MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT Wednesday 12 December 2012 Session 4 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website - www.scottish.parliament.uk or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000 Wednesday 12 December 2012 CONTENTS Col. PRESIDING OFFICER’S RULING ................................................................................................................... 14631 PORTFOLIO QUESTION TIME ....................................................................................................................... 14632 JUSTICE AND THE LAW OFFICERS ............................................................................................................... 14632 Prisoners (Father and Child Visit Contracts) ........................................................................................ 14632 Gun Crime ............................................................................................................................................ 14633 Community Service Orders .................................................................................................................. 14635 Air Weapons (Licensing Consultation) ................................................................................................. 14636 Fiscal Direct Penalties (Non-payment) ................................................................................................. 14637 “Shaping Scotland’s Court Service” (Ayr Sheriff Court) ....................................................................... 14638 Time Bar Reform .................................................................................................................................. 14639 RURAL AFFAIRS AND THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................... 14640 Aquaculture (Economic Value) ............................................................................................................. 14640 Climate Change (Annual Targets) (Scotland) Order 2010 ................................................................... 14641 NFU Scotland (Meetings) ..................................................................................................................... 14643 Wet Soil (Assistance) ........................................................................................................................... 14645 Green Investment Bank ........................................................................................................................ 14646 Tree Planting (Prime Arable Land) ....................................................................................................... 14647 FISHERIES NEGOTIATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 14649 Motion moved—[Richard Lochhead]. Amendment moved—[Claire Baker]. Amendment moved—[Jamie McGrigor]. Amendment moved—[Tavish Scott]. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead) ............................ 14649 Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) .......................................................................................... 14655 Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ................................................................................... 14659 Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) .................................................................................................... 14662 Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP) ............................................................................................... 14664 Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP) ...................................................................................................... 14667 Margaret McDougall (West Scotland) (Lab) ......................................................................................... 14669 Roderick Campbell (North East Fife) (SNP) ......................................................................................... 14671 Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) .................................................................. 14673 Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) ......................................................................................... 14675 Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)......................................................................... 14677 Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) ................................................................... 14679 Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) .................................................................................................... 14681 Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 14683 Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP) ............................................................................................ 14685 Tavish Scott .......................................................................................................................................... 14687 Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)......................................................................... 14690 Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab) ............................................................................................. 14692 Richard Lochhead................................................................................................................................. 14695 BUSINESS MOTIONS ................................................................................................................................... 14701 Motions moved—[Joe FitzPatrick]—and agreed to. The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick)................................................................... 14701 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTIONS ........................................................................................................... 14704 Motions moved—[Joe FitzPatrick]. DECISION TIME .......................................................................................................................................... 14705 GRAMPIAN AUTISM ALERT CARD................................................................................................................ 14707 Motion debated—[Mark McDonald]. Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP) ...................................................................................... 14707 Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab) .......................................................................................... 14710 Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP) .................................................................................. 14711 Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con) .......................................................................................... 14712 Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) ............................................................ 14714 The Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport (Shona Robison) ................................................. 14715 14631 12 DECEMBER 2012 14632 Scottish Parliament Portfolio Question Time Wednesday 12 December 2012 Justice and the Law Officers [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at 14:00] 14:01 The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick): Presiding Officer’s Ruling Question 1 has been withdrawn. I have received an explanation from Mark Griffin that I am satisfied The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick): Good with. afternoon. Before we start, I will make a very short statement. Prisoners (Father and Child Visit Contracts) Last night, I responded to a point of order from 2. Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Lewis Macdonald in relation to the Scottish Scottish Government what its position is on Government’s handling of parliamentary prisoners being issued with contracts for father questions. I commented that, as a matter of and child visits. (S4O-01589) general courtesy and respect for the Parliament, the content of any point of order should not be The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny circulated to the press in advance of its first being MacAskill): As with all questions regarding the raised in the chamber. operation of the Scottish Prison Service, I have asked Colin McConnell, the chief executive, to Earlier today, I met Mr Macdonald, who assured consider the question. He has advised the me that neither he nor anyone acting on his behalf following. When offenders ask for bonding visits, had circulated any such information in relation to they are advised of the provisions that will be the specific point of order that he raised yesterday. applied. The offender is asked to sign a form There was absolutely no intention on my part to acknowledging that they understand the process. imply that Mr Macdonald had released such That is not a contract. information, so I have no hesitation in accepting Mr Macdonald’s assurance. Mary Fee: I have with me a copy of a contract that is given to prisoners in Shotts prison, which On the wider issue, I attach great importance to clearly states that father and child visits are a the use of parliamentary questions as a means of privilege and not a right. That is in direct holding the Government to account, and I remind contravention of article 9 of the United Nations ministers that I expect questions from members