Parliament Live from Holyrood – 20/11/2019
Parliament Live from Holyrood with Labour Party debates on Universal Credit and Investing in Scotland
1:30pm Ministerial Statement – 30th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Ministerial Statement – Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Ward Closures
Portfolio Questions – Culture, Tourism and External Affairs
John Mason S5O-03773
1. To ask the Scottish Government how minority groups within Pakistan are being helped as part of Scotland’s Pakistan Development Programme.
Emma Harper S5O-03774
2. To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland could allow people whose immigration status is being challenged through a tribunal or court to continue to work, study or volunteer.
Liam McArthur S5O-03775
3. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Destination Orkney and Orkney Islands Council about the future needs of the tourism sector.
Alex Rowley S5O-03776
4. To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact on tourism of public toilet closures.
Annabelle Ewing S5O-03777
5. To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes tourism in the Cowdenbeath constituency.
Rhoda Grant S5O-03778
6. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to protect heritage sites in the Highlands and Islands.
Ruth Maguire S5O-03779
7. To ask the Scottish Government how it uses international engagement to help increase understanding of human rights worldwide.
Rachael Hamilton S5O-03780
8. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to National Galleries Scotland’s decision to end sponsorship from BP.
Portfolio Questions – Education and Skills
Angus MacDonald S5O-03781
1. To ask the Scottish Government for what reason complaints regarding The Open University, which is registered as both a charity and a university, cannot be referred to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
Stewart Stevenson S5O-03782
2. To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it undertakes with major employers to ensure that STEM courses are relevant and appropriate to the needs of commerce and industry.
Jackie Baillie S5O-03783
3. To ask the Scottish Government to what extent its attempts to widen access to university have been effective.
Stuart McMillan S5O-03784
4. To ask the Scottish Government how it is preparing young people for entering the workforce.
Kenneth Gibson S5O-03785
5. To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs will be created in North Ayrshire through the expansion of early years learning and childcare.
Claire Baker S5O-03786
6. To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the cost to families of children attending school and participating in school-related activities.
Jenny Marra S5O-03787
7. To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been carried out regarding the impact of multi-level teaching in secondary schools.
Edward Mountain S5O-03788
8. To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in the Highlands and Islands are being considered as part of the next phase of its Learning Estate Investment Programme.
Scottish Labour Party Debate – Universal Credit
Richard Leonard S5M-19939 – Universal Credit
That the Parliament agrees that universal credit, the two-child limit and the benefits cap should be scrapped in Scotland and across the UK.
Shirley-Anne Somerville S5M-19939.3 – Universal Credit
As an amendment to motion S5M-19939 in the name of Richard Leonard (Universal Credit), insert at end “, alongside the abhorrent ‘rape clause’, the benefit sanctions regime and the ‘bedroom tax’; notes estimates that UK Government social security spending will reduce by £3.7 billion by next year, and believes that an independent Scotland with full powers over social security can ensure that Scotland has a social security system that is built with the people of Scotland to meet their needs.”
Michelle Ballantyne S5M-19939.2 – Universal Credit
As an amendment to motion S5M-19939 in the name of Richard Leonard (Universal Credit), leave out from “agrees” to end and insert “supports the principles of universal credit and is committed to the programme and all universal credit claimants; welcomes the announcement that the benefit freeze will be lifted in April 2020, and recognises that the UK Government has been positively reforming universal credit to further support claimants, and notes the removal of the extension of the two-child limit on universal credit for children born before April 2017, the increased work allowances and the reduction to the taper rate, which have helped families and individuals to keep more of the money they earn.”
Scottish Labour Party Debate – Investing in Scotland
Monica Lennon S5M-19940 – Investing in Scotland
That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government is not fulfilling its promise to the people of Scotland on the legal right to treatment within 12 weeks; considers that current NHS waiting times are too long and that the impact on patients is unacceptable; thanks NHS staff for their dedication and hard work and is concerned about the increasing pressures on the workforce due to a lack of adequate workforce planning and investment; agrees that there has been a lack of focus on reducing health inequalities, and believes that the future sustainability of the NHS is reliant on more investment, better long-term planning and a transformational delivery of health and social care that is fit for the 21st century.
Miles Briggs S5M-19940.1 – Investing in Scotland
As an amendment to motion S5M-19940 in the name of Monica Lennon (Investing in Scotland), insert at end “; recognises the workforce crisis within NHS Scotland; notes the recent report from the Cross-Party Group on Cancer, which highlighted staff shortages as a reason for progress on treating cancer stalling; believes that Scotland’s GPs are at the forefront of the NHS; calls on general practice to receive 11% of the overall Scottish NHS budget, and further calls for a long-term workforce plan to be developed for the health service in Scotland.”
Jeane Freeman S5M-19940.2 – Investing in Scotland
As an amendment to motion S5M-19940 in the name of Monica Lennon (Investing in Scotland), leave out from first “believes” to end and insert “thanks NHS staff for their dedication and hard work as they care for the people of Scotland; welcomes the work being taken forward by the Ministerial working group to further promote and encourage a positive and caring workplace culture; believes that sustained investment through plans for waiting times improvements can support boards to better deliver for their patients; further believes that such investment, reform and planning is necessary as too many patients are waiting too long for treatment; understands that, in 2019-20, NHS Scotland will be £758 million better off because it has received better than real-terms increases since the beginning of the current parliamentary session; calls for the incoming UK Government to pass, as a matter of urgency, NHS protection legislation to absolutely exempt the NHS from any future trade deals, and to provide a veto over such deals to the devolved legislatures; notes that any form of Brexit could have a potentially devastating impact on health and care services; considers that Brexit will damage the economy and the ability to attract specialist staff for years to come, undermining the sustainability of the health service; notes that a focus on addressing health inequalities and prevention of ill health is essential for the long-term wellbeing of the people of Scotland, and believes that the future sustainability of the NHS is reliant on more investment, including in communities, better long-term planning and working with partners in local government for a greater pace of transformational delivery of health and social care that is fit for the 21st century.”
5:30pm Decision Time