, and that any cuts will thus have a detrimental effect on the local economy and employment".

S3M-7618 Willie Coffey: Hey, I’m Alive, a True Story by Louise Hunter—That the Parliament, further to motion S2M-3334, commends the continuing efforts of the West of Scotland Branch of Ataxia UK in supporting people affected by Ataxia, including people with the condition, their families, carers and friends; recognises in particular the efforts of Louise Hunter of Kilmarnock, a copy of whose booklet, Hey, I’m Alive, has been made available to all MSPs; considers that the booklet describes very clearly and with much good humour the difficulties that Louise has faced as someone with Friedrich’s Ataxia, including in securing a proper diagnosis of her condition, which manifested itself from a very young age and was initially diagnosed as cerebral palsy; further considers that, despite experiencing considerable discrimination, Louise has made great personal efforts and received support from many organisations and individuals, including her former school, James Hamilton Academy, and Margaret Jamieson, former MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, who assisted in securing sponsorship for publication of the booklet, and is pleased to endorse the sentiment of Louise’s favourite saying, you are never fully dressed without a smile.

Supported by: Cathy Jamieson*, Bill Kidd*, Gil Paterson*, Kenneth Gibson*, Hugh O’Donnell*, Maureen Watt*, Bill Wilson*, Jackie Baillie*, Hugh Henry*, Nanette Milne*

S3M-7617 Kenneth Gibson: Green Gym—That the Parliament commends the continued work being done by the Kilbirnie Green Gym volunteers in their ongoing projects in the Garnock valley area of North Ayrshire; recognises what it considers to be the success of the recent completion of the Bridgend Community Centre Gardens project in Kilbirnie; believes that the Green Gym volunteers display a positive attitude towards the values of sustainability, health and wellbeing and community spirit; commends what it sees as the volunteers’ resourcefulness and success in securing donations as well as utilising recycled materials in order to beautify the local community; welcomes the Green Gym as a project in which people of all ages can increase their activity levels, become fitter, improve social skills and improve their overall health and wellbeing, and wishes the partnership of Healthy North Ayrshire and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers the best of luck as they expand their Green Gym initiative across the Garnock Valley.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, John Wilson, Alasdair Allan, John Lamont, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan*, Willie Coffey*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7616 Kenneth Gibson: Disability Benefit Cuts—That the Parliament is appalled by the decision of the UK Government to scrap a series of benefits for disabled people including the Independent Living Fund and the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance; recognises that the Independent Living Fund directly supports 3,654 disabled people in Scotland to help them live independently in the community rather than in residential care; further condemns the scrapping of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance, which also affords disabled people the ability to live independently of carers by providing them with a small budget to help with transportation costs or running their own vehicle; recalls plans by the Labour Party earlier this year to scrap both Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance to pay for the creation of a National Care Service only for those in England and Wales; recognises that independent analysis by the Institute for Social and Economic Research predicted that the removal of Attendance Allowance would result in over 67,000 disabled people in Scotland being forced into poverty, and considers that the unionist parties at Westminster have a track record of picking on the poorest and most vulnerable people in society in an attempt to rectify the negative outcomes of their own financial ineptitude.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Christine Grahame, Joe FitzPatrick, John Wilson, Bill Wilson, Stuart McMillan*, Gil Paterson*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7615 Kenneth Gibson: Citizens Advice, Consumer Issues—That the Parliament welcomes publication of Citizens Advice Scotland’s (CAS) report, Advice in Detail - Consumer Issues; recognises the expert advice that it considers CAS provides to the people of Scotland through its 80 branches across the country; notes that a 2009 poll showed that one in five members of the public had visited a Citizens Advice Bureau in the previous three years; believes that during this time of austerity CAS has provided an invaluable service that aided Scots on a number of important issues including 69,097 consumer debt issues, over 24,000 utility and communication issues, almost 18,000 financial product issues and nearly 17,000 consumer goods and services issues in the year 2009-10; further recognises that 98% of people trusted CAS and were satisfied with the service that they received, and judges CAS to be an essential service provider that should receive the continued financial support of the Scottish Government.

Supported by: Robert Brown, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Wilson, Ken Macintosh, Jamie Hepburn, Sandra White, Nigel Don, Bill Butler, Stuart McMillan*, Gil Paterson*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7614 Patrick Harvie: National Day of Protest against Welfare and Housing Benefit Cuts—That the Parliament recognises the National Day of Protest against Welfare and Housing Benefit cuts on Wednesday 15 December 2010 and applauds all of those involved in peaceful protest on this day; believes that Scotland will be hit hard by these changes, since over 84% of Scotland’s councils will see households losing £30 a month or more in housing benefit; expresses grave concern that households affected by these changes will become trapped in a spiral of debt and be placed at greater risk of rent arrears, eviction and homelessness; believes that the Scottish Government is simply implementing what it considers the UK Government’s unprecedented, unnecessary and ideologically driven cuts agenda without undertaking any concerted action to raise revenue, and therefore urges it to reconsider its own cuts to Scotland’s housing and regeneration budget, which has been the single biggest loser in its draft 2011-12 budget.

Supported by: John Wilson, Hugh Henry*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7613 Murdo Fraser: Perth City Status 2012—That the Parliament notes that 2012 will mark Her Majesty the Queen’s diamond jubilee; understands that, as part of the celebrations to mark this, there will be a United Kingdom-wide competition to bestow city status on one settlement and that the closing date for applications is set for 27 May 2011; notes that, although considered to be a historic city, Perth does not share legal city status on a par with Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling; understands that Perth’s general public, businesses and civic society all strongly support official city status and believes that it would boost Perth’s national standing and the local economy; considers that official city status would reflect Perth as being one of Scotland’s leading places for business, education, art, culture and sport, and supports Perth’s bid to become a city during Her Majesty the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

Supported by: Nanette Milne, Elizabeth Smith, Bill Kidd, Jamie McGrigor, Dr Richard Simpson*, Maureen Watt*, Gil Paterson*, Joe FitzPatrick*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7612 Hugh O’Donnell: Restrictions on Sport and Athletics in Gaza—That the Parliament expresses concern at the contents of the open letter sent to Michel Platini, President of UEFA, on 20 November 2010 from Palestinian footballers, coaches and athletes regarding the current situation in Gaza, where sports and athletics have been disrupted and sporting facilities damaged or destroyed by Israeli bombardments and where Palestinian footballers, sportsmen and women and athletes are reported to have been prevented from participating in events outwith Gaza by Israeli authorities on the grounds that they pose security risks; notes that the letter commends Mr Platini for stating that Israel must choose between allowing Palestinian sport to continue and prosper or be forced to face the consequences for their behaviour, while expressing dismay that this is not currently being permitted; calls on international organisations such as UEFA to apply pressure on Israel to end what it considers to be this oppression, and recognises the work of Scottish Friends of Palestine and other Scotland-based organisations for advocating the rights of Palestinians and raising awareness of their cause and rights.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7610 Patrick Harvie: Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions on Grounds of Sexual Orientation—That the Parliament condemns the decision on 16 November 2010 by the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee of the United Nations to remove a reference to sexual orientation from a resolution on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions; recognises that in many countries lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, as well as transgender people, remain at risk of execution as a result of prejudiced laws and public attitudes; congratulates the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and many European countries for voting to retain the reference to sexual orientation; welcomes the commitment of Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, to restore this reference when the resolution is discussed by the General Assembly, and urges the global community, in opposing all extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, to recognise that prejudice on grounds of both sexual orientation and transgender identity are being used as justification for what it sees as offensive and unacceptable actions.

Supported by: Bob Doris, Marlyn Glen, Stuart McMillan, Cathy Peattie, John Wilson, Pauline McNeill, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Anne McLaughlin, Christina McKelvie, Robin Harper, Hugh O’Donnell, Margaret Smith, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Butler, Christopher Harvie, Trish Godman

S3M-7609 Jackie Baillie: Coalition Attack on Disabled People—That the Parliament condemns the decision by the UK Government to withdraw the Independent Living Fund (ILF); understands that the UK Government plans to phase out the £359 million fund by 2015; notes that the Independent Living Fund supports more than 21,000 severely disabled people by providing, on average, £300 a week; regrets that the UK Government will now not accept any new applications to the ILF; welcomes the comments by Lord Morris, the first person to occupy the post of Minister for Disabled People, who stated that this move would not save money; regards the withdrawal of ILF as an attack on disabled people, and calls on the UK Government to change its mind and continue the ILF.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, John Wilson, John Park, Karen Gillon, Marilyn Livingstone, Mr Frank McAveety, Ken Macintosh, Bill Butler, Marlyn Glen, Trish Godman, Patricia Ferguson, Patrick Harvie, Malcolm Chisholm, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson*, Hugh Henry*, Stuart McMillan*, Gil Paterson*, Pauline McNeill*, Robin Harper*

S3M-7609.1 Bill Kidd: Coalition Attack on Disabled People—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7609) in the name of Jackie Baillie, insert at end ", but considers with regret that the previous UK administration, led by Labour, tightened financial eligibility to new applications from 1 May 2010 to people in paid employment of 16 or more hours per week, effectively meaning that the ILF was closed to new applicants throughout the UK, apart from those few in paid employment".

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson*, Rob Gibson*, Bob Doris*, Christina McKelvie*, John Wilson*, Bill Wilson*, Joe FitzPatrick*, Sandra White*

S3M-7608 Patrick Harvie: North Kelvin Meadow Award—That the Parliament congratulates all those at the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign on their It’s Your Neighbourhood Award from Beautiful Scotland; notes that this award places the meadow in the Thriving category of project awarded; deplores the present proposals from developers, which it considers would destroy this thriving area, and applauds Beautiful Scotland for recognising the efforts of all those involved in the campaign to make the meadow such a special and beautiful green space that benefits an entire community.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Jackie Baillie

S3M-7607 Nanette Milne: Royal Blind, National Braille Week 2011—That the Parliament celebrates National Braille Week 2011, which takes place from 4 to 10 January; congratulates Royal Blind on its National Braille Week art exhibition, being held at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch at 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, which showcases visually impaired artists’ work and celebrates the importance of Braille; considers that blind and visually impaired people play an active and important role in society and contribute positively in all walks of life; further considers that the ability to read and write in Braille opens the door to literacy, intellectual freedom and independence; supports Royal Blind’s call for a greater recognition of Braille as essential to enabling opportunity, equality and access for all, and congratulates Royal Blind for the role that it plays in improving the lives of visually impaired and blind people and in providing core services, including the work of the Scottish Braille Press.

Supported by: Gavin Brown, Rob Gibson, Bill Aitken, Hugh O’Donnell, John Lamont, Kenneth Gibson, Elizabeth Smith, Jamie McGrigor, Trish Godman, Alasdair Allan, Marlyn Glen, Margaret Mitchell, Robert Brown, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Brian Adam, Jackie Baillie, Ted Brocklebank, Bill Wilson, Joe FitzPatrick, Murdo Fraser, Mike Pringle, Marilyn Livingstone, Jackson Carlaw, Jack McConnell, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan*, Gil Paterson*, Pauline McNeill*, Robin Harper*, Alison McInnes*, Liam McArthur*

S3M-7602 Bill Wilson: UN Resolution 65/55 on Depleted Uranium—That the Parliament notes, with reference to motion S3M-7332 by Bill Wilson, UN Vote on Depleted Uranium, its disappointment at the United Kingdom’s rejection of a United Nations’ resolution inviting state users of depleted uranium weapons to reveal where the weapons have been fired when countries affected by them ask for such information; regrets that the UK Government did not respond to motions on this topic in the UK and Scottish Parliaments, and congratulates the 148 states that voted for the UN resolution.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Patrick Harvie, Gil Paterson, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, Robin Harper, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7601 Kenny MacAskill: The Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 (Designation of Participating Countries) (Scotland) Order 2011—That the Justice Committee recommends that the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 (Designation of Participating Countries) (Scotland) Order 2011 be approved.

Supported by: Fergus Ewing

S3M-7599 Alasdair Allan: Western Isles School Leavers’ Success—That the Parliament considers that Scottish Government statistics show that school leavers in the Western Isles are more successful at finding a place in further or higher education, a job or training than those in the rest of Scotland, with 94.3% of pupils in the Western Isles leaving school between August 2009 and June 2010 going into these areas; notes that this figure is 7.5% higher than the Scottish average, and believes that this proves the benefits of the particular system of education in the Western Isles and counters the negative perceptions of after-school destinations in the Outer Hebrides.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Jamie McGrigor, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Maureen Watt, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Mary Scanlon, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7596 Lewis Macdonald: Glencraft’s Royal Warrant—That the Parliament congratulates the management and staff of Glencraft on the reinstatement of its royal warrant and its contract to supply beds to the Royal Family for three years; acknowledges the hard work of the staff, board and supporters of Glencraft in securing what it considers to be viable future business, and looks forward to what it believes will be increasing demand for high quality Glencraft furniture in Aberdeen and across Scotland in the years to come.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jack McConnell, John Park, Jackson Carlaw, John Wilson, Jackie Baillie, Marilyn Livingstone, Mike Pringle, Ken Macintosh, Brian Adam, Jim Tolson, Des McNulty, Marlyn Glen, Patricia Ferguson, Karen Gillon, Rhona Brankin, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson*, Hugh Henry*, Stuart McMillan*, Gil Paterson*, Joe FitzPatrick*, Robin Harper*, Alison McInnes*, Kenneth Gibson*

S3M-7595 Sandra White: Cut the VAT on Building Repairs—That the Parliament supports calls from the Federation of Master Builders Scotland for the UK Government to reduce the rate of value added tax (VAT) to 5% on construction repair and improvement work to existing buildings; believes that reducing VAT on repairs and maintenance would bring a number of benefits to hard-pressed Scottish homeowners; further believes that such a reduction would encourage people to make homes more energy efficient, helping Scotland meet its Energy Efficiency Action Plan targets and, in turn, its climate change targets, and considers that a reduction in VAT would boost the Scottish construction industry and create up to 2,235 new Scottish building jobs during the first 12 months of the reduction.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Robin Harper, Kenneth Gibson, Joe FitzPatrick, Brian Adam, Rob Gibson, Bob Doris, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Dave Thompson, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone, Stuart McMillan*, Maureen Watt*

S3M-7594 Shirley-Anne Somerville: Support for Lothian Bus Workers’ Campaign—That the Parliament recognises the excellent track record of Lothian Buses, winners of the UK Bus Operator of the Year Award 2007 and the Public Transport Operator of the Year Award 2008; believes that the publicly owned company provides a high quality and profitable public transportation service for over 350,000 passengers per day; understands there to be considerable opposition among the Edinburgh and Lothians travelling public, Lothian Bus staff and unions to the continuation of Transport Edinburgh Ltd (TEL) and the proposed merger of Lothian Buses and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd (TIE); notes that the decision on any merger is one for the City of Edinburgh Council; is concerned about the potential consequences of such a merger for bus passengers; therefore believes that the case for merger has not been made and urges the city council instead to task the operation of any completed tram line to Lothian Buses, debt free and in full public ownership, and supports the Lothian Bus workers’ campaign to this end.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Malcolm Chisholm, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7592 Hugh Henry: Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill—That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill.

S3M-7591 David Whitton: Call of Success from Kirkintilloch—That the Parliament congratulates customer service advisor Suzanne Murray from Kirkintilloch on her success at the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards 2010; notes that she won the non-traditional sector category for what it considers to be her outstanding work as a customer service apprentice at BT’s Alexander Bain House in Glasgow; congratulates all of the finalists in this year’s awards, and welcomes BT’s continued support and promotion of apprenticeships across Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack

S3M-7590 Alasdair Allan: Tobar an Dualchais—That the Parliament pays tribute to all those involved in creating Tobar an Dualchais, Kist o Riches, the website officially launched on Thursday 9 December 2010 and available at www.tobarandualchais.co.uk; recognises what it considers to be the enormous work done to bring together in one acceptable digitized format the important collections of music, poetry and stories in Gaelic, Scots and English from the School of Scottish Studies, the John Lorne Campbell of Canna collection and the BBC Scotland archives, and believes that this will be an important resources for future generations, not just for scholars, but for the whole community of Scotland in promoting a fuller understanding of Scotland’s musical heritage and folk history.

Supported by: Ken Macintosh, John Wilson, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Sandra White, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Wilson, Kenneth Gibson, Brian Adam, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Gil Paterson, Maureen Watt, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7589 Mary Mulligan: The Historic Reopening of the Airdrie to Bathgate Rail Link—That the Parliament warmly welcomes the completion of the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link, the longest passenger route to be opened in Scotland for more than 100 years; commends the efforts of all involved in this project, in particular Network Rail, for delivering the project on time and on budget and the previous administration for what it considers was its vision; further notes what it believes will be the significant economic, environmental and social benefits that the line will bring for communities along the route in wider West Lothian, North Lanarkshire and across Scotland, and praises the local communities along the route for what it considers was their patience during the construction of the new line.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Jack McConnell

S3M-7588 Aileen Campbell: Special Nativity Event in Carstairs and Carstairs Junction—That the Parliament congratulates Rev Alan Gibson and the parishioners of the United Parish of Carstairs and Carstairs Junction on their efforts to organise a nativity procession in both villages on 18 December 2010; notes that the event is aimed at explaining the Christmas story to an audience beyond regular church-goers in the community; further notes that the series of special arrangements that have been made for the event, including renaming street signs to describe the villages as Bethlehem and Nazareth, making arrangements for three camels to take part in the procession and that Tunnock’s bakers has provided 2,000 special camel-branded wafers for the event; wishes Rev Gibson and the communities of Carstairs and Carstairs Junction every success in this venture, and hopes that it will spread the peace and goodwill associated with the Christmas season across the villages and beyond.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Jamie Hepburn, Karen Gillon, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7587 Robin Harper: Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh—That the Parliament considers the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh to be one of the city’s historic, architectural and cultural assets; notes the plans by the City of Edinburgh Council for refurbishment of the Assembly Rooms and that this includes converting the lower floors of the building to shops and a restaurant; is concerned at the apparent lack of public awareness of this scheme until very recently; understands that the council planning committee voted not to allow discussion on the planning application for the scheme; notes that a decision on the scheme will be taken by the City of Edinburgh Council on Thursday 16 December 2010 and that, if agreed, the final approval would have to be given by ministers, and recognises the Save the Assembly Rooms campaign, its website at www.savetheassemblyrooms.com and its petition, which now has around 6,000 signatories.

Supported by: Patrick Harvie

S3M-7586 Christine Grahame: SCCRC, the Megrahi Conviction and SSI 2009/448 Article 2(b)—That the Parliament considers but is not surprised that, in terms of article 2(b) of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (Permitted Disclosure of Information ) Order 2009, which came into force in February 2010, third parties such as the Crown Office and the Foreign Office and relevant police authorities have refused consent in writing to disclosure of information provided directly or indeed indirectly by them, that parties with an interest in the conviction remain untested, and, as a consequence, that access to undisclosed information has been successfully blocked and therefore urges the Scottish Government to either repeal or amend SSI 2009/448 to remove article 2(b) in the interests of openness, accountability and justice.

S3M-7585 Bill Kidd: Carers’ Missing Millions—That the Parliament notes with concern new figures released by Carers Scotland that show that across Scotland 25,852 carers are missing out on a total of £72 million worth of carers allowance each year; considers that failure to claim carers allowance can have a significant impact on carers’ lives; further notes that Carers Scotland has found that the effects of financial hardship and ill-health can lead to isolation and social exclusion for carers; considers that carers make a huge contribution to Scottish society, and calls on the UK Government to take steps to ensure that carers are made aware of and receive the support to which they are entitled.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Christina McKelvie, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Wilson, Jackie Baillie, Brian Adam, Gil Paterson, Christine Grahame, Joe FitzPatrick, Bob Doris, Rob Gibson, Sandra White, Mike Pringle, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, Marilyn Livingstone, Stuart McMillan*, Hugh Henry*

S3M-7584 Christine Grahame: Penicuik CAB—That the Parliament congratulates Penicuik Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), the busiest CAB in Midlothian; notes that it assisted 8,065 clients in 2009-10, with more than 2,600 telephone enquiries and 83 household visits; further notes that the team of advice workers and volunteers dealt with more than 19,000 issues, of which half were debt related and that it obtained £2.5 million for clients by way of benefits, tribunals and consumer matters, and commends Penicuik CAB for its professionalism and success in representing the interests of the people of Penicuik.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7583 Jeremy Purvis: Congratulations to St Ronan’s Silver Band on its 200th Anniversary—That the Parliament congratulates St Ronan’s Silver Band, Innerleithen, on celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2010; commends its longstanding commitment to musical performance, both by the main band and its feeder groups, St Ronan’s Future Band and training sections, which reach an estimated 20,000 benefiters each year; recognises the success of its guest appearance at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2010 as well as its acclaim in its home town of Innerleithen and throughout the Scottish Borders; acknowledges its commitment to youth development and acceptance of members of all ages, musicians ranging from seven to 70, and from all walks of life, from lawyers to carpenters and teachers to paramedics, and notes its pride in holding two Scottish championship titles.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7582 John Park: Frosty Relations in the Workplace—That the Parliament notes that the recent weather conditions have had a huge impact on the ability of people in Scotland to travel safely in their day-to-day lives; is concerned at reports of some employers refusing to pay people, who, despite their best efforts and through no fault of their own, have been unable to make it to work because of the weather and unsafe road conditions; considers that productivity is improved by positive relationships between employers and their workforce; expects employers to look reasonably at the issue of time off for employees who have been affected by the snow and ice, especially during the festive season, and hopes that through such positive actions Scotland continues to be seen as a first-class place to live and work.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Mr Frank McAveety, Bill Kidd, Jackie Baillie, Patrick Harvie, Ken Macintosh, Michael McMahon, James Kelly, John Wilson, David Whitton, Robin Harper, Elaine Smith, Dr Richard Simpson, Mary Mulligan, Rhona Brankin, George Foulkes, Jamie Hepburn, Elaine Murray, Trish Godman, Sarah Boyack, Marilyn Livingstone, Hugh Henry*

S3M-7581 Rob Gibson: Evanton Co-op Wins UK Customer Service Award—That the Parliament congratulates the staff of Evanton Co-op food store for winning the Customer Promises in Action award in competition with nearly 3,000 stores in the Co-operative Group in 2010; notes the regular customer feedback from mystery shoppers that highlighted the staff’s speed and friendliness that led to what it considers this prestigious award, which was presented at a glittering dinner for a thousand Co-op staff in Manchester; wishes Gemma Macnab and all her team at Evanton Co-op all the best for the busy Christmas and New Year season, and commends such a committed staff who offer the village what it considers such a first-class service.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Jamie McGrigor, Mary Scanlon, Robin Harper, James Kelly, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Willie Coffey, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7580 Patrick Harvie: Unacceptable Gender Impact of Spending Cuts—That the Parliament notes the result of UK Women’s Budget Group’s gender impact assessment of the UK Government’s budget of June 2010 was that, of the planned £8.1 billion to be saved in cuts, 72% of this will be borne by women compared with 28% by men; argues that the impact of policies must be looked at when cuts are being proposed and that a gender assessment should have been carried out; believes that this is a symbol of how deeply unfair and unjust the spending cuts are; welcomes the separate assessment of the equality impacts of the Comprehensive Spending Review by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and commits to ensure that Scottish budget choices are fully informed by an analysis of equality impacts.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Robin Harper, Hugh O’Donnell, Cathy Peattie, Dr Richard Simpson, Ian McKee, Jackie Baillie, Bill Wilson, Elaine Smith, Rhona Brankin, Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, George Foulkes

S3M-7579 Karen Whitefield: Dedicated School Staff—That the Parliament recognises what it considers to have been the outstanding work carried out by thousands of local government staff in ensuring the safety of school pupils during the recent heavy snow falls; thanks those staff members for what it sees as their dedication and commitment to caring for the young people under their supervision; calls into question the letter sent by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 2 December 2010, which it believes effectively put pressure on councils to refrain from blanket school closures, an approach that contributed to a situation in which many children and teachers were stranded in schools overnight on Monday 6 December, and calls on the Scottish Government to recognise that decisions regarding school closures must be made at a strategic level within local authorities taking into consideration the effect that non-closure has on road usage during severe weather conditions as well as the effect on child and staff safety.

Supported by: James Kelly, Bill Butler, Des McNulty, Helen Eadie, Elaine Murray, Jackie Baillie, Rhona Brankin, Mary Mulligan, Trish Godman, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, George Foulkes, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7578# Elaine Murray: Minerva People Ltd, Modern Apprenticeship Learning Provider of 2010—That the Parliament congratulates Minerva People Ltd of Dumfries on winning the 2010 Modern Apprenticeship Awards in the Learning Provider category on 9 December 2010; considers that Minerva People Ltd is dedicated to giving young people the opportunity to work and train at the same time by providing training in management, childcare and hospitality; considers that this provides a benefit to local businesses and the local economy, and believes that the provision of skills and employment through the modern apprenticeship programme is essential to the recovery of the Scottish economy.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Ken Macintosh, Mary Mulligan, John Park, Sarah Boyack, Rhona Brankin, Jackie Baillie, Gil Paterson, Trish Godman, Kenneth Gibson, David Whitton, Cathy Peattie, Marilyn Livingstone, Hugh Henry*

S3M-7577♦ Elaine Murray: Theatre Royal Dumfries—That the Parliament regrets the decision by the Corporate Policy Committee of Dumfries and Galloway Council not to award £315,000 of the £455,000 that it has allocated for theatre provision to the Theatre Royal in Dumfries; considers that this would have safeguarded the property for the next 10 years; notes that the Theatre Royal is Scotland’s oldest working theatre, originally built in 1792, and that Robert Burns attended the theatre when living in Dumfries and Galloway, and believes that this decision is to the detriment of cultural provision in the town.

S3M-7576 Nanette Milne: Asthma UK Scotland Youth Ambassadors—That the Parliament commends the work of Asthma UK Scotland’s Youth Ambassadors in highlighting the issues of concern to young people with asthma in Scotland; supports their calls for more understanding of asthma in schools, more school asthma policies and efforts to ensure that children are not excluded from day-to-day activities because of their asthma, and calls on NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to look again at the children’s standards for asthma and again ask NHS boards for their plans on how they are meeting the standard.

Supported by: Mike Pringle, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Aitken, Jackie Baillie, David Stewart, Elizabeth Smith, Alex Johnstone, Robert Brown, Robin Harper, Jackson Carlaw, John Lamont, Patricia Ferguson, Trish Godman, Murdo Fraser, Hugh O’Donnell, Margaret Mitchell, Gil Paterson, Bill Butler, Liam McArthur, Bill Kidd, Pauline McNeill, Jamie Hepburn, Cathy Peattie, Elaine Murray, Jack McConnell, Marilyn Livingstone, Hugh Henry*, Stuart McMillan*, Alison McInnes*

S3M-7575 Stuart McMillan: Scottish Green Energy Awards, Recognising Renewables Champions—That the Parliament congratulates the individuals and organisations the length and breadth of Scotland that have been honoured at the Scottish Green Energy Awards 2010, which was organised by Scottish Renewables and sponsored by RWE npower renewables, for what it considers their outstanding contribution to the growth of the renewable energy industry, which has seen Scotland reach the milestone of four gigawatt capacity, enough to provide more than 30% of its electricity needs.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Rob Gibson, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, Liam McArthur, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt

S3M-7574# John Scott: Double Summer Time—That the Parliament notes that consideration is to be given by the UK Government to moving Britain’s clocks forward by one hour; believes that such a move would be detrimental to Scotland, in particular raising concerns over road safety in the early morning and the safety of children walking to school, and could have a negative effect on businesses in Ayr and throughout Scotland, including the construction and agricultural sectors, and does not believe that there is a good case for changing the current system.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Stewart Maxwell, Mike Pringle, Bill Aitken, John Lamont, Rob Gibson, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie McGrigor, Stuart McMillan, Margaret Mitchell, Christine Grahame, Willie Coffey, Murdo Fraser, Gil Paterson, Andrew Welsh, Elaine Murray, Christopher Harvie

S3M-7572 Ken Macintosh: The Impact of the Cold Spell on Disabled Children and their Families—That the Parliament recognises the disproportionate impact that adverse, cold weather conditions can have on vulnerable groups; notes that disabled children who require intensive support from voluntary sector organisations such as Aberlour Child Care Trust may have been unable to access these services, which it considers vital, due to the extreme weather; recognizes the importance of interventions such as short-stay and crisis respite residential care in allowing families affected by disability to stay together; applauds what it sees as the valiant efforts of voluntary sector organisations in keeping these services open despite the snow, in some cases going the extra mile to provide respite support in the family home, and calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that these services have access to the levels of funding that they need to continue providing a lifeline to these children and their families despite the inclement meteorological and economic circumstances in which they currently find themselves.

Supported by: Mary Mulligan, David Stewart, Elaine Murray, Des McNulty, Marlyn Glen, Hugh O’Donnell, Elaine Smith, Rhona Brankin, Patricia Ferguson, Karen Whitefield, Robin Harper, David Whitton, Pauline McNeill, Mike Pringle, Jackie Baillie, Trish Godman, Mr Frank McAveety, Andy Kerr, John Park, Hugh Henry, George Foulkes, Karen Gillon, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7571 Kenny MacAskill: The Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 (Amendment of Specified Authorities) Order 2011—That the Justice Committee recommends that the Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 (Amendment of Specified Authorities) Order 2011 be approved.

Supported by: Fergus Ewing

S3M-7570 Kenny MacAskill: The Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential and Supplementary Provisions) Order 2011—That the Justice Committee recommends that the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential and Supplementary Provisions) Order 2011 be approved.

Supported by: Fergus Ewing

S3M-7569 Kenny MacAskill: The Advice and Assistance (Assistance By Way of Representation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011—That the Justice Committee recommends that the Advice and Assistance (Assistance By Way of Representation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2011 be approved.

Supported by: Fergus Ewing

S3M-7568# Peter Peacock: Removing the Barriers to Private Sector Investment in Superfast Broadband Infrastructure—That the Parliament notes the restrictions that it considers have been placed on the telecoms industry by Ofcom in relation to access to BT poles and ducts; considers these limitations to be contrary to the UK Government’s commitment to remove barriers to private sector investment in superfast broadband infrastructure; believes that this action will make the Broadband Delivery UK superfast broadband pilot to be carried out in the Highlands and Islands more challenging for any potential competitors to BT, and believes that broadband policy would be better focused on removing barriers rather than imposing restrictions.

Supported by: Dr Richard Simpson, Karen Gillon, Kenneth Gibson, Pauline McNeill, John Park, Jackie Baillie, David Stewart, Mary Mulligan, Mr Frank McAveety, Mike Pringle, Sarah Boyack, Robin Harper, Cathy Jamieson, Trish Godman, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Tom McCabe, Hugh Henry*

S3M-7567♦ Cathy Jamieson: Freight Facilities Grants—That the Parliament celebrates the contribution of the Scottish Government’s Freight Facilities Grants (FFG) in moving freight to rail and sea, and the contribution that this makes to reducing carbon emissions and congestion; notes that 37 FFG awards totalling £68.9 million have been made to projects in Scotland and understands that this reduces the need for 33,573,500 lorry miles per year; recognises that Transport Scotland is in advanced discussions with a number of bidders to the fund, including a proposal by a social enterprise in South Ayrshire for a railhead at Grangestone by Girvan; believes that a Grangestone railhead could provide great economic and environmental benefits to South Ayrshire; regrets the Scottish Government’s proposals to reduce support for the freight industry from £10.3 million in 2010-11 to £2.9 million in 2011-12, including the closure of the FFG scheme for projects which will incur expenditure after 31 March 2011, and expresses great concern that this would put in jeopardy the work that has been done on the Grangestone railhead scheme and similar proposals across Scotland.

Supported by: Ken Macintosh, Rhona Brankin, Bill Butler, David Stewart, Trish Godman, Charlie Gordon, Jackie Baillie, Pauline McNeill, Elaine Smith, George Foulkes, Cathy Peattie, Patrick Harvie, Sarah Boyack, Jack McConnell

S3M-7565 Bill Kidd: Use of Glasgow City Council Resources—That the Parliament is concerned at reports of improper use of Glasgow City Council resources for party political purposes; understands that this reported improper use ceased following an investigation prompted by the Scottish National Party Glasgow City Council group; believes that it is regrettable that public resources should ever have been used for party political purposes, and hopes that the review reported to have been undertaken by Glasgow City Council will ensure fair and proper use of public resources in future.

Supported by: Christina McKelvie, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7558 Patricia Ferguson: North Glasgow Housing Association Has the X Factor—That the Parliament notes what it considers to be the significant achievement of North Glasgow Housing Association securing yes votes in recent second stage transfer ballots with 88.6% of the votes cast being yes in the North Glasgow Local Housing Organisation (LHO) area, 80.8% in Red Road Balornock LHO and 86.5% in Balmore LHO; recognises what it believes was the imaginative campaign that they engaged in and the additional benefits offered to tenants in these areas; congratulates the housing association on this achievement, and wishes it and its new tenants well as they work to build a new vision for North Glasgow.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jackie Baillie, Mr Frank McAveety, Mary Mulligan, Bill Butler, Trish Godman, Paul Martin, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7557 Jackie Baillie: Tell Organisation’s 21st Birthday Celebration—That the Parliament congratulates the Tell Organisation on its 21st birthday last month; notes that the Tell Organisation, based in Dumbarton, provides a range of vocational training; further notes that, since 1988, the Tell Organisation has assisted thousands of individuals and businesses alike with their courses, and commends the hard work of all the staff at the Tell Organisation in developing the company as what is seen as an important part of the business landscape of West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute and across Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, James Kelly, Jamie McGrigor, Des McNulty, Trish Godman, Gil Paterson, Sarah Boyack, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7556 Patrick Harvie: Scottish Social Enterprise Charter—That the Parliament considers that, from the earliest mutuals and co-operatives, social enterprises were created in Scotland to address community need; recognises the over 3,000 social enterprises in Scotland that it considers pioneer new approaches to delivering quality public services, tackling climate change, regenerating communities and creating quality jobs, training and exciting career opportunities for individuals of all ages; believes that Scotland’s social enterprises are an increasingly valuable part of the fabric of Scottish society, and supports the Scottish Social Enterprise Charter and, notably, the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition’s call for social enterprises in Scotland to be empowered to play their role in regenerating and building Scotland’s communities, creating a national culture of social entrepreneurship.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Wilson

S3M-7555 Pauline McNeill: Congratulations to Susan Philipsz—That the Parliament congratulates Glasgow-born Susan Philipsz on winning the Turner Prize; recognises that this is the first time that a sound installation has been nominated for the modern art prize; further notes that Susan is only the fourth woman to win this prestigious award, and wishes her all the best for the future.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7554 Jackie Baillie: Postman Pat On The Back—That the Parliament commends what it considers to be the hard work and commitment of Scotland’s postmen and women during the recent severe weather conditions; considers that the Royal Mail has kept the country’s mail flowing across Scotland despite what it sees as the chaos caused by sub-zero temperatures; understands that the festive season is the busiest time of year for the Royal Mail and that it depends on the dedication of its staff to cope with the increased volume of letters, parcels and Christmas cards, and praises the postmen and women of Helensburgh and Lomond, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven for their efforts this season and all year round.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Des McNulty, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, James Kelly, Robin Harper, George Foulkes, John Park, Mike Pringle, Trish Godman, Elaine Smith, Dr Richard Simpson, Bill Butler, Patricia Ferguson, Gil Paterson, Annabel Goldie, Liam McArthur, Cathy Peattie, Elaine Murray, Marilyn Livingstone, Hugh Henry*

S3M-7553 Alasdair Allan: Donald Stewart MP—That the Parliament notes that 2 December 2010 marked the 40th anniversary of the maiden speech in the House of Commons of the Rt Hon Donald Stewart, MP for the Western Isles from 1970 until his retirement in 1987; recognises the great affection and respect with which it believes that Donald Stewart and his wife Chrissie were held, not only in the Western Isles, but across Scotland and political boundaries, and welcomes what it considers to be Donald Stewart’s enormous contribution to the life of the Western Isles, which continues to be appreciated to this day.

Supported by: Dave Thompson, Ian McKee, Rob Gibson, Stewart Maxwell, Kenneth Gibson, Sandra White, Aileen Campbell, Bill Wilson, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Jamie Hepburn, Andrew Welsh, Joe FitzPatrick, Willie Coffey, Jamie Stone, Anne McLaughlin, Stuart McMillan, Brian Adam, Gil Paterson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7552 Linda Fabiani: Turning on the Sound—That the Parliament congratulates Susan Philipsz on winning the Turner Prize with her sound sculpture, Lowlands; looks forward to her being an inspiration to young artists; notes that she is a product of two of Scotland’s art schools, Glasgow School of Art and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, as well as the University of Ulster, and applauds what it considers is the high standard of tuition offered in these institutions.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Ian McKee, Bill Butler, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Hugh Henry*, Maureen Watt*, Stuart McMillan*, Willie Coffey*, Gil Paterson*, Brian Adam*, Robin Harper*, Sandra White*

S3M-7551 Bill Butler: Glas-goals Spectacular Success—That the Parliament celebrates what it considers the spectacular success of the Evening Times Glas-goals campaign and its three targets of encouraging Glaswegians to walk or run a million miles, stub out a million cigarettes and shed half a million pounds in weight over the course of 2010 through a series of imaginative and highly successful events; applauds the fact that Glas-goals has smashed all three targets; praises the Evening Times for reporting positively over the course of the campaign on a wide range of activities throughout the city that promote healthy lifestyles and challenge the city’s poor public health record, and views Glas-goals as the perfect springboard to begin building a lasting physical and sporting legacy in the approach to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, James Kelly, Patrick Harvie, Kenneth Gibson, Robert Brown, Cathy Jamieson, Patricia Ferguson, George Foulkes, Trish Godman, John Park, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson, Stuart McMillan, Ken Macintosh, Jackie Baillie, David Whitton, Mr Frank McAveety, Bill Aitken, Cathy Peattie, Marlyn Glen, Elaine Smith, Rhona Brankin, Margaret Curran, Jamie McGrigor, Jackson Carlaw, Hugh O’Donnell, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Anne McLaughlin, Jack McConnell, Hugh Henry

S3M-7549 Liam McArthur: Highlands and Islands Success in SURF Awards—That the Parliament notes that three of the four winners chosen by the Scottish Urban Regeneration forum (SURF), Scotland’s independent regeneration network, for its 2010 awards come from the Highlands and Islands as does one of the four highly commended entries; congratulates Orkney’s Eday Partnership, which has developed services and infrastructure on its island, for winning the Partnership category; further congratulates Rag Tag n’ Textile, the Balmacara based project that supports people with mental health issues by producing what it considers to be high-quality products, for winning the People category; also congratulates Uig community shop from Lewis, which it considers provides vital services and a community focus, for winning the Place award and the Northmavine Community Development Company from Shetland, which saved the Hillswick shop from closure and was highly commended in the People category, and believes that this Highlands and Islands success in the face of what it understands to have been keen competition from 85 entries shows the strength of the community spirit that can be found across the Highlands and Islands, sustaining communities which would otherwise struggle to survive.

Supported by: Tavish Scott, Robin Harper, Mike Pringle, Bill Kidd, Jamie McGrigor, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Hugh O’Donnell, Gil Paterson

S3M-7548 Jackie Baillie: Going Snowhere—That the Parliament is disappointed that SNP-controlled West Dunbartonshire Council has cut its winter maintenance budget, which, it considers, has resulted in residents being stranded by the recent severe weather; notes that £83,370 was cut in 2009-10 and subsequently earmarked funding of £100,000 was cancelled in its October 2010 emergency budget; is of the view that many areas in West Dunbartonshire have been left untreated due to these cuts and, as a result, older and vulnerable people have been left stranded in their own homes; praises the staff who it considers have worked exceptionally hard to keep the roads and pavements clear but recognises that they have to be given adequate resources to do their jobs, and regrets that West Dunbartonshire Council has made cuts to what it considers are essential services at a time when they have millions of pounds in financial reserves.

