Ag/S4/12/03

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

AGENDA FOR MEETING ON TUESDAY 24 JANUARY 2012 2.00 pm: Room Q1.03

Minutes 1. (a) Draft minutes of 17 January 2012 (attached) (b) Matters arising

2. Future business programme (PB/S4/12/99)

3. Scottish Information Commissioner – motion for debate (PB/S4/12/100)

4. Procedural motions Approval of SSIs (PB/S4/12/101)

5. Legislation (a) Proposed Building Repairs (Scotland) Bill (PB/S4/12/102)

(b) Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill – Stage 1 referral (PB/S4/12/103)

6. Parliamentary calendar (PB/S4/12/104)

7. Removal of motions (PB/S4/12/105)

8. Publication scheme – consideration of any exempt papers

9. Date of next meeting – Tuesday 31 January 2012

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

POSSIBLE MOTIONS FOR MEMBERS’ BUSINESS

1. Bureau Members will be aware that under Rule 5.6.1(c) the Bureau has a duty to ensure that there is a period of time available for Members’ Business following Decision Time.

2. Motions submitted for Members’ Business are shown below.

S4M-01079 - Neil Bibby : Paddle Keeps Turning on the Campaign to Save the Waverley: That the Parliament notes that the last scheduled sailing of the season of the paddle steamer, Waverley, is on 16 October 2011; congratulates Waverley Steam Navigation Company on raising funds for continued conservation of the ship, giving hope for its sailing next year; welcomes donations pledged by Inverclyde Council and North Ayrshire Council to complement the support already received from City Council; further welcomes the Scottish Government's indication that it will help find a long-term solution for what it considers the iconic ship, and hopes that the Waverley will continue to sail beyond next year, the 200th anniversary of steam navigation on the Clyde.

Supported by: , Michael McMahon, , , , , Bill Walker, David Torrance, , Dennis Robertson, Kenneth Gibson, , , Fiona McLeod, , Margaret McCulloch, , , Joan McAlpine, , , Mike MacKenzie, , Stuart McMillan, Margaret McDougall, Mary Fee, , ,

S4M-01099 - Richard Simpson: Communication Saves: That the Parliament considers that early investment in speech and language therapy reduces avoidable costs and waste in health services, local authorities, education, the justice system and the wider economy in Mid Scotland and Fife and the rest of Scotland; recognises that the provision of speech and language therapy services is estimated to deliver an annual net gain of £61.2 million to the Scottish economy; is concerned that budgetary pressures are already forcing cutbacks in local services; welcomes the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ Communication Saves event in Scotland on 26 October 2011, which aims to increase understanding of the role of speech and language therapy and to show how therapy transforms lives and releases value for government, society and the economy, and believes that maintaining access to quality speech and language therapy services as much as possible within current financial constraints should be a priority.

Supported by: , John Pentland, Patricia Ferguson, , , David Torrance, John Lamont, , Fiona McLeod, Richard Lyle, Drew Smith, Willie Rennie, Nanette Milne, Alison McInnes, Jenny Marra

S4M-01140 - Jamie Hepburn: Scotland Backs the Robin Hood Tax: That the Parliament notes that the sixth G20 heads of government meeting, to facilitate discussion about financial markets and the global economy, is to take place on 3 and 4 November 2011; recognises that France, which currently holds the G20 presidency, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, South Africa, Brazil, Japan, Norway and Argentina all back the implementation of a financial transactions tax (FTT), also known as the Robin Hood tax; notes that, if implemented, FTT would be imposed on speculative trading in shares, bonds, foreign exchange and derivatives; believes that FTT would offer an equitable tool for generating revenue to bolster the global economy and tackle global poverty and climate change; further believes that it would safeguard against cuts to those public services that people in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and across Scotland rely on; notes with disappointment the UK Government’s opposition to such a tax on an EU-wide basis; further notes that a recent YouGov poll, commissioned by Oxfam

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office Scotland, suggested that 62% of Scots agreed with a tax on transactions between financial institutions, and would welcome full consideration of the implementation of an FTT.

Supported by: Bill Kidd, James Dornan, Sandra White, Rob Gibson, , David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, , Dennis Robertson, Adam Ingram, , , Fiona McLeod, John Wilson, Richard Lyle, Neil Findlay, , Mike MacKenzie, Mary Fee, ,

S4M-01144 - Murdo Fraser: Legal Education—That the Parliament notes the Law Society of Scotland’s findings that “increasing the public’s knowledge and understanding of the law would have significant benefits for the legal system and for society as a whole”; notes initiatives in this area such as the Consumer Focus Scotland joint seminar with the Scottish Government in March 2009 on public legal education (PLE), which aimed to raise the profile of PLE and stimulate debate about how a more strategic approach to this issue might be developed in Scotland, and more recently, in June 2011, Consumer Focus Scotland’s seminar, Developing a strategic approach to building legal capability in Scotland, which aimed to bring a wide group of stakeholders together to discuss the developing concept of legal capability, recognised in other jurisdictions as being the desired outcome from PLE activity, and believes that there needs to be a renewed impetus for legal and consumer rights education in Mid Scotland and Fife and across the rest of the country.

Supported by: Hanzala Malik, Jamie McGrigor

S4M-01201 - : The Rory MacFadyen Breakfast Show—That the Parliament congratulates Rory MacFadyen from East Kilbride on his successful show for Radio Duncanrig, The Rory MacFadyen Breakfast Show, which recently featured at the Educational Showcase Stage at the 2011 Scottish Learning Festival; understands that Rory, who attends the communication support base at East Kilbride's Duncanrig Secondary School, has used his experience at the school’s radio station to improve his communication skills; commends the staff at Duncanrig Secondary School for their innovation in finding new ways to assist their pupils and help them achieve their full potential, and praises the staff of BBC Radio 2’s Chris Evans' Breakfast Show for supporting the school by producing a jingle for Rory’s show.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, , Jamie Hepburn, David Torrance, Margaret McCulloch

S4M-01238 - Stuart McMillan: Shipbuilding Coming Home, Congratulations to Ferguson Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow—That the Parliament congratulates Ferguson Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow on becoming the preferred bidder for the £20 million contract to build the world’s first two hybrid ferries for CMAL Ltd; notes that this order is being financed by the Scottish Government and will safeguard 75 jobs and create another 100 as well as approximately 20 apprenticeships; further notes that these will be the first ships that Ferguson Shipbuilders has built in four years; commends the workforce for its skills and dedication to wanting to build ships and considers that these orders will once again put commercial Clyde shipbuilding back on the world map; further considers the winning of this order to be pivotal for the Scottish shipbuilding industry, and suggests that Port Glasgow’s history and legacy in shipbuilding also has a bright future with shipbuilding coming home.

