SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 1079 Title : Scottish Parliament: Chamber Minutes Vol 2, no 42 Author(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Copyright holder(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: © Scottish Parliamentary copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Text MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS Vol. 2, No. 42 Session 1 Meeting of the Parliament Thursday 14 December 2000 Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time. The meeting opened at 9.30 am. 1. Transport: Bruce Crawford moved S1M-1461—That the Parliament notes with concern and anger the crisis in the rail network in Scotland; regrets the lack of authority, influence or action demonstrated by the Scottish Executive and that the control and legislative powers over the rail industry in Scotland remain primarily reserved matters for Her Majesty’s Government and calls for all the powers over the rail industry in Scotland to be transferred to the Parliament, for the Scottish Executive to be given Scotland’s share of new investment in transport infrastructure and for a mechanism to be established so that Scotland’s interests are directly represented on cross-border rail matters. The Minister for Transport moved amendment S1M-1461.2 to motion S1M-1461— Leave out from "with concern" to end and insert— "the progress being made by the Scottish Executive to build a sustainable, effective and integrated transport system which provides genuine choice and delivers a safe, accessible and expanding Scottish rail system as an integral part of the GB rail network." After debate, the amendment was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 78, Against 31, Abstentions 0). The motion as amended was then agreed to ((DT) by division: For 79, Against 31, Abstentions 0). Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament notes the progress being made by the Scottish Executive to build a sustainable, effective and integrated transport system which provides genuine choice and delivers a safe, accessible and expanding Scottish rail system as an integral part of the GB rail network . 2. Health and Community Care: Nicola Sturgeon moved S1M-1453—That the Parliament is concerned that there are 3,000 fewer beds in the NHS than in 1997 and a further 3,000 beds occupied by patients ready for discharge; is further concerned that there are 900 fewer nurses than in 1996 and that hospital waiting lists have increased by 15% since September 1999; believes that the policies of the Scottish Executive to date have not adequately addressed these issues; notes the imminent publication of the Scottish Health Plan and calls on the Scottish Executive to include in that Plan practical and adequately funded proposals that will ease the pressure on hard pressed NHS staff and deliver real improvements to the quality of care provided to patients in Scotland. The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care moved amendment S1M-1453.1 to motion S1M-1453— Leave out from "is concerned" to end and insert— "notes the fact that the NHS in Scotland is treating more patients than ever before and welcomes the fact that funding for the NHS in Scotland is being increased by record amounts over the period 2000-04, and looks forward to further modernisation and change in the interests of patients." After debate, the amendment was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 63, Against 47, Abstentions 0). Mary Scanlon moved amendment S1M-1453.2 to motion S1M-1453— Insert at end— "and further notes the Royal Commission on Long Term Care’s recommendation on free personal care and calls upon the Scottish Executive to unequivocally commit itself to this recommendation and come forward with a firm date for its implementation." After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 47, Against 62, Abstentions 0). The motion as amended was then agreed to ((DT) by division: For 63, Against 18, Abstentions 29). Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament notes the fact that the NHS in Scotland is treating more patients than ever before and welcomes the fact that funding for the NHS in Scotland is being increased by record amounts over the period 2000-04, and looks forward to further modernisation and change in the interests of patients. 3. Ministerial Statement: The Minister for Health and Community Care made a statement on the health plan. 4. Business Motion: Mr Tavish Scott, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S1M-1466—That the Parliament agrees (a) the following revision to the Business Motion agreed on 7 December 2000— Thursday 14 December 2000 after the "Debate on Committee Restructuring", replace "followed by Executive Debate on Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill – UK Legislation" with "followed by Debate on the Draft Undertaking by the Scottish Ministers under section 2(1) of the Highlands and Islands Shipping Services Act 1960" (b) the following programme of business— Wednesday 20 December 2000 9.30 am Time for Reflection followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions followed by Stage 3 Debate on the Transport (Scotland) Bill 2.30 pm Continuation of Stage 3 Debate on the Transport (Scotland) Bill followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions 5.00 pm Decision Time followed by Members' Business - debate on the subject of S1M-1389 Cathy Jamieson: Home and Community Safety (c) that the Local Government Committee reports to the Transport and the Environment Committee by 12 January 2001 on the Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes (Scotland) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/430); (d) that Stage 1 of the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill be completed by 31 January 2001; and (e) that Stage 1 of the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Bill be completed by 18 January 2001. The motion was agreed to. 5. Question Time: Questions were answered by the First Minister and other Ministers and junior Scottish Ministers. 