Supported by: Des McNulty, Elaine Smith, Mary Mulligan, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7547 Fiona Hyslop: Scotland Bill—That the Parliament welcomes the introduction of the Scotland Bill in the House of Commons on 30 November 2010; notes that it is based on the recommendations of the Commission on Scottish Devolution, which were presented to the Parliament in June 2009, and supports the general principles of the Bill in conferring more powers and responsibilities on the Parliament; further notes that proposals in the Bill and the United Kingdom Government’s Command Paper, Strengthening Scotland’s Future, are intended to contribute to the implementation of these principles; recognises the significant nature of the proposals and the proposed new system of funding devolved government in Scotland and the need for the Scottish Parliament to scrutinise fully the Legislative Consent Memorandum, the Bill and accompanying documents, and looks forward to the report by the Scotland Bill Committee so that the Scottish Parliament can come to a decision on these proposals after ensuring they are in the interests of Scotland.

Supported by: Bruce Crawford

S3M-7546 Liam McArthur: Northern Isles Double Success in Scots Trad Music Awards—That the Parliament notes the double success for Orkney and Shetland in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2010, with the Orkney Traditional Music Project winning the Community Project of the Year award and the Shetland Folk Festival being chosen as the Event of the Year; believes that the awards reflect the strength and depth of the musical heritage of the Northern Isles, with young islanders taught by schemes such as the Orkney Traditional Music Project reaching high standards, which allow them to perform alongside the best musicians from far and wide at events such as the world-renowned Shetland Folk Festival, and congratulates everyone involved in the Orkney Traditional Music Project and the Shetland Folk Festival for what it considers their well-deserved awards along with all the other award winners and those shortlisted in a very strong competition across all categories.

Supported by: Tavish Scott, Gil Paterson, Robin Harper, Mike Pringle, Bill Kidd, Cathy Peattie, Jamie McGrigor, Pauline McNeill, Alasdair Allan, Jamie Hepburn, Mary Scanlon, Stuart McMillan, Mr Frank McAveety, Anne McLaughlin, Hugh O’Donnell, Maureen Watt

S3M-7545 Cathy Peattie: Domestic Abuse. Together We Can Stop It—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of Scottish Women’s Aid’s new campaign, Domestic abuse. Together we can stop it, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, 25 November to 10 December 2010; congratulates Scottish Women’s Aid on the launch of the campaign website, http://www.togetherwecanstopit.org/, and encourages widespread support for the campaign and its advocacy of 10 things you can do to stop domestic abuse.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Gil Paterson, Marlyn Glen, David Whitton, Bill Kidd, Trish Godman, Mike Pringle, Christina McKelvie, Pauline McNeill, Robin Harper, Johann Lamont, Malcolm Chisholm, Stewart Maxwell, Nanette Milne, Jackie Baillie, Bob Doris, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson, Joe FitzPatrick, Patrick Harvie, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Rhona Brankin, Stuart McMillan, Elaine Smith, Hugh O’Donnell, Maureen Watt, Jack McConnell

S3M-7544 Cathy Peattie: Save Violence Against Women Services—That the Parliament notes what it considers the vital and much-needed support that the Scottish Executive has provided over the last decade to help sustain and develop support services such as rape crisis centres and women’s aid groups; further notes that much of this support has been in the form of dedicated funding for services takling violence against women, including the Rape Crisis Specific Fund, the Children’s Services Fund and the Violence Against Women Fund; believes that, if these funds do not continue, the impact on women and children across Scotland will be severe; welcomes the campaign by Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid to gather pledges to support and protect funding for these services, and encourages all MSPs to pledge their support.

Supported by: Trish Godman, Mike Pringle, Stewart Maxwell, Robin Harper, Patricia Ferguson, Malcolm Chisholm, Johann Lamont, Karen Whitefield, Dr Richard Simpson, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Murray, John Park, Mary Mulligan, Sarah Boyack, Rhona Brankin, Patrick Harvie, George Foulkes, Elaine Smith, Mr Frank McAveety, Marlyn Glen, Hugh O’Donnell, Gil Paterson, Jack McConnell, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7543 Cathy Peattie: 42% Better—That the Parliament welcomes publication of Friends of the Earth Scotland’s report, 42% Better, looking at the achievability of Scotland’s climate targets; agrees with what it considers to be its key message that not only are the climate targets achievable but measures to tackle climate change can have significant social and economic benefits; in particular notes its conclusions that, by eliminating fuel poverty, an energy efficiency programme could prevent up to 180,000 cases of anxiety and depression each year, reduce the amount of time people are off work due to asthma and breathing problems by up to 25% and, when coupled with delivery of renewable heating systems, create 99,000 person-years of employment between now and 2020; further notes its findings that, by improving cycling rates, increased investment in active travel could save up to 1,672 lives a year, save a substantial chunk of the £170 million NHSScotland spend each year tackling obesity and, through higher productivity and less ill health, save the Scottish economy an estimated £23 million a year, and therefore calls on members to work together to strengthen the Report on Proposals and Policies to ensure that it gives the utmost confidence that Scotland will meet its climate targets while simultaneously delivering the maximum social and economic benefit to its people.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Marlyn Glen, Trish Godman, Mike Pringle, Malcolm Chisholm, Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Patrick Harvie, Elaine Smith, Ken Macintosh, Elaine Murray, Ms Wendy Alexander, Ross Finnie, Robert Brown, Jack McConnell, George Foulkes, Karen Gillon, Marilyn Livingstone, Bill Wilson

S3M-7542# Alex Johnstone: Bicentenary of Bell Rock Lighthouse—That the Parliament notes that 2011 marks the bicentenary of the Bell Rock Lighthouse situated off the coast of Arbroath, which is widely considered to be one of the seven wonders of the industrial world; welcomes what it considers the substantial investment made in the refurbishment of the Signal Tower museum in Arbroath, which will now focus on the history of this world-famous lighthouse, and wishes the community-led year-long celebration of the bicentenary, called the Year of the Light, every success in promoting Arbroath and its maritime history.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, Gil Paterson, Andrew Welsh, Kenneth Gibson, Cathy Peattie, Nanette Milne, Margaret Mitchell, Rob Gibson, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Aitken, Murdo Fraser, Robin Harper, John Lamont, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Joe FitzPatrick, Mary Scanlon, Stuart McMillan, Maureen Watt*, Alison McInnes*

S3M-7541 Aileen Campbell: Clydesdale Community Initiatives Recognised in 2010 SURF Awards—That the Parliament congratulates Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI) on being highly commended in the Health and Employability Partnership category at the 2010 SURF Awards, organised by Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum (SURF), which is Scotland’s independent regeneration network, and supported by the Scottish Government; notes that the judges said that they were greatly impressed with the outstanding commitment of CCI in providing real health and employability support to its client group, who are largely volunteers with particular health and social care needs and mental health issues; notes that CCI was the only project based in solely the South of Scotland region to be shortlisted for an award, and wishes all the organisations involved in the awards process every success for the future.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Christina McKelvie, Jim Hume, Stuart McMillan, Jamie Hepburn, Karen Gillon

S3M-7540 Pauline McNeill: Mother India, Glasgow’s Best Restaurant—That the Parliament congratulates Mother India on being named Glasgow’s Best Restaurant at the Glasgow Restaurant Awards; considers that this is a result of commitment of both the owner and staff to providing a quality dining experience; acknowledges the diversity of restaurants across the city, and hopes that there will be a Michelin star on the way to Glasgow in the near future.

Supported by: Ms Wendy Alexander, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7539 Shirley-Anne Somerville: Lothian and Borders Police Festive Campaign—That the Parliament approves the Lothian and Borders Police festive role model campaign, which will target violence against women by seeking to make men think about how their actions influence their children; understands that all frontline police officers are set to wear a white ribbon during the festive period as new figures show that 5% of all annual domestic abuse incidents in the Lothians are reported between Christmas Eve and 4 January; further approves the support being offered by Hibernian and Heart of Midlothian football clubs, with the players wearing white ribbons at the New Year’s Day derby match and a bluetooth message about the campaign being broadcast at Tynecastle stadium for fans to receive on their mobile phones; further notes that the campaign will also be featured in the Derby Day programme and highlighted on posters and postcards showing a father and son playing football with the slogan, You’re his role model. Teach him violence against women is never OK, and wishes all campaigners supporting Rape Crisis Scotland and White Ribbon Scotland every success.

Supported by: Karen Whitefield, Bill Kidd, Malcolm Chisholm, Rob Gibson, Angela Constance, Ian McKee, Christina McKelvie, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Wilson, Cathy Peattie, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Rhona Brankin, Maureen Watt, Alison McInnes*

S3M-7538 Kenneth Gibson: Congratulations to Noddsdale House—That the Parliament welcomes the replacement of the micro-hydro system at Noddsdale House in Largs by the Evans and Robertson family; notes that the previous system had run continuously since 1927, providing light to the house and estate cottages; congratulates Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd on what it considers to be the significant engineering works undertaken by it to replace the old turbines with a modern 50KW turbine, which will provide heat, lighting and hot water for five local homes and export surplus output to the national grid, and believes that such schemes will help reduce reliance on fossil and other non-renewable fuels and should be encouraged wherever possible.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sandra White, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7537 Christina McKelvie: Every Single Woman, Equal Treatment for Women Seeking Asylum—That the Parliament commends the Govan and Craigton Integration Network on the launch of its postcard campaign, which asks the UK Government to provide comparable standards of treatment and support for asylum-seeking women who have been subjected to domestic and sexual violence with that provided for women settled in the United Kingdom; notes that the artwork on the postcards has been created by refugee and asylum-seeker women; considers that it is unacceptable that women seeking asylum who have been victims of rape and domestic abuse, who are pregnant or who are in prison are denied the same level of care and treatment that is provided to other women; further believes that strategies to end violence against women should apply to all women, including asylum seekers, and supports Govan and Craigton Integration Network’s efforts to secure this outcome.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Rob Gibson, Ian McKee, Joe FitzPatrick, Robin Harper, Stuart McMillan, Malcolm Chisholm, Bill Kidd, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Patrick Harvie, Elaine Smith, Hugh O’Donnell

S3M-7536 Gil Paterson: Scottish Cot Death Trust Research Makes its Mark on the World—That the Parliament notes that members of the Scottish Cot Death Trust attended the international meeting on cot death in Sydney, Australia, in October 2010; notes that delegates at the meeting accepted the trust’s poster presentation and that the trust supported five research papers arising from work carried out by scientists in England, Australia and the United States of America; believes that this is quite an achievement for a small Scottish charity in its 25th anniversary year, and wishes the trust the very best of luck in its endeavours to tackle what it considers to be the scourge of cot death in Scotland and the world as a whole.

Supported by: Christina McKelvie, Robin Harper, Rob Gibson, Bill Wilson, Kenneth Gibson, Trish Godman, Bill Kidd, Sandra White, Nanette Milne, Jackie Baillie, Cathy Peattie, Bob Doris, Jackson Carlaw, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Joe FitzPatrick, Pauline McNeill, Stuart McMillan, Elaine Smith, Brian Adam, Hugh O’Donnell, Dave Thompson, Tom McCabe, Maureen Watt*

S3M-7535 Jackie Baillie: Leuchie House—That the Parliament welcomes the announcement by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of the continuation of Leuchie House for a period of at least six months; congratulates members of the Save Leuchie Campaign for what it sees as their considerable efforts; further congratulates Mairi O’Keefe, the manager of Leuchie House for her work in bringing forward an alternative proposal to secure future provision for people with MS, and wishes her and the staff every success in gaining funding for the future.

Supported by: Malcolm Chisholm, Marlyn Glen, Murdo Fraser, Iain Gray, Ken Macintosh, Dave Thompson, Trish Godman, Patricia Ferguson, Karen Whitefield, Cathy Peattie, Nanette Milne, George Foulkes, Ms Wendy Alexander, Rhona Brankin, Derek Brownlee, Robin Harper, Helen Eadie, Jim Hume, Mike Pringle, Sandra White, Elaine Murray, John Park, Mary Mulligan, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Andy Kerr, Stuart McMillan, Dr Richard Simpson, Gil Paterson, Liam McArthur, Ross Finnie, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7534 Margaret Mitchell on behalf of the Equal Opportunities Committee: Report on Post-legislative Scrutiny: the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003—That the Parliament notes the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Equal Opportunities Committee’s 4th Report 2010 (Session 3): Report on post-legislative scrutiny: the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 (SP Paper 468).

Supported by: Marlyn Glen

S3M-7532# Murdo Fraser: Dual the A9 Timetable—That the Parliament understands that the A9 trunk road has the highest fatality rate of any road in Scotland and that the majority of accidents occur on single carriageway stretches; sadly notes that 2010 had seen 11 deaths on the Perth to Inverness section by 1 December; acknowledges that the A9 between these points continually switches between single and dual carriageway, which, it considers, can cause driver confusion and lead to accidents; believes that upgrading the A9 between Perth and Inverness to dual carriageway in its entirety would reduce the accident and fatality rates and in addition would help ease congestion and bring an economic boost to Mid Scotland and Fife and the Highlands, and accordingly would welcome a full and detailed timetable for such improvements.

Supported by: Bill Aitken, Jamie McGrigor, Nanette Milne, Margaret Mitchell, Jackson Carlaw, Elizabeth Smith, Dave Thompson

S3M-7529 Jackson Carlaw: Sentencing of Mohammed Sandia—That the Parliament condemns the comments of Mohammed Sandia who posted a series of what it considers disgraceful anti-Semitic remarks on The Scotsman newspaper’s website; welcomes what it considers Sheriff Gordon Liddell’s unequivocal condemnation of Sandia’s comments when he appeared for sentencing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 10 November 2010; considers that Mr Sandia’s prosecution sends out a welcome message to society at large about how indefensible anti-Semitism is and how vile its consequences can be; congratulates the determination of the police and Crown Office to pursue this case to its conclusion, and urges editors of all media, and online media outlets in particular, to be on their guard to prevent similar instances of religious or racial hatred from finding their way onto their pages in the future.

Supported by: Murdo Fraser, Alex Johnstone, Kenneth Gibson, Robin Harper, Nanette Milne, John Lamont, Jamie McGrigor, Ken Macintosh, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Aitken, Mike Pringle, Mary Scanlon, Stewart Maxwell, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7529.1 Bill Wilson: Sentencing of Mohammed Sandia—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7529) in the name of Jackson Carlaw, insert at end "; also condemns similarly offensive remarks about Scottish Gypsy Travellers, and calls on the legal authorities to take appropriate action against those making such remarks and those media outlets allowing them to remain on their websites".

Supported by: Robin Harper, Mr Frank McAveety, Stewart Maxwell

S3M-7528 Bill Wilson: Public Sector Pay Ratios—That the Parliament welcomes Will Hutton’s recommendation that top pay in public sector bodies should not exceed a certain multiple of the lowest pay in those bodies; believes that the ratio of 20:1 could be regarded as a starting point and should be made mandatory for all bodies receiving public money immediately and then progressively reduced; agrees with Mr Hutton’s reported remarks that a maximum pay ratio would demonstrate fairness by reassuring public opinion, address a problem of collective action across remuneration committees and benefit organisations’ productivity; believes that there is little evidence that extremely high pay is justified by performance, and encourages the private sector to similarly curtail the pay of top earners in light of evidence of the damaging nature of economic inequality on society presented by, amongst others, the Equality Trust and the National Centre for Research Methods at the University of Southampton.

Supported by: Patrick Harvie, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7527 Rob Gibson: Celebrate Scotland’s Songs Resource—That the Parliament welcomes the creation and launch of the Scotland’s Songs learning resources on the Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) website, which makes a large collection of 130 Scots and Gaelic songs and tunes from across the nation, including full lyrics and musical notation, freely available to all Scottish classrooms; further notes that Scotland’s Songs allow for teachers to easily incorporate Scottish musical education into their teaching practice, which further supports the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence, and encourages and supports all of the schools in Scotland to include Scotland’s Songs as a key part of all students’ educational experience at all levels.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Cathy Peattie, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Stewart Maxwell, Aileen Campbell, Christina McKelvie, Bill Wilson, Kenneth Gibson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Sandra White, Alasdair Allan, Brian Adam, Joe FitzPatrick, Robin Harper, Anne McLaughlin, Willie Coffey, Nigel Don, Gil Paterson, Linda Fabiani, Ken Macintosh, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7525 Jackie Baillie: Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infection—That the Parliament expresses its deep concern at the continuing increase in the number of cases of genital warts reported by Health Protection Scotland and NHS Information Services Division; notes the support of professional and patient organisations including fpa, the Terence Higgins Trust, the Royal Society for Public Health, the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health and the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV for the introduction of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to help protects against cervical cancer and genital warts that is already used across mainland Europe, and calls on the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland to ensure that they bring their influence to bear to ensure that decisions taken at UK level that affect the HPV vaccination programme in Scotland take into account the opportunity offered by a quadrivalent vaccine to prevent both cervical cancer and genital warts.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Marlyn Glen, Patrick Harvie, Dr Richard Simpson, Ken Macintosh, Robin Harper, Trish Godman, Elaine Murray, Cathy Peattie, George Foulkes, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7524 Mike Pringle: Edinburgh’s Bus Drivers Keep the City Moving—That the Parliament applauds the skill and dedication of Edinburgh’s bus drivers who continue to keep the city moving despite what it considers to be exceptionally heavy snow, freezing temperatures and hazardous road conditions, and believes that, without them, the city of Edinburgh would be at a virtual standstill.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Nanette Milne, Robin Harper, Bill Kidd, Margaret Smith, Aileen Campbell, Elizabeth Smith, Cathy Peattie, Jim Tolson, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson

S3M-7523 Ken Macintosh: Action for Sick Children in Scotland—That the Parliament welcomes the work of Action for Sick Children (Scotland) in raising awareness of the needs and rights of ill children and young people; calls on all children and young people’s healthcare rights to be upheld in line with the European Association for Children in Hospital Charter; recognises the need to empower and support young people to take responsibility for their own health and management of their chronic condition; shares the belief that every sick child or young person has the right of equal access to education whenever they are well enough to learn, regardless of where they live; expresses concern at the reported wide variation in educational support that is available to children in hospitals and asks ministers to collect and collate information nationally on where and when hospital teaching is provided and on how many days a child has to be off sick before a teacher starts helping them at home, and, in light of this, calls on the Scottish Government to review the national guidance on absence due to ill health.

Supported by: Trish Godman, Robin Harper, Hugh Henry, James Kelly, Mike Pringle, Elaine Murray, Rhona Brankin, Karen Whitefield, Marlyn Glen, Mr Frank McAveety, Mary Mulligan, Elaine Smith, Cathy Peattie, Hugh O’Donnell, Tom McCabe

S3M-7522 Bill Wilson: The UK’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment’s Apparent Support for Corruption—That the Parliament notes Prince Andrew’s reported comments railing at British anti-corruption investigators, who had had, according to the remarks attributed to him, "the idiocy to almost scuttle the al-Yamama deal with Saudi Arabia"; believes that several regimes that it considers to be corrupt and undemocratic have been supported and sustained by the actions of companies based in the United Kingdom and its allies, and that defending corruption for the sake of profit reflects badly on the values of the UK and of the royal family; believes that this is damaging to the interests of UK citizens and those of other countries; considers that this increases political tensions in the latter, impedes their development and is conducive to human rights abuses and terrorism, and calls on the UK Government to investigate these allegations and, if found to be true, to cease to use Prince Andrew as a special representative for trade and investment.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Dave Thompson

S3M-7521 Sandra White: Lifeline for Older People—That the Parliament notes Age Scotland’s campaign to safeguard what it considers to be vital public services that older people rely on; considers that free personal care and concessionary travel not only save money for older people but contribute towards improving their quality of life while delivering financial savings across other budget lines, and agrees with Age Scotland that, despite difficult financial times, these key public services should remain priority areas of spending for the Scottish Government.

Supported by: Stuart McMillan, Christina McKelvie, Jim Tolson, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Ian McKee, Kenneth Gibson, Christine Grahame, Mike Pringle, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7520 Sarah Boyack: World AIDS Day 2010—That the Parliament recognises the importance of World AIDS Day, which takes place on 1 December 2010, in raising awareness and tackling the stigma of HIV; notes that there are an estimated 86,500 people across the UK living with HIV, with 6,630 new diagnosis in 2009, and understands that as many as a quarter of these people are unaware of their infection; further notes that there are an estimated 33.4 million people worldwide living with the condition including 2.1 million children under 15; further notes that students from across Scotland will congregate in Edinburgh on World AIDS Day to fundraise and provide information in order to reduce the stigma surrounding the issue; commends the work of individuals and organisations across Scotland who work to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS including Waverley Care, an Edinburgh based HIV/AIDS group, whose Spiritual and Pastoral Care Co-ordinator, Rev. Marion Chatterley, will address the Parliament at Time for Reflection on World AIDS Day, and encourages people across Scotland to "act aware" by making a commitment to help improve understanding about HIV in Scotland, prevent HIV transmission and stop prejudice.

Supported by: Mary Mulligan, Ken Macintosh, Sandra White, Dave Thompson, Aileen Campbell, Elaine Murray, Elaine Smith, Marlyn Glen, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, John Park, Nanette Milne, Bill Kidd, Bill Butler, Alison McInnes, Mary Scanlon, Joe FitzPatrick, Trish Godman, Patrick Harvie, Mike Pringle, Patricia Ferguson, Mr Frank McAveety, Jamie Hepburn, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Malcolm Chisholm, George Foulkes, Karen Gillon, Dr Richard Simpson, Cathy Peattie, Pauline McNeill, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Hugh O’Donnell, Maureen Watt, Jack McConnell

S3M-7512 Dave Thompson: Movember—That the Parliament congratulates what it considers to be the many brave and selfless gentlemen who have dedicated their faces to Movember, the month-long charity event that raises funds and awareness for men’s health issues, which, in 2010, Movember’s fourth year, has seen a force of what it sees as men stronger and more valiant than ever from all walks of Scottish life, including many men in the Parliament and Scottish Government, stand side by side, united in their commitment to supporting men’s health through the growth of a "Mo"; considers that innovative campaigns, such as Movember, do a fantastic job to spread awareness and engage men in health issues; welcomes the support, enthusiasm and patience of Scotland’s "Mo sistas" throughout the campaign, and looks forward to seeing many more men join in the growth of a "Mo" next year.

Supported by: Hugh O’Donnell, Kenneth Gibson, John Park, Murdo Fraser, Jim Hume, Nanette Milne, Alasdair Allan, Jamie McGrigor, Christina McKelvie, John Lamont, Aileen Campbell, Anne McLaughlin, Joe FitzPatrick, Mike Pringle, Stuart McMillan, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Ken Macintosh, Gil Paterson, Jack McConnell

S3M-7511 Shona Robison: The Sale of Tobacco (Registration of Moveable Structures and Fixed Penalty Notices) (Scotland) Regulations 2010—That the Health and Sport Committee recommends that the Sale of Tobacco (Registration of Moveable Structures and Fixed Penalty Notices) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 be approved.

Supported by: Nicola Sturgeon

S3M-7510# Helen Eadie: Brain Imaging Project from Scottish Universities Insight Institute—That the Parliament welcomes the report from the Scottish Universities Insight Institute in partnership with the Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Scientific Excellence, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Neuroscience and Scotland’s Futures Forum; acknowledges the potential benefits and dangers for Scotland in the use of emerging brain-scanning technologies, particularly in areas other than the health arena; acknowledges the potential impacts of the technology for the future, in relation to Scots law and human and consumer rights; considers that there is a need to debate the best regulatory and legislative frameworks to protect Scottish citizens, and believes that there is a need for a measured debate on this issue, not one driven by sensational media coverage.

Supported by: Des McNulty, Bill Kidd, Patrick Harvie, Elaine Murray, George Foulkes, Hugh O’Donnell, Alison McInnes

S3M-7509 Patrick Harvie: Widespread Use of CCTV—That the Parliament welcomes the recent comments of the Assistant Chief Constable, Ruaraidh Nicholson, of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, that "The continued use of public space CCTV by public authorities must be demonstrably based in evidenced need, and where that need can no longer be evidenced, we must be courageous and honest enough to step back from use of this technology"; notes that the United Kingdom has wider use of public space CCTV per capita than any other country; is concerned that this widespread installation of CCTV has taken place without reference to the long-term impact on privacy and that it does nothing to address the root causes of crime or antisocial behaviour, and considers that, while CCTV will continue to have a valuable role in some circumstances, community safety resources would often be better spent on things that build communities and neighbourliness, such as improvements in street lighting, urban design and services for young people.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Bill Wilson, Margo MacDonald

S3M-7508 Cathy Peattie: Carers Rights Day—That the Parliament notes that Friday 3 December 2010 is Carers Rights Day; acknowledges and values what it considers the substantial contribution made by over 700,000 unpaid carers and young carers across Scotland; welcomes the practical and emotional support provided by the network of Princess Royal Trust for Carers Centres across Scotland; recognises what is seen as the critical work of Falkirk Carers Centre in identifying and supporting over 53,000 carers and young carers; understands that, despite what it considers their valuable work and social impact and the inclusion of £5 million of Carer Information Strategy funding for NHS boards in the draft budget, carers organisations across Scotland continue to face significant funding challenges as a result of local government cuts, and believes that all parties should demonstrate their support for unpaid carers in the Parliament and in local constituencies and regions across the country as carers centres wait to hear about local core funding over the coming weeks.

Supported by: Dr Richard Simpson, Elaine Murray, Mary Mulligan, Helen Eadie, David Whitton, Ken Macintosh, Robert Brown, Marlyn Glen, Dave Thompson, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Alison McInnes, Bill Butler, Duncan McNeil, Des McNulty, Patricia Ferguson, Mike Pringle, Irene Oldfather, Charlie Gordon, Ms Wendy Alexander, Jamie Hepburn, Trish Godman, Karen Whitefield, Robin Harper, Hugh Henry, Karen Gillon, Sarah Boyack, Stuart McMillan, Hugh O’Donnell, Tom McCabe, Maureen Watt, Jack McConnell

S3M-7507 Robert Brown: Silently Stressed, NUS Scotland’s Research on Student Stress—That the Parliament is concerned by the recent report from NUS Scotland on student stress, Silently Stressed: a survey into student mental wellbeing, which reported that student stress is on the rise, with over 90% of students feeling very stressed by examinations, 70% feeling very stressed by financial hardship and 50% feeling stressed while working in a paid job; is particularly alarmed that 40% of student counselling services surveyed were unable to meet demand from the student community and calls on Universities Scotland to ensure that student welfare and support services are adequately resourced to meet the reported increase in student stress; notes that over 80% of students surveyed felt that stigma around mental illness prevented them from seeking help, and calls for more work to be carried out on how the barrier of stigma can be overcome in encouraging students to come forward early to seek support for stress.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Jim Tolson, Hugh O’Donnell, Marlyn Glen, Jackie Baillie, Alison McInnes, Mary Scanlon, Mike Pringle, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Margaret Smith, Ross Finnie, Cathy Peattie, Sarah Boyack, Gil Paterson

S3M-7507.1 Patrick Harvie: Silently Stressed, NUS Scotland’s Research on Student Stress—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7507) in the name of Robert Brown, insert at end "considers that the UK Government’s proposal to burden students with up to an estimated £50,000 debt by the end of their courses will only add to the stress that students experience and will harm their mental health as well as limiting their career choices and undermining the position of higher education in society, and urges the Scottish Government to reject any similar proposals in Scotland and instead to commit to the state’s continued role in funding higher education in Scotland."

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Wilson, Robin Harper, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson, Joe FitzPatrick

S3M-7506# Des McNulty: St Margaret of Scotland Hospice—That the Parliament notes with grave concern the continuing uncertainty faced by Scotland’s largest hospice as a result of proposals to remove places for the care of older people with complex needs; considers with regret that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has failed to enter into positive and constructive discussions with the board of the St Margaret of Scotland Hospice aimed at securing the future of the hospice and the retention of what is considered its outstanding provision; believes that insufficient progress is being made toward finding a solution, and would welcome the continuation of what is considered this much-valued provision.

Supported by: Paul Martin, James Kelly, Trish Godman, Rhona Brankin, Mary Mulligan, Ken Macintosh, Elaine Murray, Dr Richard Simpson, David Whitton, Jackie Baillie, John Wilson, Bill Kidd, Bill Butler, Mr Frank McAveety, Michael McMahon, David Stewart, Jackson Carlaw, Hugh Henry, Margaret Curran, Sarah Boyack, Stuart McMillan, Hugh O’Donnell, Tom McCabe, Ross Finnie, Jack McConnell

S3M-7505# Nanette Milne: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation—That the Parliament supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in its campaign to increase awareness and understanding of type 1 diabetes; notes that Scotland has the third highest incidence of type 1 diabetes in Europe; understands that only 2% of people in Scotland with type 1 diabetes have access to an insulin pump in comparison with an average of 20% in the rest of Europe; acknowledges that insulin pumps can reduce the incidence of disabling hypoglycaemia and the risk of developing diabetic complications; would welcome progress on increasing access to insulin pumps for all people with type 1 diabetes who would benefit from using one, and recognises the importance of research funded by JDRF, such as recent work at the University of Aberdeen on the role that stem cell technology might play in finding the cure for type 1 diabetes.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, John Lamont, Elizabeth Smith, Murdo Fraser, Mary Scanlon, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Aitken, Angela Constance, Pauline McNeill, Karen Whitefield, Dr Richard Simpson, Joe FitzPatrick, Margaret Mitchell, Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, Alison McInnes, Robin Harper, Hugh Henry, Ross Finnie, Cathy Peattie, Ken Macintosh, George Foulkes, Stuart McMillan, Gavin Brown, Robert Brown, Bill Wilson, Ian McKee, Bill Butler, Gil Paterson, Annabel Goldie, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Kenneth Gibson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jamie Hepburn, Jackson Carlaw, Jack McConnell, Bill Kidd*

S3M-7504# Alison McInnes: Getabout and liftshare—That the Parliament notes that, following the first ever liftshare week, membership of the UK-wide car-sharing network has now exceeded 400,000; further notes that car sharing, as well as bringing environmental benefits, can save participants money through shared travelling costs; congratulates liftshare on its recent success in the Contribution to the Community category at the Nectar Small Business Awards; considers outstanding the work of Getabout, a partnership between Nestrans, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils, local universities and other organisations, in promoting better transport choices, including car sharing, in the north east, and believes that encouraging car sharing and other more sustainable transport options can play a key part in helping the transport sector to meet its share of Scotland’s climate change reduction targets.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Mike Pringle, Kenneth Gibson, Marlyn Glen, Nanette Milne, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie, Sarah Boyack, Stuart McMillan, Hugh O’Donnell, Gil Paterson, Jim Hume, Liam McArthur*

S3M-7503 Patrick Harvie: Shawlands Town Centre—That the Parliament notes the longstanding efforts of Shawlands and Strathbungo Community Council as well as residents, businesses and community groups on Glasgow’s south side to push for the improvement of Shawlands town centre; recognises the work of the Shawlands Town Centre Steering Group, which published the results of a consultation exercise in April 2010 and which is working toward an action plan for the area; notes that the priorities identified in the consultation included the regeneration of Shawlands Arcade and better use of public space, including more greenery and facilities for a market; looks forward to the publication of the action plan and a commitment from Glasgow City Council to addressing these and other priorities; values the character of Shawlands and the diversity of local independent businesses, and hopes to see the great potential for improvement turned into a reality.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Jackson Carlaw, Kenneth Gibson, Robert Brown, Anne McLaughlin, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7502 Alasdair Allan: Outer Hebrides to Mexico—That the Parliament congratulates the former crofter, Seumas MacDonald from South Uist, for representing the interests of threatened coastal communities around the world when he travelled to Mexico on 26 November 2010 in advance of the global UN climate change talks due to take place over the next fortnight; notes that Mr MacDonald, together with Oxfam Scotland, has raised awareness of the dangers faced by communities in Uist from coastal inundation and the wider lessons that these provide for coastal communities around the world at a time of rising sea levels; considers that, in Uist, there is a powerful example of the human as well as environmental impact of shifting coastlines and climate change, and welcomes the attention that Mr MacDonald is bringing to this issue.

Supported by: Aileen Campbell, Sandra White, Rob Gibson, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Angela Constance, Joe FitzPatrick, Stuart McMillan, Liam McArthur, Christina McKelvie, Dave Thompson, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Gil Paterson

S3M-7501 Willie Coffey: Morag Ferguson, Science Teacher of the Year 2010—That the Parliament notes the importance of inspirational teachers who stimulate and motivate pupils to take an interest in the world around them and to pursue a better understanding of the world through the application of scientific enquiry; recognises that many teachers are dedicated to achieving this goal but considers that few are more dedicated than Morag Ferguson of Annanhill Primary School in Kilmarnock, winner of the Science Teacher of the Year Award 2010; welcomes the judges’ findings that Morag’s many different experiments and practical activities, explaining what is happening and why, had led to parents reporting that their children feeling excited on days when they are studying science, and considers Morag to be a valued member of the teaching profession and someone who inspires innovation, expression and creative thinking in the young people when she teaches.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7500 Alasdair Allan: BT Alba Gaelic Debate 2010—That the Parliament congratulates Iain Murdo MacMillan and Christina Louise MacLeod of the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway, on winning the final of the BT Alba Gaelic Debate 2010, held in the Scottish Parliament on 24 November; notes that Christina Louise MacLeod was also named as best debater of the competition; congratulates runner-up Millburn Academy, Inverness, on progressing so far in the competition and semi-finalists Castlebay school and Inverness Royal Academy and all other teams taking part in the competition; considers that a high standard of debate was shown throughout this year’s competition and final, and believes that this is an excellent showcase of the skills of Scotland’s young Gaelic speakers.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Anne McLaughlin, Rob Gibson, John Wilson, Sandra White, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Mary Scanlon, Stuart McMillan, Trish Godman, Dave Thompson, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, Ken Macintosh, Gil Paterson

S3M-7499 Maureen Watt: People’s Postcode Lottery Welcomes the Woodland Trust Scotland as New Charity Partner—That the Parliament welcomes the recent announcement that the Woodland Trust Scotland has been named the People’s Postcode Lottery’s new charity partner; considers that the Woodland Trust Scotland can now count itself among a distinguished repertoire of charity partners that are supported by the lottery in Scotland, including CHILDREN 1ST, Missing People in Scotland, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, WWF Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the People’s Postcode Trust; considers that the unrestricted nature of the People’s Postcode Lottery funding means that the charity partners, such as the Woodland Trust Scotland, can target support where they feel that it is needed the most; understands that this commitment of support from the lottery and its players will be a huge boost to the Woodland Trust Scotland in helping to create new native woodland and maintaining the 80 woods, covering an area of 8,500 hectares of Scottish countryside, under its purview, and fully supports this partnership and continued investment in good causes by the People’s Postcode Lottery across Scotland.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Kenneth Gibson, Sandra White, John Wilson, Nanette Milne, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, Stuart McMillan, Sarah Boyack, Aileen Campbell, Jamie Hepburn, Elaine Murray, Hugh Henry, Robin Harper, Gil Paterson

S3M-7497 Jamie McGrigor: Congratulations to RockNess Music Festival—That the Parliament congratulates the organisers of the RockNess music festival on being named Line-up of the Year 2010 at the UK Festival Awards; notes that this award was voted for by members of the public; believes that RockNess is now a firm favourite on the UK music festival scene and that it, along with the other music festivals such as Tartan Heart, are of immense value to the economy of the Highlands and Islands, attracting many thousands of additional visitors to the area; welcomes the line-up for RockNess 2011, which is to include Kasabian, the Chemical Brothers and Paolo Nutini, and wishes the organisers of RockNess and the other music festivals in the Highlands and Islands every success for 2011.

Supported by: John Lamont, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jim Hume, Nanette Milne, Bill Aitken, Kenneth Gibson, Pauline McNeill, Mary Scanlon, Liam McArthur, Mr Frank McAveety, Jackie Baillie, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh Henry, Ken Macintosh, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt, Jack McConnell

S3M-7495 Marilyn Livingstone: Red Hat Events—That the Parliament congratulates Naomi Anderson on her successful application to Firstport’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund, receiving a grant to set up Red Hat Events; notes that Red Hat Events is a social enterprise based in Fife that provides what it considers are high quality social events and opportunities for men and women to make new social connections; understands that the programme of events will appeal to all ages but specifically targets those aged 50 to 70; welcomes the fact that the project aims to reduce social isolation, increase inter-generational activity and build a sense of community, stave off conditions such as Alzheimer’s and stress and to increase the fitness levels of those in the target group with a view to reducing healthcare costs; commends Naomi for addressing the demand by this target group for the opportunity to participate in new activities, and wishes her every success with the project.

Supported by: Jim Tolson, Elaine Smith, Elaine Murray, John Park, Karen Whitefield, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Helen Eadie, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh Henry, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson

S3M-7494 Joe FitzPatrick: Scotland’s Oldest Citizen—That the Parliament congratulates Mrs Catherine Masters on reaching the age of 111 years on 23 November 2010; recognises that Mrs Masters is the oldest living Scot and the only Scot now alive who was born in the 19th century; notes that Mrs Masters was born and brought up in Dundee where her father, David Cromb, was the editor of The Courier, and wishes her all the very best on her birthday.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Bob Doris, Alasdair Allan, Pauline McNeill, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Wilson, Nanette Milne, Jim Hume, Maureen Watt, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Sarah Boyack, Brian Adam, Sandra White, Hugh O’Donnell, Angela Constance, Liam McArthur, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Robin Harper, Marlyn Glen, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson

S3M-7493 Kenneth Gibson: Arran Aromatics—That the Parliament welcomes the continued success of the Scottish luxury toiletries producer, Arran Aromatics, with forecast sales growth of 20% in the coming year despite the ongoing difficult financial climate and lack of consumer confidence in the wider economy; commends the management of the company who have taken the business from the verge of bankruptcy to being what is considered one of Scotland’s most prestigious manufacturing and exporting companies, with annual sales of around £5.6 million; recognises that Arran Aromatics is one of the biggest private employers on the island and considered a pillar of the local economy; further welcomes news that, following the successes of its seven outlets, the award of lucrative contracts from prominent hoteliers, such as Cameron House Hotel in Loch Lomond, and with booming export sales to America and Russia, the company intends to increase manufacturing capacity and expand its ventures south of the border, and wishes Arran Aromatics great success in this project and continued success in future.

Supported by: John Wilson, Stuart McMillan, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Mary Scanlon, John Lamont, Sandra White, Maureen Watt, Jackie Baillie, Hugh Henry, Stewart Maxwell, Gil Paterson, Jamie McGrigor, Brian Adam, Dave Thompson, Sarah Boyack, Jack McConnell, Jamie Hepburn, Aileen Campbell, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7492 Iain Smith: Save RAF Leuchars—That the Parliament expresses its appreciation and admiration for what it considers the essential role in the defence of the United Kingdom played by RAF Leuchars; commends the professionalism and dedication of all the military personnel who serve or are based there; considers that those who have been deployed from Leuchars on active service have given exemplary service in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere; believes that existing plans to deploy three squadrons of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft at Leuchars are strategically correct; calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to confirm these plans at the earliest possible date and to recognise that Leuchars is a centre of defence excellence not only for RAF fighter squadrons but also Territorial Army 71 Engineer Regiment, 58 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Regiment, the East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron, the regimental headquarters of the RAF cadets in Scotland, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and other units; further calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to acknowledge that RAF Leuchars is in the right place at the right time and doing the right job for which it is uniquely qualified by way of experience, expertise, preparation and capability, and invites him to confirm the long-term role of RAF Leuchars in the defence of the United Kingdom.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Tricia Marwick, Hugh O’Donnell, Jim Tolson, Kenneth Gibson, David McLetchie, Mike Pringle, Liam McArthur, Dr Richard Simpson, John Park, Alison McInnes, Joe FitzPatrick, Ted Brocklebank, Ross Finnie, Margaret Smith, Claire Baker, Christopher Harvie, David Whitton, Trish Godman, Jamie Stone, Mike Rumbles, Marilyn Livingstone, Stuart McMillan*

S3M-7491 Margaret Mitchell: Roots of Empathy—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the first Roots for Empathy pilot scheme in Scotland at New Stevenson Primary School, Motherwell; acknowledges that Roots for Empathy is a classroom-based intervention programme that aims to reduce bullying and aggression in schools in the short term and, in the long term, seeks to encourage future generations to be compassionate citizens and good parents; notes that the programme was developed by Mary Gordon in 1996 and is in place in Canada, New Zealand, the USA and on the Isle of Man, and hopes that the pilot scheme, initiated by Action for Children Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council, is a success and that it could soon be rolled out to other schools across Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, Bill Aitken, John Lamont, Jackson Carlaw, Bill Kidd, Nanette Milne, Robin Harper, Malcolm Chisholm, Hugh O’Donnell, Aileen Campbell, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, Ken Macintosh, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Tom McCabe, Jack McConnell

S3M-7489# Rhona Brankin: Lothian Homeopathy Clinic—That the Parliament views with concern the proposal made by NHS Lothian to withdraw funding from the Lothian Homeopathy Clinic based at the Dalkeith Medical Centre; considers that many patients from Lothian and the Borders have benefited from the services provided there and would welcome a continuation of the service in order that patients in the east of Scotland are not required to travel to Glasgow for homeopathic treatment on the NHS.