Supported by: Annabel Goldie, Linda Fabiani, Adam Ingram, Chic Brodie, Gil Paterson, John Wilson, George Adam, Roderick Campbell, Dave Thompson, Bill Kidd, , Dennis Robertson, Colin Beattie, Bob Doris, Margaret McDougall, Angus MacDonald, Mike MacKenzie, Mark McDonald, Derek Mackay, David Torrance, Bill Walker, Kevin Stewart, John Mason

S4M-01252 - : Continuation of Reshaping Care Change Fund—That the Parliament welcomes the three-year continuation of the Reshaping Care Change Fund announced in the Scottish Government's draft budget; believes that it has the potential to catalyse the shift to preventative public services *in Glasgow and across Scotland* and recognises the key contribution that the third sector will make to the agenda; *further

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office recognises the importance of* the third sector in all local change partnerships, and *believes* that spending on prevention and early intervention are the highest priorities.

Supported by: , Christine Grahame, Fiona McLeod, Jean Urquhart, Maureen Watt, Sandra White, Adam Ingram, Chic Brodie, Gil Paterson, Kenneth Gibson, Aileen McLeod, George Adam, Roderick Campbell, Rob Gibson, James Dornan, Bill Kidd, Dennis Robertson, Colin Beattie, Jamie Hepburn, Christina McKelvie, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Joe FitzPatrick, Richard Lyle, , John Finnie, Mike MacKenzie, Joan McAlpine, Paul Wheelhouse, Mark McDonald, Derek Mackay, Mary Fee, David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, , Margaret Burgess, John Mason

S4M-01352 - : Sir Alex Ferguson, 25 Years at Old Trafford—That the Parliament celebrates the achievements and longevity of former Scotland and current Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson; recognises his long-standing pride and dedication to his roots and early life in Govan, in the shipyards and in the trade union movement; notes that his subsequent managerial career has brought him success at East Stirlingshire, St Mirren, Aberdeen and now Manchester United; congratulates him on reaching 25 years as the manager of one of the world’s biggest clubs; applauds Manchester United for recognising this landmark by naming a stand at Old Trafford after him; congratulates him on a trophy-laden career that has seen his teams win 48 major trophies, including six in Europe and two in world football, making him the most successful manager in British footballing history, and recognises and acknowledges that, while he is famed across the world for his achievements, he continues to support the people and community from which his talent flourished.

Supported by: , Nanette Milne, Patricia Ferguson, Sarah Boyack, Duncan McNeil, Gil Paterson, Hugh Henry, James Kelly, , Malcolm Chisholm, Richard Simpson, George Adam, Roderick Campbell, John Pentland, Hanzala Malik, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, David Stewart, , , Richard Lyle, Joan McAlpine, Anne McTaggart, Neil Findlay, , Mary Fee, David Torrance, Drew Smith, Graeme Dey, Marco Biagi, John Mason

S4M-01384 - Michael McMahon: Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief—That the Parliament welcomes the establishment of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, Scotland's new broad-based alliance to promote more openness toward death, dying and bereavement; understands that 55,000 people die in Scotland each year and notes that death is normal and affects everyone; further notes that Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief is working to make Scotland a place where people are aware of ways to live with death, dying and bereavement and are better equipped to support each other through the difficult times that can come with them; believes that there are things that individuals and communities in Uddingston and Bellshill and across the country can actively do to help friends through difficult times relating to death, dying and bereavement, and commends the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care for instigating the new alliance.

Supported by: Mary Fee, Kenneth Gibson, Siobhan McMahon, Patricia Ferguson, Mary Scanlon, Malcolm Chisholm, Richard Lyle, Jamie McGrigor, Anne McTaggart, Lewis Macdonald, , Nanette Milne, Mike MacKenzie, Hugh Henry, David Torrance, Mark Griffin, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Fiona McLeod, John Park,

S4M-01407 Sandra White: International Day of Disabled People—That the Parliament notes the International Day of Disabled People, which takes places on 3 December 2011; notes that the day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of disabled people; commends the work of organisations and individuals across Scotland in supporting disabled people in leading a full life; notes that these include the Glasgow-based group, Indepen-dance, which brings together disabled and non-disabled people through a core programme of dance classes, outreach projects and performance to create opportunities for people with diverse abilities and their carers to enjoy, express and fulfil their potential through dance, and wishes Indepen-dance and other groups seeking to empower the lives of disabled people all the best in their future endeavours.

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Liam McArthur, Rhoda Grant, Stewart Maxwell

S4M-01454 - Sandra White: Glasgow’s International Financial District—That the Parliament notes the 10th anniversary of the creation of Glasgow’s International Financial District (IFSD); considers the IFSD to have been an overwhelming success for Glasgow and Scotland as a whole since its establishment with the creation of 11,500 jobs; believes that such success clearly demonstrates the continuing attractiveness of Scotland as a place for international investment as evidenced by the recent announcement by esure of a further 150 jobs in addition to the current 780 esure employees in the IFSD, and hopes that with ongoing support Glasgow’s IFSD will continue to flourish.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Margaret Burgess, David Torrance, Annabelle Ewing, Fiona McLeod, Rob Gibson, Mike MacKenzie, Adam Ingram, John Mason, Humza Yousaf, Jackie Baillie, Richard Lyle, Dennis Robertson, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Bob Doris, Mark McDonald

S4M-01556: Christine Grahame: The Work of Citizens Advice Scotland—That the Parliament recognises the vital work of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) on the high streets of the Scottish Borders, Midlothian and throughout Scotland, delivering free and often urgent advice; notes that in 2010-11 bureaux throughout Scotland dealt with 560,303 issues of which there were 203,000 new benefit issues, an increase of 8% on the previous year; notes that, in particular, CAS is concerned at the 33% increase in the number of new Employment and Support Allowance issues, which are time consuming and stressful for bureaux and clients, and that client applications to charities for assistance such as food parcels almost doubled in 2010-11; is concerned that with threatened cuts to benefits the situation for many will not improve and that further demands will be made of the service, and hopes that this service, which it considers both vital and approachable, will be able to continue to provide support for people who are often the most needy in society.

