MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT Tuesday 30 September 2014 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 Tuesday 30 September 2014 CONTENTS Col. TIME FOR REFLECTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 TOPICAL QUESTION TIME ................................................................................................................................... 3 Fracking (Removal of Right to Object) ......................................................................................................... 3 Commonwealth Games (Policing Costs) ...................................................................................................... 5 Iraq (Humanitarian Aid) ................................................................................................................................ 7 HOUSING ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Motion moved—[Margaret Burgess]. Amendment moved—[Mary Fee]. Amendment moved—[Alex Johnstone]. Amendment moved—[Jim Hume]. The Minister for Housing and Welfare (Margaret Burgess) ........................................................................ 11 Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 16 Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................................. 21 Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD) ................................................................................................................ 24 Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 26 Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab) ............................................................................................................. 29 Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) ....................................................................................... 30 John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 32 Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab) ............................................................................................................... 35 Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) ..................................................................................... 37 Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab) .................................................................................................................. 39 Stuart McMillan (West Scotland) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 41 Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) ..................................................................................... 43 Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab) ..................................................................................................................... 45 Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 47 Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP) ....................................................................................................... 50 Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................ 52 Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) .................................................................. 54 Jim Hume .................................................................................................................................................... 56 Alex Johnstone ........................................................................................................................................... 58 James Kelly (Rutherglen) (Lab) .................................................................................................................. 60 Margaret Burgess ....................................................................................................................................... 63 DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 67 TALLADH-A-BHEITHE WIND FARM (OBJECTIONS) .............................................................................................. 76 Motion debated—[Murdo Fraser]. Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) .............................................................................................. 76 Michael McMahon (Uddingston and Bellshill) (Lab) ................................................................................... 79 Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)............................................................................... 80 Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) ........................................................................................................................ 82 The Minister for Local Government and Planning (Derek Mackay) ........................................................... 84 1 30 SEPTEMBER 2014 2 The Presiding Officer: I think that we will get Scottish Parliament him back another time. [Laughter.] Tuesday 30 September 2014 [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at 14:00] Time for Reflection The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick): Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection, for which our leader today is Mr Jamie Stuart, who is an elder of High Carntyne parish church and author of “The Glasgow Gospel” and “A Glasgow Bible”. Mr Jamie Stuart (High Carntyne Parish Church): Presiding Officer, members of the Scottish Parliament, I thank you for this opportunity to address you. For most of my life I have cherished our Scots language. I believe that it has power and eloquence, so I offer you, from the guid book, 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. “I may speak wi the tongues o men an angels but if I hiv nae luve In ma hert, I’m just a noisy gong or a clangin cymbal. I may hiv the gift o prophecy, An ken aw aboot life’s mysteries; I may hiv faith Strang enough tae shift mountains—but still in aw, hiv nae luve In ma hert—I am nothing. I may dole oot aw that I possess, An even gie up ma body tae the flames, But if I hiv nae luve in ma hert, I am nane the better o it. Luve is aye patient an kind; Isnae aye graspin; it disnae blaw Its ane trumpet. Luve has guid manners—very guid manners Luve disnae gloat ower ither folks sins, but rejoices wi the truth. Luve kens nae limit tae its endurance, Nae end tae its trust, nae fadin o its hope: it will exist for aw eternity. Luve will not fail. Dae we hiv prophets? Their day will be ower. Are we carried awa wi tongues? They will cease. Is there knowledge? It will vanish awa. For we ken noo in pairt, an we prophecy in pairt; But when perfection comes, the partial will finish. When I wis a bairn, I had the speech o a bairn, the mind o a bairn, an the thochts o a bairn; But noo that I am grown tae manhood, I have pit awa bairnlike things. For just noo we can see an hear jist a wee bit aboot God; But wan day we will see him in aw his glory; aye, face tae face. I ken noo in pairt, but wan day I shall ken it aw, even as god sees intae ma hert richt noo. There are three things that bide forever; Faith, hope and luve; An the greatest o the three is luve.” Amen. [Applause.] 3 30 SEPTEMBER 2014 4 Topical Question Time does the cabinet secretary agree that all the powers relating to unconventional oil and gas should be devolved, as was suggested only last week by Andrew Tyrie MP, chair of the Treasury 14:04 Select Committee? Fracking (Removal of Right to Object) John Swinney: Mr MacDonald will not be 1. Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP): To surprised to hear that I am a supporter of all the ask the Scottish Government what recent relevant powers being devolved to the Scottish representations it has made to the United Parliament. The UK Government’s response to the Kingdom Government regarding the removal of consultation highlights the necessity for decision the right of householders in Scotland to object to making by politicians to be taken in accordance fracking taking place beneath their homes. (S4T- with and in proximity to the aspirations, outlook 00796) and perspective of the people they affect. It is a matter of regret that the UK Government’s The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, decision has not followed the overwhelming Employment and Sustainable Growth (John evidence base that was submitted to its Swinney): On 14 August 2014, the Scottish consultation. Government formally responded to the UK Government’s consultation on underground drilling Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab): As access rights. The Scottish Government formally the cabinet secretary knows, the Scottish opposed the UK Government’s proposals to Government has overall power over planning, remove landowners’ rights in respect of drilling which has enabled it to prevent the development under their land on the basis that matters of such of the nuclear industry. In relation to devolved gravity should be a decision for the people