Supported by: Bill Butler, Christine Grahame, John Lamont, Angela Constance, Elaine Smith, Jackie Baillie, George Foulkes, Trish Godman, Jim Hume, Hugh Henry, Robin Harper

S3M-7488 Dr Richard Simpson: Silently Stressed, NUS Scotland’s Research on Student Stress—That the Parliament welcomes NUS Scotland’s report on research into student stress, Silently Stressed: a survey into student mental wellbeing, which follows on from NUS Scotland’s Think Positive project, which aims to create a mentally healthier student population across Scotland’s universities and colleges; considers that the report underpins the Think Positive campaign by showing that the needs of Scotland’s students are not only not being met but are increasing; regrets that, despite the growing success of the national anti-stigma mental health campaign, over 80% of those students surveyed felt that the stigma perceived around the issue of mental illness prevented them from asking for support, and calls for discussions with NUS Scotland on how the issue of stigma might be better tackled. R

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Marlyn Glen

S3M-7487 Dr Richard Simpson: Dropping of Antidepressant Prescribing Target—That the Parliament regrets what it considers the precipitate dropping of the target to reduce antidepressant prescribing by 10% without debate or discussion by the Parliament and considers that, while welcoming the new target to improve access to the so-called talking therapies, the Scottish Government has failed to match the NHS in England by training an equivalent to its 3,000 new therapists, a move that it believes could have contributed to at least stabilising if not reducing prescribing. R

Supported by: Tom McCabe

S3M-7486 Dr Richard Simpson: Waterwatch Scotland Report—That the Parliament welcomes the report, A Research Report into Domestic Metering in Scotland: Benefits and Disadvantages, by Waterwatch Scotland on introducing metering of water; considers it a valuable contribution to taking forward this change; commends Waterwatch Scotland for its continued work on behalf of consumers of water, and regrets the impending abolition of what it sees as this respected independent voice on behalf of consumers.

S3M-7485 Ted Brocklebank: Condolences to All Affected by the New Zealand Mine Tragedy—That the Parliament offers its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the 29 miners who have apparently perished following a second explosion at the Pike River mine near Greymouth, South Island, New Zealand; in particular extends profound sympathies to the nearest and dearest of the Scottish miners involved, Malcolm Campbell of St Andrews and Peter Rodger of Perth, and expresses sympathy to the New Zealand Government for its huge loss and gratitude for the support and practical assistance offered to the families and friends affected from outwith New Zealand.

Supported by: Mike Pringle, Helen Eadie, Karen Gillon, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Bill Aitken, Bob Doris, Jamie McGrigor, Hugh Henry, Murdo Fraser, Nanette Milne, Liam McArthur, Marilyn Livingstone, Elizabeth Smith, Mary Scanlon, Dave Thompson, Tricia Marwick, Jamie Hepburn, John Park, Claire Baker, John Wilson, Jim Tolson, Maureen Watt, Margaret Mitchell, Stuart McMillan, Brian Adam, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie, Jackie Baillie, John Lamont, Gil Paterson, Aileen Campbell, Ken Macintosh, Patricia Ferguson, John Farquhar Munro, Elaine Smith, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Sarah Boyack, Joe FitzPatrick, Linda Fabiani, Jack McConnell

S3M-7483 Shirley-Anne Somerville: Out of the Blue is Scotland’s Social Vision—That the Parliament congratulates Leith-based Out of the Blue on being selected as the Scottish regional winners of the Triodos Bank Social Vision competition thanks to its photograph of participants at a film-making workshop; notes that the competition invited businesses to capture a vision of its organisation at its best in showing the transformation of lives through enterprising ideas and solutions, and considers that Out of the Blue provides affordable studio and production space for Edinburgh’s cultural community with what it believes is an innovative and accessible range of weekly classes, events, exhibitions and projects.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Sandra White, Cathy Peattie, Malcolm Chisholm, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Joe FitzPatrick, Anne McLaughlin, Sarah Boyack, Robin Harper

S3M-7482 Bob Doris: Maryhill Burgh Halls Urban Regeneration Award—That the Parliament is delighted that Glasgow’s Maryhill Burgh Halls won the award for Category 5, Best contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds at the European Structural Funds Best Practice Awards at the Glasgow School of Art on 23 November 2010; considers that this prestigious award was hard won by the Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust in recognition of its work in leading an inspirational community-focussed project; notes that the £9.2 million renovation project is half way toward completion and considers that it will see the 132-year-old structure being brought back from the brink of ruin to become one of Glasgow’s most prized community assets, comprising offices, café, public hall, recording studio, children’s nursery, meeting rooms and courtyard garden, and looks forward to the completion of the project in the summer of 2011.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Jamie Hepburn, John Wilson, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Bill Wilson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7481 Bill Kidd: No Place for Prejudice in Scotland—That the Parliament welcomes that the individual responsible for posting hateful anti-Semitic comments on The Scotsman website in March 2008 has been given a deferred sentence of 12 months, having plead guilty to the charges; commends the work of the police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in bringing this case to court, and considers that this reaffirms the message that racism, or prejudice of any kind, has absolutely no place in Scotland.

Supported by: Ken Macintosh, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7480 Patricia Ferguson: European Award for Maryhill Burgh Halls—That the Parliament notes that what is considered Maryhill’s historic Burgh Halls has won the award for Best Contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds in the 2007 to 2013 programme; notes that this award recognises the Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust’s work in involving the community throughout the project and undertaking significant ongoing outreach work with local organisations and the best practice for bringing together sensitive historic building restoration with dynamic contemporary design and new outdoor spaces; believes that the refurbishment of the halls, which is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2011, will play a significant role in the ongoing regeneration of the communities of Maryhill, and congratulates all those who have played a part in bringing what it considers this important building back to life.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, David Stewart, Bill Butler, Charlie Gordon, Hugh Henry, Des McNulty, Marilyn Livingstone, Trish Godman, Karen Gillon, Jamie Hepburn, Claire Baker, Karen Whitefield, Mary Mulligan, Helen Eadie, Elaine Smith, Sarah Boyack, Mr Frank McAveety

S3M-7479 Stuart McMillan: People’s Millions Success for OYTS—That the Parliament congratulates Ocean Youth Trust Scotland (OYTS) on winning its People’s Millions contest, which took place on Monday 22 November 2010; notes that OYTS has won £50,000 of the People’s Millions, which will allow 84 young people to take part in Sea Change in Young People, a project that aims to inspire positive change in those involved through the challenge of adventure under sail; considers that this will enable them to connect with Scotland’s spectacular coastline in a way that they have never done before; acknowledges the hard work of everyone at OYTS involved in securing this funding, and hopes that all the young people who take part in the project enjoy their adventure under sail. R

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Mike Pringle, Robin Harper, Jamie McGrigor, Anne McLaughlin, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7478 Jackie Baillie: Christians Against Poverty—That the Parliament recognises the work of the free debt-counselling charity, Christians Against Poverty (CAP), in Scotland; considers that personal debt is a serious contributing factor to poverty in the United Kingdom; notes the recent research finding that a third of CAP’s clients struggled to feed their families before seeking help; further considers that CAP’s free, in-depth, face-to-face, holistic service complements the work of other debt advice agencies, such as Citizens Advice Scotland; believes that it provides workable solutions that are especially tailored to help the poorest people in society work their way out of unmanageable debt; commends the volunteers who work through their church to provide this free service to their local communities, and welcomes CAP’s expansion across Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Ken Macintosh, Karen Gillon, Dr Richard Simpson, Kenneth Gibson, Elaine Smith, Ms Wendy Alexander, Trish Godman, Pauline McNeill, Johann Lamont, David Stewart, Des McNulty, Mary Mulligan, Elaine Murray, Maureen Watt, Karen Whitefield, Sarah Boyack, Irene Oldfather, Hugh Henry, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Tom McCabe, Dave Thompson

S3M-7475 Ian McKee: BAA Domestic Charges—That the Parliament expresses concern at BAA’s proposals to increase domestic departure charges at London Heathrow from April 2011, which would see the charge rise from £13.43 to £20.25, an increase of over 50%; notes that the move would bring the charges in line with those for international passengers; considers that this is completely unjustifiable given that domestic passengers do not use the same facilities asinternational passengers, such as customs and immigration channels; believes that the charges would discriminate against Scottish travellers, including local businesses and leisure travellers, and would damage Scotland’s economy, which in its view depends on air connectivity to and from Heathrow; further believes that, in the absence of a high speed rail network connecting London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland must rely on good value domestic air links, and calls on BAA to reconsider its proposal.

Supported by: Hugh Henry, Maureen Watt, John Wilson, Hugh O’Donnell, Stuart McMillan, Kenneth Gibson, Ken Macintosh, Pauline McNeill, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Brian Adam, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Nigel Don, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7473 Dr Richard Simpson: Ban on Caffeinated Alcohol—That the Parliament notes that the United States Food and Drug Administration has banned pre-mixed caffeinated alcohol drinks; notes that this moves beyond the recent voluntary withdrawal of these by a number of major suppliers and the banning of such drinks in at least four states, and believes that it is now in the interests of public safety that pre-mixed caffeinated alcoholic drinks be withdrawn from sale in Scotland.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Robin Harper, Jackie Baillie, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Butler, James Kelly, Andy Kerr, Patrick Harvie, Helen Eadie, Rhona Brankin, Ms Wendy Alexander, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Karen Gillon, Marlyn Glen, Trish Godman, John Park, George Foulkes, Elaine Smith, Ken Macintosh, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7472 Bill Wilson: Irish Prohibition of Depleted Uranium Weapons Bill 2009—That the Parliament congratulates the chair of the Irish Green Party, Dan Boyle, on his Private Member’s Prohibition of Depleted Uranium Weapons Bill 2009 clearing its fifth parliamentary stage, and in doing so, winning praise from senators from across the Irish political spectrum and an endorsement from Dick Roche, the Minister of State at the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, and expresses the hope that it will swiftly complete its successful passage through the Dáil; calls on the UK Government to enact similar legislation and to properly investigate the effects of depleted uranium on people and to immediately release what information it holds regarding the deployment of weapons containing depleted uranium; considers that this latter information is important in investigating the potential links between depleted uranium and cancers, birth deformities and stillbirths, and believes, with reference to motion S3M-7332 by Bill Wilson, UN Vote on Depleted Uranium, that reluctance to release such data can only lend weight to speculation that the governments of the UK, the USA, France and Israel are attempting to cover up the impact of depleted uranium on health.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Dave Thompson, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7471 David Whitton: Support for ED’s Cycle Co-op—That the Parliament celebrates the success of ED’s Cycle Co-op for what it considers its outstanding impact as revealed in the recent Sustrans Hands-Up Scotland survey; understands that almost 8% of pupils now cycle to primary schools across seven primaries in Bishopbriggs, almost three times the national average in 2009; considers that, because of the scheme, the rate at St Matthew’s Primary School, at almost 20%, is double the Scottish Government target of 10% by 2020, 10 years ahead of schedule; notes that ED’s Cycle Co-op has organised events such as the inaugural Bishopbriggs Cycle Festival, which had around 1,000 participants, and the Guinness World Record attempt at simultaneous bike-bell ringing to the tune of the Blue Danube, which was broadcast to over 2.9 million listeners on Classic FM and shown on STV Daybreak; notes a four-fold expansion of the St Matthew’s Primary School cycle club, from 32 to 128 participants, who receive cycle skills, cycle mechanics, first aid and escorted rides looking at the natural and cultural heritage around East Dunbartonshire, and nearly a 5% modal shift in cycling to primary schools in just one year, and considers that there would be an economic benefit of between £2 and 4 billion every year if Scotland could achieve European levels of cycling.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Mike Pringle, Ross Finnie, Des McNulty, Elaine Smith, Jim Tolson, Hugh Henry, Robin Harper, Ken Macintosh, Jackie Baillie, Bill Butler, Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Charlie Gordon, Marilyn Livingstone, Gil Paterson, Mary Mulligan, Cathy Peattie, Helen Eadie, Liam McArthur, Mr Frank McAveety, Rhona Brankin, Alasdair Allan, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Robert Brown, Alison McInnes

S3M-7463 Peter Peacock: Moray Firth’s Spectacular Coastline—That the Parliament notes that the Moray Firth coastline has been ranked among the most beautiful and spectacular in the world by the National Geographic Traveller magazine’s panel of experts in sustainable tourism; considers that its scenery, beaches, marine wildlife and coastal communities deserve to be better known and visited, and urges the Scottish Executive to support the statutory and voluntary agencies that are working to promote sustainable tourism in the Moray Firth.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Lewis Macdonald, Bill Kidd, James Kelly, Brian Adam, Mary Scanlon, Rhoda Grant, George Foulkes, David Stewart, John Lamont, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie, Trish Godman, Ken Macintosh, Jamie McGrigor, Hugh Henry, Sarah Boyack, David Whitton, Maureen Watt, Marlyn Glen, Elaine Murray, Mary Mulligan, Dave Thompson, Mr Frank McAveety, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7462 Marilyn Livingstone: Congratulations to John Robertson—That the Parliament congratulates John Robertson, the managing director of Burntisland Fabrications Ltd (BiFab), on winning the Business Leader of the Year Award at the Fife Business Awards; considers that John Robertson and BiFab have made a significant contribution to the growth of Fife’s economy, and welcomes the fact that the Fife Economy Partnership, which sponsored the awards, has identified renewables as a key growth sector for Fife and that one of the aims of its strategy is for Fife to become a centre of excellence for the renewables industry.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jim Tolson, Bill Kidd, John Park, Jackie Baillie, Claire Baker, Hugh Henry, Dr Richard Simpson, Gil Paterson, Mary Mulligan, Pauline McNeill, Sarah Boyack, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7461# Elaine Murray: Keep the Post Public—That the Parliament supports the campaign organised by the Keep The Post Public Coalition opposing the part-privatisation of the Royal Mail; believes that the UK Government’s plans threaten the continuation of the universal service obligation and will lead to reduced services and discriminatory charges in rural areas; believes that privatisation will also result in the closure of post offices throughout Scotland; congratulates the Communications Workers Union for proposing an alternative business model, which it considers would allow the Royal Mail to remain in the public sector; notes the widespread public opposition to the privatisation of the Royal Mail including that of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat-led Dumfries and Galloway Council, which voted to keep the post public at its meeting of 18 November 2010, and would welcome further votes against these plans across Scotland.

Supported by: Karen Gillon, Ken Macintosh, Malcolm Chisholm, Robin Harper, Sarah Boyack, Ms Wendy Alexander, Cathy Peattie, Peter Peacock, David Stewart, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Rhoda Grant, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Wilson, Trish Godman, Dr Richard Simpson, Marilyn Livingstone, Mary Mulligan, Marlyn Glen, Bill Butler, Dave Thompson, Kenneth Gibson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Helen Eadie, John Park, Mr Frank McAveety

S3M-7460 Dr Richard Simpson: Scotland’s Rugby World Ranking—That the Parliament notes what it considers to be the significant victory by Scotland’s rugby team over the world champions, South Africa, and congratulates Andy Robinson and the entire squad for achieving Scotland’s highest-ever world ranking of sixth.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack

S3M-7459 Aileen Campbell: Congratulations to Incoming and Outgoing Chairs of Lesmahagow Community Council—That the Parliament congratulates Jane Armstrong from Lesmahagow on her election as chair of Lesmahagow Community Council and sends its best wishes to outgoing chair, Jim Macintyre; recognises the many years of service that Jim has given to the council and the many different achievements of Lesmahagow Community Council under his chairmanship, including what it considers several successful Doors Open Days in the town and campaigns on a range of matters, including the proposed closure of the town’s Jubilee Hall; also recognises the commitment of Jane Armstrong to the town, including her role in the Lesmahagow Old Parish Young Women’s Group, and wishes Jane and the community council every success in the years to come.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Bob Doris, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7458 Brian Adam: UK Government to Remove Emergency Towing Vessels—That the Parliament notes with anger the decision of the UK Government to remove the four emergency towing vessels (ETV) stationed around the UK from September 2011; believes that the ETVs play a key role in allowing a rapid response to emergency situations at sea, including fire fighting, rescue of personnel, pollution response and salvage; notes the importance of the country’s coastal water to local economies through fishing, aquaculture and tourism; further notes Lord Donaldson’s report, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas, which recommended the introduction of the vessels after the Braer tanker disaster in 1993 during which nearly 85,000 tonnes of crude oil were spilled off the Shetland Islands, and calls on the UK Government to conduct a full assessment of the effects of the cuts on maritime safety and the capacity of the UK to respond to a Deepwater Horizon type event in, or another oil spill around, UK coastal waters.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Christina McKelvie, John Farquhar Munro, Alasdair Allan, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Maureen Watt, Christine Grahame, Hugh Henry, Robin Harper, John Wilson, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Wilson, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7457 Kenneth Gibson: Tax Avoidance—That the Parliament is appalled by what it considers to be the UK Government’s casual attitude towards tax avoidance by some of Britain’s richest companies; believes that the acceptance of such behaviour renders the Prime Minister’s claim that we’re all in this together in terms of the recession, redundant; agrees that closing obvious tax loopholes and ensuring that the correct amount of taxation is paid by companies would be a more effective way of reducing the budget deficit than by simply slashing public spending; finds incredible reports that HM Revenue and Customs allowed Vodafone to forgo £4.8 billion of tax; is aware that, days after this case was settled, Chancellor George Osborne travelled to India to promote Vodafone; is shocked by suggestions that UK companies annually avoid at least £12 billion in tax, and believes that HM Treasury should act with urgency to close such loopholes.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Aileen Campbell, Angela Constance, Elaine Smith, Rob Gibson, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Wilson, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Nigel Don, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Joe FitzPatrick, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7456 Ted Brocklebank: Hope for New Zealand Miners—That the Parliament notes with deep concern that 29 miners are still unaccounted for after the explosion at the Pike River Mine near Greymouth on South Island, New Zealand; commends and encourages all the efforts being made by the mine authorities and the New Zealand Government to bring the men to safety; offers support and encouragement to all the relatives of those involved and in particular to those of the two Scottish miners, Malcolm Campbell of St Andrews and Peter Roger of Perth, and joins with all family members and friends in wishing for a speedy and successful resolution to what it considers to be this appalling accident.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Bill Aitken, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, David Stewart, Aileen Campbell, Maureen Watt, Christina McKelvie, Jamie McGrigor, Nanette Milne, John Lamont, Elaine Smith, Rob Gibson, Jamie Hepburn, Liam McArthur, Ken Macintosh, John Park, Murdo Fraser, Sarah Boyack, Bill Kidd, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry

S3M-7455 Irene Oldfather: CrossReach’s Services to Older People—That the Parliament acknowledges and applauds CrossReach’s Services to Older People (STOP) for the achievements of the staff and services across Scotland throughout 2010; congratulates Annie McDonald, Head of Service North, on winning Scottish Care’s Care Achievement of the Year 2010 Award, Rubislaw Park’s design team on winning Scottish Care’s Care Home Design of the Year 2010 Award, Oversteps on winning the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Care Accolades 2010 Team of the Year award, and the Oasis, Garelochhead, on winning both the CrossReach/Boots Care Services Award for Innovation in Dementia Care and CoSLA’s Bronze Award for Tackling Health Inequalities and Improving Health, in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council; commends the Oasis, Garelochhead, on reaching the finals of the SSSC Care Accolades 2010; commends Hollie Thomson and Katie Kane from Allarton, of the CrossReach Mental Healthcare service, who were finalists in the Scottish Care Care Newcomer of the Year 2010 award category; highlights the success of CrossReach’s recent International Dementia Conference, co-ordinated by STOP’s Dementia Development Officer, Pamela Mackay; appreciates what it considers the valuable contributions on dementia at the conference, in particular from the Edcon Group from America; recognises STOP’s contribution to the Charter of Rights for People with Dementia and their Carers in Scotland; appreciates the individualised and supportive care given to residents of services such as Adams House, South Beach House and Morlich House; applauds the hard work and dedication of STOP services that continue to be graded from good to excellent by the Care Commission; considers that STOP services embed a human rights approach into all of their work, and wishes them well for their future provision of care and support to Scotland’s ageing population.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7454 Jamie McGrigor: Congratulations to Mary’s Meals Founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow on His CNN Hero Award—That the Parliament congratulates Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder of Dalmally-based Mary’s Meals, on being named as one of Cable News Network’s (CNN) 2010 Heroes; notes that he was the only British citizen in the final 10 to be awarded such an honour and that CNN considered over 10,000 nominations from more than 100 countries; notes that Mary’s Meals is a leading international charity that provides free meals to more than 400,000 children in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe; welcomes the fact that the £16,000 prize money from CNN will be spent on school feeding projects in Malawi where Mary’s Meals supports more than 12% of primary school children, and wishes Mr MacFarlane-Barrow and all those involved in Mary’s Meals continued success in what it considers to be their effective work in providing vital school feeding projects in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education.

Supported by: Dr Richard Simpson, Jackson Carlaw, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, Sandra White, Ken Macintosh, Patricia Ferguson, Elaine Smith, Robin Harper, Elizabeth Smith, Nanette Milne, Bill Aitken, Christina McKelvie, Karen Gillon, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Pauline McNeill, Maureen Watt, Ted Brocklebank, Hugh O’Donnell, Margaret Mitchell, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Murdo Fraser, Hugh Henry, Jack McConnell, Gil Paterson, Mary Scanlon, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7453 Murdo Fraser: Archibald Campbell, the Eighth Earl and First Marquis of Argyll—That the Parliament notes that 27 May 2011 marks the 350th anniversary of the death of Archibald Campbell, the eighth Earl and first Marquis of Argyll; acknowledges Argyll’s dedication to the Presbyterian faith and his role as a leading member of the Covenanters and later the Kirk Party; considers that Argyll had an important role in 17th century Scotland promoting the covenanting cause and Scottish interests in relations with the English Parliament and under the Cromwellian Protectorate; further notes that it was Argyll who carried the crown at the coronation of Charles II at Scone on 1 January 1651, and considers that Argyll’s contribution to Scottish political and religious history ought to be remembered and celebrated.

Supported by: Bill Aitken, Jamie McGrigor, Nanette Milne, Elizabeth Smith

S3M-7452 Malcolm Chisholm: Lothian Supported Carers Scheme—That the Parliament congratulates Barnardo’s Scotland on the launch of the Lothian Supported Carers Scheme (LSCS), a new Lothian-wide project based in north Edinburgh and funded for five years by the Big Lottery Fund in partnership with all of Lothian’s local authorities; understands that young people often leave care with multiple and complex needs and are vulnerable to the risk of homelessness and social exclusion; recognises that the scheme will provide what it believes will be much-needed accommodation and support for 65 young care leavers not ready to live independently; considers that LSCS will play a vital role in working with young care leavers and providing a positive role model from which to develop meaningful relationships and reduce the risk of antisocial or offending behaviour; commends the engagement of young people in the scheme; applauds the contribution that carers will make in helping young people through the important transition from adolescence to adulthood, and looks forward to seeing the young people realise their full potential.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Karen Gillon, Jim Hume, Jackie Baillie, Rhona Brankin, Aileen Campbell, Des McNulty, Elaine Smith, Hugh O’Donnell, Sarah Boyack, Mike Pringle, Mary Mulligan, Christina McKelvie, Bill Kidd, Ken Macintosh, Dr Richard Simpson, Robin Harper, Marlyn Glen, Trish Godman, Marilyn Livingstone, Hugh Henry, Gil Paterson, Cathy Peattie, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan, Tom McCabe

S3M-7450 Rob Gibson: Praise for Sustrans Cycle Network—That the Parliament celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Sustrans cycle network; understands that Scotland performs better than elsewhere in the United Kingdom as the number of trips made on the National Cycle Network in Scotland increased from 31.3 million in 2008 to 37.3 million trips in 2009, a 19.2% increase from 2008, and a 31.8% increase from 2007, exceeding the outcome of a 15% increase in trips on the network that was agreed between the Scottish Government and Sustrans in 2007; congratulates Sustrans and the Scottish Government on this achievement, and calls on the Scottish Government to give further support to the network and encourage more people to cycle.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Bill Wilson, Stuart McMillan, Sandra White, Maureen Watt, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Elaine Murray, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper

S3M-7449 Marilyn Livingstone: Investment in Social Housing—That the Parliament considers that continuing to invest in social housing is important and that significant economic and social benefits arise from housing investment and activity; commends the Fife Housing Association Alliance (FHAA) for delivering, in partnership with Fife Council, 1,300 new homes over the last five years; considers that the FHAA has created an appropriate partnership framework and structures that guarantee the delivery of quality affordable housing in Fife; notes with concern the representations made by the FHAA that, without continuing support from the Scottish Government, its success and ability to continue to deliver affordable social housing will be jeopardised; advocates that housing policy and funding allocations should primarily be driven by the needs of lower-income households that cannot afford the costs of housing without financial assistance, and believes that a properly funded housing policy based on such principles delivers good quality housing, thereby improving health, educational chances, employment opportunities and general wellbeing.

Supported by: Malcolm Chisholm, John Park, Sandra White, Bill Butler, Robin Harper, Sarah Boyack, Pauline McNeill, Ken Macintosh, Mary Mulligan, Hugh Henry, Marlyn Glen

S3M-7448 Rob Gibson: Wick Marina Success—That the Parliament welcomes the 50% increase in the number of leisure craft using Wick harbour in one year, which has brought hundreds of extra visitors to Wick; further notes and welcomes the fact that the harbour has been promoted as part of the Viking Trail, which includes marinas in Orkney, Shetland and Inverness; congratulates Wick Harbour Authority on this success and recognises the benefits that it brings to the harbour, town and county; wishes the harbour trust increased success in the future, and recognises the importance that marinas play in the wider sea-going Scottish tourist economy.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Stewart Maxwell, Kenneth Gibson, Alasdair Allan, Stuart McMillan, Mary Scanlon, Jamie McGrigor, Liam McArthur, Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Robin Harper, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7447 Karen Whitefield: St Patrick’s Opera Group—That the Parliament pays tribute to Shotts St Patrick’s Opera group on its 60th anniversary; congratulates it on what is considered its triumphant recent production of Beauty and the Beast, which played to a series of full houses at Howden Theatre in Livingston; considers that every aspect of the production was of a high quality, including tremendous displays from all the performers, a visually stimulating backdrop, precise and elegant costume design and first class music, direction and choreography; applauds the enthusiasm, talent and commitment of all the members of St Patrick’s Opera Group, and wishes them every success in their future artistic endeavours.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, James Kelly, Helen Eadie, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Hugh O’Donnell, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Pauline McNeill, Elaine Smith, Mary Mulligan, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7446 Karen Whitefield: Friends of Centenary Park—That the Parliament acknowledges the work of Friends of Centenary Park in Airdrie, which joined forces with Poppy Scotland to commemorate Remembrance Day by illuminating Airdrie Viaduct with poppies in what was seen as a beautiful, highly poignant and visually impressive tribute to the brave servicemen and women who have died fighting for the United Kingdom; considers that such a display constitutes a fitting tribute to those who have given up their lives in the defence of others, and unites in paying respect to the valour of the fallen.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, James Kelly, Karen Gillon, Jim Tolson, Kenneth Gibson, John Wilson, Trish Godman, Margaret Mitchell, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Hugh O’Donnell, Elaine Smith, Pauline McNeill, Mary Mulligan, Mr Frank McAveety, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7445 Karen Gillon: Lanark Christmas Market 2010—That the Parliament welcomes the forthcoming Lanark Christmas Market, the largest of its type in Scotland, held on Saturday 20 November 2010; notes that the annual event attracts thousands of visitors to the town of Lanark to enjoy the festivities, including market stalls, a children’s fairground, the Christmas lights switch-on ceremony and Santa Claus; further notes that this year’s event will be host to around 80 specialist stalls selling a wide range of crafts, food and drink from producers across the United Kingdom; recognises the economic benefits that the event brings to the town of Lanark and the surrounding area, and congratulates the local volunteers for their ongoing efforts to make the event such a success every year.

Supported by: James Kelly, David Stewart, Aileen Campbell, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Jim Tolson, Karen Whitefield, John Lamont, Elaine Murray, Sarah Boyack, Hugh O’Donnell, Mary Mulligan, Jamie Hepburn, Marilyn Livingstone, Cathy Peattie, Hugh Henry

S3M-7444# Dave Thompson: Publication of the SIGN Guideline on Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis—That the Parliament welcomes the publication by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) of the guideline, Diagnosis and Management of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in Adults, as a potentially important milestone in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Scotland; understands that this is the first ever clinical guideline of its kind internationally to draw together what is considered to be the best available evidence on diagnosing and treating psoriasis and PsA; notes that the prevalence of these conditions in Scotland is estimated at between 2% to 3% of the population, with over 100,000 people affected by the condition; further notes that approximately one in every five people with psoriasis will also have PsA where the body’s immune system misfires against its own joints and tendons, causing inflammation, pain and disfigurement; welcomes the guideline’s key recommendations, which include proposals that dermatology and rheumatology professions should work together to manage patients with severe joint and skin disease, that health professionals be made aware of the link between psoriasis and PsA and the need for early diagnosis and treatment, that healthcare professionals should be aware of the need to consider comorbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lymphoma and depression in patients with psoriasis and PsA, that all patients with psoriasis and PsA should receive best practice and optimal treatments as advised by the new SIGN NHS Quality Improvement Scotland care pathway, that there should be an annual review for all patients with psoriasis and PsA, that the active involvement of patients in managing their care should be encouraged, that treatment options, risks and benefits should be discussed with the patient, allowing them more opportunity to be involved in decision making and that all patients suspected of having PsA should be assessed by a rheumatologist to make an early diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment thereby reducing joint damage, and would welcome early implementation of these key recommendations in the Highlands and Islands and across Scotland.

Supported by: James Kelly, Bob Doris, Kenneth Gibson, Aileen Campbell, Bill Wilson, Elaine Smith, Linda Fabiani, Dr Richard Simpson, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Ken Macintosh, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Michael Matheson, Hugh Henry, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan, George Foulkes, Malcolm Chisholm*

S3M-7443 Jack McConnell: Congratulations to Challenges Worldwide on its 10th Anniversary—That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish charity, Challenges Worldwide, on its 10th anniversary on 23 November 2010; notes that in its first decade it has placed more than 600 expert volunteers in companies and organisations across the developing world and emerging economies; recognises the contribution that it makes to economic growth and strengthening organisations, and considers that it is an excellent example of Scottish innovation in global development.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7442 Jeremy Purvis: Heriot-Watt University School of Textiles and Design Links with China—That the Parliament congratulates Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles and Design on its exhibition held last week in Beijing’s Tsinghua University as part of its ongoing partnership with both Tsinghua University and the leading cashmere firm, Johnston’s of Elgin; notes that, by displaying Scottish expertise in the textile and fashion industry as well as developing the textile skills of Chinese students, Heriot-Watt is helping with the promotion of what is considered the valuable Scottish cashmere business in China’s emerging market, and, finally, welcomes what it considers the important social and economic links with China that are being developed by the university.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Tom McCabe

S3M-7441# Jamie McGrigor: 2012, 400th Anniversary of the Birth of the First Marquis of Montrose—That the Parliament notes that 2012 is the 400th anniversary of the birth of James Graham, fifth Earl and first Marquis of Montrose; notes that he is considered significant in Scottish history as one of the country’s finest battlefield commanders; recognises also his importance as a political philosopher whose works are still considered relevant in the 21st century; acknowledges his membership of the first Scottish Parliament and his membership of the ruling Committee of Estates; remembers that, on 21 May 1950, a service was held in St Giles’ Cathedral in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of his death, and would welcome another service of commemoration in 2012 to mark the 400th anniversary of his birth, thus highlighting the importance of Montrose’s place in Scottish history and the importance of that period of Scottish history to present generations and providing a link between the old Scottish Parliament and the new.

Supported by: Jackson Carlaw, Robin Harper, Margaret Mitchell, Nanette Milne, Bill Aitken, Murdo Fraser, Christopher Harvie, Ted Brocklebank

S3M-7440# Jim Tolson: Renewable Energy Skills Training—That the Parliament congratulates Carnegie College, Dunfermline, for being at the forefront of green energy skills development through its provision of renewable energy skills training and the wind energy industry’s first pilot wind turbine technician apprenticeship programme; considers that the college plays an important role in providing vocational education in the area and that the engineering and energy sector represents a huge opportunity for Fife and Scotland; believes that this far-sighted project will put the college at the centre of developing the high-quality training needed to support renewable energy industries, ensuring that Scotland meets its considerable green energy potential and bringing jobs and long-term sustainable growth; believes that the renewables industry has the potential to create thousands of new jobs for Fife and Central Scotland, and considers that Fife can become a major contributor to the development of the renewable energy capacity of the east of Scotland.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Bill Kidd, Mike Pringle, Christopher Harvie, Robin Harper, Hugh O’Donnell, Liam McArthur, Sarah Boyack, Gil Paterson, Iain Smith, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7439 Liam McArthur: FishFight Campaign—That the Parliament welcomes the FishFight campaign headed by the food campaigner, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, which aims to end wasteful fish discards; considers that the current quota system imposed by the EU Common Fisheries Policy forces fishermen to dump large quantities of marketable dead fish back into the sea; is not surprised that the campaign is supported by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation given Scotland’s fishermen’s track record for developing and supporting innovative alternatives to quota, such as the use of selective nets and area closures; believes that, if Scotland’s seas and the fishermen who make their living from them are to have a sustainable future, fishermen, environmentalists and scientists have to work together to persuade European governments and the European Commission to move away from what are seen as bureaucratically convenient quota systems to alternatives that avoid the scandal of discards, and commends all those involved in the FishFight campaign for helping to shine a spotlight on the wasteful dumping of fish and on the damage that it does to the environment and the financial viability of Scottish fishermen.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Brian Adam, Mike Pringle, John Farquhar Munro, Alasdair Allan, Hugh O’Donnell, Jim Hume, Dave Thompson, Hugh Henry, Maureen Watt, Ross Finnie

S3M-7437 Jackie Baillie: SNP Closed the Christie Ward—That the Parliament is dismayed at the recent decision of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde not to reinstate the Christie ward at the Vale of Leven Hospital after it was damaged in a fire; believes that the Christie ward formed a crucial part of inpatient services at the Vale of Leven Hospital; recognises that the decision is fiercely opposed by the community, patient groups and the Vale of Leven Monitoring Group set up by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to oversee what was called the Vale Vision; regrets that the cabinet secretary does not seem to believe that it is in the best interests of local people to keep the ward open, despite their clear views; further notes that the SNP was elected on a manifesto of keeping services local, and therefore believes that this represents another SNP broken promise.

Supported by: Mr Frank McAveety, Elaine Smith, Rhona Brankin, Patricia Ferguson, Helen Eadie, Sarah Boyack, Mary Mulligan, Marilyn Livingstone, Gil Paterson

S3M-7436# Andrew Welsh: Scotland’s Further Education Colleges—That the Parliament congratulates the staff and students of Angus College on what it considers another successful year in providing high-quality training and resources in its continuing exceptional contribution to building Scotland’s skills base for the future and also acknowledges the wider role of Scotland’s further education colleges in upskilling and retraining across the range of professional and practical skills considered essential in overcoming the challenges of the current economic situation.

Supported by: Angela Constance, Sandra White, Bill Butler, Pauline McNeill, Margaret Smith, John Scott, Nigel Don, John Lamont, Brian Adam, Rob Gibson, Mary Scanlon, Jamie Hepburn, Alex Johnstone

S3M-7435 Ken Macintosh: Donor Milk Bank—That the Parliament congratulates the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Donor Milk Bank for its work on improving the health of some of Scotland’s most vulnerable infants; considers that breast milk is the recommended form of nutrition for all infants, particularly for those born preterm; acknowledges the benefits of breast milk, including earlier tolerance of enteral feeds, a reduced risk of infection and a reduction in necrotising enterocolitis, considered one of the most serious conditions affecting sick and premature infants; appreciates that mothers who give birth before 32 weeks’ gestation, have multiple births or have medical complications may have more difficulty producing their own breast milk for a number of physiological reasons and that the short-term provision of donor milk can offer a suitable alternative for their infants; applauds the work of all of those who have supported Scotland’s only Donor Milk Bank, and asks ministers, members and NHS boards across Scotland to further explore the benefits of this approach for high-risk infants.

Supported by: Andy Kerr, Angela Constance, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Jackson Carlaw, Pauline McNeill, James Kelly, Hugh Henry, Patricia Ferguson, Jackie Baillie, Dr Richard Simpson, Marlyn Glen, Robin Harper, Elaine Smith, Hugh O’Donnell, Des McNulty, Trish Godman, Marilyn Livingstone, Tom McCabe, Mike Pringle, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Elaine Murray, Malcolm Chisholm, Rhona Brankin, George Foulkes, Mr Frank McAveety

S3M-7434 Jim Tolson: Screening of Jock and the Beanstalk by Arts and Theatres Trust Fife—That the Parliament congratulates Arts and Theatres Trust Fife, which will be filming a special performance of the Christmas show, Jock and the Beanstalk, at the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline on 21 December 2010; notes that this will be screened with a live internet chat link to the theatre for children in six hospitals, in Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Dundee, Glasgow and Aberdeen, and the children’s hospice in Kinross; notes that the production will be shown on Solus plasma screens in public waiting areas in hospitals across Scotland during the festive period; further notes that Solus will provide a web-based TV channel allowing the production to be viewed on demand, and welcomes the use of the latest technology to enable sick children to enjoy a Christmas pantomime during their stay in hospital.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Jim Hume, Hugh O’Donnell, Jamie Hepburn, Mike Pringle, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7433# Robert Brown: Fighting Visual Impairment and Age-related Macular Degeneration—That the Parliament recognises the importance of eyesight to a full life; understands that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) accounts for over half of registered blindness; is concerned that the prevalence of AMD is set to grow markedly with the increasing age profile of the population in Glasgow and the rest of Scotland; notes that treatment for AMD requires repeat application of appropriate treatments, commonly a regime of eye injections, but that outcomes are good if diagnosed early, and believes that it is vital that NHS boards are able to meet demand for treatment effectively now and in the future.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Mike Pringle, James Kelly, Elaine Smith, Kenneth Gibson, Mary Scanlon, Patricia Ferguson, Linda Fabiani, Sarah Boyack, Marlyn Glen, Hugh O’Donnell, Ken Macintosh, Trish Godman, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Hugh Henry, Joe FitzPatrick, Ross Finnie, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7432 Sarah Boyack: Congratulations to Voice of Carers Across Lothian—That the Parliament congratulates Voice of Carers Across Lothian (VOCAL) on its success in becoming the first organisation in Scotland to be awarded Quality Mark Level 2 by the Charities Evaluation Service in July 2010 and the title of Centre of Excellence by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers in November 2010; considers that these awards not only reflect the strong collective commitment to excellence in carer support by VOCAL board members, staff and volunteers but also their strong tradition of partnership work with funders and service partners; believes that VOCAL and other carer organisations play an important role in supporting carers in the Lothians and across Scotland, and wishes them well in the future.

Supported by: Hugh Henry, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Malcolm Chisholm, Helen Eadie, George Foulkes, Robin Harper, Mr Frank McAveety, Dr Richard Simpson, Trish Godman, Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, James Kelly, Rhona Brankin, Jamie Hepburn, Mike Pringle, Cathy Peattie, Ms Wendy Alexander, Pauline McNeill, Marlyn Glen, Ken Macintosh, Marilyn Livingstone, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7431 John Park: Congratulations to Skillsmart Retail—That the Parliament applauds the work of Skillsmart Retail; welcomes what it considers to be the important contribution that sector skills councils make to the skills agenda; notes that, in Scotland, there are 14,390 retail businesses employing approximately 239,000 people, accounting for around 10% of the workforce; considers that the retail sector is a major contributor to the Scottish economy, contributing £24 billion annually; commends the role of modern apprenticeships in developing skills and in aiming to increase employment in the retail sector, and welcomes the approval for the first National Skills Academy for Retail skills shop to open in Scotland.