Supported by: Neil Findlay, Chic Brodie, Kenneth Gibson, Kevin Stewart, Bill Kidd, Humza Yousaf, , Margaret Burgess, Richard Lyle, Roderick Campbell, Joe FitzPatrick, Mike MacKenzie, David Torrance, Gil Paterson, Bob Doris, John Mason, Jackie Baillie, James Dornan, Rob Gibson, Adam Ingram, Sarah Boyack, Dennis Robertson, Paul Wheelhouse, Annabelle Ewing, Mark McDonald, Marco Biagi, Jamie Hepburn, Fiona McLeod, Colin Beattie, David Stewart

S4M-01570: Rob Gibson: Remember Cunninghame Graham—That the Parliament congratulates Alan MacGillivray and John C McIntyre on the publication by Kennedy & Boyd, Glasgow of the collected stories and sketches of R B Cunninghame Graham in five volumes of one modern edition; celebrates their four years of work to present the works of what is considered one of Scotland’s finest writers for modern audiences to enjoy and that they may assess his place in Scotland's national literature; recalls the cross-party support for motion S3M-04228 by Rob Gibson, Remember Cunninghame Graham, "That the Parliament recalls the birth of Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham on 24 May 1852; celebrates his adventurous life, which led him to champion the miners, the gauchos, the native Americans, the crofters and many others whom he considered were exploited by the wealthy and privileged; remembers that he took pivotal roles in founding the Party, with Keir Hardie, in 1888 and the National Party of Scotland in 1928; considers that, after his tenure as an MP from 1886 to 1892, his trenchant and humane writings inspired many others and, in particular, inspired Joseph Conrad to write The Heart of Darkness and Nostromo; commends his writing to all those who value humanity and social justice today, and calls on the Parliament and Scottish Government to prepare appropriate celebrations in 2012 for the 160th anniversary of his birth.", and considers that there is a need for a major celebration of Cunninghame Graham during 2012.

Supported by: Kevin Stewart, James Dornan, Hugh Henry, Kenneth Gibson, Gil Paterson, Annabelle Ewing, Richard Lyle, Margaret Burgess, Dennis Robertson, John Finnie, Roderick Campbell, Jamie Hepburn, Stuart McMillan, Humza Yousaf, Adam Ingram, John Mason, Maureen Watt, Mike MacKenzie, Colin Beattie, Bob Doris, Joe FitzPatrick, David Torrance, Christina McKelvie, Christine Grahame, George Adam, Mark McDonald, Bill Kidd

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office S4M-01586: Mark McDonald: Changing the January Pay Date—That the Parliament notes that many public and private sector organisations pay their staff early in December to facilitate a payroll shutdown, but that the pay date for January remains at the end of the month; further notes that this means that workers have to ensure that their December pay lasts for around six weeks, covering both Christmas and New Year, while January pay only has to last for four weeks due to the shorter month of February; considers that this increases the pressure on the budgets of Scottish households and further increases the likelihood of people turning to payday loans at the end of January; further notes that Aberdeen City Council has altered its January pay date by moving it to the penultimate week of the month, thus creating a five- week period for the December and January pay windows, and *believes that a similar approach across the public and private sector would* ease pressure on Scottish household budgets.

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn, Hugh Henry, John Mason, Angus MacDonald, Mike MacKenzie, Adam Ingram, Liam McArthur, Richard Lyle, Margaret Burgess, Graeme Dey, Chic Brodie, Maureen Watt, Kevin Stewart, Bill Kidd, Dave Thompson, Roderick Campbell, David Torrance, Margaret McDougall, Paul Wheelhouse

S4M-01606: Christina McKelvie: Access to an Employment Tribunal—That the Parliament is deeply concerned by UK Government proposals to charge fees for taking a claim to an employment tribunal and employment appeal tribunal; notes that, under the options set out in a consultation paper, prospective claimants could be forced to pay between £150 and £1,750 before their case is even heard; further notes that the consultation contains proposals designed to limit the amount of compensation that can be applied for and awarded; believes that the introduction of upfront fees for taking a claim to an employment tribunal unfairly weighs the balance in favour of employers and against employees and will lead to some employees, such as low-paid women workers in South Lanarkshire and across the country, being unable to seek redress for unfair treatment; further believes that forcing people to pay before they can access an employment tribunal is a wholly inappropriate way of generating public funds; further believes that the right to protection against unfair or prejudicial treatment at work, to seek justice if such treatment is experienced and to be compensated for harm that has been done is a fundamental one that should be available to all employees; further believes that the UK Ministry of Justice’s proposals are an attack on employment rights, and considers them to be unjust.

Supported by: Gil Paterson, Margaret Burgess, Rob Gibson, Chic Brodie, Fiona McLeod, John Mason, Humza Yousaf, Neil Findlay, Mike MacKenzie, Maureen Watt, Colin Beattie, Drew Smith, James Dornan, Richard Lyle, Hanzala Malik, Clare Adamson, Jean Urquhart, Dave Thompson, Linda Fabiani, Kevin Stewart, David Torrance, Adam Ingram, Dennis Robertson, Margaret McDougall, Jamie Hepburn

S4M-01633: Jamie Hepburn: Scottish Premier League Decision to Allow Terracing— That the Parliament notes that many football supporters have been calling for terracing to be reintroduced at Scottish Premier League (SPL) grounds; understands that many supporters from Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and across Scotland would prefer to stand when attending a football game and feels that such standing areas generate a better atmosphere as a backdrop to the sport; believes that terracing can be provided at football stadia perfectly safely and that this is the case at football matches in Scotland outwith the SPL and in top-flight football divisions of many other European countries; recognises that, while there is a legislative prohibition on such standing areas in the top two divisions of English competitive football, there has never been any such legal restriction on Scottish clubs and that the ban was a decision of the football authorities themselves; welcomes the decision of the SPL general meeting on 19 December 2011 to approve requests from member clubs to pilot safe standing areas for SPL matches; considers that the safety of spectators at football matches has to be paramount and understands that this is recognised by the SPL, as any club undertaking a pilot of a safe standing area must also gain the approval of local safety committees and the police; looks forward to pilots of safe standing areas being conducted, and hopes that such pilots will be a success so that, in the long-term, terracing can return as a normal feature of top-flight Scottish football grounds.

