Meeting of the Parliament
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Meeting of the Parliament Tuesday 30 April 2019 Session 5 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website - www.parliament.scot or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000 Tuesday 30 April 2019 CONTENTS Col. TIME FOR REFLECTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 TOPICAL QUESTION TIME ................................................................................................................................... 3 Police Scotland (Estate) ............................................................................................................................... 3 New Currency (Impact on Businesses) ........................................................................................................ 7 MUSIC TUITION IN SCHOOLS ............................................................................................................................. 11 Motion moved—[Clare Adamson]. Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) ...................................................................................... 11 The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney) ...................... 15 Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) .................................................................................................... 19 Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab) .................................................................................................................... 23 Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green) ......................................................................................................... 25 Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) .......................................................................................................... 28 Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) .......................................................................................... 30 Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) ....................................................................................................... 33 Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) .................................................................................................... 35 Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) ................................................................................................ 37 Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) ..................................................................................... 39 Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) ............................................................................................................... 41 Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) ......................................................................................... 43 Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) .............................................................................................. 46 Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) .................................................................................... 47 Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) ................................................................. 49 Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 52 Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) ........................................................................ 53 Iain Gray ..................................................................................................................................................... 55 Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 57 John Swinney ............................................................................................................................................. 59 Johann Lamont (Glasgow) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 62 BUSINESS MOTION ........................................................................................................................................... 65 Motion moved—[Graeme Dey]—and agreed to. DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 66 PARKINSON’S IN SCOTLAND ............................................................................................................................. 67 Motion debated—[Miles Briggs]. Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con) ....................................................................................................................... 67 Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) ........................................................................................... 70 Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 72 Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 73 Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) ......................................................................................................... 75 Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab) ........................................................................................................... 76 The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) ....................................................... 78 1 30 APRIL 2019 2 Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski explains that the Scottish Parliament psalmist means that, when we remember that the clock is ticking for all of us, we will be more likely Tuesday 30 April 2019 to use our days to the full. And I believe that, when we reflect on how limited time is—when we [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at remember how limited our own time is—that will 14:00] help us use our time wisely and, indeed, give us more time for reflection. Time for Reflection Thank you. The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh): Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader is Rabbi Eli Grunewald, Jewish student chaplain in Scotland. Rabbi Eli Grunewald (Jewish Student Chaplain Scotland): It is a great honour to have been invited here to lead the time for reflection this afternoon. When I was considering a topic for today, the phrase “time for reflection” really caught my attention. I noticed that it can be switched around to read “reflection for time”. Time is the most precious commodity that we have, yet we sometimes treat it as though it is unlimited. As a chaplain, it is not strange for me to hear a student express feelings such as a desire to wish away today, this week, even this month, when things are not going so well. While sympathising with the stress and complications that often go hand in hand with student life, I always encourage students to resist that desire. Every day is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that we will never have again. Robert Burns summed that up wonderfully, in 1790, in his poem “Tam o’ Shanter”. As Burns put it, “Nae man can tether time or tide.” Although I believe that the poem refers to the story of a farmer and his wayward friends, that line encapsulates the certainty that time will run out eventually and will not wait for anyone or anything. Last week, we celebrated Passover, the great festival of liberation. In the middle of the celebrations, we pause to do something very simple: count the days. From then, each day until the early-summer festival of Pentecost, we mention how many days have passed. Today is day 10. Our counting helps us realise the importance of every day, every week, every month. It helps us focus on the here and now, and reminds us to use our time well. It is so easy to forget that the moments in which we live become days, months, years. An ancient Jewish source—the Book of Psalms—mentions that idea of counting days. The psalmist dwells on the reality that our lives are brief and filled with challenging times, and pass us by so very quickly. He then asks God to help us to count our days wisely. 3 30 APRIL 2019 4 to temporary accommodation while improvement works are Topical Question Time carried out. A range of options for Oban Police Station are being examined following HMICS recommendations last year. 14:04 The policing estate has been built up over the last century and we acknowledge some buildings fail to match Police Scotland (Estate) current or future needs. We are prioritising the capital 1. Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): To budget we have been allocated across a multitude of competing demands to achieve as much as we can, as ask the Scottish Government what its response is quickly as we can.” to the Scottish Police Federation describing some of the buildings in the police estate as being “unfit That shows the commitment that Police Scotland for human habitation”. (S5T-01619) has to the estate right across Scotland. We understand that it is a Herculean task and we will The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Humza continue to provide Police Scotland with budgetary Yousaf): Although the allocation of police support to help it with that task. resources, including for the police estate, is for the Scottish Police Authority