Supported by: Malcolm Chisholm, David Whitton, Rhona Brankin, Hugh Henry, Mr Frank McAveety, Jackie Baillie, Des McNulty, Mary Mulligan, Hugh O’Donnell, James Kelly, Jamie Hepburn, Cathy Peattie, Elaine Murray, Linda Fabiani, Sarah Boyack, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7430 Bill Kidd: UKBA Contract Impact on Supported Employment—That the Parliament expresses serious concern regarding what it sees as the knock-on effect of the UK Border Agency’s (UKBA) decision to cancel its accommodation contract with Glasgow City Council and, in particular, the impact on the Blindcraft workshop that manufactures furniture used in asylum seekers’ accommodation and the part of its warehouse that is used as a store by social work services for personal possessions of asylum seekers; considers that, as a result of the UKBA’s decision, jobs at the workshop are threatened, with many of the workers being disabled people who will have difficulty securing work elsewhere, and calls on the UK Government to reverse its decision.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Patrick Harvie, Sandra White, Bill Wilson, Elaine Smith, Brian Adam, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Christina McKelvie, Bob Doris, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7429 Sandra White: Growing Success—That the Parliament congratulates Garnetbank Primary School Gardening Club on achieving the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign for School Gardening Level 5 award; notes that the level 5 award is the highest award available in the campaign, the criteria for which includes a termly planner showing lessons that have been taught in the garden, including which subject and year groups were taught and a couple of sentences on aims, objectives or content of the lesson; believes that the aims and objectives of the scheme, which are to encourage all schools to get growing and to acknowledge the right of every child to get involved in gardening, to demonstrate the value of gardening in enriching the curriculum, teaching life skills and contributing to children’s mental and physical health, to convince everyone involved with education in schools of the value of gardening in developing active citizens and carers for the environment and to show how gardening can contribute to a sustainable environment are worthy aims, which will enrich pupils’ learning experiences, and hopes that the campaign will continue to grow throughout Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Liam McArthur, Kenneth Gibson, Des McNulty, Maureen Watt, Bob Doris, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7428 Marilyn Livingstone: World COPD Day—That the Parliament notes that Wednesday 17 November 2010 is World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day, an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease to improve awareness and care of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; notes with concern that the prevalence of COPD has more than doubled in the last two decades, killing more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer and making it the fourth biggest cause of death in the United Kingdom; believes that events such as World COPD Day are important in raising the profile of the disease and its causes and encouraging people to have their symptoms checked as soon as possible, and congratulates the British Lung Foundation and Breathe Easy Kirkcaldy and other Breathe Easy groups across Scotland for promoting the importance of respiratory health and providing support and information to those with lung conditions.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jim Hume, Bill Kidd, Mr Frank McAveety, James Kelly, Murdo Fraser, Malcolm Chisholm, Bill Butler, Gil Paterson, David Whitton, Sandra White, Patricia Ferguson, John Park, Joe FitzPatrick, Hugh Henry, Irene Oldfather, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Marlyn Glen, Hugh O’Donnell, Maureen Watt, Dr Richard Simpson, Elaine Smith, Sarah Boyack, Ken Macintosh, Mary Scanlon, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Helen Eadie, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7426 Ian McKee: Scotland Leads the Way on Distinction Awards Reform—That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government’s action to reform the distinction awards scheme for consultants, which has seen the value of awards frozen for 2010-11 to £28 million; further welcomes the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s decision that in 2011-12 the freeze will continue and that no new awards will be granted; notes that the move will save the NHS up to £2 million, which will be reinvested in frontline services on top of the £2 million already saved by freezing the scheme in 2010-11; further notes that 2011-12 will see the distinction awards budget decline for the first time since devolution to £26 million; congratulates the Scottish Government for taking the lead in its reform of a UK-wide scheme that is now under review by the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body; strongly believes that the current system, which excludes other health professionals, including nurses, from being awarded for excellence, has no place in a modern health service; further believes that any NHS reward scheme must take into account the harsh realities of budgetary restraints that will affect the public sector in the years to come, and calls on the UK Government and other devolved administrations to follow Scotland’s lead in reforming the scheme and directing more resources to frontline services.

Supported by: Stuart McMillan, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Brian Adam, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Christine Grahame, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7425 John Wilson: Reported Incidents of Domestic Abuse against Men on the Increase—That the Parliament acknowledges the release of official statistics detailing incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police for 2009-10; notes with concern that the number of reported incidents of male victim/female perpetrator domestic abuse has more than doubled since 2000-01 from 2,696 to 7,938; recognises that this now brings the total number of reported cases of male victims of female abusers up to 15% of all reported cases; considers that these statistics show a significant increase in reported incidents of male victim/male perpetrator domestic abuse from 173 in 2000-01 to 666 in 2009-2010, and considers that these figures demonstrate that a concerted effort is needed to bring to an end all instances of domestic violence irrespective of gender.

Supported by: Mike Rumbles, Bob Doris, Hugh O’Donnell, Jim Tolson, Jamie Hepburn, Brian Adam, Christine Grahame, Mary Scanlon, Gil Paterson, Cathy Peattie, Murdo Fraser, Bill Kidd, Hugh Henry, Bill Wilson, Christina McKelvie, Dave Thompson, Tom McCabe, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7424 Bill Wilson: Measures of Wellbeing, GDP and Free-market Ideology—That the Parliament congratulates the UK Government on its decision to instruct the Office of National Statistics to produce measures to gauge general wellbeing and welcomes reports of David Cameron’s ambition to place the eventual results at the heart of future government policy-making; predicts that, if these measures are robust and objective, they will steer policy away from free-market ideology and toward reducing socioeconomic inequality by such means as implementing a truly progressive system of taxation, preventing tax evasion and avoidance, setting maximum pay ratios, eliminating the bonus culture and mandating the extensive use of community benefit clauses and related indicators of meaningful value in public procurement, and hopes that such measures will ultimately supplant GDP as a determinant of policy because it is of the view that ever-increasing GDP cannot be considered sustainable.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Christine Grahame, Robin Harper, Dave Thompson, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7416# Kenneth Gibson: Energy Best Deal Scotland Campaign—That the Parliament welcomes Consumer Focus Scotland’s Energy Best Deal Scotland campaign and its aim of supporting consumers in Scotland to get the best deal on their energy bills; particularly welcomes the work that it will do with advice agencies to build the advice and support available for low-income consumers who are most likely to save by switching but currently least likely to do so; notes that Consumer Focus Scotland’s Paying the Right Price research found that almost half of all households in Scotland have never switched energy supplier or tariff, meaning that around one million households are potentially missing out on average savings of £100 per year, with many lower income households able to save much more; further notes that, of those who have switched, the vast majority have either saved as much or more than they expected to and that most also found it easy to switch; recognises the important contribution that switching energy supplier or tariff can make to saving on household outgoings and tackling fuel poverty, alongside wider energy savings initiatives, and backs the campaign’s aim to support Scottish households in constituencies such as Cunninghame North to get the best deal on their energy bills.

Supported by: Christina McKelvie, Bob Doris, Hugh O’Donnell, Sandra White, Robert Brown, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Ken Macintosh, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan, Nanette Milne*

S3M-7414 Patrick Harvie: Human Rights Abuses in Gambia—That the Parliament condemns the reported catalogue of human rights abuses taking place in Gambia, which, according to Amnesty International, include torture, secret detention, lack of fair trials and the disappearance of many people including journalists, civilians and politicians; highlights the case of missing journalist Ebrima Manneh who disappeared after allegedly attempting to publish an article criticising the Gambian Government for violations of human rights; expresses solidarity with the people of Gambia in facing these reported abuses and who are now living in what it sees as a culture of silence; particularly supports those Gambians who are resident in Scotland but who might feel unable to speak out about the situation in their country for fear of the consequences, and urges the UK and Scottish governments to ensure that international pressure is put on the Gambian Government in defence of human rights.

Supported by: Mike Pringle, David McLetchie, Patricia Ferguson, Robin Harper, Sandra White, Gil Paterson, Bill Wilson, Aileen Campbell, Hugh O’Donnell, Kenneth Gibson, Bob Doris, Bill Kidd, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Pauline McNeill, Hugh Henry, Elaine Smith, Linda Fabiani, Ken Macintosh, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7413 Jackie Baillie: SNP in a Spin with the Living Wage—That the Parliament condemns the decision by SNP councillors on West Dunbartonshire Council to vote down a proposal to introduce a living wage for its lowest paid employees; notes that this is the fourth time that SNP councillors have voted down a proposal by the Labour Group to introduce a living wage for those workers earning less than £7.15 an hour; believes that this flies in the face of comments from Councillor Ronnie McColl, SNP leader of the council, who, following what it regards as Alex Salmond’s belated support for the living wage, performed a U-turn by saying that he had got it wrong and that he now supported the policy; believes that, with what it considers all their spinning, the local SNP must now feel very dizzy in light of this U-turn, and calls on West Dunbartonshire Council to implement the living wage without further delay.

Supported by: Elaine Smith, Patricia Ferguson, John Park, David Stewart, David Whitton, Helen Eadie, Bill Butler, Dr Richard Simpson, Trish Godman, Des McNulty, Mary Mulligan, Mr Frank McAveety, Cathy Peattie, Sarah Boyack, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7412 Linda Fabiani: Mushtaq Ahmad—That the Parliament congratulates Mushtaq Ahmad OBE on being appointed Lord-Lieutenant for Lanarkshire; notes that this continues his personal tradition of public service that began with teaching and organising the largest adult basic education programme in Scotland, included terms as a councillor and as the first Asian provost when he served in that role in South Lanarkshire between 2003 and 2007 and is still ongoing with his work at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, and looks forward to his continuing public service in his new role for some time to come.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jim Hume, Margaret Mitchell, Gil Paterson, Jackie Baillie, James Kelly, Tom McCabe, Joe FitzPatrick, Rob Gibson, Robin Harper, Andy Kerr, Elaine Smith, Karen Whitefield, Des McNulty, Hugh O’Donnell, Maureen Watt, Brian Adam, Christina McKelvie, Jack McConnell, Bob Doris, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7411 Jackie Baillie: Spanish Civil War Brothers—That the Parliament recognises what it considers the bravery of the four brothers, Tommy, Daniel, Joe and John Gibbons, who travelled from Renton in West Dunbartonshire across to Spain to serve with the anti-fascist International Brigades; further understands that one of the brothers, Tommy, died in action; notes that a cairn will be dedicated to the brothers at Renton’s Carman Centre in a ceremony on Sunday 1 May 2011, and commends what it considers the sacrifice of these brothers and all those who fought against the fascists during the Spanish Civil War.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Marlyn Glen, Karen Gillon, Brian Adam, Alasdair Allan, Robin Harper, Bill Wilson, David Stewart, Claire Baker, John Wilson, Trish Godman, Bob Doris, Hugh O’Donnell, Mary Mulligan, Elaine Smith, Stewart Maxwell, Mr Frank McAveety, Rhona Brankin, Sarah Boyack, Bill Kidd, Patricia Ferguson, Hugh Henry, Des McNulty, Dr Richard Simpson, Cathy Peattie, Elaine Murray, Linda Fabiani, Bill Butler, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7410 Sarah Boyack: Aung San Suu Kyi, an International Inspiration—That the Parliament welcomes the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s best-known prisoner of conscience; notes that Aung San Suu Kyi has spent more than 15 of the past 21 years under house arrest; further notes that she was last detained in May 2003 after the Burmese Government reportedly attacked her motorcade in Depayin, having been previously detained from 1989 to 1995 and from 2000 to 2002; notes that, in the 1990 general election, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 80% of the seats in the Burmese Parliament, a result that would normally have assured her the role of Prime Minister but was instead nullified by the military junta, resulting in an international outcry; commends what it considers the bravery and dignity that the Nobel Peace Laureate has shown throughout her years in house arrest; considers that her leadership gives hope and inspiration to thousands of political prisoners currently being held in deplorable conditions for simply exercising their right to peaceful protest, and wishes her well in her quest to deliver freedom of speech, democracy and human rights to the people of Burma.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Jim Hume, Aileen Campbell, Pauline McNeill, Bill Butler, Ken Macintosh, John Park, Bill Kidd, Patrick Harvie, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie, Trish Godman, Liam McArthur, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Sandra White, Anne McLaughlin, Jackie Baillie, Robert Brown, Bill Wilson, Elaine Smith, Ms Wendy Alexander, Joe FitzPatrick, Karen Gillon, Maureen Watt, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, Alasdair Allan, Mike Pringle, Gil Paterson, George Foulkes, Mary Mulligan, Marlyn Glen, David Stewart, Malcolm Chisholm, Irene Oldfather, Hugh Henry, Mr Frank McAveety, Dr Richard Simpson, Jack McConnell, Elaine Murray, Linda Fabiani, Peter Peacock, Marilyn Livingstone, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Rhoda Grant, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7409 Jackie Baillie: George Thom, Solas Insulation Ltd—That the Parliament recognises the hard work and dedication of George Thom who, until standing down this year, had been Convener of Solas Insulation Ltd for over 20 years; understands that Solas, formerly Heatwise Dumbarton, was established in 1987 and since then has insulated over 110,000 houses, employed 344 people and had a turnover of over £18 million; considers that, during his time as Convener, George Thom helped Solas become one of the top five largest non-public sector employers in West Dunbartonshire, and congratulates George on what it considers his invaluable contribution to the company.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Patrick Harvie, Mary Mulligan, Robin Harper, David Stewart, Mr Frank McAveety, David Whitton, Sarah Boyack, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7408# Kenneth Gibson: Banking on the Basics—That the Parliament welcomes Citizens Advice Scotland’s (CAS) most recent research report, Banking on the Basics, outlining issues experienced by people living in Scotland in accessing basic bank accounts; notes the finding that one in 10 public survey respondents did not have a bank account although two thirds of these had tried to open one; further notes the report’s findings that a number of people living in Scotland are unable to open a bank account due to having a poor or no credit history, being unable to meet set ID requirements, owing money to a bank or due to an undischarged bankruptcy; considers that access to bank accounts is essential for receiving wages, accessing affordable credit, receiving lower utility bills and for financial inclusion; further considers that the CAS use of client evidence means that it speaks with authority on the effects of policies and practices adopted by financial service providers in Scotland, including those who provide services to people living in Cunninghame North,and would welcome the implementation of the recommendations made in the report, including the introduction of a universal right to a bank account for all.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Ian McKee, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Robin Harper, Anne McLaughlin, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Joe FitzPatrick, Sandra White, Dave Thompson, Linda Fabiani, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Wilson, Stuart McMillan, Mike Pringle

S3M-7407 Robert Brown: Keeping Family Links in Prison—That the Parliament notes the importance of family links to cutting reoffending; considers that the project run by Circle at Addiewell Prison has been successful in reducing reoffending to 30% and in cutting drug and alcohol dependence; further notes the importance of family and child contact to motivating prisoners for a successful release, and urges the Scottish Government to extend the project to other Scottish prisons.

Supported by: Mike Pringle, Hugh O’Donnell, Trish Godman, Elaine Smith, Robin Harper, Angela Constance, Alison McInnes, Dr Richard Simpson, Ross Finnie, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7406 Robert Brown: Aung San Suu Kyi—That the Parliament welcomes the release from house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi; applauds what it considers to be her courage and steadfastness in defence of democracy in Burma over so many years; is appalled at what is seen as the continued repression under the current military junta in Burma, and looks forward to the restoration of democracy in Burma as soon as possible.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Rob Gibson, Liam McArthur, Sandra White, Bill Butler, Robin Harper, Anne McLaughlin, Jackie Baillie, Kenneth Gibson, Ms Wendy Alexander, Bob Doris, Ian McKee, John Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, Alasdair Allan, Mike Pringle, Gil Paterson, Sarah Boyack, Jim Hume, Alison McInnes, Hugh Henry, Ross Finnie, Linda Fabiani, Ken Macintosh, Nicol Stephen, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cathy Peattie, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7405 Linda Fabiani: NHS, Equality Matters—That the Parliament notes that the Scottish Health Awards 2010 were held on 11 November 2010; notes that the awards seek to give recognition to the workers in NHS Scotland and those working in health services who might be in jobs that normally do not have a high profile but who genuinely make a difference and show commitment to the NHS; recognises the importance of equality in healthcare and the work required to ensure that the needs of excluded or disadvantaged groups are met and that discrimination or prejudice in the delivery of healthcare is tackled, and, therefore, while congratulating all winners, congratulates in particular Attiq Asghar, Equality and Diversity Officer, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, resident of East Kilbride, who received the Equality in Healthcare Award.

Supported by: Nanette Milne, Sandra White, Christina McKelvie, Jackie Baillie, Maureen Watt, Bob Doris, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Sarah Boyack, Joe FitzPatrick, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7404 Jamie Stone: Scots Going Local to Beat the Recession—That the Parliament commends Tesco for working with 154 Scottish food and beverage producers to supply its stores with 1,500 locally grown or produced products; encourages all other large grocery stores to provide their customers with similar products; notes that in 2009 Scottish food and drink exports reached an all-time high of £4.06 billion, and considers that the quality of Scottish food and drink is such that people seek out Scottish brands at home and abroad.

S3M-7403 Dave Thompson: Congratulations to Rag Tag ‘n’ Textile—That the Parliament congratulates Rag Tag ‘n’ Textile on winning the 2010-11 Scottish Business Diversity Awards in the Social Firm Category at a ceremony held in the Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh; supports the company’s aims of helping people with mental health problems through the use of traditional arts and crafts methods with a modern twist; further acknowledges that the company up-cycles unwanted locally donated textiles and uses these fabrics to produce unique handcrafted items for sale; notes that the company contributes to the local economy of Skye and Wester Ross by employing people who are recovering from mental health problems and who might otherwise be distanced from their local community; considers that the company is reducing the stigma faced by some people with mental health issues; applauds the hard work and dedication of Cindie Reiter and her staff in Kyle of Lochalsh and Broadford on the Isle of Skye, and congratulates everyone at Rag Tag ‘n’ Textile for what it considers to be their superb contribution to their local communities.

Supported by: Elaine Smith, Mary Scanlon, Ken Macintosh, Bill Kidd, Ms Wendy Alexander, Rob Gibson, Alasdair Allan, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Anne McLaughlin, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, David Stewart, Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7402 Bill Kidd: Universal Credit and an Uncertain Future for Carers—That the Parliament expresses concern at the position of carers that has arisen from the proposals in the UK Government’s White Paper Universal Credit: welfare that works; considers that the paper’s statement that "All governments, since 1976, when Invalid Care Allowance was introduced, have faced the dilemma that increasing the level of benefit is neither affordable nor cost effective" appears to seriously undervalue the contribution that carers make to society, including the huge savings it believes that they make to public finances by providing informal, unpaid care; is concerned about what it considers is the confusing uncertainty surrounding the future of Carer’s Allowance arising from the words "The Government is carefully considering whether changes to Carer’s Allowance will be necessary to take account of the introduction of Universal Credit and provide clearer more effective support for carers", and is further concerned that the paper states that recipients of Universal Credit will not be required to face conditionality if they have "intensive and regular caring responsibilities", believing that this indicates a possible tightening of the future definition of who is or is not a carer.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Elaine Smith, Robin Harper, Kenneth Gibson, Hugh Henry, Bob Doris, Christina McKelvie, Bill Wilson, Dave Thompson, Michael Matheson, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7401 Margaret Mitchell: Circle Lanarkshire’s Addiewell Project—That the Parliament congratulates Circle Lanarkshire on its HMP Addiewell Project, which supports offenders through their transition from prison back into the community, working to reduce the possibility of reoffending and to strengthen the relationships between offenders and their families, in particular their children; acknowledges that the project helps offenders access other services such as counselling, drug agencies, employment and education; considers that Circle Lanarkshire’s workers provide extensive and flexible support both inside prison and in the community and commends them on their efforts; notes the contribution of the Robertson Trust and Kalyx to the project, which has now completed its first year, and hopes that the project will continue to help those offenders in HMP Addiewell and inspire the development of other throughcare projects.

Supported by: John Lamont, Elizabeth Smith, Malcolm Chisholm, Bill Aitken, Angela Constance, Robert Brown, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Elaine Smith, Nanette Milne, Robin Harper, Mary Scanlon, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson

S3M-7398 Richard Lochhead: The National Scenic Areas (Consequential Modifications) (Scotland) Order 2010—That the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee recommends that the National Scenic Areas (Consequential Modifications) (Scotland) Order 2010 be approved.

Supported by: Roseanna Cunningham

S3M-7396 Elaine Smith: No Compulsory Redundancies and No Scottish Public Sector Pay Freeze—That the Parliament commends the Public and Commercial Services Union’s (PCS) response to the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR); believes that the CSR represents a draconian attack on public services, public service workers and the most vulnerable people in our society; notes that the union’s alternative case against cuts in public spending includes investment in public services for economic growth and the collection of £120 billion lost annually through uncollected, avoided and evaded tax; believes that there is a Scottish public sector alternative to mass job cuts and a pay freeze; understands that such an alternative could incorporate an end to the costly use of consultants and contractors and an effective use of the Scottish Parliament’s tax-raising powers to encourage economic growth alongside a policy of pay coherence across the Scottish public sector to replace the 43 individual pay-bargaining units; notes that a drop-in briefing and lobby is scheduled to take place in the Scottish Parliament on 18 November 2010, and encourages as many MSPs as possible to attend.

Supported by: Patrick Harvie, Robin Harper, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7395 Jeremy Purvis: Spending Review 2011-12 to 2014-15—That the Parliament believes that, in order for local authorities, NHS boards, universities, colleges and the wider public sector to plan services most effectively, the Scottish Government should publish a spending review for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 in addition to its planned one-year budget proposals for 2011-12.

Supported by: Robert Brown, Ross Finnie, Jim Hume, Liam McArthur, Alison McInnes, John Farquhar Munro, Hugh O’Donnell, Mike Pringle, Mike Rumbles, Iain Smith, Margaret Smith, Nicol Stephen, Jamie Stone, Jim Tolson

S3M-7394 Marilyn Livingstone: Beatbullying’s The Big March—That the Parliament welcomes The Big March, a campaign by Beatbullying, the United Kingdom’s leading bullying prevention charity, which urges the UK Government to do everything in its power to tackle bullying, violence and harassment; understands that The Big March is the world’s first virtual march, mobilising hundreds of thousands of people to take action against bullying; notes that, on 15 November 2010, the first day of Anti-Bullying Week, supporters will "march" across the internet to deliver a petition to the UK Government encouraging it to do everything that it can to protect children and young people from all forms of bullying, violence and mistreatment by children and other young people; welcomes the fact that the campaign also asks the UK Government to commission a cross-departmental review investigating the best ways to tackle bullying, harassment and violence against children and young people, including the introduction of legislation where appropriate, and encourages as many people as possible to support the campaign and take action to beat bullying.

Supported by: Dr Richard Simpson, James Kelly, Patricia Ferguson, Jackie Baillie, Margaret Smith, Elaine Murray, Mike Pringle, Des McNulty, Elaine Smith, Ken Macintosh, Gil Paterson, Mary Mulligan, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Jack McConnell

S3M-7392 Sarah Boyack: Congratulation to Dalry Primary School on Achieving its First Green Flag—That the Parliament congratulates Dalry Primary School in Edinburgh on achieving its first Green Flag as an eco-school; acknowledges the leadership of head teacher David Fleming and his staff, who have led pupils on a eco-programme of changes that have made achieving the Green Flag possible; notes that the Eco-Schools programme encourages whole-school awareness and action for the environment and accredits schools that make commitments to continuously improve their environmental performance; considers the achievements of these pupils a credit to their school, teachers, parents and, above all, themselves, and wishes the teachers and staff of Dalry Primary School the best of luck in sustainably improving their education.

Supported by: Karen Gillon, Claire Baker, George Foulkes, Mary Mulligan, Pauline McNeill, James Kelly, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, David Stewart, Des McNulty, Ken Macintosh, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Marilyn Livingstone, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7390 Jim Hume: Operation Christmas Child—That the Parliament congratulates Samaritan’s Purse for its annual Operation Christmas Child initiative to provide disadvantaged children with Christmas presents; notes that the initiative is now celebrating its 20th anniversary during which over 81 million shoeboxes full of gifts have been delivered to children across the world; further notes that Operation Christmas Child delivered shoeboxes to children in 14 countries last year, including Zimbabwe, Ukraine and Belarus; recognises what it considers to be the dedication and hard work of all the regional coordinators who give their time to collect the generous donations from members of the public; congratulates East Lothian coordinator June Vasey, who has been part of the initiative for 12 years and has physically delivered thousands of shoeboxes to children in that period, and wishes Operation Christmas Child continued success in the future.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Mike Pringle, Robin Harper, Karen Gillon, Anne McLaughlin, Elaine Smith, Liam McArthur, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, Jim Tolson, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Dave Thompson, Ken Macintosh, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7389 Gil Paterson: Recognition of Unsung Hero—That the Parliament congratulates Mr Tom Scott of Inchmurrin Island on reaching the grand age of 85 and, in doing so, recognises what it considers his magnificent contribution to society, with his record of rescuing over 60 people from the waters of Loch Lomond over many years; considers Mr Scott’s actions valiant and notes that he acted as a private citizen and not as a recognised, organised entity; further appreciates and supports his legacy being carried forward by his family members, and wishes to record its thanks for what it sees as a vital voluntary public service.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Bob Doris, Jackie Baillie, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Brian Adam, Stuart McMillan, Hugh Henry, Maureen Watt, Bill Wilson, Joe FitzPatrick, Willie Coffey, Liam McArthur, Ken Macintosh, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper, Stewart Maxwell, Jamie Hepburn, Irene Oldfather, Sandra White, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7388 James Kelly: Rutherglen and Cambuslang Housing Association—That the Parliament congratulates Rutherglen and Cambuslang Housing Association on its recent 30th anniversary; notes that almost £45 million has been invested in housing stock in Rutheglen and Cambuslang since its inception and that currently 800 homes are rented through the association, which also manages 420 privately owned houses as well as 55 shops; congratulates the management committees both past and present, and wishes them well as they continue their work in the Rutherglen and Cambuslang area.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Mr Frank McAveety, Elaine Smith, Hugh Henry, Karen Gillon, Jackie Baillie, Robert Brown, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Bill Butler, Mary Mulligan, Trish Godman, Claire Baker, Dr Richard Simpson, Gil Paterson, Bob Doris, Sarah Boyack, Marilyn Livingstone, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7387 Karen Whitefield: Caldercruix Community Garden—That the Parliament congratulates the residents of Caldercruix on their Community Garden, which recently won a silver medal in the Urban Community category of the Beautiful Scotland campaign; notes that the judges praised the strong village atmosphere in Caldercruix, the well-led community centre and the high level of local enthusiasm for, and involvement in, the Community Garden project; further notes the judges’ approbation for the project’s engagement with eco-schools and other local groups; recognises the contribution that the Community Garden has made to the educational, environmental and social life of Caldercruix, and considers that it serves as an outstanding example of local innovation, co-operation, and collaboration.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Dr Richard Simpson, Bill Butler, James Kelly, Mr Frank McAveety, Trish Godman, Elaine Smith, Ken Macintosh, Mary Mulligan, Sarah Boyack, Linda Fabiani, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7386 Marilyn Livingstone: Fife Tourism Beats the Recession—That the Parliament welcomes the recent findings by Historic Scotland suggesting that Fife’s tourism industry appears to be beating the recession, with increases in footfall across visitor hotspots throughout the kingdom; notes that Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery is one such facility that is drawing in large crowds despite the economic downturn; notes that visitor numbers from April to October 2010 were recorded at 69,340 compared with 44,679 over the same period last year; understands that Days of Wine and Roses, the new work by Jack Vettriano, and McTaggart’s Children, a centenary celebration, both proved extremely popular, attracting many people to the gallery for the first time; notes that over half of the visitors to the gallery travelled from beyond Fife, and believes that venues such as Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery are an asset to the community and Fife’s tourism industry, offering high-quality experiences free of charge.

Supported by: Mary Mulligan, Trish Godman, James Kelly, Murdo Fraser, Tricia Marwick, John Park, Gil Paterson, Jim Tolson, Jackie Baillie, Sarah Boyack

S3M-7383 Pauline McNeill: Congratulations to Ashley Page—That the Parliament congratulates Ashley Page on his time at Scottish Ballet; recognises that Mr Page is accredited with transforming Scottish Ballet into the company that it is today; acknowledges the effect that cuts to the arts budget will have on companies such as Scottish Ballet, and is saddened by Mr Page’s forthcoming departure from Scottish Ballet in 2012.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Jack McConnell, Sarah Boyack

S3M-7382 Liam McArthur: Kirkwall the UK’s Best Port in Cruise Awards—That the Parliament notes the growing numbers of cruise ships visiting ports in the Highlands and Islands and the important business that it considers they bring to the area; is delighted to note that the attractions of the area have been recognised by Kirkwall being chosen as the Best UK Port of Call in the 2010 Cruise Critic UK awards; believes that this reflects the growing recognition of the multifarious attractions of the Highlands and Islands and, in particular, the special attractions of Orkney, with what it considers its unsurpassed scenery, archaeology, wildlife and welcome; considers that the hard work of all those involved in the Orkney tourist industry and in the development of the harbour in Kirkwall also played a key role in the port’s success, and congratulates them all on what it believes is a well-deserved award.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Jamie McGrigor, Rob Gibson, Alasdair Allan, Mary Scanlon, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, Mike Pringle, Robin Harper, Hugh O’Donnell, David Stewart, Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7374# Sandra White: Concern over Relocation of Asylum Seekers—That the Parliament notes with serious concern the decision by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to terminate its accommodation contract with Glasgow City Council, which could lead to the forced relocation of over a thousand asylum seekers to anywhere in Scotland; criticises the UKBA for the apparent suddenness of its communication and lack of clarity contained within, which is believed to have led to great uncertainty and anxiety not only among those in Glasgow but also the local integration networks and housing providers; believes that the UKBA policies that state that "whenever possible you will be given at least three to five days’ notice of the move" and that "you will (only) be allowed to take two pieces of luggage per person to your new accommodation" are directly opposed to the basic rights that many have fought for and more aligned with the injustices that many have fought against, and would welcome alternative proposals being brought forward.

Supported by: Trish Godman, Christina McKelvie, Patrick Harvie, Hugh O’Donnell, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Bill Wilson, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Patricia Ferguson, Gil Paterson, Bob Doris, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt, Elaine Smith, Christopher Harvie, Marlyn Glen, Michael Matheson, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7373 Alasdair Allan: Café Kisimul—That the Parliament congratulates Café Kisimul, located on the Isle of Barra, on being shortlisted for the Tiffin Cup, an annual award given to what is considered the best South Asian restaurant in the United Kingdom; commends Café Kisimul and the chefs, Rohal and Pauline Bari, and believes that their dedication to their customers and wide popularity both contribute to customers as far away as the Isle of Coll being willing to wait up to four hours for their takeaways to arrive via ferry from Castlebay in Barra; considers that Café Kisimul has achieved great success despite its remoteness, and wishes the restaurant the best of luck as it enters the final round of the competition, to be held at the House of Commons on 9 November 2010, and for all future success.

Supported by: Mary Scanlon, Anne McLaughlin, Sandra White, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Jamie Stone, Jamie McGrigor, Brian Adam, Aileen Campbell, Stuart McMillan, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Bob Doris, Liam McArthur, David Stewart, Michael Matheson, Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, Joe FitzPatrick

S3M-7372 Mary Scanlon: Mouth Cancer—That the Parliament recognises that Mouth Cancer Awareness Week runs from 15 to 19 November 2010; notes that there is a death from mouth cancer on average every five hours in the United Kingdom and that survival rates can increase from 50% to over 90% with early detection, yet over two thirds of cases are diagnosed at a late stage; is concerned that the number of new cases of oral cancer recorded in the UK in 2007 showed that there were over 13 cases per 100,000 in Scotland compared with the UK average of 8.9; applauds the past and ongoing research efforts of Scottish universities and dental schools in the fight against mouth cancer, which it considers to be significant; acknowledges the value of the dental profession in early detection, and commends this campaign and its aims of increasing awareness of this disease in an effort to increase survival rates from mouth cancer.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jamie McGrigor, Jackson Carlaw, Bob Doris, Bill Wilson, Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, Bill Aitken, Jim Hume, Hugh O’Donnell, John Park, Bill Butler, John Lamont, Patricia Ferguson, Trish Godman, Robin Harper, Hugh Henry, Jack McConnell, Kenneth Gibson, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Elaine Smith, Nanette Milne, Liam McArthur, Margaret Mitchell, Ken Macintosh, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt, David Stewart, Irene Oldfather, Tom McCabe

S3M-7371 Liam McArthur: Westray Wins EAS EnergySavers Award 2010—That the Parliament notes that the Energy Action Scotland (EAS) EnergySavers Award 2010 for the best local energy-saving initiative that tackles fuel poverty and improves domestic energy efficiency has been won by the Westray Community Housing Project, a collaborative venture involving Energy Action Westray and the Westray Development Trust; commends the project for tackling the high levels of fuel poverty in Westray that it considers are caused by hard-to-treat housing stock and the high cost of living caused by additional transport costs; considers it impressive that the combination of bulk-purchased ground source heat pumps and free loft insulation has been so successful that, in one case, heating costs went from £17 per day using storage heaters to £2.50 per day with the heat pump, and congratulates all involved in the project for what it believes is their well-deserved success in winning the award.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, David Stewart, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7370 Cathy Peattie: Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland—That the Parliament wholeheartedly supports the Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland, which it considers has made impressive progress in diagnosing, treating and supporting hepatitis C patients; understands that the Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland has been cited across the world as an example of national best practice in addressing hepatitis C; further understands that the effectiveness of the Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland was a key motivator behind the decision to develop a national liver disease strategy for England, and calls on the Scottish Executive to ensure that the progress made in addressing hepatitis C is sustained and furthered by continued investment and support for what it considers this important public health area.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, David Stewart, John Park, Marlyn Glen, Ken Macintosh, Patricia Ferguson, Hugh O’Donnell, Helen Eadie, David Whitton, Hugh Henry, Robin Harper, John Wilson, Jackie Baillie, Bill Butler, Rhona Brankin, Trish Godman, Brian Adam, Marilyn Livingstone, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Elaine Smith, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7369 Jackie Baillie: China To Protect Scotch Whisky—That the Parliament welcomes the news that China will now recognise and protect Scotch Whisky as a geographical indication; notes that this is the culmination of three years of discussions between the Scotch Whisky Association and the Chinese Government; understands that the agreement will ensure that China recognises that Scotch Whisky can be made only in Scotland; further understands that the decision ensures that local consumers in China will be protected from imitations and also that the integrity of Scotch Whisky is protected, and considers this a significant landmark in an increasingly important market for Scotch Whisky distillers.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Marlyn Glen, Jim Hume, Richard Baker, Mike Pringle, Hugh Henry, John Park, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Butler, James Kelly, Murdo Fraser, Jack McConnell, Pauline McNeill, Mary Mulligan, David Whitton, Gil Paterson, Mr Frank McAveety, Liam McArthur, David Stewart, Irene Oldfather, Tom McCabe, Linda Fabiani, Maureen Watt, Marilyn Livingstone, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7368 Jackie Baillie: UK Assistant of the Year—That the Parliament welcomes the news that Christina Crook of Alexandria has been awarded the title of UK Assistant of the Year by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists; understands that she has introduced a variety of approaches to help to minimise problems of isolation involving children with speech difficulties; recognises the commitment and innovation that she has brought to the language and communication unit of Renton Primary, and congratulates Christina for what it considers her outstanding dedication and contribution to the field over the last nine years.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Trish Godman, James Kelly, Hugh Henry, Karen Whitefield, Bob Doris, Mary Mulligan, David Whitton, Gil Paterson, Dr Richard Simpson, David Stewart, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7367 Jackie Baillie: Ship Welder of the Year—That the Parliament congratulates David Crawford from Dumbarton on being named the best trainee welder in the United Kingdom; understands that David saw off competition from 10 other finalists from six shipyards across the country to win the ShipWeld accolade; considers that David had to put his skills to the test by undertaking three rigorous welding tests plus a six-hour welding contest in the final; notes that David was also successful in the team competition, winning first place with his BAE Systems Govan colleague, and applauds what it considers the hard work and dedication that David and all of the other apprentices displayed by taking part in the competition.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, John Park, David Stewart, James Kelly, Hugh Henry, Karen Whitefield, Bob Doris, Mary Mulligan, David Whitton, Elaine Smith, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7366 Nanette Milne: Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland—That the Parliament welcomes the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland (LTCAS), which will exhibit in the Garden Lobby between Tuesday 16 and Thursday 18 November 2010; notes that, with around 40% of Scotland’s population living with at least one long-term condition and the number steadily rising, LTCAS is calling for a cost-effective, joined-up and fair response to meet this growing challenge; considers that empowering individuals to take ownership of their conditions through supporting self-management will not only improve quality of life for individuals but is also essential to making best use of public funds, and welcomes LTCAS’ recently launched My Conditions, My Terms, My Life campaign.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, Elizabeth Smith, Bill Aitken, Jim Tolson, Jackie Baillie, Karen Gillon, Jamie McGrigor, Mary Scanlon, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Dave Thompson, Margaret Mitchell, Jackson Carlaw, Joe FitzPatrick, Patricia Ferguson, Kenneth Gibson, Angela Constance, Bill Wilson, Elaine Murray, Marlyn Glen, David Stewart, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Cathy Peattie, Malcolm Chisholm, Alison McInnes, John Scott, Dr Richard Simpson, Jamie Stone, Maureen Watt, Ken Macintosh, Pauline McNeill, Trish Godman, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7365 Robert Brown: Kilts for Kids Day—That the Parliament notes that Friday 26 November 2010 marks Kilts for Kids day, the national fundraising day organised by CHILDREN 1ST, formerly known as the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, to raise money for children who it considers need help the most; acknowledges that, for over 125 years, CHILDREN 1ST has been working to build a brighter future for Scotland’s vulnerable children and families; welcomes the services that CHILDREN 1ST delivers in homes and communities across Scotland, including in Glasgow, to safeguard children and young people, to support them in their families and to help them to recover from abuse, neglect and violence, and encourages all members to help to raise awareness of Kilts for Kids day and what it considers the vital role played by CHILDREN 1ST by wearing tartan in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 25 November.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, John Park, Jackie Baillie, Aileen Campbell, Rob Gibson, Johann Lamont, Mike Pringle, David Stewart, Linda Fabiani, Dave Thompson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7364 Liam McArthur: Westray Community Association Shortlisted for a People’s Millions Award—That the Parliament notes that the Westray Community Association has been shortlisted to compete for People’s Millions funding from the Big Lottery Fund; understands that the association is seeking £35,380 to help to fund its project to refurbish the run-down community meeting room in the Westray School, which is used by over 20 community organisations on the island, including the older persons’ lunch club, youth clubs and playgroup; congratulates the association on being shortlisted, and urges everyone to support the Westray Community Association by voting for its project when it goes head to head with another project on STV North’s regional news on 24 November 2010.

Supported by: Mary Scanlon, David Stewart, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7363 Mary Scanlon: Save RAF Lossiemouth March and Rally—That the Parliament congratulates everyone involved in the march and rally to save RAF Lossiemouth, which saw an estimated 6,000 people join political leaders of the four main parties, local businesses and other members of the community to send what it considers to be the strongest possible message for the retention of RAF Lossiemouth; particularly praises the efforts of Councillor David Stewart and the Save RAF Lossiemouth Action Group, who organised the event in just 15 days; acknowledges the support offered by Grampian Police, particularly the local officers, who it believes found a solution to every potential problem and allowed this huge event to run so smoothly, and trusts that the message from the rally and the thousands of supporters will resound with decision makers.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, Margaret Mitchell, Jackson Carlaw, Dave Thompson, Des McNulty, John Lamont, Nanette Milne, Murdo Fraser, Bill Aitken, Bob Doris, Jamie Stone, John Scott, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Annabel Goldie, Brian Adam, Maureen Watt, Ted Brocklebank, Jackie Baillie, Rhoda Grant, Nigel Don, Peter Peacock, Elizabeth Smith, Trish Godman, Kenneth Gibson, David Whitton, David Stewart, Hugh Henry

S3M-7361# Kenneth Gibson: Epilepsy Awareness Training—That the Parliament believes that there would be merit in epilepsy training becoming an integral part of the student teacher training course curriculum so that teaching staff are equipped to detect potential seizures in children and young people and can be proactive in providing appropriate support to pupils with epilepsy and agrees that this could boost teacher confidence in handling as many as 7,000 children in Scotland with active epilepsy, enable early detection of seizures in over 800 children each year, provide more tailored learning and emotional support to normalise the condition and reduce classroom stigma for children in North Ayrshire and across Scotland.