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office Supported by: John Finnie, Joan McAlpine, James Dornan, Margaret Burgess, David Torrance, Dennis Robertson, Kenneth Gibson, Gordon MacDonald, John Park, Mike MacKenzie, Kevin Stewart, Adam Ingram

S4M-01644: Colin Keir: Drum Brae Library and Community Hub Project–That the Parliament welcomes the construction of the Drum Brae Library and Community Hub project, which was successfully completed on time in November 2011 and which will be open to the public in early 2012; notes that the three-storey community-purpose building, which will include a long-awaited new library, a day-care centre for older people and office facilities, is the first project to be developed as part of the hub South East Scotland programme; believes that the hub, which is planned to be easily accessible via regular bus services, will be a real focal point for the Drum Brae, Clermiston, Clerwood, East Craigs and Parkgrove communities; further notes that the project aims to offer a wide range of services, including an adult learning facility, community information and access points and a health information point; commends the City of Council’s ambition to encourage community involvement, community-based activity and the building of social capital, and believes that the joint initiative of public and private sectors supported local economic growth and boosted construction industry employment.

Supported by: Jean Urquhart, Margaret Burgess, Kenneth Gibson, Joan McAlpine, Mike MacKenzie, Gil Paterson, Adam Ingram, Fiona McLeod, David Torrance, Dennis Robertson, Colin Beattie, Humza Yousaf, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Kevin Stewart, Annabelle Ewing, Paul Wheelhouse, Marco Biagi, Richard Lyle, Maureen Watt, Bob Doris, , Gordon MacDonald, Roderick Campbell, James Dornan, David McLetchie,

S4M-01654: : Protecting Access to Justice across Scotland—That the Parliament notes the content of the Scottish Court Service document, Future Court Structures; expresses concern that the paper proposes closing up to 15 of Scotland’s 49 sheriff courts, including Haddington, and reducing the number of sheriff courts hosting jury trials from 47 to 14; has grave reservations about the potential impact that such a reduction in service could have on access to justice for communities across Scotland; believes that these proposals could make it harder for victims of crime and witnesses to get to court, and considers that any proposals for major changes to the court structure merit a full and robust consultation process to allow communities across Scotland to play a meaningful role in determining how justice is delivered in their areas.

Supported by: Kezia Dugdale, Graeme Pearson, Helen Eadie, Hanzala Malik, James Kelly, Patricia Ferguson, Jackie Baillie, Drew Smith, Jenny Marra, John Pentland, Lewis Macdonald, Anne McTaggart, Liam McArthur

S4M-01666: Stuart McMillan: Cable and Metal Theft—That the Parliament is concerned at reports of an increased number of cable and metal thefts occurring throughout Scotland; welcomes the current consultation that is being conducted by the Scottish Government on expanding the scope of the licensing scheme for metal dealers; notes the recent incident at Greenock West railway station, where more than 70 tonnes of rail track was stolen at an estimated cost of £150,000; further notes that recent details released by British Transport Police suggested that more than £1 million worth of metal has been stolen from Scotland’s railways since 2008; considers that metal theft is an ever-increasing problem that affects a growing number of areas and organisations including churches, hospitals, schools and railways, and would welcome widespread cooperation to tackle the problem and to demonstrate to those considering carrying out such acts of theft that they will be caught and dealt with accordingly.

Supported by: Jean Urquhart, Richard Lyle, Angus MacDonald, Chic Brodie, Margaret Burgess, Mike MacKenzie, Kenneth Gibson, Roderick Campbell, Bob Doris, Kevin Stewart, Bill Walker, Humza Yousaf, Gordon MacDonald, Rob Gibson, Paul Wheelhouse, Murdo Fraser, Adam Ingram, John Mason, Gil Paterson, Mark McDonald, Maureen Watt, Annabelle Ewing, Colin Beattie, Joe FitzPatrick, Bill Kidd, Dennis Robertson, David Torrance, Jim Eadie, John Finnie

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office S4M-01683: Helen Eadie: Celebrating the Value of Co-operatives Internationally—That the Parliament congratulates the UN General Assembly on declaring 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives; welcomes the UN's efforts to raise public awareness of what it considers to be the invaluable contributions of these enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration; understands that they have over one billion people members around the world; acknowledges their role in Cowdenbeath and across Scotland in a range of sectors including community retail, housing, agriculture and energy; understands that there are 473 in Scotland with a combined turnover of £3.4 billion, and applauds the role of Co-operative Development Scotland in supporting their development in Scotland.

Supported by: Margaret McCulloch, Mary Fee, Drew Smith, Iain Gray, Annabelle Ewing, Lewis Macdonald, John Wilson, Hanzala Malik, Patricia Ferguson, John Park, James Kelly, Sarah Boyack, Fiona McLeod, Maureen Watt, Jim Eadie, Roderick Campbell, Mike MacKenzie, , Chic Brodie, David Stewart, Anne McTaggart, Jackie Baillie, Paul Martin, Bill Kidd, Neil Bibby, Christine Grahame, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson

S4M-01690: Patricia Ferguson: Save Glasgow's Local Train Services—That the Parliament recognises the importance of local train services to commuters in Glasgow; notes Transport Scotland’s publication, Rail 2014 - Public Consultation, which calls into question the future of railway stations within one mile of another station; expresses concern that nine of the 14 stations identified in this category, Ashfield, Barnhill, Duke Street, Gilshochill, Kelvindale, Kennishead, Maryhill, Mosspark and Nitshill, are in Glasgow and that five of these are on the Anniesland to Queen Street via Ashfield line; notes that each of the nine stations has seen an increase in passenger numbers over the last two years, with Ashfield seeing a 32% increase during this time; further notes that passenger numbers have increased by 189% and 145% at the threatened Gilshochill and Possilpark and Parkhouse stations since 2005; also notes the ongoing Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Plan consultation, which, it understands, threatens the future of a direct train service to Glasgow Queen Street on the Ashfield line, and believes that these changes would restrict access and deter the use of local rail services in Glasgow and will inevitably make it more difficult for local residents to travel to work and access health and leisure facilities.

Supported by: Sarah Boyack, Jackie Baillie, Mary Fee, Hugh Henry, Drew Smith, Neil Bibby, John Pentland, David Stewart, Anne McTaggart, James Kelly, Hanzala Malik, Paul Martin, Patrick Harvie, Ruth Davidson, Jim Hume, Siobhan McMahon,

S4M-01700: Stewart Maxwell: Holocaust Memorial Day 2012—That the Parliament notes that 27 January 2012 marks Holocaust Memorial Day, the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and an opportunity for schools, colleges, faith groups and communities across Scotland to remember the six million men, women and children murdered by the Nazi regime in occupied Europe; further notes that the theme of Holocaust Memorial Day 2012 is Speak Up, Speak Out; values the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which gives two post-16 students from every school and college in Scotland the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau; applauds Katie McKenna and Dominic Bradley, two former students of St Ninian’s High School in East Dunbartonshire, who took part in the project and who will deliver the Parliament’s Time for Reflection message on 18 January 2012; celebrates the Holocaust survivors who have enriched Scotland as a nation, and re- commits to ensuring that racism, sectarianism and bigotry are never allowed to go unchallenged in Scotland.

