Meeting of the Parliament
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Meeting of the Parliament Thursday 11 May 2017 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 Thursday 11 May 2017 CONTENTS Col. GENERAL QUESTION TIME .................................................................................................................................. 1 Income Tax ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Trainee Teacher Recruitment (University of Aberdeen) ............................................................................... 3 Benefit Reductions (Dumfries and Galloway) ............................................................................................... 4 Edinburgh City Bypass (Capacity) ................................................................................................................ 5 Veterans (Homelessness) ............................................................................................................................ 6 Automation and Artificial Intelligence (Economic Impact) ............................................................................ 7 Teacher and Classroom Assistant Recruitment (West of Scotland) ............................................................ 9 FIRST MINISTER’S QUESTION TIME ................................................................................................................... 11 Engagements .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Engagements .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Cabinet (Meetings) ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Mental Health Awareness Week ................................................................................................................ 24 Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Grangemouth) .......................................................................... 25 Planning Authorities (Resources) ............................................................................................................... 25 Election Ballot Papers ................................................................................................................................ 26 INTERNATIONAL ME AWARENESS DAY ............................................................................................................. 29 Motion debated—[Gail Ross]. Gail Ross (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) .................................................................................. 29 Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP) ...................................................................................................... 32 Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 33 Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab) .................................................................................................................... 35 Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con) ....................................................................................................... 37 The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Aileen Campbell) ...................................................................... 39 KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE .................................................................................................................... 42 Motion moved—[Mark McDonald]. Amendment moved—[Annie Wells]. Amendment moved—[Tavish Scott]. The Minister for Childcare and Early Years (Mark McDonald) ................................................................... 42 Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con) ..................................................................................................................... 49 Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) .......................................................................................................... 52 Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab) .................................................................................................................... 55 Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) .......................................................................... 57 Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con) ........................................................................................................ 60 Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 62 Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) ................................................................................................ 64 Kate Forbes (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) ................................................................................ 67 Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) .................................................................................................................. 69 Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) ........................................................................ 71 Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................... 75 Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con) ........................................................................................................ 77 Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP) ............................................................................................... 80 Tavish Scott ................................................................................................................................................ 82 Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) .............................................................................................. 85 Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 88 Mark McDonald........................................................................................................................................... 91 STANDING ORDERS (RULE CHANGES) .............................................................................................................. 96 Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) ...................................................................................... 96 DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 97 1 11 MAY 2017 2 ensuring that we raise the necessary revenue to Scottish Parliament invest in our public services. Thursday 11 May 2017 John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP): Would the cabinet secretary agree that there might be behavioural change if we adjust the rates too [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at much, and that a difference from the UK rates of 11:40] an additional 2p might be a good starting point? General Question Time Derek Mackay: I thank John Mason for his advice. I am not setting any parameters at this stage in the parliamentary cycle. I agree that there Income Tax are issues around behavioural responses as they 1. Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab): To ask the relate to tax, and that is why we are taking the Scottish Government what its position is on what methodical approach. the top rate of income tax should be. (S5O-00969) The First Minister has asked the Council of The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economic Advisers to consider the matter so that Constitution (Derek Mackay): In February, the we can take our tax decisions in the light of all the Scottish Parliament endorsed the Scottish available evidence. Behavioural change and Government’s proposal that the additional rate of issues around tax avoidance are things that the income tax should be maintained at 45p for the tax Scottish Government—and, indeed, the whole year 2017-18. Parliament—should consider when we use the economic levers at our disposal. Analysis produced by the Scottish Government showed that there is a revenue risk associated Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): with raising the additional rate. However, the First Does the cabinet secretary accept that there is a Minister has asked the Council of Economic high risk of less money being raised by increasing Advisers to consider how and to what extent that the higher rate, as a result of behavioural change? risk can be mitigated. If we are sufficiently assured That would not necessarily be through higher that the risk can be mitigated, we will consider earners leaving Scotland, but by them re-ordering raising the additional rate from 45p to 50p from their affairs so that, for example, they are paid 2018-19 onwards as part of our budget through dividend income, rather than salary. Will considerations. the Council of Economic Advisers take all those issues into account when it considers the Anas Sarwar: Last week, the First Minister said proposals? that she would support a 50p tax band as long as it was across the United Kingdom, but not if it were Derek Mackay: I agree with Murdo Fraser that just in Scotland, in case people chose to leave. there