Supported by: Ms Wendy Alexander, Mary Mulligan, Alasdair Allan, Aileen Campbell, Bill Wilson, Christina McKelvie, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Alison McInnes, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Bill Butler, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Ken Macintosh, Bob Doris, Robert Brown, Margaret Smith, Johann Lamont, Hugh O’Donnell, Liam McArthur, Joe FitzPatrick, George Foulkes, John Park, Marlyn Glen, Cathy Peattie, Trish Godman, Duncan McNeil, Des McNulty, James Kelly*

S3M-7360 Patricia Ferguson: St Charles’ Primary School 2nd Eco Flag—That the Parliament notes the award of a second Green Flag to St Charles’ Primary School; congratulates the entire school community on its achievement but particularly the Eco Committee made up of pupils in primaries 2 to 7 who have led the school’s efforts, and notes the opportunities that have been gained to encourage outdoor learning and global citizenship throughout the school and the work done to involve the local community in what is considered this important initiative.

Supported by: Mary Mulligan, James Kelly, Claire Baker, Jackie Baillie, Des McNulty, Bill Butler, Trish Godman, Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Hugh Henry, Ken Macintosh, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7359 Liam McArthur: Ray Jones Receives Ed Rainy Brown Memorial Award—That the Parliament notes that Ray Jones, the chief executive of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, received the Ed Rainy Brown Memorial Award at the SAOS 2010 Annual Dinner; further notes that the award is presented annually to an individual in the farming, forestry, aquaculture or associated industries who is considered to have made an exceptional contribution in their specific field; believes that Ray Jones fully merits this recognition of his work, developing the Royal Highland Show so that, with record-breaking attendances, it remains one of the United Kingdom’s top agricultural shows; congratulates Ray Jones on the award, and wishes him every success in his new post as chair of Scotland Food and Drink.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, Hugh Henry, Bill Kidd, Mike Pringle, Hugh O’Donnell, Sarah Boyack, John Scott, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, David Stewart, Maureen Watt, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7357 Aileen Campbell: 20th Anniversary of the UN Human Development Report—That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report 2010, which marks the 20th anniversary of the first such report, in 1990; considers that, over the years, the report and the Human Development Index that it contains have contributed to a better understanding of factors affecting quality of life in countries around the world and the causes and effects of poverty and deprivation; notes that, in the 2010 Human Development Index, Norway, Ireland, Iceland, Finland and Denmark are all ranked in the top 20 countries and that these countries have also been identified as part of the arc of prosperity by the Scottish Government; considers with regret that some of these countries have been criticised by Labour politicians in an attempt to argue against the democratic right of self-determination for the people of Scotland; further notes that the United Kingdom is ranked 26th as a result of what the report identifies as significant inequalities and gaps between the rich and poor in the UK, and believes that an independent Scotland would be motivated by reports such as this to strive more urgently and effectively to reduce social inequalities and achieve a better quality of life for all.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Wilson, Brian Adam, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7356# Shirley-Anne Somerville: Moratorium on Large-scale Biomass Plants—That the Parliament recognises the concerns of local communities in Leith, Dundee, Grangemouth and Rosyth at being faced with planning applications for large-scale biomass plants; notes that these concerns relate to emissions, air quality, odour, noise, traffic and visual impact; believes that such plants will also cause problems for wood markets and related industries; is concerned that the sustainability and environmental benefits of biomass power stations are very much in doubt because of fuel-sourcing issues and emerging research suggesting that they may not help Scotland meet its CO₂ reduction targets in the short term; notes also that biomass plants could expect significant subsidies under the Renewables Obligation Scheme, and considers that, until such time as the environmental impact of large-scale biomass power stations has been independently assessed, a moratorium on building such plants would be appropriate.

Supported by: Malcolm Chisholm, Jamie Hepburn, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Aileen Campbell, Cathy Peattie, Hugh O’Donnell, Ian McKee, Robin Harper, Anne McLaughlin

S3M-7355 Jim Hume: Congratulations to Eyemouth and District Community Youth Theatre Group—That the Parliament congratulates the Eyemouth and District Community Youth Theatre Group, which was recently awarded the Utopia Youth Award at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association’s annual general meeting on Saturday 30 October 2010; recognises that the Utopia Youth Award is presented to groups that demonstrate that they have made a difference in the local community; understands that the group has now been running for 10 years and has expanded to 55 members; considers that the group has been commended for its work in developing the confidence and self-esteem of its young members, and wishes the group well for its forthcoming production of Aladdin.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, John Lamont, Mike Pringle, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Jim Tolson, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson

S3M-7354 Stuart McMillan: Cruise Ships to Visit Inverclyde—That the Parliament welcomes the news that nearly 40 cruise ships are scheduled to visit Greenock Ocean Terminal during the cruise ship season in 2011; understands that this number of cruise ships is expected to draw around 50,000 tourists to the Inverclyde area and believes that this can only benefit local businesses and the local economy; notes that 2011 will see the return of the Tall Ships to Inverclyde and that this will be another opportunity to showcase the area and all that it has to offer; acknowledges what it considers to be the excellent work that Inverclyde Tourist Group undertakes with cruise ship passengers, showcasing Inverclyde in a positive light, and wishes them every success when the next lot of visitors come to the area in 2011.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Rob Gibson, Joe FitzPatrick, Brian Adam, Aileen Campbell, Sandra White, Bill Kidd, Maureen Watt, Michael Matheson, Jamie Hepburn, Annabel Goldie, Gil Paterson, Stewart Maxwell

S3M-7353# Bob Doris: Paying Tribute to Scotland’s Irish Diaspora—That the Parliament notes that Scotland celebrated the Year of Homecoming in 2009, welcoming the Scottish diaspora back from around the world to celebrate Scottish connections; notes that many European nations have experienced similar demographic movements, both inward and outward; celebrates the contribution from inward migration to Scotland both historical and present, such as it considers is seen in the thriving Irish music, sporting and cultural scene in the city of Glasgow; congratulates Scotland’s Irish community on what it considers the dedication and commitment that it has shown in keeping Irish culture thriving and in the good work that Irish groups do in the wider community, and believes that a confident, outward-looking, modern Scotland must have at its heart the appreciation and celebration of the multiple cultures that contribute to Scotland’s national life.

Supported by: Brian Adam, Willie Coffey, Aileen Campbell, Hugh Henry, Joe FitzPatrick, Rob Gibson, Jim Tolson, Mary Scanlon, Anne McLaughlin, Johann Lamont, Michael Matheson, Linda Fabiani, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Elaine Smith

S3M-7352 Maureen Watt: Marine Stewardship Council Certification for North Sea Haddock—That the Parliament congratulates the sustainable fishing efforts of Scotland’s fishermen in successfully achieving Marine Stewardship Council certification of North Sea haddock; notes that North Sea haddock is the first Scottish whitefish to be certified with the gold standard of sustainability, and applauds the efforts of the Scottish fishing industry to ensure that Scotland stays at the forefront of developing innovative ways to manage fisheries and continues to lead the rest of Europe in sustainable fishing practices.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Brian Adam, Sandra White, Alasdair Allan, Jamie Hepburn, Alison McInnes, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Liam McArthur, Dave Thompson

S3M-7350 Linda Fabiani: Canada and Scotland—That the Parliament welcomes the declaration of 6 April as Tartan Day in Canada and endorses the comments of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, that "A tartan represents a clan, a family, and a community, and is an enduring symbol of Scotland that is cherished by Canadians of Scottish ancestry," and those of Senator John Wallace that "By officially recognizing this Day, we encourage Canadians all across the country to celebrate the contributions that over four million Canadians of Scottish heritage continue to make to the foundation of our country"; further acknowledges and respects the links between Scotland and Canada, and looks forward to celebrating Tartan Day with Canada on April 6, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.

Supported by: Michael Matheson, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Christina McKelvie, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Murdo Fraser, Aileen Campbell, Rob Gibson, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Brian Adam, Andrew Welsh, Mike Pringle, Sandra White, Dave Thompson, Stuart McMillan, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7349 Jim Hume: 70th Anniversary of the Norwegian Army’s Exile in Dumfries—That the Parliament recognises the 70th anniversary of the Norwegian army’s exile in Dumfries following the German invasion of Norway in World War II; further recognises that a series of events is planned in Dumfries to celebrate the role that it played in hosting Norway’s army and that these will culminate in a flag-raising event at the Midsteeple; considers that strong links remain between Dumfries and Norway and that these are illustrated by an annual wreath-laying ceremony that has, on occasion, been attended by members of the Norwegian royal family, and congratulates all of those associated with making this year’s special commemorations possible.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Elaine Murray, Nanette Milne, Hugh O’Donnell, Mike Pringle, Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Jim Tolson, Hugh Henry, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Liam McArthur

S3M-7348 Jackie Baillie: Argyll and Bute School Closures—That the Parliament is disappointed to note that Argyll and Bute Council is proposing to close four primary schools in the Helensburgh and Lomond area as part of a wider programme of closing 26 schools across the authority over the next year; considers that the resulting amalgamations will cause young children to have long commutes to school, will threaten teaching quality and teaching jobs and will have a negative impact on rural communities; further notes that one of the schools threatened is a special educational needs school; believes that proper account has not been taken of the future demand for education due to the planned increase of capacity at HMNB Clyde; further believes that the financial savings that would be generated by the school closures are outweighed by the cost to children’s education and teacher employment and by the impact on these rural communities, and therefore urges Argyll and Bute Council to maintain all four schools, namely Luss Primary School, Kilcreggan Primary School, Rosneath Primary School and Parklands School.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Mary Mulligan, Sarah Boyack, Jamie McGrigor, David Stewart, Marilyn Livingstone, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7347 Christina McKelvie: End Child Detention—That the Parliament congratulates Clare Sambrook on winning the 2010 Paul Foot Award for campaigning journalism; notes that Clare is a founder member of End Child Detention Now, acitizens’ campaign to end the detention of child asylum-seekers and migrants by the UK immigration authorities; further notes that Clare’s award comes less than two months after UK immigration minister Damian Green appeared to backtrack on the pledge made in the UK Government’s coalition agreement to stop the practice of detaining children, saying that it would instead seek merely to minimise child detention; further notes that the family unit at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire remains open and that vulnerable children and young people are still detained there; believes that this is a continuing moral outrage, and calls on the UK Government to delay no further in honouring its promise to finally and unequivocally end the practice of child detention for immigration purposes.

Supported by: Aileen Campbell, Bill Wilson, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Maureen Watt, Anne McLaughlin, Michael Matheson, Linda Fabiani, Hugh O’Donnell, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Patrick Harvie, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Elaine Smith

S3M-7346 Willie Coffey: Congratulations to Marsie Stuart of Sign and Be ‘Heard’—That the Parliament congratulates Marsie Stuart, co-founder of Sign and Be ‘Heard’, on winning the Business Person of the Year Community Award in the West FM and West Sound Community Awards 2010; notes that Ms Stuart and her business partner, Linda Van Heerden, started the business in March 2008 to teach British Sign Language, and further notes that Sign and Be ‘Heard’ now employs 10 lecturers throughout Scotland, from Elgin in the north, to Dumfries in the south, and has delivered training for many private sector companies, including Morrisons, Tesco, and Prestwick Airport, and for public sector establishments, including prisons and hospitals.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Jamie Hepburn, John Scott, Hugh Henry, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7344 Marilyn Livingstone: Maggie’s Merry Messages—That the Parliament supports Maggie’s Merry Messages and considers it to be a fun and innovative Christmas campaign by Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres in which people are encouraged to write their Christmas messages to friends, family and colleagues on a large, specially designed festive poster in place of sending Christmas cards; notes that people can write their Christmas messages on the poster for all to see and make a donation to Maggie’s in the process; commends the fact that any group of people who send cards to each other can get involved, whether it is a club, a company, a hospital department, a place of worship or a school; welcomes the fact that Maggie’s Merry Messages allows people to help the environment and make a donation to Maggie’s at the same time, and hopes that as many people as possible support the initiative to raise money for their local Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Mary Scanlon, Mary Mulligan, Patricia Ferguson, Anne McLaughlin, Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, Gil Paterson, Jim Hume, John Park, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie, Murdo Fraser, Mike Pringle, Hugh Henry, Sandra White, Willie Coffey, Elaine Smith, Bill Butler, Trish Godman, Jack McConnell, Elaine Murray, Johann Lamont, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, George Foulkes, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Ken Macintosh, Liam McArthur

S3M-7343 Stuart McMillan: Inverclyde Council’s Green Charter—That the Parliament welcomes the news that all 43 educational establishments in the Inverclyde local authority area now have their own green charter and three-year action plan; notes that the green charter implemented by Inverclyde Council seeks to promote the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of local people and the community; further notes that Inverclyde schools have committed to taking action on energy saving, recycling and litter and aiming for an eco-school award at the appropriate level, with the option of focusing on other environment topics, such as water conservation, reducing waste or the journey to school; acknowledges what it considers the bold action taken in Inverclyde to address climate change and find greener solutions, and urges other local authority areas to follow this example.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Rob Gibson, Aileen Campbell, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Anne McLaughlin, Bill Kidd, Willie Coffey, Jamie Hepburn, Annabel Goldie, Bill Wilson, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7342 Aileen Campbell: Biggar’s Restaurant 55 is a Top Rural Eatery—That the Parliament congratulates Restaurant 55 in Biggar on being nominated for the Best Rural Restaurant of 2011 award; believes that this nomination is due to what it considers to be the high quality food served in the restaurant and its relaxed atmosphere; welcomes its use of locally sourced produce, and wishes the restaurant the best of luck at the awards.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Robin Harper, Sandra White, Bill Kidd, Anne McLaughlin, Bob Doris, Willie Coffey, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Stuart McMillan, Dave Thompson, Gil Paterson

S3M-7341 Aileen Campbell: Lanark’s Airshow Centenary Statue Takes Off—That the Parliament congratulates the Lanark Airshow Committee on the unveiling of the commemorative Lanark Airshow Centenary statue at Lanark Loch and what it considers to be the excellent programme of events that the committee has held over the past year to celebrate the 1910 International Lanark Airshow; notes that the sculpture was commissioned by the committee and was designed and built by artist blacksmiths P Johnson & Company, and believes that the sculpture and programme of events have helped to celebrate and recognise the importance of the 1910 Lanark Airshow to the town, which attracted aviators from around the world and was attended by 250,000 visitors.

Supported by: Christina McKelvie, Jim Hume, Stuart McMillan, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Sandra White, Willie Coffey, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson

S3M-7340 Aileen Campbell: Increasing Police Numbers in Clydesdale Subdivision of Strathclyde Police—That the Parliament welcomes the decision of the Strathclyde Police South Lanarkshire Division to increase the number of officers in the community policing teams in the area; notes that among the areas to benefit will be the Clydesdale subdivision in the South of Scotland region, where increased officer numbers will allow for full police coverage every day of the week in some areas where previously such coverage has not been available; believes that the ability of the police force to deploy officers in this way is a result of investment by the SNP-led Scottish administration, which has provided resources to employ more than 1,000 additional officers across Scotland since May 2007, and hopes that these new arrangements in the Strathclyde Police South Lanarkshire Division will help to reduce crime and the fear of crime in the area.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Michael Matheson, Anne McLaughlin, Christina McKelvie, Bob Doris, Willie Coffey, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson

S3M-7339 Sarah Boyack: Herald Society Award for Edinburgh Care Tender Campaign—That the Parliament congratulates the Edinburgh Campaign for Choice in Care and Support Services on being awarded the Herald Society Award for Campaign of the Year in 2010; notes that the campaign opposed proposals by the City of Edinburgh Council to tender a number of care and support services for people with learning disabilities and other support needs that reportedly would ultimately have affected nearly 800 people receiving support from 30 different care providers and expressed concern at the lack of proper consultation; understands that the proposals in the tender would have removed hundreds of service users from carers with whom they had built up trusting relationships over time and severely restricted the level of direct payments available to people who wanted to organise their own care; further notes the findings of an independent review by Deloitte, which criticised flaws in the tender process, including inconsistent scoring of tender bids, inaccurate and incomplete pricing information and an execution that was "not as sufficiently meticulous or as thorough as expected"; further notes an internal report by the chief executive of the City of Edinburgh Council, Tom Aitchison, acknowledging the flaws in the process, and his apology for the distress caused to vulnerable groups, and recognises the contribution that the Edinburgh Campaign for Choice in Care and Support Services made, in highlighting the concerns of vulnerable people, to persuading the council to abandon the tender and prompting the above reviews.

Supported by: Ken Macintosh, Pauline McNeill, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Karen Whitefield, Robin Harper, Malcolm Chisholm, Johann Lamont, Elaine Smith, George Foulkes, Marlyn Glen

S3M-7338 Pauline McNeill: V&A At Dundee—That the Parliament congratulates Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, whose design has been chosen for the V&A museum planned for Dundee’s waterfront; pays tribute to the other architects shortlisted, and considers it important to bring the V&A museum to Dundee and to properly fund such a development.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, Sarah Boyack, Patricia Ferguson, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Liam McArthur

S3M-7337 Joe FitzPatrick: Victoria and Albert Museum Dundee Design Competition Winner—That the Parliament congratulates Kengo Kuma and Associates, the design team that has been awarded the contract to construct the Victoria and Albert Museum building at Craig Harbour in Dundee; welcomes the news that four UK-based companies, including three from Scotland will be involved in the project to build what it expects will become a national landmark; understands that the project, expected to be completed in 2014, will create 900 jobs and bring an estimated 130,000 extra visitors to Dundee each year; further notes that the museum aims to provide access to high-quality exhibitions for residents in Dundee and across Scotland, and welcomes the support given to the project by the University of Dundee, the University of Abertay Dundee, Dundee City Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government.

Supported by: Bob Doris, Marlyn Glen, Rob Gibson, Nigel Don, Stewart Maxwell, Angela Constance, Brian Adam, Robin Harper, Anne McLaughlin, Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Willie Coffey, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Jack McConnell, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Liam McArthur

S3M-7336# Sandra White: Storyline Scotland—That the Parliament recognises the international success of the Scottish Storyline method, developed in and after 1967 by Steve Bell, Sallie Harkness and Fred Rendell at Jordanhill College of Education in Glasgow; considers this to be an innovative teaching approach, placing students’ existing knowledge at the centre of the learning experience, and notes that it has been taken up not only in Scotland but internationally, in Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States; congratulates Steve Bell and his colleagues on their success and contribution to international teaching, and believes that this evidences Scotland’s continuing excellence as a centre of imaginative liberal education in the tradition of Robert Owen, Thomas Davidson, AS Neill and RF MacKenzie.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Willie Coffey, Joe FitzPatrick, Alasdair Allan, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Christina McKelvie, Christopher Harvie, Bob Doris, Robin Harper, Linda Fabiani, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7334 Robert Brown: National Dementia Strategy Should Include Care Homes—That the Parliament recognises the challenge of the increasing number of people suffering from dementia, predicted to double over the next 25 years from the current estimated 71,000; notes the publication of Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy in June 2010 and welcomes the ongoing work of the Dementia Strategy Implementation and Monitoring Group and its commitment to report annually on progress and to review the strategy by June 2013; believes, however, that the strategy places too little emphasis on the need for a supportive environment, a stable and committed workforce and the availability of stimulating activities in care homes, which accommodate about one third of dementia sufferers, particularly those with more advanced conditions; stresses the need for better information and patient pathways for dementia sufferers and their carers, and is grateful for the work done to support carers and people with dementia by organisations such as Rutherglen Community Carers.

Supported by: Hugh O’Donnell, Mike Pringle, Ken Macintosh, Robin Harper, James Kelly, Irene Oldfather, Johann Lamont, Cathy Peattie, Alison McInnes, Gil Paterson, Mary Scanlon, Liam McArthur

S3M-7333 Robert Brown: No Consultation with Scottish Human Rights Commission on Emergency Legislation—That the Parliament notes the views of Professor Alan Miller, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, that there are serious concerns about both the human rights implications and the detailed terms of the Criminal Procedure (Legal Assistance, Detention and Appeals) (Scotland) Act 2010, which was drafted specifically to address a human rights issue; believes that the legislation may well leave Scottish criminal procedure relating to the detention and interrogation of suspects open to further challenge under the European Convention on Human Rights; feels that the speed with which the legislation was rushed through the Parliament was unnecessary and represented a constitutional outrage, and is appalled that the Scottish Government did not consult the Scottish Human Rights Commission, a body set up for advice on precisely this type of case, on what is considered the biggest human rights issue since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999.

Supported by: Hugh O’Donnell, Patrick Harvie, Iain Smith, Jim Tolson, Mike Pringle, Nicol Stephen, Alison McInnes, Liam McArthur

S3M-7332 Bill Wilson: UN Vote on Depleted Uranium—That the Parliament notes various reports of recent increases in the incidence of childhood leukaemia and other cancers, stillbirths and birth defects in Iraq, which also suggest that these are linked to the deployment of depleted uranium weaponry; supports the recent UN resolution calling on countries using depleted uranium weapons to release quantitative and geographical data relating to the use of these weapons to the governments of affected states; notes that the UK Government did not support the resolution at an earlier stage, and expresses the hope that, when the resolution goes forward to the United Nations General Assembly for a second vote at the end of November 2010, it will at least not veto it.

Supported by: Joe FitzPatrick, Brian Adam, Rob Gibson, Bob Doris, Christina McKelvie, Christine Grahame, Kenneth Gibson, Robin Harper, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Aileen Campbell, Linda Fabiani, Mike Pringle, Dave Thompson, Gil Paterson, Stewart Maxwell, Anne McLaughlin

S3M-7331 Bill Butler: Dundee FC—That the Parliamentnotes the 25-point deduction imposed on Dundee FC by the Scottish Football League for entering administration; notes also the penalty of a player-signing ban and the threat of further sanctions; further notes that this is the highest such deduction imposed in British senior football and places the 117-year-old former League Champions and European Cup semi-finalists in what it considers to be an extremely precarious position; believes that this decision will come as a further blow to Dundee supporters who, for the second time in a decade, are trying to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to save their club from liquidation and have already raised almost £100,000 since the club entered administration in October 2010; notes the recent Back on the Ball? report by PKF, which warned that many Scottish clubs were paying out too much of their turnover on player wages, thus leaving them overly reliant on external investment from club owners for survival; considers that the situation at Dundee FC highlights the real need for the sport’s governing bodies to work with the Scottish Government and supporters’ trusts to create a more accountable and transparent system of financial governance of clubs in order to ensure that Scottish football is run primarily for the benefit of supporters; wishes the Dee4Life supporter’s trust all the best in its campaign to save Dundee FC by funding a supporters’ buy-out, and calls on the sport’s governing bodies to stand up for ordinary football supporters by backing such initiatives.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Joe FitzPatrick, Karen Gillon, James Kelly, Cathy Jamieson, Patricia Ferguson, Michael McMahon, Des McNulty, Kenneth Gibson, Alasdair Morgan, Marlyn Glen, John Park, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Mr Frank McAveety, Andy Kerr, Willie Coffey, Johann Lamont, Gil Paterson, Tom McCabe, Ken Macintosh, David Stewart

S3M-7329 Bill Kidd: Indepen-dance—That the Parliament commends the efforts of professional dance company Indepen-dance in helping over 1,500 individuals annually; further commends the company for its work with disabled people in the art of performing dance; considers the mainstreaming of disabled people with other choreographers and dancers to be significant progress; congratulates the company for all its work, and wishes it and its performers every success in the future.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Christina McKelvie, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Angela Constance, Pauline McNeill, John Wilson, Robin Harper, Anne McLaughlin, Willie Coffey, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7328 Sandra White: The Hub—That the Parliament welcomes the opening of Scotland’s biggest voluntary sector hub in the Merchant City area of Glasgow, which is to house over 20 charities, such as the International Network of Street Papers, anti-sectarian body Nil by Mouth and the Scottish Mentoring Network; believes that this is an innovative initiative that will help to encourage networking and partnership in Scotland’s biggest city, which itself is home to around 2,349 registered charities, and hopes that, by working collaboratively, these organisations can go from strength to strength.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, David Stewart, Joe FitzPatrick, Rob Gibson, Stuart McMillan, Robert Brown, Kenneth Gibson, Anne McLaughlin, Bill Kidd, Pauline McNeill, Robin Harper, Bob Doris, Willie Coffey, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Liam McArthur

S3M-7326 Robin Harper: River Basin Management Plans—That the Parliament notes the progress being made in reducing flood risk as a result of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009; further notes that the act is designed mainly to make sure that those at risk from flooding are kept aware of the dangers and up to date with events; notes that, under the terms of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003, river basin management plans should by now have identified and begun to implement what soft engineering options are available in upriver catchment control of the water environment, and urges the Scottish Government to review and comment on what progress has been made through river basin management plans to provide long-term embedded reduction in flood risk.

Supported by: Elaine Murray, Patrick Harvie, Sarah Boyack, Christopher Harvie, Hugh Henry

S3M-7325 Liam McArthur: Orkney Athletics Club, Joint Track and Field Club of the Year—That the Parliament welcomes the news that the Orkney Athletic Club was named as the joint winner of the Track and Field Club of the Year award at the scottishathletics Annual Awards Dinner, sharing the award with the Edinburgh Athletics Club; recognises the success of the club in developing athletics in Orkney, with what is considered a commendable 80% of its members being under 18 years old; considers that the club has an excellent home base at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall but faces considerable financial and logistical challenges when competing on the Scottish mainland, and congratulates the club’s members, coaches and committee on their success in winning this award, which it considers well earned.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Kenneth Gibson, Jamie McGrigor, Mary Scanlon, Robin Harper, Jackie Baillie, Sandra White, Mike Pringle, Bill Kidd, Bill Butler, Hugh O’Donnell, Willie Coffey, Patricia Ferguson, Mr Frank McAveety, Maureen Watt, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, David Stewart, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7324 Liam McArthur: The Orkney Traditional Music Project—That the Parliament welcomes the news that the Orkney Traditional Music Project has been nominated in the community project of the year category in the 2010 Scottish Traditional Music Awards; notes that the project was formed in 1998 with the aim of reviving the teaching of fiddle and accordion music in the islands; understands that some 180 children and a few adults are now benefitting from the weekly tuition on offer; recognises the importance of the project’s work in sustaining the musical heritage of Orkney; congratulates the project’s management committee, fiddle and accordion tutors and its musicians on winning this nomination, and wishes them and all others nominated for awards the best of luck as the votes are cast.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Alasdair Allan, Kenneth Gibson, Jamie McGrigor, Mary Scanlon, Rob Gibson, Robin Harper, Jackie Baillie, Hugh Henry, Ken Macintosh, Sandra White, Mike Pringle, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Cathy Peattie, Willie Coffey, Patricia Ferguson, Joe FitzPatrick, Mr Frank McAveety, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, David Stewart, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7313 David Whitton: Thomas Muir Heritage Trail—That the Parliament welcomes the proposed new 11-mile heritage trail in East Dunbartonshire, which highlights buildings and features that have a connection to the political reformer considered the founding father of Scottish democracy, Thomas Muir; notes that the trail begins at Clachan of Campsie, traversing through Lennoxtown, Kirkintilloch and other places of importance to Muir before ending at his home at Huntershill House in Bishopbriggs, and hopes that this heritage trail will raise awareness of what it considers this almost forgotten hero and, at the same time, promote outdoor activities, education, local history and tourism.

Supported by: Des McNulty, Kenneth Gibson, James Kelly, Jackie Baillie, Patricia Ferguson, Alasdair Allan, Karen Whitefield, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Robin Harper, Dr Richard Simpson, Jamie Hepburn, Charlie Gordon, Rhona Brankin, Jack McConnell, Cathy Peattie, Johann Lamont, Linda Fabiani, Sarah Boyack, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7312 Anne McLaughlin: In Memory of Zouhair Baya and Ibrahim Benothman—That the Parliament welcomes Jamal Baya to Scotland on his trip to visit the grave of his brother; notes that Mr Baya is the brother of Zouhair Baya, a Tunisian who stowed away, along with Ibrahim Benothman, aboard the cargo ship, the Pascal, which was carrying a cargo of phosphates from Sfax in Tunisia to Scotland; understands that both young men were found dead when the ship docked in Ayr harbour in 2008; expresses its sympathy to Mr Baya and his family; recalls that the Muslim community in Glasgow organised a burial for Zouhair and Ibrahim at Cathcart cemetery and that only after the men were buried were they identified following what it considers the laudable determination of various people across Scotland to do so; thanks the Muslim community in Glasgow and Edinburgh for helping to both identify Zouhair and organise his brother’s visit; thanks also the Port Authority in Ayr, the Scots-Tunisian community and others, and hopes that the visit will be of benefit to Jamal Baya and his family, helping them to come to terms with this family tragedy.‪‪

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Wilson, Linda Fabiani, Joe FitzPatrick, Jim Hume, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Elaine Smith, Robin Harper, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7311 Rob Gibson: Beware GM Salmon—That the Parliament notes with concern the possibility that the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America may consent to the farming of genetically modified (GM) salmon; considers that escapees are likely to occur through time and can easily reach the shores of Scotland, altering forever the genetic integrity of wild Atlantic salmon and of quality Scottish farmed salmon, and calls on the Scottish Government to monitor the GM salmon consent process in the USA and express, both directly and via the UK Government and the European Union, Scotland’s right to maintain the biodiversity of wild Atlantic salmon and farmed salmon grown in its waters.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Christina McKelvie, Robin Harper, Gil Paterson, Brian Adam, Bill Wilson, Maureen Watt, Mike Pringle, Sandra White, Willie Coffey, Patrick Harvie, Linda Fabiani, Dave Thompson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7310 Sarah Boyack: Edinburgh University Settlement Declares Bankruptcy—That the Parliament notes that Edinburgh University Settlement has ceased operations after running up debts of more than £300,000; is concerned that this will result in 40 members of staff being made redundant and over 200 learners having their courses withdrawn; notes that the majority of these learners are from disadvantaged backgrounds, are disabled or have English as a second language; further notes that Edinburgh University Settlement provided these groups with a range of services including adult and community education, employment and vocational training projects and support for people coping with mental health issues, and urges support from all stakeholders involved in Edinburgh University Settlement to work to ensure that the services provided by the projects are continued to the benefit of users.

Supported by: Des McNulty, Malcolm Chisholm, George Foulkes, Robin Harper, Bill Butler, Dr Richard Simpson, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Jamie Hepburn, Rhona Brankin, Mary Mulligan, Elaine Murray, Pauline McNeill, Marlyn Glen, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7309 Patricia Ferguson: Fireworks in Maryhill—That the Parliament notes the success of the Maryhill Winter Festival and congratulates Maryhill Community Council for what it considers its hard work and creativity in making this event such a success; recognises the contribution of all those who took part in the Halloween Costume competition; congratulates the winners in the various age categories, and considers that the excellent fireworks display provided an appropriate climax to the day.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7308 Christina McKelvie: The Return of The Street—That the Parliament notes that Regen:fx Youth Trust in Hamilton’s immersive drama project, The Street, is scheduled to return for a month-long run from 15 November 2010; understands that The Street combines hard-hitting theatre performance with youth work and education to explore topics including vandalism, bullying and intimidation, substance abuse, sexual health, knife crime, personal safety and domestic violence; further notes that the project not only works with targeted groups of young people who have been identified as being at particular risk of becoming involved in crime but also that the drama is performed by young people who have themselves previously participated in the project; believes that this model of peer-to-peer discussion, backed up by strong professional support, which challenges harmful behaviour by young people, highlighting the consequences of their actions and encourages them to question their life choices, is an effective way of communicating with at-risk young people; further believes that this model has the potential to reduce offending by young people in communities across Scotland, and commends the work of Hamilton’s Regen:fx Youth Trust and all those involved in this innovative project.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Rob Gibson, Robin Harper, Sandra White, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7307 Linda Fabiani: East Kilbride Folk Festival—That the Parliament sends good wishes for the success of the first ever East Kilbride Folk Festival, which is scheduled to take place from 5 to 7 November 2010; notes that the festival line-up includes a wealth of musical talent from the town of East Kilbride itself as well as traditional and folk singers and musicians from across Scotland; is delighted at the involvement of children from St Vincent’s and Crosshouse primary schools in East Kilbride, who have written songs to be performed during the festival; notes that ticket prices have been kept at what it considers to be a very affordable level and that entry to many sessions will be free; believes that this will enable the widest possible range of people to enjoy the festival, and looks forward to the East Kilbride Folk festival becoming a permanent fixture in Scotland’s traditional arts calendar in years to come.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Stuart McMillan, Aileen Campbell, Stewart Maxwell, Brian Adam, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Bob Doris, Bill Kidd, Willie Coffey, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh O’Donnell, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7306 Irene Oldfather: Alzheimer Scotland Helpline Anniversary—That the Parliament congratulates Alzheimer Scotland’s Dementia Helpline on celebrating its 21st year in operation; notes that the helpline is a 24-hour confidential service staffed by trained volunteers and provides information and emotional support to people with the illness as well as their carers, loved ones and health professionals; acknowledges the hard work undertaken by volunteers and considers that, with the anticipated increase in the number of people with dementia in Scotland, the helpline will continue to play a key role in helping people manage the condition; therefore thanks the volunteers and staff at Alzheimer Scotland for what it considers their invaluable work, and looks forward to another successful 21 years.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, Mary Scanlon, Marlyn Glen

S3M-7305 Elaine Smith: Scotland’s Oldest College—That the Parliament congratulates Coatbridge College on celebrating its 145th anniversary; notes that a graduation ceremony took place in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 27 October 2010, with the graduates hearing from Fraser Doherty, the Chief Executive of SuperJam, who shared what it considers to be his inspiring story of how he has gone from starting his own small jam-making business as a teenager to supplying major retailers across the country and eventually becoming the first person outwith North America to win the Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year award; recognises what it considers to be the excellent work undertaken by the Principal, the Board of Management and all the staff involved at Scotland’s oldest college; congratulates the class of 2010 on their graduation, and wishes them continued success in the future.

Supported by: David Whitton, Bill Butler, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Baillie, Maureen Watt, Mary Mulligan, Claire Baker, Mr Frank McAveety, Rhona Brankin, Karen Whitefield, Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh Henry, Margaret Mitchell, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7304 Stuart McMillan: Glenfiddich Piping Championship—That the Parliament congratulates Angus MacColl of Benderloch, Oban, on winning the 2010 Glenfiddich Piping Championship; further congratulates the youngest finalist, 18-year-old Faye Henderson from Kirriemuir, on becoming the first woman to reach the final in more than 20 years; understands that the event is seen as piping’s ultimate accolade and is only open to pipers who have been successful in that year’s other prestigious competitions; further notes that this is Mr MacColl’s third victory at this event, having previously won the trophy in 1995 and 2006, and wishes Mr MacColl and Ms Henderson the best of luck for the future.

Supported by: Aileen Campbell, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Jamie McGrigor, Bob Doris, Elaine Smith, Stewart Maxwell, Joe FitzPatrick, Jackie Baillie, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Mary Scanlon, Liam McArthur

S3M-7303 Stuart McMillan: Ocean Youth Trust Scotland Shortlisted for The People’s Millions—That the Parliament congratulates Ocean Youth Trust Scotland (OYTS) on being shortlisted to go forward to the People’s Millions public vote scheduled to take place on 22 November 2010; understands that this project, Sea Change in Young People, aims to inspire positive change in 84 disadvantaged young people through the challenge of adventure under sail; believes that it will enable them to connect with what it considers to be the spectacular Scottish coastline for what might be the first time, and wishes the project every success in the vote. R

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Bill Wilson, Rob Gibson, Willie Coffey, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Margaret Mitchell, Bill Kidd, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jamie McGrigor

S3M-7302 Richard Baker: Scottish Police Muslim Association—That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Police Muslim Association (SPMA) on hosting the Crime Affects All Communities event on 3 November 2010; notes that the event is aimed at the Asian community and seeks to raise awareness of the risk posed by organised criminals and to identify ways of reporting in confidence; recognises that, delivered along with the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, the event will bring together experts from law enforcement to examine a range of issues, including the role of Crimestoppers and how serious organised crime impacts on Scotland; congratulates the SPMA on all its work, and, recognising that this will be the first time that such an event has taken place in engaging with the Asian communities in this particular manner, hopes that it will lead to similar events in the future.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Sarah Boyack

S3M-7301 Christina McKelvie: Equal Pay Day, 2 November—That the Parliament notes that 2 November 2010 is Equal Pay Day in the United Kingdom; further considers that this date is significant because the full-time pay gap between women and men is equivalent to men being paid all the year round while women work for free after 2 November; further notes that 40 years after the Equal Pay Act women working full-time in the UK are still paid on average 16.4% less per hour than men; believes that equal pay is a fundamental right; calls on the UK Government, in the 40th anniversary year of the Equal Pay Act, to step up action to close the gender pay gap once and for all, and fully supports the national day of action on 2 November to fight for equal pay for women.

Supported by: Aileen Campbell, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Bill Wilson, Malcolm Chisholm, Robin Harper, Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Patrick Harvie, Elaine Smith, Joe FitzPatrick, Jackie Baillie, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Pauline McNeill, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Ken Macintosh, Marlyn Glen

S3M-7300 Joe FitzPatrick: Dundee Science Festival—That the Parliament welcomes Dundee’s first science festival, organised by Dundee Science Centre and under the patronage of Professor Sir Philip Cohen, which celebrates Dundee as a city of science and will see, over the fortnight, what it considers an exciting programme of activities in diverse venues across Dundee, appealing to all in the community from the early years to adults, aiming to provide inspiring lifelong learning, and wishes the centre and festival every success in this exciting venture.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Stewart Maxwell, Robin Harper, Nigel Don, Marlyn Glen, Nanette Milne, Brian Adam, Liam McArthur, Rob Gibson, John Wilson, Mary Scanlon, Jack McConnell, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Willie Coffey, Maureen Watt, Alison McInnes, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7299 Malcolm Chisholm: Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2010—That the Parliament welcomes the designation of November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month; notes that lung cancer remains Scotland’s leading cause of cancer death with just over 4,000 deaths each year; considers that, in order to decrease lung cancer mortality, increased investment in lung cancer research is needed, including research into improving early detection; commends the work of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation in raising awareness and researching earlier diagnosis, and calls on the Scottish Government to continue to support work raising awareness about the early detection and prevention of Scotland’s biggest killer cancer.