Supported by: Siobhan McMahon

S4M-01710: Colin Keir: Royal Highland Voted Top Show—That the Parliament commends the Royal Highland Show for being voted the top show in the UK by readers of the Preston- based Farmers Guardian; notes that the Royal Highland Show leads the list of major shows, beating the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh shows into second and third place and that it was voted the best event for showcasing agriculture; believes that the award demonstrates the Royal Highland Show’s success in attracting more members of the public while retaining a

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office core business element for farming and rural industry; observes that, in recent years, the show has grown to become what is considered one of the most important public events in Scotland, with an average of over 180,000 visitors per year and an estimated local and national economic impact of £70 million, and looks forward to the 2012 show, from 21 to 24 June, which will be the 172nd in total and the 52nd to be held at the permanent showground at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston in Edinburgh, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland and with a host area from Dumfries and Galloway, which will feature local food and outdoor activities available in the region.

Supported by: Jim Eadie, Jamie McGrigor, Roderick Campbell, David Torrance, Angus MacDonald, Paul Wheelhouse, Mike MacKenzie, John Lamont, Annabelle Ewing, James Dornan, Maureen Watt, Kenneth Gibson, Kevin Stewart, Liam McArthur, Rob Gibson, Margaret Burgess, Dennis Robertson, Richard Lyle, Adam Ingram, Colin Beattie, Aileen McLeod, Bill Kidd, Jamie Hepburn, Gil Paterson, Nigel Don

S4M-01716: John Park: The Living Wage, Tackling In-work Poverty—That the Parliament notes the Campaign to End Child Poverty's report that highlights the worryingly high levels of child poverty across many areas of Scotland; is deeply concerned that in many areas, including parts of Mid Scotland and Fife, child poverty levels are between 30% and 40%; further notes that 59% of poor children live in a household where at least one adult works; recognises the calls from a range of campaigning organisations such as Save the Children that the payment of a living wage can be an effective way of tackling child poverty; welcomes recent steps to introduce a living wage for all directly employed Scottish Government and NHS employees in Scotland; believes that the living wage should be the norm in other sectors of the economy, and supports steps to use procurement to extend the living wage to employees working for organisations delivering public sector contracts.

Supported by: James Kelly, Hanzala Malik, Malcolm Chisholm, Mark Griffin, Iain Gray, Patrick Harvie, Mary Fee, Neil Findlay, Rhoda Grant, David Stewart, John Pentland, Neil Bibby, Claudia Beamish, Drew Smith, Jackie Baillie, Patricia Ferguson, Kezia Dugdale, Margaret McDougall, Margaret McCulloch, Elaine Murray, Jamie Hepburn, Elaine Smith, John Finnie, Jim Eadie, Richard Simpson, Sarah Boyack, Liam McArthur, Gil Paterson,

S4M-01725: Aileen McLeod: CIFAL Scotland, a New UN Voice for Scotland—That the Parliament welcomes the expansion of CIFAL Scotland from Moray to Edinburgh; understands that CIFAL Scotland is the only UN-affiliated sustainability centre in northern Europe and has worked successfully with the public and private sector to advance the green growth agenda in Scotland; supports CIFAL Scotland's ambition to make Scotland a powerful voice on the environment, capable of global influence; welcomes the launch of CIFAL's latest campaign, Green Dreams around the World, which gives a voice to men, women and children across the globe who support sustainable development; would welcome widespread support for this campaign and a record of people's hopes for the future ahead of what it considers this year's landmark Rio+20 summit, due to take place in June; believes that the original Rio Summit in 1992 was a milestone even in terms of understanding climate change, and, twenty years on, and looks forward to the outcomes of Rio+20.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Graeme Dey, David Torrance, Humza Yousaf, Joe FitzPatrick, Margaret Burgess, Stuart McMillan, Jim Eadie, Gordon MacDonald, Mike MacKenzie, David Stewart, Christina McKelvie, Rob Gibson, Richard Lyle, Kevin Stewart, John Mason, Annabelle Ewing, Jamie Hepburn, Adam Ingram, Jean Urquhart

S4M-01728: George Adam: Take a Step in 2012 for Fairtrade—That the Parliament recognises the Fairtrade campaign, Take a Step in 2012, which launches Fairtrade Fortnight on 27 February 2012; welcomes the campaign, which encourages everyone to take a step toward using fairly traded products; understands that such products support millions of farmers and workers in developing countries; congratulates local authorities, such as , in achieving fairtrade status, and looks forward to a time when Scotland becomes a fairtrade nation.

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office Supported by: Kevin Stewart, Patricia Ferguson, Stewart Maxwell, John Finnie, Kenneth Gibson, David Torrance, Marco Biagi, Humza Yousaf, Drew Smith, Margaret Burgess, Stuart McMillan, Jim Eadie, Gordon MacDonald, Colin Keir, Mike MacKenzie, Hugh Henry, Chic Brodie, Rob Gibson, Neil Bibby, John Mason, Annabelle Ewing, Jamie Hepburn, Adam Ingram, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, James Dornan, Jean Urquhart

S4M-01745: Sandra White: BBC Scotland Job Cuts—That the Parliament expresses concern at the proposed cuts at BBC Scotland’s Glasgow headquarters and Edinburgh offices, which will result in one third of BBC Radio Scotland’s production staff losing their jobs and the axing of Scotland at Ten and Newsweek; believes that, at this time of historic political debate on the future of Scotland, these cuts are counterproductive to the aims of a thorough and informed debate; acknowledges calls for these proposals to be explored in more detail with an aim to producing alternative future models for broadcasting in Scotland, and hopes that any final decision will address these concerns.