6. Committee Restructuring: Mr Tom McCabe, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S1M-1462—That the Parliament agrees that resolution of the Parliament S1M-37, agreed on 8 June 1999, shall be amended with effect from 8 January 2001 as follows— Name of Committee: European Remit: Unchanged Maximum number of members: 9 Name of Committee: Equal Opportunities Remit: Unchanged Maximum number of members: 9 Name of Committee: Finance Remit: Unchanged Maximum number of members: 7 Name of Committee: Audit Remit: Unchanged Maximum number of members: 7 Name of Committee: Health and Community Care Remit: Unchanged Maximum number of members: 9 Name of Committee: Justice and Home Affairs be renamed Justice I Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to the administration of civil and criminal justice, the reform of the civil and criminal law and such other matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Justice Maximum number of members: 7 Name of Committee: New Committee to be established and named Justice II Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to the administration of civil and criminal justice, the reform of the civil and criminal law and such other matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Justice Maximum number of members: 7 Name of Committee: Education, Culture and Sport Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to school and pre-school education which fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs; and on matters relating to the arts, culture and sport which fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture Maximum number of members: 7 Name of Committee: Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector be renamed Social Justice Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to housing and the voluntary sector and such other related matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Social Justice Maximum number of members: 7 Name of Committee: Transport and the Environment Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to transport which fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Transport; and matters relating to environment and natural heritage which fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture Maximum number of members: 9 Name of Committee: Rural Affairs to be renamed Rural Development Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to rural development, agriculture and fisheries and such other related matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Rural Development Maximum number of members: 11 Name of Committee: Local Government Remit: to consider and report on matters relating to local government and which fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Finance and Local Government Maximum number of members: 7 and calls upon the Procedures Committee to bring forward amendments to the standing orders to allow substitutes with voting rights to be nominated for each of the Committees. After debate, the motion was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 75, Against 34, Abstentions 1). 7. Approval of draft Undertaking: The Minister for Transport moved S1M-1467—That the Parliament approves the draft Undertaking by the Scottish Ministers under section 2(1) of the Highlands and Islands Shipping Services Act 1960. After debate, the motion was agreed to (DT). 8. Approval of SSIs: Mr Tavish Scott, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S1M-1458: Approval of SSIs—That the Parliament agrees that the following instruments be approved— the draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2000; the draft Education (National Priorities) (Scotland) Order 2000; the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) (West Coast) (No.5) (Scotland) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/409); the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) (West Coast) (No.6) (Scotland) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/428); and the draft Advice and Assistance (Assistance by Way of Representation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2001. After debate, the motion was agreed to (DT) by division: For 87, Against 16, Abstentions 3). 9. Designation of Lead Committee: Mr Tavish Scott, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S1M-1459—That the Parliament agrees the following designation of Lead Committee— the Transport and Environment Committee to consider the Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes (Scotland) Order 2000 (SSI 2000/430) The motion was agreed to (DT). 10. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on items 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 and 9 as noted above. 11. Shinty: The Parliament debated S1M-808 in the name of Fergus Ewing—That the Parliament recognises the importance of shinty as Scotland’s indigenous sport; notes that, whilst it is especially popular in the Highlands, it is played throughout Scotland; acknowledges that it makes a significant contribution to Scotland in terms of social inclusion, citizenship, healthy living, community development, volunteering and economic development; welcomes the comprehensive presentation made by the Camanachd Association to MSPs on 3 May 2000, and supports the Association’s case for enhanced funding from sportscotland. The meeting closed at 5.47 pm. P E Grice Clerk of the Parliament 13 December 2000 This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Document source: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/chamber/mop-00/mop-12-14.htm Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Wordprocessed Year of composition: 2000 Word count: 1747 General description: Chamber Minutes. See http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/chamber/journalMinutes/Minutes.htm Text medium Web (webpages, discussion boards, newsgroups, chat rooms): Text publication details Published: Publisher: Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Publication year: 2000 Place of publication: www.scottish.parliament.uk Text setting Government/politics: Text type Written record of speech (e.g. hansard, legal proceedings, minutes of meetings): Author Author details Author id: 908 Surname: Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body