Supported by: Nanette Milne, Jim Hume, Des McNulty, Patricia Ferguson, Mary Scanlon, Bill Butler, Joe FitzPatrick, David Whitton, Karen Whitefield, Dr Richard Simpson, Robin Harper, Jackie Baillie, Bill Wilson, James Kelly, Elaine Smith, Sarah Boyack, Marlyn Glen, Trish Godman, John Park, Christina McKelvie, Mary Mulligan, Jamie Hepburn, Rhona Brankin, Elaine Murray, Jack McConnell, Pauline McNeill, Hugh Henry, Dave Thompson, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7298 Karen Gillon: NHS Lanarkshire’s Public Health Annual Report—That the Parliament notes the publication by NHS Lanarkshire of its Annual Report of the Director of Public Health 2009-10; welcomes the reported improvements in the health of the people of South Lanarkshire in terms of life expectancy, coronary heart disease mortality and cancer mortality while noting concern at continued health inequalities that exist between the richest and poorest in communities; further notes the report’s warning regarding dangers to health of the current economic downturn; commends the ongoing work of NHS Lanarkshire, along with partner organisations including South Lanarkshire Council, to tackle health inequalities through initiatives aimed at improving the lives of young people, helping people back into employment, tackling the problems associated with alcohol, drugs and violence, understanding of mental ill-health, tackling big killer diseases and understanding of links between physical environment and health, and urges the Scottish Government to support NHS Lanarkshire and other NHS boards across Scotland to tackle health inequalities.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Dr Richard Simpson, Jim Hume, Elaine Smith, Sarah Boyack, Mary Mulligan, Tom McCabe, Linda Fabiani, Ken Macintosh, Aileen Campbell

S3M-7297 Willie Coffey: Loudoun Academy, Passionate about Pudsey—That the Parliament considers the extraordinary achievement of Loudoun Academy, which, since 1997, has raised more than £90,000 for Children in Need; notes that, as part of this year’s fundraising efforts, pupils and staff of the school have co-operated to write, perform, record and release their very own song for Pudsey Bear, You gave back a part of me; further notes that the song was played on BBC’s Fred MacAulay Show on 29 October 2010 and will feature in performances at ASDA Kilmarnock on 6 November and at Children In Need Rocks Scotland at the SECC, Glasgow, on 19 November; welcomes news that the recording will be sold at a number of outlets, including ASDA in Kilmarnock, Ayr, Newton Mearns, Irvine, Ardrossan and Cumnock, the Co-op in Galston, Morrisons in Kilmarnock as well as through the school and is also available for download from iTunes or cdbaby.com; congratulates Loudoun Academy on its efforts to date, and wishes it well in its aim of taking its total raised for what it considers to be this excellent cause to over £100,000 through this year’s efforts.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Sandra White, Angela Constance, Kenneth Gibson, Cathy Jamieson, Maureen Watt, Aileen Campbell, Jackson Carlaw, Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, Irene Oldfather, Jamie McGrigor, Stuart McMillan, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7296 Patrick Harvie: Funding for Glasgow Fastlink—That the Parliament notes the delay by the Scottish Government in making a decision on funding for the Fastlink proposals in Glasgow; condemns the Government’s decision to consider only the £37 million route, the cheapest of the three proposals; considers that choosing this lowest price scheme is completely unacceptable when a detailed examination by Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has deemed the middle-priced £60 million route to be best value for money; notes that similar concerns about delay and stalling by the Scottish Government were raised ahead of the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link and a decision not to fund Glasgow Crossrail; believes that the existing public transport links to the new Southern General are poor and that there will therefore be a particularly serious impact on residents in Glasgow’s southside if Fastlink is cancelled; further believes that this government has inappropriately prioritised investment in roads projects ahead of support for public transport and active travel, and urges the Scottish Government to give Scotland’s largest city a higher priority and improved investment for public transport.

Supported by: Ms Wendy Alexander, Robin Harper, Hugh Henry, Tom McCabe, Cathy Peattie, Patricia Ferguson, Robert Brown

S3M-7293 Brian Adam: Scottish Success at World Karate Confederation Championships—That the Parliament congratulates competitors from the Scottish National Karate Federation on winning seven medals, consisting of four silvers and three bronze, at the 7th World Karate Confederation World Championships for Juniors and Cadets and World Cup for Children which was held in Caorle, Italy between 22 and 24 October 2010, and recognises the scale of the achievement of a team of just 15 young people based at Aberdeen’s National Karate Institute who, with their coach Ronnie Watt, competed alongside 1,200 other athletes from 22 countries across the world.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, Sandra White, Stewart Maxwell, Rob Gibson, Bill Butler, Angela Constance, Mike Pringle, Jim Hume, Bob Doris, Kenneth Gibson, Maureen Watt, Stuart McMillan, Alasdair Allan, Liam McArthur, Joe FitzPatrick, Alison McInnes, Elaine Smith, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Hugh Henry, Gil Paterson

S3M-7292 Richard Lochhead: The Waste Information (Scotland) Regulations 2010—That the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee recommends that the Waste Information (Scotland) Regulations 2010 be approved.

Supported by: Roseanna Cunningham

S3M-7290 Aileen Campbell: Biggar Little Festival—That the Parliament celebrates what is considered another successful Biggar Little Festival; notes that the festival is now in its eighth year and continues to attract a wide range of cultural acts from comedy to music; considers that the festival committee and all the volunteers made a tremendous effort and put on a diverse two-week programme of events, and believes that the success of the Biggar Little Festival is a reflection of the hard work and pride of the people of Biggar and the surrounding areas.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, Anne McLaughlin, Bob Doris, Kenneth Gibson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Robin Harper, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson

S3M-7289 Elaine Smith: NAe Bother—That the Parliament congratulates Strathclyde Police and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser for their work in promoting the NAe Bother campaign; notes that the campaign is in its third year and involves numerous organisations including Tesco, Asda, North Lanarkshire Council, the NHS, fire and rescue services, British Transport Police, Women’s Aid, Citizens Advice, Victim Support and the Scottish Prison Service; welcomes the pivotal role played by the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser in promoting and supporting the campaign over its 10-week period, which focused on the primary policing and public concerns across Monklands; considers that a number of successful events were organised, including an information day at Townhead community gardens and allotments in Coatbridge; supports the police in its efforts to reduce levels of antisocial behavior, and recognises the importance of involving the local community through campaigns such as NAe Bother.

Supported by: Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Mary Mulligan, David Whitton, Jackie Baillie, Hugh O’Donnell, John Wilson, Margaret Mitchell, Karen Whitefield, Hugh Henry, Cathy Jamieson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, Cathy Peattie, Gil Paterson

S3M-7288 George Foulkes: Congratulations to the Barred! Campaign—That the Parliament congratulates Mark Cooper and Capability Scotland for the success of their Barred! campaign, which recently won the Campaign of the Year - Devolved Administrations award at the Public Affairs News Awards 2010; believes that the right of disabled people across Scotland to live an independent lifestyle has been enhanced through their hard work and commends what it considers their practical yet passionate approach to campaigning for change, and believes that, while the road to equality is long, the journey is easier because of their contribution.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, David Whitton, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Kidd, Jackie Baillie, Rhona Brankin, Hugh O’Donnell, Kenneth Gibson, Sarah Boyack, Mike Pringle, Jack McConnell, Pauline McNeill, Elaine Smith, John Park, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Cathy Jamieson, Robin Harper, Maureen Watt, Bill Butler, Johann Lamont, Anne McLaughlin, Mary Mulligan, Hugh Henry, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Claire Baker, Alison McInnes, Dr Richard Simpson, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, Elaine Murray, Dave Thompson, Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, Irene Oldfather, Cathy Peattie, Stuart McMillan, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7287 Bill Wilson: Health Inequalities and Socioeconomic Inequality—That the Parliament notes the recently released Long-Term Monitoring of Health Inequalities report; is dismayed by the report’s findings that, between 1999-2000 and 2007-08, the significant differences between the most and least deprived sectors of the Scottish population in relation to eight parameters (life expectancy, premature mortality, mental wellbeing, coronary heart disease, cancer incidence and mortality, first admission for alcohol-related problems in those under the age of 75 and all-cause mortality in those aged 15 to 44) have either remained static or increased, at least in relative terms; believes that such health inequalities must be addressed by tackling socioeconomic inequality, and therefore calls on the UK Government to reverse the proposed regressive rise in VAT, adopt effective measures to reduce tax evasion and avoidance, which it believes would include employing many more HM Revenue and Customs staff, and to remove GDP as the major indicator of societal progress, a measure that it considers to have no proven relationship to health and wellbeing in developed countries.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Joe FitzPatrick, John Wilson, Rob Gibson, Gil Paterson, Robin Harper, Patrick Harvie, Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7286 Karen Whitefield: Getting Better Together—That the Parliament congratulates Getting Better Together on its 10th anniversary; applauds the role that the project has played in empowering people throughout North Lanarkshire to improve their health and quality of life; considers that Getting Better Together has marked this year with a number of notable achievements, including making over 2.5 million portions of fruit and vegetables available to the community of Shotts and throughout North Lanarkshire, supplying over 5,000 portions of fruit and vegetables to 76 parent and toddler groups every week between January and March 2009, opening new food co-ops at Airdrie and Wishaw and continuing to work with established co-ops in Allanton, Salsburgh, Eastfield and in many primary schools in the greater Shotts area; pays tribute to the hard work and commitment of all the staff and volunteers who run these services, and hopes that Getting Better Together continues to go from strength to strength in the coming year.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, James Kelly, Linda Fabiani, Trish Godman, Jack McConnell, Pauline McNeill, Hugh Henry, Dr Richard Simpson, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Bill Butler, Elaine Smith

S3M-7285 Karen Whitefield: Girl Guides’ Centenary Year—That the Parliament congratulates girl guides in North Lanarkshire on celebrating the end of their centenary year; considers that girl guiding provides an excellent platform for girls and guide leaders to develop a range of skills and leadership qualities; also considers that the girl guides have enjoyed a rich history and tradition in North Lanarkshire; notes that 10 million girls aged between 10 and 14 are involved in guiding worldwide and that over 500,000 girl guides throughout the United Kingdom gathered to mark the final celebrations of their centenary year, and wishes North Lanarkshire girl guides well in all their future endeavours.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, James Kelly, David Whitton, Karen Gillon, Linda Fabiani, Patricia Ferguson, Elaine Murray, Des McNulty, Trish Godman, Jack McConnell, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Cathy Peattie, Ken Macintosh, John Scott, Elaine Smith

S3M-7283 Dr Richard Simpson: Congratulations to 2nd Kinross Guides—That the Parliament congratulates the 2nd Kinross Guides for creating a prize-winning garden as part of the girlguiding centenary celebrations and welcomes the support of Action Earth, sponsored by Morrisons, in developing the programme.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7282 Linda Fabiani: Theatre Nemo is 10 Years Old—That the Parliament congratulates Theatre Nemo on its 10th anniversary; considers that Theatre Nemo has done tremendous work in helping to stop reoffending, assisting people in recovering from mental illness, helping them reconnect with their communities and giving people a new outlook and the confidence to take responsibility to change their lives for the better, and looks forward to another 10 years of similar achievement.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7281 Aileen Campbell: First Cardinal for Zambia—That the Parliament congratulates Archbishop Medardo Mazombwe, the retired archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, on being appointed as a cardinal of the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI; notes that Archbishop Mazombwe is the first Zambian to be made a cardinal, and considers that this is a great honour both for the Archbishop and the country; understands that Archbishop Mazombwe was a strong advocate for the cancellation of international debt during the Jubilee 2000 campaign, and hopes that he and his fellow cardinals will use their positions to champion causes of peace and justice around the world.

Supported by: Anne McLaughlin, Elaine Smith, Bob Doris, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Des McNulty, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Michael Matheson, Linda Fabiani, Hugh Henry

S3M-7280 Bob Doris: Alasdair Gray Rejects Lib Dem Cuts—That the Parliament acknowledges what it considers to be the utter disillusionment felt by many people who voted Liberal Democrat for the first time at the May 2010 UK General Election; understands that one such voter is the acclaimed Scots novelist and artist Alasdair Gray and that, following what it believes are the savage cuts brought to Scotland by the UK Conservative and Liberal Democrat government, Mr Gray has now withdrawn his support for the Liberal Democrats and will once again support the Scottish National Party.

Supported by: Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Anne McLaughlin, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Aileen Campbell, Maureen Watt, Michael Matheson

S3M-7280.1 Johann Lamont: Alasdair Gray Rejects Lib Dem Cuts—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7280) in the name of Bob Doris, leave out from "Mr Gray" to end and insert "it therefore regrets that SNP leader Alex Salmond recommended to voters in England that voting Liberal Democrat in the 2010 general election would be "a legitimate and proper thing to do", and calls on him to admit his mistake publicly and apologise accordingly."

Supported by: Charlie Gordon, David Whitton, Karen Gillon, Rhona Brankin, Trish Godman, Paul Martin, John Park, Hugh Henry, Dr Richard Simpson, Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, Marlyn Glen, Cathy Peattie, Mr Frank McAveety, Andy Kerr, Elaine Murray

S3M-7279 Jamie Hepburn: Condorrat Primary School’s Success at Royal National Mòd 2010—That the Parliament congratulates Condorrat Primary School pupils on winning four gold, three silver and one bronze medal in the areas of conversational Gaelic, poetry and solo singing at the 2010 Royal National Mòd; notes that the Mòd festival has been taking place annually since 1892 and includes competitions for people of all ages to perform across a range of disciplines including Gaelic music and song, Highland dancing, instrumental, drama, sport and literature; believes that this represents an outstanding achievement for Condorrat Primary School, and offers its congratulations to the teachers and pupils for their part in, and ongoing commitment to, the promotion of Scotland’s linguistic heritage.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Kenneth Gibson, Anne McLaughlin, Stuart McMillan, Sandra White, Linda Fabiani, Dave Thompson

S3M-7278 Stuart McMillan: Glasgow Paddlesports Centre—That the Parliament welcomes plans for the creation of the Glasgow Paddlesports Centre at Port Dundas, Glasgow; notes that the planned centre hopes to attract 24,000 visitors per year and is part of wider regeneration of the area; considers paddlesports and the broader area of recreational boating and marine tourism important to the Scottish economy, and encourages those involved to ensure that the proposals for the Glasgow Paddlesports Centre are a success.

Supported by: Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Anne McLaughlin, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Aileen Campbell, Robin Harper

S3M-7277 Malcolm Chisholm: Congratulations to the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop—That the Parliament congratulates the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, based at Newhaven in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency, on winning the £3 million Edinburgh Arts Funding Prize gifted by an anonymous donor; understands that the creative laboratories that it will fund will provide a mix of inspiring outdoor and indoor working spaces that will support ambitious artistic projects and support new ways of thinking, learning and relating to the arts; acknowledges the sustained fundraising drive that will also see a new sculpture centre replacing the existing building on the same site, and believes that these two projects will not only benefit artists and open up the workshop to a far wider range of disciplines and partners but will also make it much easier for the local community and the wider public to engage with its activities.

Supported by: Elaine Smith, Kenneth Gibson, Patricia Ferguson, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, Mary Mulligan, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone, Robin Harper, Jack McConnell, Sarah Boyack, Linda Fabiani, Pauline McNeill, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7276 Anne McLaughlin: Govan High School—That the Parliament congratulates Govan High School on celebrating its centenary; considers that the school has made an excellent contribution to the local community; notes that amongst the school’s alumni are some famous names, such as football manager Sir Alex Ferguson and award-winning songwriter Bill Martin; commends "the Heidy", Iain White, all the staff and pupils at the school for continuing to achieve their full potential, and wishes Govan High School all the very best for the next 100 years.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Andrew Welsh, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Bob Doris, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Willie Coffey, Aileen Campbell, Maureen Watt, Kenneth Gibson, Brian Adam, Pauline McNeill

S3M-7275 John Swinney: Criminal Procedure (Legal Assistance, Detention and Appeals) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution—That the Parliament, for the purposes of any Act of the Scottish Parliament resulting from the Criminal Procedure (Legal Assistance, Detention and Appeals) (Scotland) Bill, agrees to any expenditure of a kind referred to in Rule 9.12.3(b)(iii) of the Parliament’s Standing Orders arising in consequence of the Act.

S3M-7271 Des McNulty: Congratulations to The Banter Magazine, West Dunbartonshire—That the Parliament celebrates what it considers the tremendous achievement by West Dunbartonshire Communityand Volunteering Services (WDCVS) in having The Banter Magazine shortlisted for Best Small Publishing Company Magazine and Best Consumer Design Magazine in the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) Scottish Magazine Awards 2010, in which it will compete against established publications such as The Big Issue and The List; applauds what it sees as the tremendous contribution of enthusiasmand commitmentfrom both staff and volunteers that have led to this nomination, and hopes that this publication will continue to raise awareness of volunteering and active citizenship in a highly relevant way.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Elaine Smith, James Kelly, Pauline McNeill, Hugh Henry, Jackie Baillie, Stuart McMillan, Bill Kidd, Mary Mulligan, Karen Whitefield, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7270 Jamie Stone: Banning Bisphenol A—That the Parliament is concerned that numerous studies and evaluations published in peer-reviewed medical journals have raised consistent and compelling concerns about the potential health risks of exposure to bisphenol A (BPA); understands that BPA has been found to leak from the plastic used in many baby feeding bottles, especially when the bottles are heated or are scratched through continual usage; notes that baby bottles containing the chemical can still be sold in the United Kingdom despite being withdrawn in Canada, Denmark and some American states; further notes Japan’s canning and bottling industry’s successful voluntary use-reduction of BPA and Canada’s recent decision to classify BPA as a toxic substance; expresses support for the No More BPA campaign led by Breast Cancer UK, and urges the Scottish Government to introduce regulations to end the use of BPA, particularly in baby bottles.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Hugh O’Donnell, Elaine Smith, Maureen Watt, Robin Harper, Nicol Stephen, Tom McCabe, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7258 Pauline McNeill: Tennents Bar Glasgow—That the Parliament notes the recent sale of Tennents Bar on Byres Road in Glasgow’s west end; notes the strength of feeling against potential changes and is aware of petitions against the move; considers that Tennents Bar has become a landmark on Byres Road and a Glasgow institution, and recognises that it has become a much-loved establishment.

Supported by: Willie Coffey

S3M-7257 George Foulkes: Congratulations to the SPSA Staff at Howdenhall, Edinburgh—That the Parliament notes that the staff at the Edinburgh Forensic Laboratory at Howdenhall are to receive an award at the Scottish Policing Awards on 1 November 2010 in recognition of their response to a firebomb attack on the facility in February 2010; further notes that the staff were recipients of a Scottish Policing Award last year in relation to the conviction of Peter Tobin for the murder of Vicki Hamilton; believes that this is further evidence of the top quality service that the staff at Howdenhall provide; urges the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to give equal consideration to option 2 in the Scottish Police Service Authority’s (SPSA) Forensic Services Modernisation Options Paper; asks the cabinet secretary to publish the option recommended by SPSA as soon as possible in order to allow what it considers proper scrutiny to be made before a decision is reached; considers that the SPSA consultation process was a sham, and is of the view that a withdrawal in key services at the forensics lab at Howdenhall would succeed where a firebomb failed.

Supported by: James Kelly, Helen Eadie, David McLetchie, Malcolm Chisholm, John Park, Sarah Boyack, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Marilyn Livingstone, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7256 Bill Aitken on behalf of the Justice Committee: Criminal Sentencing (Equity Fines) (Scotland) Bill—That the Parliament, under Rule 9.14.18(b), does not agree to the general principles of the Criminal Sentencing (Equity Fines) (Scotland) Bill.

Supported by: Bill Butler

S3M-7255# Elaine Murray: Launch of A76 Five Point Action Plan—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the A76 Dumfries to Kilmarnock trunk road five point action plan on 19 November 2010; considers the improvement of the A76 to be essential for the economic regeneration of the corridor from Dumfries to Kilmarnock as it will enhance job opportunities and economic growth in the former coalfield regeneration area; notes that the accident rate on rural sections of the A76 is nearly 50% above the national rate for this type of road and believes that improvements to the road are necessary to improve road safety and regrets therefore the decision not to proceed with the Ellisland improvement scheme, and congratulates Dumfries and Galloway Council, East Ayrshire Council, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, Strathclyde Police and the South West and Strathclyde Regional Transport Partnerships for working in partnership to produce the five point plan and to promote its implementation.

Supported by: Cathy Jamieson, Derek Brownlee, Marilyn Livingstone, Mary Mulligan, Hugh Henry, Cathy Peattie, Jim Hume, Gavin Brown

S3M-7254 Christine Grahame: Saluting 40 Years of Central Borders CAB—That the Parliament notes the 40th anniversary of the Central Borders Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), which was launched with an annual budget of just £50 in 1970; considers that the Central Borders CAB has played a vital role in supporting individuals and families, and pays tribute to the work of staff and volunteers who provide high-quality professional advice while continuing to raise funds to maintain what it considers this crucial local service.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7253 Margaret Mitchell: East Kilbride Engineering Services—That the Parliament acknowledges the work of East Kilbride Engineering Services (EKES), based in East Kilbride, which was established in 1996 and employs over 250engineers in sites throughout Scotland, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe; notes the company’s expertise in the aerospace, automotive, marine and oil and gas industries; further notes the company’s origins in the aerospace industry and its continuing work as the only majorcompany in Scotland providing design and analysis on various aerospace projects, including the joint strike fighter and the A380, and welcomes EKES’s involvement with the Advanced Forming Research Centre, considered a world-class research facility and which supports fundamental and applied research in forming and forging of materials, based at the University of Strathclyde.

Supported by: Elizabeth Smith, Kenneth Gibson, Nanette Milne, Jamie McGrigor, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Aitken, Jackson Carlaw, John Lamont, Bill Kidd, Gil Paterson, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7252 Margaret Mitchell: Dyslexia Awareness Week 2010—That the Parliament notes that Dyslexia Awareness Week, now in its 20th year, is scheduled to take place from 1 to 7 November 2010 and that this year’s theme is hidden dyslexia; understands that one in 10 people are thought to be dyslexic in some manner and that this equates to half a million people in Scotland; acknowledges the importance of the early recognition of dyslexia and believes that this should be followed up by appropriate teaching and support at school, in the workplace and at home to ensure that people with dyslexia are not isolated; believes that there is a link between those with unidentified or unsupported dyslexia and offending, mental health issues and unemployment, and hopes that Dyslexia Awareness Week will highlight the issue and help more people recognise and understand dyslexia.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Irene Oldfather, Jack McConnell, Mary Scanlon, Murdo Fraser, Trish Godman, Joe FitzPatrick, Kenneth Gibson, Robert Brown, Jackie Baillie, Jackson Carlaw, Bill Aitken, Nanette Milne, Jamie McGrigor, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Kidd, Mike Pringle, Bill Wilson, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, John Lamont, Marilyn Livingstone, Elaine Smith, Robin Harper, Karen Whitefield, Hugh Henry, Liam McArthur, Dave Thompson, Tom McCabe, Cathy Peattie, Stuart McMillan, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7251# Christine Grahame: Megrahi Petition—That the Parliament notes the lodging of a petition by the Justice for Megrahi Committee, led by Dr Jim Swire, Iain McKie, Robert Forrester and Professor Robert Black, urging the establishment of an independent inquiry into the 2001 conviction of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie on 21 December 1988; notes that the findings of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, which reported that there may have been a miscarriage of justice in the case, have still to be tested in a legal forum; would welcome the establishment of an independent inquiry in Scotland to consider all the circumstances that led to the conviction, and considers that there should be widespread international co-operation with such an inquiry.

Supported by: Ted Brocklebank, Patrick Harvie, Bill Wilson, Sandra White, Mike Pringle, Gil Paterson

S3M-7250 Sarah Boyack: Congratulations to Councillor Eddie Phillips, Best Green Campaigner/Activist 2010—That the Parliament warmly congratulates Councillor Eddie Phillips of East Renfrewshire Council on being awarded the title of Best Green Campaigner/Activist at the Scottish Green Energy Awards 2010; notes that the Scottish Green Awards are held in association with Scottish Power and are designed to reward actions and initiatives that benefit the environment and encourage others to follow in their footsteps; recognises the role that Councillor Phillips has played as the founder of the Go Greener project in East Renfrewshire, which aims to improve the environment at a local level and raise awareness of climate change, and believes that thinking green is not only good for the environment but is essential in tackling climate change and making communities more sustainable.

Supported by: Elaine Smith, John Park, Jackie Baillie, Des McNulty, Karen Whitefield, George Foulkes, Patrick Harvie, Rhona Brankin, Jack McConnell, Mary Mulligan, Marlyn Glen, Marilyn Livingstone, Bill Butler, Cathy Peattie, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7249 Patricia Ferguson: People’s Postcode Lottery Launches Dream Fund—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the People’s Postcode Lottery’s Dream Fund as part of the People’s Postcode Trust; considers that the Dream Fund is an exciting new initiative that will offer registered charities and community organisations in Scotland the opportunity to apply for up to £100,000 to deliver a life-changing project over 12 months; further notes that the emphasis of the fund is on long-term benefit, with a focus on helping communities lead active lifestyles, supporting volunteering and tackling climate change; recognises that the Dream Fund encourages applicants to collaborate to provide a more efficient service to meet the challenges being faced by the charitable and voluntary sector, and, lastly, congratulates the lottery on this innovative project and looks forward to seeing the benefits that this will reap for Scotland.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Jackie Baillie, Rhona Brankin, Marlyn Glen, Sarah Boyack, Jamie Hepburn, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, James Kelly, Marilyn Livingstone, Bill Butler

S3M-7246 Patricia Ferguson: John Paul Academy, 6,000 Hours of Volunteering—That the Parliament recognises the 6,000 hours of volunteering undertaken by the students of John Paul Academy in the last year; notes the impact that this has had on the school, the communities of Maryhill and on the personal development of the students themselves, and congratulates the students on their achievement, and the school community and Volunteer Centre East Dunbartonshire for their support of the students.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Elaine Smith, Jackie Baillie, Des McNulty, Karen Whitefield, Paul Martin, Jamie Hepburn, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Jack McConnell, Mary Mulligan, James Kelly, Marilyn Livingstone, Bill Butler, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7245 Patricia Ferguson: Caldercuilt Puppeteers—That the Parliament congratulates the pupils of Caldercuilt Primary School on their successful staging of a shadow puppet show; notes how well received the performance was and the skill and creativity of the pupils who both wrote and performed, and further congratulates David Stewart of Mousetail Puppeteers for his encouragement and support to the performers.

Supported by: Elaine Smith, Jackie Baillie, Pauline McNeill, Karen Whitefield, Paul Martin, Jamie Hepburn, Mr Frank McAveety, Mary Mulligan, Marilyn Livingstone, Bill Butler

S3M-7244 Patricia Ferguson: 1st Birthday of Caldercuilt Primary School Bank—That the Parliament congratulates Caldercuilt Primary on the 1st birthday of its school bank; notes that over 130 pupils have accounts with the bank; recognises the achievement of the P5 bank tellers whose hard work and enthusiasm have helped to establish the bank as a Caldercuilt institution, and thanks the school staff for their support and David McGregor and his staff at the Royal Bank of Scotland, Maryhill Road, Glasgow, for their enthusiasm and commitment to the project.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Jackie Baillie, Karen Whitefield, Jamie Hepburn, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Jack McConnell, Mary Mulligan, James Kelly, Marilyn Livingstone, Bill Butler

S3M-7243 Aileen Campbell: Jessie Griffin, an HiQ Hero—That the Parliament congratulates Jessie Griffin of Little Haven in Forth on becoming a regional nominee for the HiQ Heroes awards; encourages everyone to vote for Jessie in the finals to be held in Birmingham on 18 November 2010, and believes that this award would be just recognition for all the hard work that she has undertaken with the Little Haven centre, which offers support for people affected by life-limiting illness.

Supported by: Ian McKee, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Bill Kidd, Jim Hume, Angela Constance, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson

S3M-7242 Aileen Campbell: South Lanarkshire Eats Well—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Lanarkshire EAT guide, which has been produced for the first time by North and South Lanarkshire councils to raise awareness of what is considered the exciting range and high quality of food and drink on offer in the area; notes that a number of Clydesdale-based producers and restaurants are taking part in the 2010 guide, and recognises the importance of the food and drink industry to South Lanarkshire’s economy.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Elaine Smith, Jim Hume, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7241 Bill Kidd: Nuclear Submarine Runs Aground off Skye—That the Parliament notes with serious concern reports that the Royal Navy HMS Astute submarine ran aground close to the Skye Bridge; further notes that this comes as the latest in a catalogue of like incidents involving nuclear submarines off the west coast of Scotland in previous years; believes that, while no nuclear reactor leak or any other environmental concerns have as yet been reported, the potentiality of such a calamity remains of grave concern; considers that inquiries into previous incidents of a similar nature have highlighted the insufficient application of the safety regime for nuclear submarines, and calls on the Ministry of Defence to instigate an immediate inquiry into this incident.

Supported by: Elaine Smith, Marlyn Glen, Gil Paterson, Joe FitzPatrick, Bob Doris, Kenneth Gibson, Christina McKelvie, Sandra White, Aileen Campbell, Rob Gibson, Christine Grahame, Stuart McMillan, Brian Adam, Christopher Harvie, Jamie Hepburn, Mike Pringle, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Anne McLaughlin, Linda Fabiani, Charlie Gordon, Dave Thompson, Malcolm Chisholm, Ian McKee

S3M-7240 Linda Fabiani: Scotland’s Engagement with Malawi—That the Parliament notes the fifth anniversary of the signing of the historic co-operation agreement between Scotland and Malawi and the growing strength of this relationship; notes the role of the Scottish Government in facilitating the development of a wide range of initiatives that are directly contributing to Malawi’s development; recognises the importance of continuing investment and targeting support to the most vulnerable, particularly in these challenging economic circumstances; acknowledges the importance of initiatives being led by the needs identified in Malawi, by people in Malawi and for activities to be delivered in partnership with a clear focus on impact; recognises the contribution of the development sector in Scotland to working with colleagues in Malawi, and commends the work of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and members of the Scottish Parliament for their work with the Malawi National Assembly and the many individuals and organisations who have worked hard to strengthen links and who have given their time and support so generously.

Supported by: Christine Grahame, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Michael Matheson

S3M-7240.1 Karen Gillon: Scotland’s Engagement with Malawi—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7240) in the name of Linda Fabiani, leave out from "and organisations" to end and insert ", schools, educational institutions, businesses and health service organisations, as well as the collaborative efforts of the Scottish Malawi Partnership, who have worked hard to strengthen links and who have given their time and support so generously."

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Johann Lamont

S3M-7239 Christine Grahame: Fireworks and Furry Fings—That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals campaign to change the law on the use of fireworks; notes that the law currently allows people to use fireworks on any day of the week between the hours of 7 am and 11 pm with no regard to the impact on domestic and wild animals; believes that the use of fireworks should be restricted to festivals and special events such as 5 November, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and the Hindu festival of Diwali; considers that this proposed change would ensure that pet owners could plan to keep pets indoors, and hopes that the general public will ensure that fireworks are used carefully and responsibly, recognising the obvious dangers they can pose to both people and animals.

Supported by: John Wilson, Bill Wilson, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Rhoda Grant, Brian Adam, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7238 Helen Eadie: Lucky 2B Here—That the Parliament congratulates the work of Skye-based charity Lucky 2B Here, which works to provide medical equipment and emergency life-saving training; welcomes the enormous success that Lucky 2B Here has demonstrated in realising its three key aims of community empowerment, cooperation and education; applauds the hard work of local man Ross Cowie, who himself suffered multiple cardiac arrests and whose life was saved by an ambulance passing the Shinty Club where he arrested, who founded the charity after being told that he was indeed "lucky to be here" and whose subsequent fundraising for a defibrillator for the club exceeded his expectations and left him with enough money for two defibrillators, thereby beginning the work of Lucky 2B Here; supports the work of Lucky 2B Here in empowering local communities with the provision of heartstart training, installation of defibrillators and pressing for communities to fundraise through activity-based challenges to contribute towards the cost of the equipment, to raise local awareness of the training opportunities and to ensure their commitment; congratulates Lucky 2B Here on its work with local services to greatly improve the availability of trained first aiders and equipment in an emergency; welcomes the support that the charity has secured from Northern Constabulary in ensuring that all police response vehicles on Skye now carry defibrillators and all officers are offered training; notes the work with Portree High School to run heartstart training for the pupils and empower them with the knowledge and skills to save lives; believes that the Lucky 2B Here model of community empowerment, cooperation and education is simple yet effective and backs its long-term aim to see a future where every member of every community in Scotland is empowered to save a life, and wishes it every success in realising the Lucky 2B Here aim as it works with two national charities, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and British Heart Foundation Scotland, to share the model across Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Rhoda Grant, Sarah Boyack, Liam McArthur, Robert Brown, Hugh O’Donnell, John Farquhar Munro*

S3M-7237 Jackie Baillie: "Tree"mendous Effort from Conservation Trust—That the Parliament congratulates the members of Helensburgh Tree Conservation Trust on what it considers their commendable work in improving the streetscape of Helensburgh; understands that, since 2002, members of the trust have planted 800 trees across the town; further understands that the members have so far spent £40,000 buying and planting trees and that the trust requires another £10,000 to reach its target of planting a thousand trees; commends the dedication shown by all members of the trust, and looks forward to what it hopes will be the ever improving landscape of Helensburgh.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Pauline McNeill, Jamie McGrigor, Hugh Henry, Sarah Boyack, Elaine Smith, James Kelly, Helen Eadie, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Kenneth Gibson, Trish Godman, Mr Frank McAveety, Mary Mulligan, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone, Robin Harper, Elaine Murray, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7236# Bill Kidd: Citizens Advice Scotland and Employment and Support Allowance Constituency Profiles—That the Parliament welcomes the constituency profiles prepared by Citizens Advice Scotland on the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA); notes that last year Citizens Advice Bureaux in Scotland dealt with over 180,000 new benefit issues, over 15,000 of which were regarding ESA; further notes that in this period bureaux in Glasgow dealt with 1,221 new issues regarding ESA; further notes the finding that over 200,000 Incapacity Benefit claimants in Scotland will undergo medical assessments for ESA in the next four years, including 9,170 in Glasgow, and almost a quarter will be found fit for work; agrees with the conclusion that the current medical assessment process for ESA is unfit for purpose and has incorrectly found sick and disabled people fit for work; notes that evidence from bureaux across Scotland has found that 70% of clients who have appealed against their ESA decision and were represented by a bureau adviser have had their appeal upheld; considers that the Scottish CAB service’s use of client evidence means that it speaks with authority on relevant and pressing issues that directly affect people living in Scotland, and would welcome changes to ESA in order that benefit claimants in Glasgow and in Scotland who are unable to work are correctly assessed for the support and assistance that they need.

Supported by: Sandra White, Rob Gibson, Hugh O’Donnell, Aileen Campbell, John Wilson, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson, Christine Grahame, Brian Adam, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan, Bill Wilson, Dave Thompson, Bob Doris, John Park, Cathy Peattie, Ian McKee, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7234 Robert Brown: Celebrating 150 Issues of the Local News in Glasgow—That the Parliament congratulates the Local News Glasgow on its 150th edition; notes that it began serving Glasgow communities in 1997 as the Local News for Southsiders, expanded into theWestEnd in 2007 and covered the whole ofGlasgow in 2009; notes that the paper is a monthly freesheetand fully reliant on advertising for its income;applauds the newspaper’s local community focus; agrees that local newspapers such as the Local News Glasgoware vital for accountability and transparency in ourdemocracy, and wishes the team at the Local News Glasgow every success for the next 150 editions.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7233 Kenneth Gibson: Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane—That the Parliament commends the lifetime achievements of Major-General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane who was commemorated at a special church service in his home town of Largs on 16 October 2010; applauds the exceptional life of this distinguished Scot, born in Largs in 1773; acknowledges the bravery and leadership shown during his distinguished Army career, which saw him commanded by the Duke of Wellington and serve in theatres of conflict around the globe, eventually rising to the rank of Major General; recognises the massive impact that Sir Thomas Brisbane had upon the then colony of New South Wales, where he served as Governor from 1821 to 1825; considers that, while governor, he tackled the many problems of a rapidly growing and expanding colony, worked to improve the land grants system, reform the currency and set up the first agricultural training college in New South Wales; notes that Brisbane also lent his name to the one-time prison convict settlement, which is now capital of the Australian state of Queensland; further recognises Sir Thomas Brisbane’s devotion to the science of astronomy and his discoveries that greatly contributed to the advances in navigation that took place over the following 100 years; considers that Sir Thomas Brisbane personified the Scottish traditions of bravery, discovery, education and equality, and has the highest regard for his extraordinary life and achievements.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Stewart Maxwell, Alasdair Allan, Brian Adam, Anne McLaughlin, Stuart McMillan, Michael Matheson

S3M-7232 Bill Butler: Show Racism the Red Card Fortnight of Action 2010—That the Parliament notes that 15 until 31 October 2010 marks Show Racism the Red Card’s 7th annual Fortnight of Action, which will feature 30 anti-racist community events across Scotland and includes Islamophobia workshops at Knightswood Secondary School in Glasgow; welcomes the support of Scotland’s football clubs for the campaign with activity at Scottish Football League, Scottish Women’s Premier League, Scottish Women’s Football League and Scottish Cup second round matches on 23 and 24 October and at Scottish Premier League matches on the weekend of 30 and 31 October; believes that Scottish football, both at club and international level, has benefited hugely from the participation of players born outside of Scotland; abhors the treatment of players who have been racially abused at grounds across Scotland, and unequivocally affirms that racism has no place in Scottish society.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, Claire Baker, Liam McArthur, Richard Baker, Ms Wendy Alexander, Mary Mulligan, Bob Doris, Rob Gibson, Cathy Jamieson, Rhona Brankin, Joe FitzPatrick, James Kelly, John Park, Bill Kidd, Trish Godman, Jamie McGrigor, Dr Richard Simpson, David Whitton, Jackie Baillie, George Foulkes, Karen Gillon, Nanette Milne, Des McNulty, Mr Frank McAveety, Malcolm Chisholm, Hugh O’Donnell, Elaine Murray, Elaine Smith, Lewis Macdonald, Christine Grahame, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Irene Oldfather, Jack McConnell, Hugh Henry, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Rhoda Grant, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper, Patricia Ferguson, Michael Matheson, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7231# Sandra White: Scrapping of the Security Industry Authority—That the Parliament commends the excellent progress made by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in tackling serious and organised crime in the security industry and notes the strong support for its continuation among senior law enforcement officers; further notes the comments of Scotland’s most senior police officer, Strathclyde Chief Constable Steve House, that "Scotland needs an SIA or equivalent body", and hopes that the SIA or an equivalent Scottish body can be retained in Scotland.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Stewart Maxwell, Bob Doris, Gil Paterson, Christine Grahame, Maureen Watt, Brian Adam, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Hugh Henry, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Michael Matheson

S3M-7230 Jackie Baillie: Garelochhead Safety Event—That the Parliament welcomes the Garelochhead Seniors Safety Event that is taking place on Tuesday 19 October 2010; understands that the event, organized by Alzheimer Scotland and Strathclyde Police, will involve Fire and Rescue Service, the Home Safety Unit, the Dementia Resource Centre, Argyll Voluntary Action, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers and various other agencies and will provide advice, assistance and information to senior citizens, and congratulates those involved for their contribution to the local community of Garelochhead.

Supported by: James Kelly, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Mary Mulligan, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7229 Jackie Baillie: 10th Anniversary for Helensburgh and Lomond Carers Project—That the Parliament congratulates the Princess Royal Trust Helensburgh and Lomond Carers Project on reaching its 10th anniversary in October 2010; understands that the project aims to provide carers with support and guidance on all of the options that are available to them; notes that the Helensburgh and Lomond Carers project is part of a network of 144 independently-managed carers’ centres that deliver round the clock support to over 400,000 carers and approximately 25,000 young carers; understands that it is estimated that the number of carers in the United Kingdom will increase by 3.4 million in the next 30 years; believes that this will result in an even greater need for carers’ centres, and hopes that the Helensburgh and Lomond Carers Project will continue to offer valuable support and assistance to carers in the area.

Supported by: James Kelly, Pauline McNeill, Nanette Milne, Jamie McGrigor, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Des McNulty, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson, Ken Macintosh, Elaine Smith, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Rhoda Grant, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7228 Elaine Smith: Fighting All the Way for Equal Pay—That the Parliament welcomes the publication of How fair is Britain? Equality, Human Rights and Good Relations in 2010, The First Triennial Review by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC); notes the report finds that, 40 years after the passing of the Equal Pay Act 1970, women in the UK still earn significantly less than men; is concerned by the report’s conclusion that progress in closing the gender pay gap in the UK has ground to a halt; welcomes the EHRC’s goal of closing the gender pay gap faster and further, and commends Close the Gap, in conjunction with the STUC, for supporting what it considers to be the Mikron theatre company’s excellent production, Striking The Balance…fighting all the way for equal pay, which was performed recently in Glasgow and Edinburgh to celebrate 40 years of the Equal Pay Act and which chronicles the continuing struggle to close the gap since the act was passed.