Supported by: Roderick Campbell, Hanzala Malik, Bill Kidd, Margo MacDonald, Richard Lyle, Humza Yousaf, Gordon MacDonald, Fiona McLeod, Stewart Maxwell, John Finnie, Graeme Dey, Rob Gibson, Adam Ingram, Jim Eadie, Bob Doris, Kevin Stewart, David Torrance, Margaret Burgess, Mike MacKenzie, Chic Brodie, Annabelle Ewing, Gil Paterson, Jamie Hepburn, John Mason, James Dornan, Christine Grahame, Paul Wheelhouse, Jean Urquhart

S4M-01763: Alex Fergusson: A Road to Health—That the Parliament commends the Dumfries and Galloway Third Sector Forum for its participation in the Parliament’s Third Community Partnerships Project and the report on its public consultation entitled Road to Health, which has identified a number of issues relating to the transport of older people to and from hospital and clinical appointments; notes that the forum’s conclusions highlight a belief that there is a need for NHS boards and local authorities to work together to maximise the effectiveness of transport for older patients and their carers attending hospital appointments and day care centres, and that adequate transport provision in remote and rural areas is vital for the health and wellbeing of older citizens; further notes the findings of the report that different regions of Scotland have different approaches to this issue, and believes that there is a need to develop a national strategy with best practice guidelines for the adequate provision of such transport to address the issues highlighted in Road to Health as soon as is practicable.

Supported by: Hugh Henry, Elaine Murray, Jim Hume, David Torrance, Aileen McLeod, Jamie McGrigor, John Lamont, Sandra White, Jackson Carlaw, Jackie Baillie, Nanette Milne, Chic Brodie, Margaret Mitchell

S4M-01768: Richard Simpson: Tinnitus Awareness Week—That the Parliament welcomes Tinnitus Awareness Week (TAW), which will take place between 6 and 12 February 2012; notes that the theme of this year’s TAW is raising awareness of tinnitus and related support services among GPs; further notes that there are many different causes of tinnitus including exposure to loud music, hearing loss, injury, ear infections and emotional stress; believes that tinnitus is one of the most common health problems experienced by people across the UK, and supports the work undertaken by support groups and voluntary organisations such as Action on Hearing Loss Scotland to raise awareness and provide information and advice to people affected by tinnitus.

Supported by: John Wilson, Roderick Campbell, Gil Paterson, David Stewart, Jim Hume, Patricia Ferguson, Drew Smith, Anne McTaggart, Mike MacKenzie, Paul Wheelhouse, Angus MacDonald, Jamie McGrigor, Liam McArthur, Annabelle Ewing, Christine Grahame, Mary Scanlon, Margaret Mitchell

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office Record of Members’ Business taken by the Parliament from 8 June 2011

Date MSP Party Subject 8/6/2011 Marco Biagi SNP Green Investment in Edinburgh 9/6/2011 Elaine Murray LAB Ban on Use of Wild Animals in Circuses 15/6/2011 Bob Doris SNP Fighting Sectarianism and Anti-Irish Racism 16/6/2011 Mark McDonald SNP North Sea Taxation 22/6/2011 Elaine Smith LAB There is a Better Way 23/6/2011 Stuart McMillan SNP David MacBrayne Group Supports Coastguards 29/6/11 Margaret Mitchell CON Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland 30/6/11 Willie Coffey SNP The Scheme 7/9/11 David Stewart LAB Young Drivers 8/9/11 Aileen McLeod SNP Flavour Fortnight 2011 14/9/11 Rob Gibson SNP Remembering the Russian Arctic Convoys 15/9/11 Hugh Henry LAB Upper Clyde Shipbuilders 21/9/11 Bill Kidd SNP UN International Day of Peace, 21 September 2011 22/9/11 Jamie Hepburn SNP Save the Children Report, Making Work Pay – The Childcare Trap 28/9/11 James Dornan SNP Battling Scotland’s Drinking Culture 29/9/11 Paul Martin LAB Stop the Closure of Lightburn Hospital 5/10/11 Rob Gibson SNP Germany Exits Nuclear Energy 6/10/11 Christine Grahame SNP Jeremy Hunt Doesn’t Get the Picture so Neither Does the Borders 26/10/11 Jenny Marra LAB Fuel Poverty in Scotland 2/11/11 Sandra White SNP Mordechai Vanunu, Israel’s Nuclear Whistleblower 3/11/11 James Kelly LAB Nail the Rogues Campaign 9/11/11 Margaret Mitchell CON Prescription Medicine Waste 10/11/11 Liam McArthur LD Damaging Impact of Air Discount Scheme Changes 16/11/11 Dave Thompson SNP The People’s Bible 17/11/11 Siobhan McMahon LAB British Heart Foundation’s Heart Start Event 23/11/11 Jim Eadie SNP Act of Settlement 24/11/11 John Scott CON Provision of Orthopaedic Trauma Services at Ayr Hospital 24/11/11 Christina McKelvie SNP Nuclear Test Veterans 30/11/11 Kevin Stewart SNP St Andrew’s Day 1/12/11 Neil Findlay LAB Community Benefit and the Cumulative Impact of Windfarm Developments in Communities 7/12/11 Sandra White SNP Truth About Youth Project 8/12/11 Rhoda Grant LAB MS, Better Care 14/12/11 Stuart McMillan SNP Commending Petrol and Diesel Watch 15/12/11 Sandra White SNP University of Glasgow Ranked First in the UK 21/12/11 Siobhan McMahon LAB Disability History Month 22/12/11 Jim Eadie SNP 10 Years on from Harkin-Engel, Child Trafficking in the Chocolate Industry 11/01/12 Annabel Goldie CON Volunteer Centre East Dunbartonshire 12/01/12 Margaret Burgess SNP High-interest Payday Loans

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office Date MSP Party Subject 18/01/12 Elaine Murray LAB Independence Referendum, Let Wallace Vote 19/01/12 Joan McAlpine SNP Save Introducing in Scotland

Record of Members’ Business taken by the Parliament in Session 4

Party SNP LAB CON LD GRN IND TOTAL

Frequency (no.) 23 12 4 1 0 0 40 Frequency % 57.5 30 10 2.5 0 0 100

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office

BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 30 JANUARY 2012

DAY MORNING AFTERNOON Monday 30 Constituency Constituency Tuesday 31 Committee Committee

Wednesday 1430 Time for Reflection 01 February Parliamentary Business Motion (if required)

1435- 1505 Ministerial Statement: Higher Education and Further Education Governance Reports

1505-1650 Scottish Government Debate: The Year of Creative Scotland

1650-1700 Appointment of the Scottish Information Commissioner

1700 Decision Time

Followed by Members Business S4M-01644 Colin Keir MSP: Drum Brae Library and Community Hub Project

Thursday 02 0915 Parliamentary Bureau 1415-1455 Themed Questions Finance, Motions (if required) Employment and Sustainable Growth

0915-1140 Conservative Party 1455-1700 Scottish Government Debate: Business Scotland's Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Plan 1140-1200 General Questions Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion 1200-1230 First Ministers (if required) Questions 1700 Decision Time

Followed by Members Business debate S4M-01655 Linda Fabiani: Assistance Dogs are Working Dogs Too

Friday 03 Constituency Constituency

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office BUREAU - BUSINESS FOR WEEK COMMENCING 06 FEBRUARY 2012

DAY MORNING AFTERNOON Monday 06 Constituency Constituency Tuesday 07 Committee Committee

Wednesday 1430 Time for Reflection 08 February Parliamentary Business Motion (if required)

1435-1700 Stage 3 Proceedings: Budget (Scotland) Bill

1700 Decision Time

Followed by Members Business

Thursday 09 0915 Parliamentary Bureau 1415-1455 Themed Questions: Justice and Motions (if required) the Law Officers; Rural Affairs and the Environment 0915-1140 Scottish Government Business 1455-1700 Scottish Government Business

1140-1200 General Questions Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motion (if required) 1200-1230 First Ministers Questions 1700 Decision Time

Followed by Members Business debate

Friday 10 Constituency Constituency

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office

BUSINESS MOTION

Date of Lodging: 24 January 2012 Short Title: Business Motion on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees the following programme of business—

Wednesday 1 February 2012

2.30 pm Time for Reflection followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions followed by Ministerial Statement: Higher Education and Further Education Governance Reports followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 followed by Appointment of the Scottish Information Commissioner followed by Business Motion followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 2 February 2012

9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business

11.40 am General Question Time

12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time

2.15 pm Themed Question Time Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth

2.55 pm Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Plan followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members’ Business

Wednesday 8 February 2012

2.30 pm Time for Reflection followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions followed by Stage 3 Proceedings: Budget (Scotland) Bill

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office followed by Business Motion followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members’ Business

Thursday 9 February 2012

9.15 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions followed by Scottish Government Business

11.40 am General Question Time

12.00 pm First Minister’s Question Time

2.15 pm Themed Question Time Justice and the Law Officers; Rural Affairs and the Environment

2.55 pm Scottish Government Business followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions

5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members’ Business

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION

Date of Lodging: 24 January 2012 Short Title: Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Public Services Reform (Social Services Inspections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2012 [draft] be approved.

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION

Date of Lodging: 24 January 2012 Short Title: Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Excepted Services) Regulations 2012 [draft] be approved.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION

Date of Lodging: 24 January 2012 Short Title: Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the Justice Committee be designated as the lead committee, and that the Local Government and Regeneration Committee be designated as a secondary committee, in consideration of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION

Date of Lodging: 24 January 2012 Short Title: Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Office of the Clerk— That the Parliament agrees that between 1 February 2012 and 31 January 2013, the Office of the Clerk will be open on all days except: Saturdays and Sundays, 6 and 9 April, 7 May, 1, 4 and 5 June, 30 November, 24 (pm), 25 and 26 December, and 1 and 2 January.

Motions may be subject to minor editing by the Chamber Office PB/S4/12/99

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION Date of Lodging: 24 January 2012 Short Title: Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Establishment of Committee—That the Parliament shall establish a committee of the Parliament as follows:

Name of Committee: Welfare Reform Committee

Remit: To keep under review the passage of the UK Welfare Reform Bill and monitor its implementation as it affects welfare provision in Scotland and to consider relevant Scottish legislation and other consequential arrangements.

Duration: For the remainder of the current Session of the Parliament.

Number of members: 7 Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the . Membership: Jamie Hepburn, Margaret Burgess, Annabelle Ewing, Kevin Stewart, Michael McMahon, Drew Smith, Alex Johnstone.

17 PB/S4/12/100

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

APPOINTMENT OF A NEW SCOTTISH INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

Purpose

1. This paper invites the Parliamentary Bureau to timetable a motion inviting the Parliament to nominate to Her Majesty The Queen the successful candidate for appointment as the next Scottish Information Commissioner.

Timing

2. The second term of office of Kevin Dunion OBE, the current Scottish Information Commissioner, comes to an end on 24 February 2012. Time in the business programme for a debate on the appointment of his successor is sought prior to this date. An early date would also enable the successful candidate to offer notice to his or her current employer, thereby reducing the time period for having an acting Commissioner in place until the candidate is able to take up the post.

Background

3. Under Section 42 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, the Scottish Parliament is responsible for nominating to Her Majesty an individual for appointment as the Scottish Information Commissioner.

4. Rule 3.11.2 of Standing Orders provides that a selection panel shall be established to recommend a person for nomination. Once the selection panel has decided on an individual, any member of the panel may lodge a motion seeking the agreement of the Parliament to the nomination. The panel has now agreed on a successful candidate following an open recruitment exercise.

5. Rule 3.11.8 further provides that any debate on a motion on the nomination of a new Commissioner is restricted to 30 minutes with each speaker being restricted to no more than five minutes.

Conclusion

6. The selection panel, chaired by the Presiding Officer, met on 5 December 2011 and has identified a candidate for nomination to the Parliament. Pre-appointment checks have been undertaken and the motion nominating the successful candidate will be lodged by Christine Grahame MSP.

7. The Bureau is invited to agree to the motion being laid for debate during the week commencing 30 January 2012, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Officeholder Services January 2012

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PB/S4/12/101

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU APPROVAL OF SSIs

Introduction

1. The Bureau is invited to agree the following motions—

Bruce Crawford on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: That the Parliament agrees that the following instruments be approved:

Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Excepted Services) Regulations 2012 [draft].

Public Services Reform (Social Services Inspections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2012 [draft].

Purpose and consideration by committee

Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Excepted Services) Regulations 2012 [draft] 2. The purpose of the regulations is to exclude certain specified activities from the definition of care services under Part 5 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.

3. The Health and Sport Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 17 January 2012. After debate, the motion to approve the instrument was agreed.

Public Services Reform (Social Services Inspections) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2012 [draft] 4. The purpose of the regulations is to amend the Public Services Reform (Social Services Inspections) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 by making provision for certain types of care services to be inspected at least once in every 12 month period and for these inspections to be unannounced.

5. The Health and Sport Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 17 January 2012. After debate, the motion to approve the instrument was agreed.

Parliamentary Business Team January 2012

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PB/S4/12/102

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

BUILDING REPAIRS (SCOTLAND) BILL - REFERRAL OF DRAFT PROPOSAL

Lead committee

1. The above draft proposal was lodged on 17January 2012. The proposal falls within the remit of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee for the following reason.