Supported by: Malcolm Chisholm, Bill Kidd, Karen Whitefield, Rhona Brankin, Mr Frank McAveety, Bill Butler, Pauline McNeill, Jackie Baillie, Dr Richard Simpson, George Foulkes, Marlyn Glen, Cathy Jamieson, Ken Macintosh, Christine Grahame, Alison McInnes, Sandra White, Irene Oldfather, Linda Fabiani, Hugh Henry, Rhoda Grant, Dave Thompson

S3M-7227# Elaine Smith: There Is a Better Way—That the Parliament commends the STUC on the launch of its There is a Better Way campaign; believes that deep, savage and immediate cuts are neither unavoidable nor inevitable and that they would actually threaten economic recovery *across Scotland and in areas such as Coatbridge and Chryston*; further believes that a sensible and sustainable response to the current economic crisis is to promote growth and ensure fairness through creating jobs and protecting services, through fair taxation and a living wage, and *would welcome widespread support for the STUC campaign*.

Supported by: Bill Butler, Bill Wilson, Jackie Baillie, Patrick Harvie, Pauline McNeill, John Park, Patricia Ferguson, Marlyn Glen, George Foulkes, Rhona Brankin, Bill Kidd, Cathy Jamieson, Mary Mulligan, Mr Frank McAveety, Ken Macintosh, Michael McMahon, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Sarah Boyack, Karen Whitefield, Elaine Murray, Charlie Gordon, Rhoda Grant, Des McNulty, David Whitton, James Kelly, Cathy Peattie, Malcolm Chisholm, Brian Adam, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Hugh Henry, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Joe FitzPatrick, Marilyn Livingstone, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper, Ms Wendy Alexander, Johann Lamont, Irene Oldfather, Trish Godman, Nigel Don

S3M-7226 Malcolm Chisholm: Face Equality for Children—That the Parliament congratulates the charity Changing Faces on its Face Equality for Children campaign; recognises that approximately 7,500 children in Scotland have a significant facial disfigurement and believes that negative assumptions about this often result in prejudice and discrimination that might lead to low academic achievement, reduced employability and a poor quality of life; supports the campaign’s objective of challenging those negative assumptions and in mobilising education, health and other public services to achieve that objective, and looks forward to the time when all such children are treated fairly and equally and able to realise their full potential.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Kenneth Gibson, Bob Doris, Patricia Ferguson, Marlyn Glen, Bill Kidd, Karen Whitefield, Mary Mulligan, Elaine Murray, Bill Wilson, Bill Butler, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Trish Godman, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Rhona Brankin, Christine Grahame, Ken Macintosh, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Irene Oldfather, Linda Fabiani, Rhoda Grant, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick, Dr Richard Simpson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7224 Elaine Smith: Women’s National Commission—That the Parliament is concerned by the UK Government’s plans to close the Women’s National Commission (WNC); believes that the WNC is an important and cost-effective mechanism to give women a direct voice to government; believes that this is yet another blow for women across the United Kingdom at a time when the comprehensive spending review is likely to hit women and families disproportionately; understands the importance of continuing to combat the numerous inequalities that women suffer economically, socially and politically, and would welcome a reconsideration of the UK Government’s position on closing the WNC.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, Patricia Ferguson, Marlyn Glen, Ms Wendy Alexander, Bill Butler, Patrick Harvie, Rhona Brankin, Pauline McNeill, Elaine Murray, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7223 Robin Harper: Statutory Employment Rights for Cultural Coordinators—That the Parliament is concerned that certain local authorities in Scotland are denying culture coordinators their statutory rights to redundancy payments and abrogating other rights under employment law on termination of their contracts; notes that Unison and the Employee Assistance Programme are of the opinion that rights are being denied, and urges the Scottish Government to consult with COSLA as a matter of extreme urgency with a view to resolving this most unfortunate situation.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Malcolm Chisholm, Bill Wilson, Marilyn Livingstone, Patrick Harvie, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7222 Patrick Harvie: Equal Marriage, Equal Partnership—That the Parliament welcomes the commitment by Ed Miliband to equalise marriage law for same-sex couples, the recent decision by the Liberal Democrat party conference to back proposals to allow same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership, the longstanding support of green parties in the UK for this position and the support that has been expressed by a number of SNP and Conservative politicians; believes that this step is necessary not only to ensure equal legal rights irrespective of sexual orientation but also to convey the equal dignity of relationships and the equal respect with which the state recognises relationships; regrets that civil partnership is portrayed by some in society as a lesser level of commitment or recognition, and calls on the Scottish Government to investigate the practical steps necessary to allow legislation in the next session of the Scottish Parliament to create equal marriage and partnership in Scotland.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Linda Fabiani, George Foulkes, Mike Pringle, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Margaret Smith, Jamie Hepburn, Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick

S3M-7221 Bill Butler: 2010 Commonwealth Games—That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish team on what it considers to be its tremendous performance in winning 26 medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games; expresses its gratitude to the network of relatives, friends, coaches and sports administrators who supported the participants in their endeavours; thanks Delhi for the hospitality that it afforded to every competitor and visitor from across the Commonwealth; records its appreciation of the Scots involved in what it believes was the truly magnificent spectacle that followed the handover ceremony, and looks forward to extending a warm Scottish welcome to athletes and supporters from around the Commonwealth to Glasgow in 2014.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, Johann Lamont, Karen Whitefield, Kenneth Gibson, Patricia Ferguson, John Wilson, Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick, Jim Hume, Mary Scanlon, John Lamont, Jamie McGrigor, James Kelly, Cathy Peattie, Gil Paterson, John Park, Ms Wendy Alexander, Elaine Murray, Dr Richard Simpson, Trish Godman, Marilyn Livingstone, Stewart Maxwell, Elaine Smith, Jackie Baillie, Cathy Jamieson, Charlie Gordon, Rhona Brankin, Mike Pringle, Linda Fabiani, Mary Mulligan, Bill Kidd, Bill Aitken, Des McNulty, Mr Frank McAveety, Ken Macintosh, Sandra White, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Stuart McMillan, Hugh Henry, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7220 Richard Baker: Security Industry Authority—That the Parliament expresses its concern at the decision by the UK Government that the work of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) should be subject to a "phased transition to new regulatory regime"; considers that the SIA has made real progress in reducing the level of criminality in the private security industry, encouraging the raising of standards in training and delivery in the industry and leading to an improvement in its public perception, and believes that moves to abolish the SIA threaten this progress; also considers that the SIA has successfully worked with partners in Scotland, including the Scottish Government, local authorities, police and other agencies; believes that the SIA has a key role at a time when regulation of the private security industry will be of crucial importance, in the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and urges the Scottish Government to engage in dialogue with the UK Government on this process and keep the Parliament informed of developments as they will affect the security industry in Scotland.

Supported by: Bill Butler, Kenneth Gibson, Dr Richard Simpson, George Foulkes, James Kelly, Mr Frank McAveety, Pauline McNeill, Rhona Brankin, Jackie Baillie, Ms Wendy Alexander, Marlyn Glen, Mary Mulligan, Margaret Curran, Trish Godman, Ken Macintosh, Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt

S3M-7219 John Wilson: Launch of Abused Men in Scotland Charity—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Abused Men in Scotland (AMIS) charity funded from the National Lottery Awards for All Scotland fund; recognises that AMIS aims to raise awareness of male victims of domestic abuse and highlight the lack of services available to meet their needs and the needs of their children; notes that figures published by AMIS show a 9.4% increase in recorded incidents of male victims of domestic abuse or violence since 2008-09; considers that, despite police statistics indicating a year-on-year increase in reported incidents of male victims of domestic abuse, there remains inadequate service provision designed to meet the needs of male victims throughout Scotland; believes that AMIS, by providing a national telephone helpline and an office in Dunfermline, is a step in the right direction to ensuring that male victims and their children receive the help that they so desperately require, and praises the collaborative approach being used by AMIS, which aims to offer specialist awareness training to organisations that have contact with male victims of domestic abuse and their families.

Supported by: Mary Scanlon, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Wilson, Patrick Harvie, Gil Paterson, Brian Adam, Christine Grahame, Bill Kidd, Hugh O’Donnell, Jamie Hepburn, Anne McLaughlin, Stuart McMillan, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7218 Dr Richard Simpson: World Osteoporosis Day 2010—That the Parliament welcomes World Osteoporosis Day on 20 October 2010 in helping to raise awareness of osteoporosis; praises the fundraising activities that are happening, including Go Orange for Osteoporosis; commends the National Osteoporosis Society for its continued efforts to help raise funding and awareness for the three million people in the UK estimated to have osteoporosis; hopes that spending cuts will not affect the osteoporosis services already in place or those being planned for the NHS in Scotland;welcomes the decision by NHS Forth Valley, which was the last remaining NHS board without this service, to open a local osteoporosis service, and hopes that treatment and management of osteoporosis continues to be promoted and managed at all levels in the NHS, with equal access to appropriate osteoporosis services across Scotland, including fracture liaison services and osteoporosis specialist nurses.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Rhona Brankin, Kenneth Gibson, Marlyn Glen, Patricia Ferguson, Stewart Maxwell, Mary Mulligan, Mary Scanlon, Karen Whitefield, George Foulkes, Helen Eadie, Bill Butler, Ross Finnie, Trish Godman, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Mr Frank McAveety, Ken Macintosh, Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Rhoda Grant, Joe FitzPatrick, Tom McCabe, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper

S3M-7217 Tricia Marwick: Chile Miners’ Rescue—That the Parliament rejoices at the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners after 70 days trapped below ground; congratulates the Chilean authorities on what it sees as its steadfast determination and awesome technical engineering skills and the international support that delivered what is believed to be a historic and unprecedented rescue; thanks the media for enabling the world to share the joy of the rescue, and, most of all, pays tribute to the miners for what it considers their courage and bravery, and wishes them, their families and communities every happiness in the days and months ahead.

Supported by: Sandra White, Angela Constance, Stuart McMillan, Kenneth Gibson, Aileen Campbell, Gil Paterson, David Whitton, Joe FitzPatrick, Mary Scanlon, Bill Kidd, Elaine Smith, Rob Gibson, Patricia Ferguson, Murdo Fraser, Bill Butler, Nanette Milne, Marilyn Livingstone, Malcolm Chisholm, Brian Adam, Linda Fabiani, Jim Hume, Ken Macintosh, Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt, Anne McLaughlin, Jack McConnell, Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, Tom McCabe

S3M-7216 Jim Hume: West Sound Community Awards—That the Parliament congratulates the winners of the 2010 West Sound Community Awards following a ceremony on Thursday 7 October at Ayr racecourse; notes that these awards, which are in their fourth year, are intended to celebrate and highlight the work of unsung heroes throughout Ayrshire who undertake hard work and whose achievements often go unnoticed; further notes that the winners included eight-year-old Arran Pinto, who has leukaemia, and Gavin Drysdale, who has cerebral palsy and has broken two world records, and praises West Sound FM and the sponsors who continue to make the annual staging of this event possible.

Supported by: Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7215 Cathy Jamieson: Proposal to Abolish Consumer Focus—That the Parliament expresses concern that, in the wake of the publication of the Postal Services Bill proposing what are considered significant changes to the postal market and post office network, the UK Government is proposing to abolish Consumer Focus, the statutory champion for postal customers in Scotland; acknowledges the key role of Scotland’s post office network in both urban and rural communities and considers that the decision to remove the postal service watchdog will remove a strong voice in consumer representation, and calls on the Scottish Government to make representations to the UK Government on behalf of postal service users.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, Jamie Hepburn, Peter Peacock

S3M-7214 Willie Coffey: Congratulations to Kilmarnock Weightlifting Club—That the Parliament congratulates Peter Kirkbride from Hurlford on winning the silver medal in the 94kg weightlifting event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games; further congratulates Graeme Kane from Crosshouse on achieving what it considers to be a credible 9th place in the 77kg event, and notes the significant achievements of the Kilmarnock weightlifters under Charlie Hamilton, who is known as the Mr Jean Brodie of weightlifting, and who was a competitor at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Cathy Jamieson, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Kenneth Gibson, Sandra White, Stuart McMillan, Patricia Ferguson, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7213 Christina McKelvie: Rescue of Chilean Miners—That the Parliament shares the joy and relief of Chile and the world at the successful rescue of all 33 miners trapped underground for more than two months in the San José mine; has been humbled and inspired by what it sees as the extraordinary courage, stoicism and solidarity shown by "los 33" in the face of adversity; is moved by what it believes to be the patient vigil of their loved ones waiting in Camp Hope; pays tribute to everyone involved in mounting what it considers a highly complex and technically advanced rescue operation; recognises that their return to the surface is only the start of the miners’ recovery and readjustment, and, with the Scottish people, joins the nations of the world in sending good wishes to all the miners and their families.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell

S3M-7211 Gil Paterson: Healthy Competition at last between Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports—That the Parliament welcomes the decision by the Court of Appeal, which will force BAA to sell off either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport; believes that this decision will help smash what it considers the central belt monopoly held by BAA and be of ultimate benefit to travellers in Scotland by bringing about competition between the central belt airports, which will hopefully result in more direct flights to and from Scotland, cutting out the need for two flights, two landing charges and two sets of flight taxes, which have been a feature of BAA ownership of these airports in Scotland, and further welcomes what it sees as the environmental benefits that this will bring.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Bob Doris, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Angela Constance, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7210 John Wilson: Welfare Spending Cuts—That the Parliament notes with concern the recent research into welfare undertaken by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the New Policy Institute entitled Working - age ‘ welfare’: who gets it, why, and what it costs; further notes that the study highlights that benefit claimants of working age are disproportionately concentrated in the weakest local economies; considers that a key feature of the research is that the extension of Employment Support Allowanceto existing claimants of incapacity benefit from autumn 2010 onwards risks causing distress while doing little to increase employment, and acknowledges that there are concerns that the health needs of mental health service users are not being taken into account under new eligibility conditions.

Supported by: Bob Doris, Bill Kidd, Robin Harper, Elaine Smith, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Joe FitzPatrick

S3M-7209 Christina McKelvie: UK Anti-Slavery Day and European Anti-Trafficking Day—That the Parliament marks the first UK Anti-Slavery Day, which coincides with European Anti-Trafficking Day on 18 October 2010; understands that an estimated 12.3 million people across the world are in slavery today, forced to work for little or no pay and denied basic human rights and freedoms; further considers that many enslaved people have also been victims of human trafficking across international borders, including into the United Kingdom; further recognises that, between 1 April 2009 and 31 August 2010, 74 people in Scotland were identified as suspected victims of human trafficking; pledges its support for the Anti-Slavery International and Stop the Traffik campaigns to bring a global end to slavery and human trafficking; calls on the UK Government to reconsider what it considers its regrettable decision to decline to opt in to the new European Union anti-trafficking directive, and asks the Scottish Government to continue its existing work to prevent women, children and men being trafficked into Scotland and to provide services and support for victims of trafficking and slavery.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Rob Gibson, Joe FitzPatrick, Kenneth Gibson, Robin Harper, Stuart McMillan, Aileen Campbell, Marlyn Glen, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Angela Constance, Malcolm Chisholm, Elaine Smith, Linda Fabiani, Bill Kidd, Trish Godman, Hugh O’Donnell, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Rhoda Grant, Tom McCabe, Dave Thompson

S3M-7208 Alasdair Allan: The Commonwealth Challenge—That the Parliament congratulates Sean Newall, who, on 23 July 2010, set off on the Commonwealth Challenge, which starts with a 20,000-mile, 10-month bike journey around the world; notes that, on 14 October, Sean hopes to be in Delhi in time for the closing ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games; recognises that, in time for the start of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Sean hopes to visit all 72 Commonwealth countries over a series of four expeditions, all by a physically challenging mode of transport, and to raise £50,000 for UNICEF; believes that Sean is an excellent ambassador for the Commonwealth Games, and wishes him well during the rest of his challenge.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7207 David Whitton: Kirkintilloch Walkers are Welcome—That the Parliament congratulates Kirkintilloch Walkers are Welcome on receiving £3,000 from the Awards for All Scotland programme; notes that this money will erect information signs at various locations to publicise the attainment of this accreditation, and believes that this will increase visitor numbers and encourage locals to take advantage of the scenery on their doorstep.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Jackie Baillie, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone, Elaine Smith, Mary Mulligan, Annabel Goldie, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Hugh Henry

S3M-7206 Margaret Mitchell: 40th Anniversary of St John’s Centre, Hamilton—That the Parliament congratulates St John’s Centre, Hamilton, on its 40th anniversary; understands that the centre celebrated this with a special service conducted by the Reverend Robert M Kent, which was attended by around 400 members of the church and community; notes that the centre provides services such as the book corner and the coffee room for church members, visitors and members of the public; further notes that the centre is run entirely by volunteers, and commends them for their efforts over the past 40 years and acknowledges the centre’s contribution to the wider community.

Supported by: Mary Scanlon, Tom McCabe, Kenneth Gibson, John Lamont, Jamie McGrigor, Elaine Smith, Bill Aitken, Michael McMahon, Linda Fabiani, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7205 Bill Wilson: Media Diversity and Democracy—That the Parliament believes that meaningful democracy depends on an educated and informed electorate and that an important element in this is a vibrant and diverse media, unafraid of voicing opinions that do not necessarily accord with the opinions of those who wield political or economic power; expresses the wish, therefore, that the UK Government oppose Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to increase his company’s share of BSkyB, and considers that he already has several newspapers and the Fox channel and so the public are adequately acquainted with the Murdoch perspective.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Christopher Harvie, Angela Constance, Robin Harper, Elaine Smith, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7204 Jim Hume: East Lothian Community Achievements—That the Parliament congratulates the communities of North Berwick and East Linton on their recent success at the 2010 Britain in Bloom and Beautiful Scotland awards respectively; notes that North Berwick won in the category for coastal towns with a population of less than 12,000 people and secured more than 90% of the available points; considers that East Linton’s silver gilt certificate was recognition of the local community’s hard work to transform the area; further notes that North Berwick has twice won the best overall town category in the Beautiful Scotland contest, the most recent being in 2009, and extends special praise to the North Berwick in Bloom and East Linton in Bloom groups for their commitment, hard work and pride in their communities.

Supported by: Aileen Campbell, Bill Kidd, Gil Paterson, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7203 Cathie Craigie: Awards for All Success—That the Parliament congratulates Abronhill High School and the Friends of Cumbernauld House Park on successfully gaining £15,412 from Awards For All Scotland; notes that Abronhill High School, which received £10,000, will establish a sports coaching scheme for 32 senior school pupils, which aims to provide the pupils with leadership experience and create volunteers for local sports activities; further recognises the achievement of the Friends of Cumbernauld House Park for their £5,412 award, which will be used to install five information signs at different access points to Cumbernauld House, detailing the history of the house and the local area as well as the wildlife that can be found nearby; finally, thanks Awards for All for its continued investment in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth area, and wishes Abronhill High School and the Friends of Cumbernauld House Park every success for the future.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Bill Butler, Bill Kidd, James Kelly, Jackie Baillie, Marilyn Livingstone, Elaine Smith, Linda Fabiani, Mary Mulligan, Hugh O’Donnell, Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn, Hugh Henry

S3M-7202 Dr Richard Simpson: Death of Eileen Crofton—That the Parliament mourns the death of Dr Eileen Crofton, who it considers, along with her late husband, Dr John Crofton, was a tireless campaigner for tobacco control and for smoke-free public places long before it became legislation; understands that both Eileen and John played a key role in founding ASH Scotland in 1973, with Eileen becoming the first director, and that she remained an active supporter and kept in regular contact; notes that, in 2009, the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland, in partnership with ASH Scotland, presented the inaugural Crofton Award in recognition of the achievement of young people in reducing tobacco and smoking-related harm in Scotland and in honour of Sir John and Lady Eileen Crofton’s work over the decades in tobacco control;notes that Eileen Crofton was also very involved in how tobacco impacted on the health of women, set up the ASH women’s committee in 1984 and remained its convenor until 1990; further notes that this later developed into the International Network of Women Against Tobacco, and considers that there has been a substantial cultural change in Scotland’s attitude to tobacco over the past 40 years and that this is not least due to the efforts of these two notable Scots.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Andy Kerr, Malcolm Chisholm, Ms Wendy Alexander, Pauline McNeill, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Claire Baker, George Foulkes, Mary Mulligan, Stewart Maxwell, Bill Wilson, Rhona Brankin, Trish Godman, Jackie Baillie, Christine Grahame, Jim Hume, Des McNulty, Cathy Jamieson, Jamie Hepburn, Irene Oldfather, Jack McConnell, Stuart McMillan, Hugh Henry, Joe FitzPatrick, Robin Harper

S3M-7201 Karen Whitefield: Congratulations to St Edward’s Parish Church—That the Parliament congratulates St Edward’s Parish Church in its Golden Jubilee year; notes that St Edward’s parish was established on 14 October 1960 and was first led by the late Canon Tom Barry; observes that, over the last 50 years, he and his six successors have provided their congregation with comfort, leadership and pastoral care; considers that, under the present incumbent, Father Gerry Maguiness, St Edward’s continues to make an immense contribution to the spiritual and social life of the local community, and wishes the church well in the remaining months of its Golden Jubilee year.

Supported by: Patricia Ferguson, Des McNulty, James Kelly, Michael McMahon, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Marilyn Livingstone, Linda Fabiani, Mary Mulligan, Pauline McNeill, Cathy Jamieson

S3M-7200 Jackie Baillie: Reinstatement of Christie Ward—That the Parliament notes that the Vale of Leven Monitoring Group has collectively agreed to a motion that calls for the reinstatement of the Christie Ward at the Vale of Leven Hospital following a recent fire; believes that the Christie Ward is an integral part of inpatient mental health care at the Vale of Leven Hospital; recognises that the reinstatement of the ward will require funding in the financial year 2010-11, and calls on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to respond to what it believes is the clear view of the local community and reinstate the Christie Ward without delay.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Bill Butler, Patricia Ferguson, Marilyn Livingstone, Mary Mulligan, Cathy Jamieson

S3M-7199# Margaret Curran: Closure of Lightburn Hospital—That the Parliament notes with concern the proposed closure of Lightburn Hospital in the east end of Glasgow and the relocation of services to both the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Stobhill Hospital; considers that this proposal will cause difficulties for many people in the wider east end of Glasgow who rely on this local healthcare facility, resulting in lengthy journeys by often unsuitable public transport; believes that local rehabilitation healthcare facilities are important in ensuring a more effective recovery, and considers this a reversal of the Scottish Government’s policy presumption against centralisation.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Patricia Ferguson, James Kelly, Michael McMahon, John Park, Jackie Baillie, Mr Frank McAveety, Marilyn Livingstone, Mary Mulligan, Paul Martin, Trish Godman, Elaine Smith, Cathy Jamieson, Hugh Henry

S3M-7198 Rhoda Grant: Good Luck to Sean Newall for the Commonwealth Challenge—That the Parliament congratulates Sean Newell, whose family is from the Western Isles, who has undertaken a challenge to visit all 72 Commonwealth nations that are competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games by a physically challenging method of transport in order to raise £50,000 for UNICEF; notes that the challenge has been split into four expeditions, a world cycle, cycle Africa, Atlantic pedal and world sail; further notes that Sean set off on a 20,000 mile unsupported world cycle from George Square, Glasgow, on 23 July 2010, has so far cycled over 4,000 miles and is aiming to reach Delhi for the conclusion of the 2010 Commonwealth Games on 14 October 2010, when responsibility for the 2014 Commonwealth Games is passed to Glasgow; urges people to donate to this campaign by logging on to http://www.justgiving.com/Sean-Newall, and wishes Sean and everybody involved with the campaign every success in reaching their goals.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Jamie McGrigor, Aileen Campbell, David Stewart, Peter Peacock, James Kelly, Mary Mulligan, Mary Scanlon, Pauline McNeill, Cathy Jamieson, Trish Godman, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson, Jim Hume, Jamie Hepburn, Jack McConnell, Stuart McMillan, Shirley-Anne Somerville

S3M-7197 Kenneth Gibson: Pilot Island Fuel Discount Scheme—That the Parliament commends the UK Government for its plans to introduce a pilot island fuel discount scheme; expresses concern at the exclusion of Arran from this scheme, despite petrol costs on the island being among the highest in Scotland; believes this to have been an oversight rather than a deliberate omission, and therefore urges the UK Government to include Arran in the pilot.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Aileen Campbell, Stuart McMillan, Rob Gibson, Anne McLaughlin, Robin Harper, Brian Adam, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Stewart Maxwell, Jamie Hepburn, Ian McKee, Christina McKelvie, Dave Thompson, Andrew Welsh, Bob Doris, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Wilson, Christine Grahame, John Wilson, Sandra White, Willie Coffey, Maureen Watt, Christopher Harvie, Tricia Marwick, Linda Fabiani, Michael Matheson, Nigel Don, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Alasdair Morgan

S3M-7197.1 Charlie Gordon: Pilot Island Fuel Discount Scheme—As an amendment to motion (S3M-7197) in the name of Kenneth Gibson, insert at end "and the Scottish Government to include it in the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot."

Supported by: Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Dr Richard Simpson, Ken Macintosh, Duncan McNeil, Peter Peacock

S3M-7196 Alasdair Allan: Islands Fuel Duty Reduction—That the Parliament urges the UK Government to press ahead with talks with the European Commission on introducing a five pence reduction in fuel duty for the inner and outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland; considers that this move by the UK Government comes following a prolonged campaign by many people in these communities, which have some of the highest fuel prices in the world, and believes that such a measure is long overdue and would be of direct benefit to thousands of people in Scotland’s remotest communities who it considers are currently being penalised by high fuel prices.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Bob Doris, Nigel Don, Bill Kidd, Anne McLaughlin, Stuart McMillan, Brian Adam, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Jamie Hepburn, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7195 Alasdair Allan: Linda Norgrove—That the Parliament offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Linda Norgrove, especially her parents on the Isle of Lewis, following the shocking news of what it considers Ms Norgrove’s tragic death in Afghanistan; commends Ms Norgrove for her devoted efforts to improve the lives of people in Afghanistan, and extends to the family the support and sympathy of people throughout Scotland and beyond at this painful time.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Ms Wendy Alexander, Bob Doris, Jamie McGrigor, David Whitton, Rob Gibson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Christine Grahame, Jamie Hepburn, Patricia Ferguson, Aileen Campbell, Stuart McMillan, Des McNulty, Bill Wilson, Bill Kidd, Patrick Harvie, Karen Whitefield, Mary Scanlon, Nigel Don, Robin Harper, Mr Frank McAveety, Joe FitzPatrick, Anne McLaughlin, Cathy Peattie, Christina McKelvie, Hugh Henry, Brian Adam, Stewart Maxwell, Elaine Smith, Iain Gray, Dave Thompson, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Marilyn Livingstone, Linda Fabiani, Liam McArthur, Ken Macintosh, Cathy Jamieson, Irene Oldfather, Jack McConnell, Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, Tom McCabe, Maureen Watt

S3M-7194 Nigel Don: Congratulations to Sue Bruce—That the Parliament sends its sincere congratulations to Sue Bruce, chief executive of Aberdeen City Council, on winning the Public Sector Leader of the Year award at the Scottish Business Insider magazine’s Scottish Leadership Awards 2010 and considers that this is an appropriate recognition of the transformational impact that Mrs Bruce has had on Aberdeen during her tenure as chief executive.

Supported by: Jamie Stone, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Marlyn Glen, Brian Adam, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Michael Matheson, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Tom McCabe, Maureen Watt

S3M-7193 Aileen Campbell: Clyde and Avon Valleys Landscape Partnership Project—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Clyde and Avon Valleys Landscape Partnership project; notes that the project will focus on conservation, improving orchards and woodlands, helping small businesses, local tourism and community events, creating routes for outdoor activities and raising awareness of the cultural and landscape heritage of the valleys, and applauds the Heritage Lottery Fund for awarding £2 million to the Clyde and Avon Valleys Landscape Partnership project.

Supported by: Christina McKelvie, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Michael Matheson, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7192# Linda Fabiani: We Would Make 500 Fairtrade Towns—That the Parliament congratulates the Fairtrade Towns, including Scotland’s first towns to achieve this status, Strathaven and Aberfeldy, for their commitment to fair and ethical trade; thanks local supporters, activists and decision makers across the country for what it believes is their hard work and dedication in making the Fairtrade Town movement a success in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland; anticipates that the 500th Fairtrade Town will be named this autumn, and praises those involved in and supporting the 500 Miles for 500 Towns Bike Ride, including Graeme Obree and the Proclaimers.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan, Aileen Campbell, Rob Gibson, Tricia Marwick, Stuart McMillan, Kenneth Gibson, Sandra White, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jackie Baillie, Elaine Smith, Murdo Fraser, Bill Kidd, Jack McConnell, Patricia Ferguson, Michael Matheson, Patrick Harvie, Ken Macintosh, Bill Butler, Gil Paterson, Alison McInnes, Maureen Watt, Jamie Hepburn, Joe FitzPatrick, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper

S3M-7189 Robin Harper: Save Crags Sports Centre—That the Parliament regrets the reported decision by Edinburgh Leisure to close the Crags Sports Centre in the Southside of Edinburgh unless another operator can be found; understands that this closure is in response to recent cuts in Edinburgh Leisure’s funding by City of Edinburgh Council and that other closures may follow, including Dalry Swim Centre, Kirkliston Leisure Centre and Portobello Golf Course; considers that the Crags Sports Centre was opened in 2003 after years of campaigning and fundraising by local people and that it boasts a large sports hall with a well-equipped gym and an all-weather pitch; understands that the Crags Sports Centre is a well-used centre situated beside one of the most deprived areas of the city and that, in addition to the centre serving local people, the Active Schools Programme of neighbouring schools and the locally based Canongate Youth Project depend on the centre for its facilities, and calls on City of Edinburgh Council to ensure that the Crags Sports Centre is kept open.

Supported by: Ken Macintosh, Patrick Harvie

S3M-7188 Murdo Fraser: 2010 Rally of Scotland—That the Parliament welcomes to Perth and Kinross and to Stirling the 2010 Rally of Scotland, which is scheduled to takes place from 15 to 17 October 2010; notes that Scone Palace will host the ceremonial start of the rally and Stirling Castle will hold the traditional champagne ceremony to mark the end; believes that what is considered the beauty and challenge of the landscape of Perthshire and Stirlingshire will make the perfect setting for the 2010 rally; notes that some of those considered to be among the world’s top rally drivers will follow a route that will take them through what it believes are some of Britain’s best rallying courses, including Craigvinean, Drummond Hill, Errochty, Achray and Loch Ard, and believes that the event will provide spectators and competitors with a thrilling and exciting experience and that the rally will be a tremendous boost to the local economy, underlining that Perthshire and Stirlingshire are ideal locations for prestigious events.

Supported by: Jack McConnell, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7187 Patrick Harvie: Fossil Fuel—That the Parliament shares the ambition of the current administration that Scotland should meet 100% of its electricity demand from renewables by 2025 and considers this an achievable goal; deeply regrets, however, that the Scottish Government’s wider energy policy appears to contradict this objective; is concerned at the support that has been given for what it considers a dramatic expansion of open-cast coal extraction and the current support being expressed for exploratory deep-water oil drilling at the Lagavulin prospect; expresses dismay that MEPs voted against a moratorium on exploratory drilling on 6 October 2010; considers that carbon emissions will not be reduced simply by renewable electricity generation but by the reduction and ultimate elimination of the burning of fossil fuels; understands that the world already has sufficient fossil fuel reserves to make the generally agreed goal of limiting climate change to two degrees impossible to achieve; therefore considers that there is no justification for further exploration in search of new reserves, and calls on the Scottish Government to oppose the continued hunt for new fossil fuels by every means at its disposal.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Gil Paterson

S3M-7186 Pauline McNeill: National Poetry Day—That the Parliament celebrates National Poetry Day, 7 October 2010; remembers with sadness the death of the Scottish Makar, Edwin Morgan; recognizes the work of Robert Burns, Carol Ann Duffy and Liz Lochhead, whom it considers to be great Scottish poets; believes poetry to be a great art form, and will continue to promote it in the future.

Supported by: Bill Wilson, Linda Fabiani, Karen Whitefield, Jack McConnell, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7185 Margaret Mitchell: The Commonwealth Orchard—That the Parliament congratulates St John the Baptist Primary School in Uddingston for being the only school thus far in Central Scotland to participate in the Commonwealth Orchard programme, which helps and encourages school pupils and members of the wider community to plant fruit trees and soft-fruit plants in the hope that they will bear fruit ripe for the picking for use at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; acknowledges that the pupils of P5 and P6 of the school planted apple trees with the help of friends, teachers, parents and the local group, Uddingston Pride, and hopes that more schools and communities will participate in the scheme.

Supported by: John Lamont, Bill Aitken, John Wilson, Jamie McGrigor, Rob Gibson, Mary Scanlon, Bill Kidd, Nanette Milne, Elizabeth Smith, Robin Harper, Christina McKelvie, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7184 Patricia Ferguson: Recognising Glasgow’s Community Champions—That the Parliament congratulates the finalists and winners of the Evening Times Community Champion Awards following the grand final ceremony held in Glasgow City Chambers on 6 October 2010; notes the contribution made to the communities throughout Glasgow over many years by those celebrated at the ceremony; thanks them for their hard work and wishes them well for the future, and also congratulates the Evening Times and Glasgow City Council for providing a forum whereby previously unsung heroes of Scotland’s local communities can be recognised.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Trish Godman, Johann Lamont, Bill Butler, James Kelly, Pauline McNeill, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Margaret Curran, Elaine Smith, Karen Whitefield, Marilyn Livingstone, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7183 Cathy Jamieson: 10 Years of yipworld.com—That the Parliament congratulates yipworld.com, based in Cumnock, on its 10th anniversary; considers that Janice Hendry and her dedicated team of staff and volunteers have carried out innovative work; recognises the contribution made by yipworld.com’s board of directors and East Ayrshire Council; notes that yipworld.com has been successful in securing funding to run a men into childcare course, and wishes the project every success in its future work with young people.

Supported by: Karen Whitefield

S3M-7182 Rob Gibson: Fàilte gu Mod Ghallaibh, Welcome to Caithness Mod—That the Parliament congratulates enthusiasts in Caithness and North Sutherland for being successful in their bid to mount this year’s festival of Gaelic culture, Mod Ghallaibh 2010; looks to a hearty Caithness welcome for the competitors and participants at this year’s event, from 8 to 16 October, in Wick and Thurso; believes that what is considered to be the multiple linguistic heritage of Caithness should be enhanced by a heightened awareness of the Gaelic strand of that heritage; seeks to realise a legacy from the Mod of increasing cultural confidence in the far north as its economy transfers its focus onto renewable energy sources from wind, wave and tidal power as well as the sustainable produce of land and sea, and seeks both public and private sector commitment to maintain and increase the connection between a healthy economy and confident rooted communities, which it believes that a successful Mod can underpin.

The Member has provided the following translation:

Gu bheil a’ Phàrlamaid a’ cur meal an naidheachd air muinntir Ghallaibh agus ceann a tuath Chataibh a tha air a bhith soirbheachail nan tagradh airson Mòd 2010 a chumail ann an Gallaibh; thathar a’ dùileachadh gun tèid fàilte chridheil a chur air luchd-farpais agus luchd-compàirt aig tachartas na bliadhna seo, a ghabhas àite bho 8 gu 16 Dàmhair, ann an Inbhir Ùige agus Inbhir Theòrsa; gu bheil a’ Phàrlamaid a’ creidsinn gun chur Mòd 2010 ris an inbhe a th’ aig a’ Ghàidhlig mar phàirt de dhualchas iomadh-fhillte Ghallaibh; thathar cuideachd ag amas gur e an dìleab a dh’ fhàgas a’ Mhòd misneachd chultarail sa cheann a tuath fhad ‘sa tha fòcas eaconamaidh na sgìre a’ gluasad gu bunait cumhachd ath-nuadhachail agus toradh seasmhach na mara agus an tuath; tha a’ Phàrlamaid a’ sùileachadh gun tig taic bhon roinn phoblach agus an roinn phrìobhaideach airson an daimh eadar eaconamaidh fallainn agus coimhersnachdan misneachail, a tha Mòd 2010 a’ riochdachadh, agus a dhaingneachadh anns an àm ri teachd.

Supported by: Sandra White, Kenneth Gibson, Alasdair Allan, Stewart Maxwell, Mary Scanlon, Joe FitzPatrick, Aileen Campbell, Bill Kidd, Willie Coffey, Dave Thompson, Stuart McMillan, Gil Paterson, Jamie Hepburn, Peter Peacock

S3M-7181 Kenneth Gibson: Heritage Lottery Fund—That the Parliament notes with concern the reported proposal to merge the Heritage Lottery Fund with English Heritage; considers that such a merger would result in grant applicants from Scotland having to contact the English body; believes that, as an England-only advisory body, English Heritage has a very different remit from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which is a UK-wide lottery distributor that does not give grants to private owners; welcomes what it considers the vital funding that the Heritage Lottery Fund provides for a wide range of projects and institutions throughout Scotland; considers that, with every grant that the Heritage Lottery Fund gives, numerous jobs and training placements are created and other people are provided with the opportunity to learn about heritage and develop a wide range of skills and knowledge; believes that failure to consult heritage bodies and communities throughout the UK represents exactly the sort of public and local disenfranchisement that the UK coalition government supposedly wanted to overturn, and is apprehensive about the implications that such a merger could have, with thousands of jobs and millions of pounds-worth of essential funding potentially lost.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Aileen Campbell, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Willie Coffey, Linda Fabiani, Anne McLaughlin, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7180 Michael Russell: The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2010—That the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee recommends that the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2010 be approved.

Supported by: Adam Ingram

S3M-7179 Liam McArthur: St Andrew’s School Green Flag Award—That the Parliament welcomes the news that St Andrew’s Primary school in Orkney, which provides nursery and primary education for the children of Deerness, Holm, St Mary’s, Tankerness and Toab, raised the flag for its first Green Flag award on 7 October 2010; believes that the school community has worked hard to recycle waste and to develop its grounds by planting bulbs, trees and bushes and developing a pond and wetland area; further notes that the award adds to what is considered the excellent record of Orkney schools in the Green Flag awards, and congratulates the St Andrew’s School staff, pupils and parents on their Green Flag award, which recognises their hard work to develop a green school that matches what is seen as the pristine Orkney environment in which it sits.

Supported by: Karen Whitefield, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7178 Kenneth Gibson: Dairy Prices—That the Parliament is concerned at the current trading relationship between supermarkets and Scotland’s dairy farmers; believes that Scottish dairy farmers are being squeezed into financially unviable situations by supermarkets intent on profiteering at the expense of fair treatment and equitable trade; points to the findings of DairyCo’s annual Dairy Supply Chain Margins report, which shows that, in the financial year ending March 2010, supermarkets managed to increase their margins on all three dairy products, fresh milk, mild and mature cheddar, despite only marginal changes in the retail prices being charged to consumers; notes that, in the same 12-month period, margins for those processing milk were squeezed and the average price paid to farmers for their milk fell by 2p to 23.8p per litre; finds it incomprehensible and unscrupulous that supermarkets should pay this price to dairy farmers considering that the cost of producing milk on a farm was estimated at this time to be between 26p and 27p per litre; is shocked to note reports that, while dairy farmers make a loss of 2p to 3p on every litre that they produce, supermarkets make a profit of between 15p and 18p on every litre that they sell; understands that individual major retailers sell between 400 million and 1 billion litres of milk annually, thus making profits of between £60 million and £180 million every year; believes that Scottish dairy farmers are being exploited, and considers that they should be paid a fair rate for their produce.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Alex Johnstone, Mary Scanlon, Bill Wilson, Robin Harper, Sandra White, Gil Paterson, Rob Gibson, Aileen Campbell, Willie Coffey, Linda Fabiani, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7176 John Scott: Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme—That the Parliament notes the success of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which helps many churches and other places of worship meet the costs of essential maintenance; notes that this interim grant scheme was introduced in 2001 and returns in grant aid the difference between 5% and the actual amount spent on VAT on eligible repairs and maintenance to listed places of worship; further notes that this scheme is due to end on 31 March 2011; believes that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme continues to play a valuable role in supporting and maintaining places of worship, and urges UK ministers to continue the scheme beyond March 2011.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Karen Whitefield, Tom McCabe

S3M-7175# Liam McArthur: The Success of the Air Discount Scheme—That the Parliament considers that, since its introduction in May 2006, the Air Discount Scheme has brought great benefits to the residents of eligible areas of the Highlands and Islands by reducing the cost of their air fares on the vital lifeline air routes to the main Scottish airports; is of the view that the European Commission’s approval of the scheme as aid of a social character recognises that residents of Scotland’s islands and the far north of the mainland face disproportionately high costs in gaining access to services of the mainland and that they deserve this support to reduce the cost; believes that the case for the Air Discount Scheme is as strong today as it was in 2006, and looks forward to its continuation for the foreseeable future.

Supported by: Jack McConnell, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7174 Ms Wendy Alexander: Voices in Paisley 2010 Festival—That the Parliament congratulates the Voices in Paisley 2010 Music Festival for organising what is considered a successful choral programme for the seventh year running; notes that Aled Jones will perform in Paisley for the first time ever supporting the Festival Chorus at Paisley Abbey;considers the festival to be a significant contribution to arts and culture through its ability to attract a wide range of national and international performers, and commends all voluntary, civic and public bodies working to promote Paisley as Scotland’s choir town.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, Pauline McNeill, Kenneth Gibson, Robin Harper, Karen Whitefield, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Trish Godman, Ross Finnie, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone, Annabel Goldie, Ken Macintosh, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7173 Robin Harper: New Building Standards Regulations—That the Parliament notes the introduction of new energy standards in building regulations from 1 October 2010 and the target of achieving a 30% improvement in CO2 emissions in new buildings compared with the previous standards in 2007; considers that there has been a paucity of investment in the ongoing skills training of building control officers who will be required to implement the new regulations; understands that relatively inexpensive insulation and airtightness technologies are already available that could achieve results of 20% above the new targets, and calls on the Scottish Government to institute a full review of the housebuilding industry, including the contribution that small builders could make through retrofitting insulation and airtightness improvements, with a view to setting a better target and ensuring that housing can make a larger contribution to the 2020 and 2050 climate change targets.

Supported by: Patrick Harvie, Dave Thompson

S3M-7172 Jackie Baillie: Red Cross Volunteers—That the Parliament congratulates eight young British Red Cross volunteers from Helensburgh on being shortlisted to receive a Humanitarian Citizen Award; notes that Gillian Allan, Becky Beniston, Julia Brown, Madeline Grant, Florence Joseph, David O’Neil, Jade Scott and Jasna Wardle were selected as a result of what is considered to be the hard work and commitment that they have demonstrated to the Red Cross; understands that the group has collectively completed extensive first aid training and attended fundraising events and, by doing so, considers that they have raised awareness of the work of the Red Cross, and congratulates all of them on being what is believed to be excellent role models for young people in their community.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Pauline McNeill, Bill Butler, Bob Doris, Karen Gillon, Stuart McMillan, James Kelly, Paul Martin, Jamie McGrigor, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Kidd, Karen Whitefield, Des McNulty, Trish Godman, Gil Paterson, Hugh Henry, Mary Mulligan, Liam McArthur, Jim Tolson, Dr Richard Simpson, Elaine Smith, Marilyn Livingstone, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7171 Charlie Gordon: St Oswald’s Does the Hat Trick—That the Parliament congratulates St Oswald’s RC School in Cathcart in Glasgow on becoming one of around 100 schools in Scotland to be awarded a third Green Flag as an eco-school; notes that St Oswald’s pupils, who have additional support needs, work regularly to enhance the amenity of a local park and help to maintain the gardens of older local residents, and considers that the achievements of these pupils are a credit to their school, to their teachers and, above all, to themselves.

Supported by: Helen Eadie, Bob Doris, Kenneth Gibson, Jamie Hepburn, Marlyn Glen, Cathy Jamieson, Mr Frank McAveety, Hugh Henry, Trish Godman, Willie Coffey, Maureen Watt, Bill Kidd, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Ken Macintosh, Karen Whitefield, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7170 Jim Hume: ICC Cricket World Cup—That the Parliament notes with concern the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Chief Executive Committee’s recent proposals to reduce the number of participants in the ICC Cricket World Cup from 14 sides to 10; considers that this will have a significant impact on the Scottish national side’s ability to qualify for the tournament to compete against the world’s best sides, as it did in 1999 and 2007; believes that the ICC Cricket World Cup performs an important function as an incentive to work toward for the largely amateur players who make up the national side as well as serving as a barometer of the national side’s progress on the international stage; considers it unfortunate that cricket’s premier international tournament is contracting when international events in competing sports are expanding, and calls on the International Cricket Council board to reject the proposal when it is brought before them for consideration.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Stuart McMillan, Mike Pringle, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Kidd, Robin Harper, Gil Paterson, Mary Mulligan, Liam McArthur

S3M-7168 Tom McCabe: Scrapping of Universal Child Benefit—That the Parliament condemns the decision of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government to abandon the principle of universal child benefit by what it considers to be crudely removing the eligibility of households with a higher rate taxpayer to receive that allowance; is concerned at this as it believes that it is an unfair decision that punishes families with one income just beyond the eligibility threshold while continuing with what it considers to be the unjust targeting of children following the removal of the child trust fund; believes that this undermines the principle that every child is entitled to child benefit and the protection that children are entitled to from the government of the day, and calls on Liberal Democrats in Scotland to distance themselves from what it believes is this unfair measure.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Cathy Jamieson, Patrick Harvie, Kenneth Gibson, Patricia Ferguson, Ms Wendy Alexander, Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, Brian Adam, Jamie Hepburn, Mr Frank McAveety, Robin Harper, Hugh Henry, Charlie Gordon, Ken Macintosh, Dr Richard Simpson, Karen Whitefield, Christina McKelvie, Bill Kidd, Bill Butler, Elaine Smith, Rhona Brankin, George Foulkes, Marlyn Glen, Cathy Peattie, Marilyn Livingstone, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7167 Angela Constance: Broxburn and Uphall War Memorial—That the Parliament records with pride the dedication ceremony held on Sunday 3 October 2010 to celebrate the new war memorial for the communities of Broxburn and Uphall; pays tribute to what it considers to be the hard work, commitment and vision of the Broxburn and Uphall War Memorial Group; applauds the work of the artist, Alan Beattie Herriot, who designed the statue and memorial, which was based on a drawing by Stephen McMahon of St Nicholas Primary School, and believes that this lasting memorial will provide a focal point for the Broxburn and Uphall communities to remember the generations of servicemen and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their people and their country.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7166 Angela Constance: Opening of Eliburn Park—That the Parliament welcomes the official opening of Eliburn Park in Livingston after nine years of what it considers to be concerted effort by West Lothian Council, the local community and the Friends of Eliburn Park group; believes this to be a fantastic facility; congratulates schoolchildren Dylan Gallacher, Sarah Haggarty, Holly Harrison, Craig Wilson and Maddison Meek on being the prize winners of the picture competition to mark the occasion, and believes that the new park, play provision and facilities will provide recreation for young and old alike for generations to come.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7165 Helen Eadie: Alcohol Awareness Week 2010—That the Parliament supports Alcohol Awareness Week, which is scheduled to run from 4 to 10 October 2010; notes that Alcohol Awareness Week is an initiative that brings together the Scottish Government, the alcohol industry, health professionals and the voluntary sector to promote a joined-up message about drinking alcohol responsibly, and further notes that this is Scotland’s fourth such week and that it includes a joint programme of events designed to provide useful information about responsible drinking.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Marlyn Glen, Karen Whitefield, Rhoda Grant

S3M-7163 Nigel Don: Learn to Sign Week 2010—That the Parliament supports Learn to Sign Week 2010, which runs from 4 to 10 October 2010; notes that there are approximately 3,500 deaf children in Scotland, 90% of whom are born to hearing parents with little or no prior knowledge of deafness; acknowledges with concern that the parents of deaf children who use British Sign Language (BSL) have to pay to learn sign language to communicate with their children and understands that many parents cannot learn at all due to lack of local access to courses in some areas of the country; welcomes the work of the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) Scotland to achieve a world without barriers for every deaf child; congratulates the charity on the development of its innovative Family Sign Language website, which offers families of deaf children the opportunity to learn some BSL by introducing a curriculum that is practical for communicating specifically with children and is available to all families of deaf children throughout the country who have access to the internet, and encourages all MSPs to log on to the NDCS Family Sign Language website and to learn some BSL skills during Learn to Sign week 2010.

Supported by: Ken Macintosh, Jamie Hepburn, Dave Thompson, John Park, Elaine Murray, Linda Fabiani, Jackie Baillie, Karen Whitefield, Michael Matheson

S3M-7159 Patrick Harvie: Otago Lane Environmental Impact Assessment—That the Parliament notes the submission from Woodlands and Park Community Council (WPCC) to the Scottish Government, which raises the lack of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the proposed residential development at 65-77 Otago Street and Otago Lane, Glasgow; understands that the site is within both a green corridor and a conservation area and therefore considers that an EIA is imperative; shares the WPCC’s view that the assessment made by the consultant on the size of the development and its impact on the area is contradictory, contains ambiguous language and fails to demonstrate that an EIA is not needed; is concerned that the issues of flooding, drainage, water quality and the development’s impact on wildlife have not been adequately addressed; urges the planning committee at Glasgow City Council not to accept the developer’s argument that an EIA is not necessary, and calls on the Scottish Government to provide a sympathetic and timely response to WPCC’s concerns.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, John Wilson, Robin Harper, Sandra White

S3M-7158 Patrick Harvie: Crosshill Post Office—That the Parliament believes that the decision taken by the Post Office to move Crosshill Post Office on Victoria Road, Glasgow, to Cathcart Road, Glasgow, is regrettable, given what it considers to be the excellence of service, ease of access for pedestrians, better transport links and purpose-built building of the existing site; sympathises with those post office employees who are now uncertain of their job security; considers that too many of Scotland’s post offices are being closed down, and calls on the Post Office to take full account of the views of local users of Crosshill Post Office, many of whom, it believes, strongly oppose the proposed move.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Robin Harper, Sandra White, Gil Paterson, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7155 Mary Mulligan: Coalition’s Welfare Cuts—That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Local Government Forum Against Poverty and Rights Advice Scotland for what it considers their excellent, detailed report, People Councils the Economy; understands that the coalition government is set to remove more than £514 million a year from the pockets of Scotland’s lowest income households and in turn from the Scottish economy; considers this an attack on disabled people and on the poorest and most vulnerable people in Scotland; calls on the Scottish Government to prioritise tackling poverty and disadvantage in its forthcoming budget, and calls on Scottish local authorities to support the work of the forum and its welfare rights teams.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Marlyn Glen, Hugh Henry, Des McNulty, Karen Whitefield, Jackie Baillie, Patricia Ferguson, Bill Butler, Elaine Smith, Trish Godman, Dr Richard Simpson, John Park, Rhona Brankin, Patrick Harvie, George Foulkes, Mr Frank McAveety, Cathy Peattie, Marilyn Livingstone, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7150 Mary Scanlon: The Burden of Pneumococcal Disease—That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the report, PneumoAware Scotland; recognises what it considers to be the devastating impact of pneumococcal disease on the health and wellbeing of individuals and families in Scotland, as well as what it believes to be a significant financial and economic burden on the NHS; is proud that Scotland currently has the highest level of uptake of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in the United Kingdom; welcomes the recommendations made in the report to ensure that pneumococcal disease and vaccination remain a key focus at local and national levels; believes that there is a need for continued investment in the development of new and improved vaccines, and calls on the Scottish Executive and NHSScotland to ensure that the prevention of infection and disease through effective vaccination programmes remains a cornerstone of Scotland’s public health vision and health policy.

Supported by: John Lamont, Jackson Carlaw, Nanette Milne, Joe FitzPatrick, David Stewart, Murdo Fraser, Jamie McGrigor, Elaine Smith, Margaret Mitchell, Bill Aitken, Hugh Henry, Marilyn Livingstone, Robin Harper, Annabel Goldie, Maureen Watt, Ken Macintosh

S3M-7148 Marilyn Livingstone: Congratulations to Sarah Thomson—That the Parliament congratulates Sarah Thomson from Kirkcaldy for raising over £1,000 for charity after climbing 17,500 feet to Everest Base Camp with the assistance of a guide; commends Sarah for taking on the challenge in aid of Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (FRASAC) and Ninewells Hospital; acknowledges that Sarah, who works as a constable with Fife Police, overcame altitude sickness, exhaustion and a leg operation prior to the challenge; applauds Sarah for donating £200 of her sponsorship to Ninewells Hospital, where she underwent her operation, and £910 to FRASAC to thank it for its support, and commends Sarah for what it considers to be her bravery and generosity throughout this challenge and beyond.

Supported by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Ted Brocklebank, Trish Godman, Joe FitzPatrick, Kenneth Gibson, Mary Mulligan, Jackie Baillie, Jamie Hepburn, Angela Constance, Hugh Henry, Pauline McNeill, Irene Oldfather, Bill Kidd, Dr Richard Simpson, Karen Whitefield, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7147 Charlie Gordon: Court Knowe, Cathcart, Restoration—That the Parliament congratulates Simshill and Old Cathcart Community Council for its successful campaign to secure £20,000 from the Bovril Great Outdoors Revival campaign to restore the Court Knowe monument in Cathcart, the ancient site of Cathcart’s Court of Justice, from where Mary Queen of Scots watched the Battle of Langside on 13 May 1568.

Supported by: Marlyn Glen, Robert Brown, Rob Gibson, Patricia Ferguson, Kenneth Gibson, Trish Godman, Mary Mulligan, Bob Doris, Jackie Baillie, Bill Kidd, Aileen Campbell, Robin Harper, Jamie Hepburn, Ken Macintosh, Sandra White, Gil Paterson, Hugh Henry, Karen Whitefield, Marilyn Livingstone, Maureen Watt

S3M-7145 Mary Mulligan: Parliament Congratulates Bathgate’s IndyCar Champ—That the Parliament congratulates Bathgate’s Dario Franchitti on becoming the IndyCar motor racing champion for 2010; notes that this is the third IndyCar title that he has won in the last four years; further notes that Dario is also the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion and is only the fifth driver in history to win the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar titles in the same season; believes that he is an exemplary role model for Scotland’s aspiring sports stars, and considers that Dario Franchitti joins a distinguished list of Scottish racing drivers such as Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart and David Coulthard, who it believes have honoured Scotland on the race track with their skills and sportsmanship.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Sarah Boyack, Hugh Henry, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jackie Baillie, Pauline McNeill, Des McNulty, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Dr Richard Simpson, David Whitton, Elaine Smith, Helen Eadie, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone, Ken Macintosh, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7144 Bill Butler: 10th Anniversary of the Death of Donald Dewar—That the Parliament notes the tenth anniversary of the death of Donald Dewar, Scotland’s first First Minister, on 11 October 2000 and places on record its admiration for his life and work, in particular his central role in the long campaign for the establishment of a devolved Scottish legislature, which assumed its full legislative powers on 1 July 1999; recognises Donald Dewar’s contribution to Scottish public life not only as one who held high ministerial office but also as a wholehearted advocate for the people he represented, firstly as MP for Aberdeen South (1966-70), then as MP for Glasgow Garscadden (1978-1997) and finally for Glasgow Anniesland, as both MP (1997-2000) and MSP (1999-2000); acknowledges that Donald Dewar’s central political objective was to champion the cause of those most in need and to do so unequivocally, without fear or favour, and remembers with affection the life of a man who was devoted to the creation not only of the Parliament itself but of a more just and equal Scotland.

Supported by: Mary Mulligan, Margaret Smith, Elaine Murray, Karen Gillon, Rhoda Grant, James Kelly, Peter Peacock, John Park, Karen Whitefield, Duncan McNeil, Lewis Macdonald, Patricia Ferguson, Margaret Curran, David Stewart, Elizabeth Smith, David McLetchie, Ms Wendy Alexander, Nanette Milne, Trish Godman, Patrick Harvie, Marlyn Glen, Helen Eadie, Pauline McNeill, Johann Lamont, Rhona Brankin, Angela Constance, David Whitton, Cathy Jamieson, Malcolm Chisholm, Jackie Baillie, Iain Gray, George Foulkes, Nicol Stephen, Mike Pringle, Jim Hume, Jack McConnell, Sarah Boyack, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jamie McGrigor, Robin Harper, Charlie Gordon, Ken Macintosh, Willie Coffey, Robert Brown, Irene Oldfather, Hugh Henry, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Aitken, Dr Richard Simpson, Elaine Smith, Linda Fabiani, Cathy Peattie, Marilyn Livingstone, Cathie Craigie, Tom McCabe

S3M-7143 Patrick Harvie: Land Value Tax—That the Parliament considers that there is a need to ensure that taxes are fair, easy to collect, hard to avoid, sufficient to fund public services and supportive of a sustainable society; recognises the long history of debate over the role that land values should play in the tax system; notes the estimate, published in research by land reform campaigner Andy Wightman, that the total land value of Scotland exceeds £120 billion; considers that, while the owners of land gain the benefit of increased land values, those values are largely created by the wider community, and believes that land values should become the new basis for property taxation in Scotland to ensure that the economic, environmental and social benefits identified by Mr Wightman are secured.

Supported by: Robin Harper, John Wilson, Linda Fabiani, Dave Thompson

S3M-7142 Bill Butler: Ryder Cup Triumph 2010—That the Parliament congratulates the European team, captained by Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie, on regaining the Ryder Cup from the United States of America by 14½ points to 13½ in what it considers a thrilling contest held in Wales on the Celtic Manor course; applauds all of the players involved in what it sees as a tremendous victory for Europe, and looks forward to a similar result when the Ryder Cup is held in Scotland at Gleneagles in September 2014.

Supported by: Pauline McNeill, Stuart McMillan, Dr Richard Simpson, Mary Mulligan, Karen Gillon, Gil Paterson, Patricia Ferguson, Mr Frank McAveety, Liam McArthur, James Kelly, Des McNulty, Jim Hume, David Whitton, Johann Lamont, Jim Tolson, Kenneth Gibson, Tricia Marwick, Elizabeth Smith, Nanette Milne, Jackie Baillie, Jamie McGrigor, Karen Whitefield, Bob Doris, Stewart Maxwell, Jamie Hepburn, Rhona Brankin, Marlyn Glen, Elaine Murray, John Park, Trish Godman, Jack McConnell, Joe FitzPatrick, Sarah Boyack, David McLetchie, Ken Macintosh, Hugh Henry, Elaine Smith, Marilyn Livingstone, Tom McCabe

S3M-7141 Sarah Boyack: Wheatfield Backgreen Association Wins Beautiful Scotland Award—That the Parliament congratulates Wheatfield Backgreen Association on being awarded the Jim Murdie Trophy for Sustainability at the Beautiful Scotland Awards 2010; notes the judges’ comments on the project as a true community project triggered by total neglect of the backgreen over a long period, which has ‘evolved with a type of synergy that professionals seldom achieve’; praises the efforts of the local community to cultivate the backgreen, growing a variety of flowers, fruit and vegetables, and encourages others to do likewise; further congratulates the association on being awarded a silver gilt medal certificate in recognition of the high, sometimes exceptional, standards that it has achieved in Beautiful Scotland’s judging criteria, and further congratulates all of the other award winners in Edinburgh and across Scotland for their efforts to make Scotland beautiful.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Karen Whitefield

S3M-7140 Stuart McMillan: Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network Wins Conservation Award—That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SSACN) on winning the Dreamstore Active Conservation Award in recognition of its work toward increasing public awareness of the issues surrounding conservation of inshore fish stocks in Scottish waters and for its contributions to public policy development; acknowledges that the SSACN was formed in 2006 to focus on conservation issues believed to be caused by ineffective fisheries mismanagement; further acknowledges that the aim of the SSACN is to help ensure the regeneration of inshore fish stocks and their environments through a variety of initiatives including angler education, environmental awareness, shark tagging programmes, political lobbying and scientific research, and wishes the network well in future programmes.

Supported by: Elaine Murray, Jamie McGrigor, Brian Adam, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Wilson, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper, Gil Paterson, Maureen Watt, Rob Gibson, Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7139 Claire Baker: Launch of Fife Youth Radio—That the Parliament congratulates Fife Youth Radio (FYR) on its official launch on 2 October 2010; notes that the radio station’s programmes will be broadcast live from its studios in Windygates across the world through the internet; welcomes the radio station’s focus on getting young people involved in their local community and giving them the chance to learn broadcasting skills through high-quality training workshops that offer opportunities to contribute to the radio station’s output; encourages listeners to tune in at www.fyr.org.uk, and wishes FYR all the best for the future.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Karen Whitefield

S3M-7138 Cathie Craigie: National Learn to Sign Week—That the Parliament welcomes National Learn to Sign Week, which will run from 4 to 10 October 2010; congratulates all of Scotland’s Deaf organisations for the work that they have done to promote British Sign Language (BSL); particularly commends Scotland’s Deaf groups for the work that they are doing to promote BSL in schools and further education centres, and hopes that BSL is given equal status with spoken languages in Scotland.

Supported by: Bill Butler, Jim Tolson, Jackie Baillie, Patricia Ferguson, John Park, Elaine Murray, Mary Mulligan, Rhona Brankin, Karen Whitefield, Bill Kidd, Brian Adam, Marlyn Glen, David Whitton, Kenneth Gibson, Dave Thompson, Robin Harper, Gil Paterson, Mr Frank McAveety, Pauline McNeill, George Foulkes, Hugh O’Donnell, Mike Pringle, Trish Godman, Bill Wilson, Dr Richard Simpson, Ken Macintosh, Irene Oldfather, Hugh Henry, Elaine Smith, Linda Fabiani, Cathy Peattie, Angela Constance, Marilyn Livingstone, Jack McConnell, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7137 Malcolm Chisholm: Positive Action in Housing—That the Parliament congratulates Positive Action in Housing on the occasion of its 15th anniversary; considers that it has provided many important and valuable services over the years in its work to improve the housing opportunities of ethnic minority communities and to support asylum seekers and refugees; acknowledges its campaigning role in relation to these and other race equality issues, and looks forward to many more years in which it can contribute to the creation of a fairer and more equal society.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, Jamie Hepburn, Aileen Campbell, Marlyn Glen, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Mr Frank McAveety, Linda Fabiani, Bob Doris, Gil Paterson, Trish Godman, Patrick Harvie, Angela Constance, Robin Harper, John Park, Hugh Henry, Sandra White, Joe FitzPatrick, Dave Thompson, Elaine Smith, Cathy Peattie, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7136 Aileen Campbell: Congratulations to Beautiful Forth and Lanark—That the Parliament congratulates Forth on collecting a silver medal and Lanark a bronze at the 2010 Beautiful Scotland Awards; commends the effort and commitment of the volunteers to improve the local environment of their areas; recognises that this is the second year in a row that both Forth and Lanark have received Beautiful Scotland awards, and looks forward to the future projects of both groups and their continued success.

Supported by: Jim Hume, Kenneth Gibson, Jamie Hepburn, Bob Doris, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7135# Michael Matheson: Denny Town Centre Regeneration—That the Parliament considers that there is widespread dissatisfaction among residents in the Denny and Dunipace area regarding the planned Denny Town Centre Regeneration; believes that Denny town centre is in desperate need of regeneration, and would welcome regeneration plans that carry widespread support in the local community.

Supported by: Rob Gibson, Jamie Hepburn, Aileen Campbell, John Wilson, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7134 Kenneth Gibson: Gauguin—That the Parliament welcomes the opening of the latest Gauguin exhibition in London’s Tate Modern, which is scheduled to run until 16 January 2011; notes that this is the first major Gauguin exhibition in Britain for 50 years; recognises what is considered to be the huge cultural impact of this master French post-impressionist and applauds the variety and depth of the Tate Modern exhibition, which features paintings and drawings from around the world; acknowledges that Gauguin’s sumptuous, colourful images of women in Tahiti and his beautiful landscape images of Brittany in France are regarded as some of the most popular images in modern art and that they continue to inspire people of all ages and walks of life; believes that the promotion of all art forms is important and should continue to be funded, and hopes that this exhibition will soon find its way to Scotland.

Supported by: Jamie McGrigor, Rob Gibson, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Bill Kidd, Elaine Smith

S3M-7133 Robin Harper: HIV Infections—That the Parliament notes with concern the figures for HIV infection for Scotland and, in particular, Edinburgh, which were released on 30 September 2010 showing a significant rise in HIV infection across the community; recognises the importance of education in sexual health in schools, extra support that social services can supply and the role that health services can play in delivering preventative strategies; believes that there is no room for complacency, and urges the Scottish Government to consult urgently with all stakeholders to ensure an appropriately effective and early response to the situation that appears to be developing.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Bill Wilson, Nanette Milne, Ken Macintosh, John Wilson, Angela Constance, Bill Kidd, Mike Pringle, Liam McArthur, Joe FitzPatrick, Marilyn Livingstone, Elaine Smith, Marlyn Glen

S3M-7132 Ms Wendy Alexander: Revive MS Support Outreach Clinic and the Paisley and District Branch of the MS Society—That the Parliament congratulates Revive MS Support and the Paisley and District Branch of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society for opening an MS support outreach clinic, which will establish a new monthly therapy service in the area; considers that Revive MS Support has been providing direct therapeutic support to individuals with the condition for 26 years, and recognises all involved for their initiative and dedication to the partnership.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Robin Harper, Jackson Carlaw, Stewart Maxwell, Jim Hume, Kenneth Gibson, David Stewart, Hugh Henry, Bill Butler, Pauline McNeill, Bill Wilson, Joe FitzPatrick, Mary Mulligan, Ken Macintosh, Sandra White, Trish Godman, Bill Kidd, Karen Whitefield, Dr Richard Simpson, Elaine Smith, Gil Paterson, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7130 Aileen Campbell: Free West Papua—That the Parliament supports the Free West Papua Campaign and its efforts to obtain self-determination for the people of West Papua; expresses its horror at the systematic abuse and torture of West Papuans, as reported by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Manfred Nowak, during his mission to Indonesia in 2008; believes the occupation by Indonesia to be illegal and that the West Papuans’ fundamental right to self-determination under international law has been denied; notes with concern the systematic suppression of human rights and freedom of expression in West Papua that was highlighted by Amnesty International, and in particular, the case of Yusak Pakage and Filep Karma, who have been jailed for 10 and 15 years respectively for, Amnesty International claimed, peacefully raising the West Papuan independence flag; welcomes the UK Government’s recognition in 2004 that hand-picked West Papuan representatives were coerced by the Indonesian state into voting for the 1969 Act of Free Choice; hopes that elected representatives from around the world will join respected figures, such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in supporting the right of the people of West Papua to self-determination; expresses solidarity with the recent demonstrations that took place in West Papua, and recognises West Papuans’ appreciation of the support for West Papua from the Parliament during such hostile conditions.

Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Alasdair Allan, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Stuart McMillan, Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, Malcolm Chisholm, Jamie Hepburn, Mike Pringle, Bill Wilson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Peter Peacock, Patrick Harvie

S3M-7128 Willie Coffey: Fèis Chill’ Mheàrnaig, the Kilmarnock Festival of Gaelic Language and Culture—That the Parliament welcomes the holding of the inaugural Fèis Chill’ Mheàrnaig, the Kilmarnock Festival of Gaelic Language and Culture, at Onthank Primary School on 17 and 18 September 2010; notes that the festival gave children from north-west Kilmarnock and across East Ayrshire the opportunity to learn Gaelic through song, to receive professional tuition in musical instruments such as the fiddle and clàrsach and to try step-dancing, shinty and Gaelic drama; welcomes the support for this event from Bòrd na Gàidhlig through its Taic Freumhan Coimhearsnachd fund, which is aimed at strengthening the acquisition and usage of Gaelic across Scotland, and from East Ayrshire Council, Comann nam Pàrant, Fèisean nan Gàidheal and Comann na Gàidhlig; recognises that the development of Fèis Chill’ Mheàrnaig builds on the Mod successes of Onthank pupils Callum Douglas, Reece Macdonald, Adele Anderson and Taliah Howard, medal winners at the Glasgow Mod, and Findlay Crawford, winner of medals at both Glasgow and National Mods, and congratulates all the staff of the Onthank Gaelic Unit, Steve Banks, headteacher of Onthank Primary School, and the parents, organisers and tutors of the event on its success.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Michael Matheson, Linda Fabiani, Kenneth Gibson, Alasdair Allan, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Angela Constance, Ken Macintosh, Dave Thompson, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7127 Rob Gibson: Making Way for Scotland’s Hydrogen Economy—That the Parliament congratulates the presenters and attendees at the European conference of CIFAL, the UN-backed international training centre for local authorities and activists, entitled Making Way for Scotland’s Hydrogen Economy, that was held in Edinburgh on 29 and 30 September 2010; welcomes the progress that it is believed has been made since the Scottish Government hosted last year’s event; considers that there is a need to map and develop the practical technology, business and science that will achieve commercialisation of renewable hydrogen energy in Scotland; understands that renewable hydrogen can act as a storage system to buffer the changes between various sources of renewable energy in local, national and international grid systems as well as offering local producers and communities a means of propulsion for electric vehicles, and looks forward to the exciting development of this key renewable technology in the near future.

Supported by: Robin Harper, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Michael Matheson, Jamie Stone, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kenneth Gibson, John Wilson, Stuart McMillan, Liam McArthur, Dave Thompson, Maureen Watt

S3M-7126 Ted Brocklebank: Congratulations to the Fife Village of Falkland, Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions—That the Parliament congratulates the Fife village of Falkland on retaining its prestigious title of Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions; notes that this is the second year running that Falkland has been honoured by the Royal Horticultural Society and that this is the first time that a village has won in consecutive years; pays tribute to the hard work and dedication of local volunteers, ably led by Falkland in Bloom’s Chairman, Keith Jackson; acknowledges that Falkland saw off competition from over 1,000 other entries; wishes Falkland well in continuing its commitment to biodiversity and demonstration of community participation, and pays equal tribute to Falkland’s neighbouring town of Cupar, the recipient of the Silver Gilt in the town section confirming that north east Fife can be proud of what is considered its many beautiful and attractive communities.

Supported by: Bill Aitken, Nanette Milne, Jamie McGrigor, Elizabeth Smith, Tricia Marwick, Jim Tolson, John Lamont, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Robin Harper, Gil Paterson, Maureen Watt, Jamie Hepburn, Mary Scanlon, Dr Richard Simpson, Murdo Fraser, Jackson Carlaw

S3M-7125 Iain Smith: Falkland, Champion of Champions—That the Parliament congratulates the community of the Royal Burgh of Falkland on winning the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions award for the second year running; considers that this is the culmination of many years of dedicated work by the Falkland in Bloom Committee with the unstinting support of the residents of Falkland, and looks forward to many more years of blooming success for Falkland.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn

S3M-7124 Jackie Baillie: Show Some TLC—That the Parliament notes that October 2010 is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; further notes that breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Scotland, with around 4,000 cases diagnosed every year; recognises that an early diagnosis of breast cancer greatly improves the chances of successful treatment; welcomes Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s breast awareness message, Touch Look Check (TLC), which encourages women to know what signs and symptoms to look for and to check their breasts regularly, and calls on women in Scotland to be breast aware and, if aged over 50, to attend for regular screening.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Malcolm Chisholm, Patricia Ferguson, Kenneth Gibson, Mr Frank McAveety, Marlyn Glen, John Wilson, Rhona Brankin, Christine Grahame, David Stewart, Karen Gillon, Jamie McGrigor, Dr Richard Simpson, Mary Mulligan, Bob Doris, Mike Pringle, Bill Butler, Linda Fabiani, Gil Paterson, David Whitton, Elaine Murray, Ms Wendy Alexander, Trish Godman, Helen Eadie, Dave Thompson, Bill Kidd, Tom McCabe, Joe FitzPatrick, Ken Macintosh, Hugh Henry, Liam McArthur, Elaine Smith, Robin Harper, Cathy Peattie, Marilyn Livingstone, Jack McConnell, Stuart McMillan, Maureen Watt

S3M-7123 David Stewart: Graduated Driving Licence Scheme—That the Parliament notes the research carried out by Dr Sarah Jones from Cardiff University in relation to the graduated driving licence scheme; notes in particular the research carried out in Scotland, which identified that, while road traffic collisions among older drivers were falling, those occurring among younger drivers remain unchanged; supports the view that, if such a scheme was introduced in Scotland, up to 22 lives per year on average could be saved from fatal collisions, with over 1,000 casualties being avoided; believes that up to £80 million could be saved every year with the introduction of a graduated driving licence scheme, and urges the Scottish Executive to work with the Department for Transport to implement a pilot scheme in the Highlands to evaluate whether this can help to reduce the deaths of young people on Scotland’s roads.

Supported by: Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant, George Foulkes, Kenneth Gibson, Robin Harper, Mr Frank McAveety, David Whitton, Mary Mulligan, Trish Godman, Hugh Henry, Dave Thompson, Dr Richard Simpson, Marilyn Livingstone

S3M-7122 Stuart McMillan: Alcohol Awareness Week 2010—That the Parliament supports Alcohol Awareness Week, which is scheduled to run from 4 to 10 October 2010; notes that Alcohol Awareness Week is an initiative that brings together the Scottish Government, the alcohol industry, health professionals and the voluntary sector to promote a joined-up message about drinking alcohol responsibly; further notes that this is Scotland’s fourth Alcohol Awareness Week and that it includes a joint programme of events designed to provide useful information about responsible drinking; acknowledges the efforts of the Scottish Government to tackle alcohol misuse through introducing the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill and strongly urges all politicians to support the bill when it is debated in the Scottish Parliament at Stage 3 and back the raft of measures that the Scottish Government wishes to introduce, including a 45p minimum unit price on alcohol, to tackle what is considered to be the scourge of alcohol misuse on society.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, Christina McKelvie, Bob Doris, Stewart Maxwell, Willie Coffey, Robin Harper, Kenneth Gibson, Brian Adam, Joe FitzPatrick, Jamie Hepburn, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Gil Paterson, Dave Thompson, Anne McLaughlin, Angela Constance, Linda Fabiani, Christine Grahame

S3M-7121 Nanette Milne: Asthma UK Scotland’s Model of Good Asthma Care for Adults and Children—That the Parliament supports the model of good asthma care for adults and children with asthma that has been produced by Asthma UK Scotland; notes that it was reported that, in the year to 31 March 2010, there were 6,272 hospital stays where asthma was recorded as the main symptom, including 555 in NHS Grampian, and encourages NHS boards to implement the model in order to help reduce hospital admissions and improve the quality of life for the 368,000 people with asthma.

Supported by: John Lamont, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Aitken, Jamie McGrigor, Elizabeth Smith, Hugh O’Donnell, Jackson Carlaw, Hugh Henry, Margaret Mitchell, Karen Gillon, Bill Butler, Des McNulty, Mary Scanlon, Jackie Baillie, Trish Godman, Dave Thompson, Ken Macintosh, Maureen Watt, Cathy Peattie

S3M-7120 Jamie Hepburn: Opening of Scotland’s Largest Food Waste Recycling Facility—That the Parliament welcomes the official opening of Scotland’s largest waste recycling facility at Deerdykes in Cumbernauld by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 28 September 2010; considers that this state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion facility will make a considerable contribution to reducing waste and provide a boost not only for Cumbernauld but Scotland as a whole as the first such facility in the country, and expresses its hope that the opening of this combined anaerobic digestion and in-vessel composting plant is the first of many such facilities being opened in Scotland, which will help Scotland on the way to meeting its world-leading climate-change targets and provide a cleaner, greener and more sustainable environment.

Supported by: Anne McLaughlin, Mike Pringle, Bob Doris, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Jim Tolson, Joe FitzPatrick, Stuart McMillan, Sandra White, Willie Coffey, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dave Thompson, Linda Fabiani

S3M-7119 Murdo Fraser: Highland Perthshire in Cairngorms National Park—That the Parliament welcomes the extension of the Cairngorms National Park to include parts of eastern and Highland Perthshire, which comes into force on 2 October 2010; considers that Blair Atholl is the natural southern gateway to the Cairngorms National Park; thanks all the organisations involved in ensuring that Blair Atholl and Highland Perthshire became included in the national park, including the Pitlochry Partnership, the John Muir Trust, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the Blair Atholl Area Tourism Association and many others; further considers that the Spittal of Glenshee is the natural eastern gateway to the national park and thanks all the organisations involved in ensuring that the boundary was extended to include it, and believes that these areas are now rightly part of the Cairngorms National Park and that this will give the local economy a boost.

Supported by: Hugh Henry, Jackson Carlaw, Bill Aitken, Mary Scanlon, Elizabeth Smith, Jamie McGrigor, Nanette Milne, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Robin Harper, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Mitchell, Liam McArthur

S3M-7118 Jamie Hepburn: Cumbernauld Bowling Clubs Support Strathcarron Hospice—That the Parliament commends the four Cumbernauld bowling clubs involved in raising funds for the Strathcarron Hospice, namely Abronhill, Condorrat, Cumbernauld and Greenfaulds; notes that the four clubs have played an annual tournament since 1991 in conjunction with a gala day in aid of Strathcarron Hospice; congratulates the bowling clubs for these efforts, which are estimated to have raised around £150,000 for the hospice, with this year’s event, held on 18 September 2010 at Abronhill Bowling Club in its 25th year, having contributed to the £7,900 raised this year, which is way in excess of the targeted £4,000, and wishes all four clubs well now that the bowling season has closed and all the best for their future efforts in raising funds for Strathcarron Hospice.

Supported by: Stewart Maxwell, Alasdair Allan, Margaret Mitchell, Kenneth Gibson, Bob Doris, Sandra White, Willie Coffey, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Gil Paterson, Angela Constance, Dr Richard Simpson, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan

S3M-7008 John Swinney: The Councillors’ Code of Conduct – Revised Code of Conduct for Councillors & the Executive Note for the The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000—That the Local Government and Communities Committee recommends that the Councillors’ Code of Conduct – Revised Code of Conduct for Councillors & the Executive Note for the The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 be approved.

Supported by: Jim Mather

S3M-6699# David Stewart: Retain Fort George—That the Parliament recognises the iconic status of Fort George, near Inverness, home to the Garrison of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland; believes that, along with Fort George being an iconic tourist attraction, the 430 soldiers stationed there and their families play an important role in the local community; notes that, in the Strategic Defence and Security Review debate in the House of Commons on 21 June 2010, concerns were raised that Fort George would close as an army barracks; believes that any proposal to close Fort George would have severe economic consequences in Inverness and the surrounding areas as a result of the troops and their families spending less in the local economy, and would welcome the preparation of a survival plan to save Fort George, ensuring that it remains both a working army barracks and a premium league tourist destination.

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Ken Macintosh, Helen Eadie, Kenneth Gibson, John Park, Peter Peacock, Elaine Murray, Mr Frank McAveety, Lewis Macdonald, Robin Harper, Dave Thompson, Jamie Hepburn, Mary Mulligan

S3M-6553# John Scott: Ministry of Defence Hospital Units—That the Parliament applauds the work done by charitable organisations such as Erskine (Erskine Hospital Ltd) and the treatment centre provided at Hollybush in Ayrshire by Combat Stress; also notes, however, that, while there are six Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHU) located across England, none are located in Scotland; believes that, given the high proportion of Scots serving in the UK armed services, there is a strong case for the creation of an MDHU in Scotland, and hopes that discussion between the relevant authorities can progress the creation of such a medical facility for injured servicemen and servicewomen.

Supported by: Christine Grahame, Jamie Hepburn, Mary Scanlon, Linda Fabiani, Rob Gibson, Annabel Goldie, Gil Paterson

S3M-6277# David Stewart: Frequent Passenger and Vehicle Ferry Service between Gourock and Dunoon Town Centres—That the Parliament notes the finding of the Deloitte Touche report published by the previous Scottish administration and carried out in conjunction with Western Ferries and CalMac that indicates that the most efficient and least subsidised method for transportation of passengers between Gourock and Dunoon town centres would be a frequent passenger-vehicle ferry service; notes the finding by Washington State Ferries that passenger-vehicle ferries are a more efficient means of transporting passengers on higher density routes than passenger-only ferries; further notes the frequently expressed wishes of dependent communities through petitions, public meetings and elected representatives for the retention and improvement of the passenger-vehicle Gourock-Dunoon town centre service, and considers that such a frequent passenger-vehicle service would have benefits in terms of competition, reduced burden on the taxpayer, community and user welfare and local economic development.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Rhoda Grant, Jackie Baillie, Mary Mulligan, Peter Peacock, Dr Richard Simpson, Hugh Henry, Ken Macintosh, Jamie McGrigor, Marilyn Livingstone, Cathy Peattie