2. The remit of the Committee is to consider and report on—

(a) the financing and delivery of local government and local services,

(b) planning, and

(c) matters relating to regeneration falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment.

3. The proposal is concerned with defective and dangerous buildings and providing local authorities with alternative cost recovery powers for work they carry out on such buildings.

4. The draft proposal is accompanied by a statement of reasons setting out why further consultation is not necessary

5. In terms of Standing Orders, Rule 9.14.5, the Bureau is required to refer the proposal to a committee within whose remit the subject matters falls. The committee may consider the statement of reasons and decide whether it is satisfied with the reasons given in the statement.

6. It should be noted that there is no requirement for the committee to which a draft proposal is referred to be the same committee as the eventual Stage 1 lead committee, although it is generally desirable that they should be the same.

Recommendation

7. It is recommended that the draft proposal and the statement of reasons are referred to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee.

Non-Executive Bills Unit January 2012

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PB/S4/12/103

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

DESIGNATION OF LEAD COMMITTEE - POLICE AND FIRE REFORM (SCOTLAND) BILL

Introduction

1. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 16 January 2012 by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.

2. The Bill substantially restates and reforms the law on policing and the organisation and governance of police services, and provides for a single national service. It also reforms the organisation and governance of fire and rescue services, to provide for a single national service.

3. The Bill falls within the following committee remits for the following reasons.

Justice Committee 4. Responsibility for both police and fire and rescue services is within the portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and, therefore, within the remit of the Justice Committee

Local Government and Regeneration Committee 5. The Bill makes substantial changes to the statutory governance and funding relationships between local authorities and the services. Both services currently have a strong connection to local government in their governance and funding arrangements. A direct connection will continue for both, although at the level of planning and accountability for local service delivery rather than any formal governance or funding connection. The remit of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee is, therefore, engaged.

6. The Justice Committee is considered to have the strongest interest in the Bill. No other committee remit is engaged.

Recommendation

7. The Bureau is invited to consider recommending to the Parliament by motion that it agrees, under Rule 9.6.1, to designate— • the Justice Committee as the lead committee for consideration of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1, and • the Local Government and Regeneration Committee as a secondary committee.

8. A draft motion is attached as an Annexe.

Parliamentary Business Team January 2012

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PB/S4/12/103

Annexe

Draft Parliamentary Bureau motion on the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill:

Bruce Crawford on Behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Designation of Lead Committee—That the Parliament agrees that the Justice Committee be designated as the lead committee, and that the Local Government and Regeneration Committee be designated as a secondary committee, in consideration of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.

2

PB/S4/12/104

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

PARLIAMENTARY CALENDAR

Introduction

1. This paper outlines possible recess dates, public/privilege holidays and days when the Office of the Clerk will be open for the forthcoming year. The following dates observe sitting patterns set in previous years and school holidays.

2. Under Standing Orders, Rule 2.3.1, it is for the Bureau to recommend to the Parliament the dates of any recess and, under Rule 2.1.3, when the Office of the Clerk will be open.

3. The Bureau previously considered recess dates up to summer 2012 at its meeting on 24 May 2011. It also agreed the days up to the end of January 2012 when the Office of the Clerk would be open.

Recess dates previously agreed—

• February recess: 11 February – 19 February 2012 • Easter recess: 31 March – 15 April 2012 • Summer recess: 30 June – 2 September 2012

Proposed recess dates

4. The following dates are proposed for the October 2012 and Christmas 2012 recess periods—

• October recess: 6 October (Sat) – 21 October (Sun) 2012 (inclusive). The majority of autumn term school holidays are to take place in the weeks beginning 8 and 15 October.

• Christmas recess: 22 December 2012 (Fri) – 6 January (Sun) 2013. Public and privilege holidays are encompassed within the proposed dates. Most Christmas school holidays begin at various times around 20 December.

Days when the Office of the Clerk will be open

5. The Human Resources Notice (17 January 2012) set out the following public and privilege holidays which will be observed in the Scottish Parliament—

Public/privilege holidays

• Good Friday: 6 April 2012 • Easter Monday: 9 April 2012 • Early May Holiday : 7 May 2012 • Friday preceding Spring Holiday : 1 June 2012 • Spring Bank Holiday: 4 June 2012 PB/S4/12/104

• Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: 5 June 2012 • St Andrew’s Day: 30 November 2012 • Christmas and New Year holidays: 24 December (afternoon), 25 December, 26 December 2012, 1 and 2 January 2013.

6. It is proposed that between 1 February 2012 and 31 January 2013, the Office of the Clerk will be open on all days except: Saturdays and Sundays, 6 and 9 April, 7 May, 1, 4 and 5 June, 30 November, 24 (pm), 25 and 26 December, and 1 and 2 January.

Recommendation

7. The Bureau is invited to consider and agree the proposed recess dates and schedule of days when the office of the clerk will be open.

Parliamentary Business Team January 2012 PB/S4/11/105

PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

REMOVAL OF MOTIONS FROM THE BUSINESS BULLETIN

Background

1. Under Rule 8.2.8 of Standing Orders, the Bureau may remove from the list of admissible motions any motion that has been on the list for more than six weeks without a date for it to be taken by the Parliament being appointed in the business programme.

2. The Bureau has previously agreed that all motions should be removed from the Bulletin after six weeks (excluding recess time) unless:

(a) the motion has the support of at least 30 other Members and these supporters came from more than two political parties (note that in cases where the number of supporters exceeds 30, the topicality of the motion and the extent of the recent support have also been taken into account when making these recommendations); or

(b) the motion remains highly topical; or

(c) the motion has been selected for Members’ Business.

3. The attached spreadsheet lists all motions over six weeks old on 10 January 2012 (i.e. those lodged on or before 29 November 2011) and includes the number of supporters and date of the most recent registration of support.

4. Based on the criteria in paragraph 2, it is recommended that the following motions from the attached list be retained (these have all achieved support from at least 30 Members and have also been marked for consideration for Members’ Business and are not linked to a specific date; it is intended that, if any of these motions have not been debated by the date of the next review, they are deleted).

S4M-01090 Annabelle Ewing Radioactive Particle Find at Dalgety Bay S4M-01125 Maureen Watt Official History of North Sea Oil and Gas S4M-01252 Humza Yousaf Continuation of Reshaping Care Change Fund

Conclusion

5. Members are asked to agree that that the above motions are retained.

Parliamentary Business Team January 2012

1