Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 September 2011
15 Sep 2011 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Waste Management
We move to the open debate. I remind members that they have a very tight four minutes.
09:39
09:39
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-00853, in the name of Michael McMahon, on waste management. In the light of the possibilit...
Michael McMahon (Uddingston and Bellshill) (Lab)
Lab
Although, as all colleagues did, I came into politics to make life better for those whom I represent, I confess that—unlike for a good number of fellow membe...
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Perhaps Michael McMahon did not read the full question and answer exchange with Mr Mather when he was minister. We were talking about a particular plant in m...
Michael McMahon
Lab
A plant of 1 million tonnes might be of a different scale from the ones that we are talking about, but people on the Government side of the chamber campaigne...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Perhaps the member will acknowledge another example in my constituency, where an application for an incinerator handling 300,000 tonnes a year—well over twic...
Michael McMahon
Lab
I agree, because that is the level at which Jim Mather said incinerators would be unacceptable. However, they are being approved by this Government against t...
The Minister for Local Government and Planning (Aileen Campbell)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Michael McMahon
Lab
Right on cue.
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Does the member not recognise the role of local authorities in that case? That decision was rightly up to South Lanarkshire Council and it made its decision.
Michael McMahon
Lab
The minister has clearly not been listening and makes the point for me. The minister passes the buck to local authorities for issues that ultimately rest wit...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
It is part of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 that local decisions would be made locally.
Michael McMahon
Lab
The minister makes the point for me. We have asked her to review the guidance and the planning laws. She refuses to do that but continually campaigns and cla...
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate this important topic and thank Michael McMahon and his colleagues for giving Parliament this opportunity.I listened caref...
Michael McMahon
Lab
I make it clear that we are not asking for the scrapping of planning system. I said that I concur with Christina McKelvie in asking for a review to ensure th...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
The debate addresses some of the challenges that our society faces on the road to zero waste Scotland—a destination that we all, I am pleased to say, appear ...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for taking an intervention. I do not think that anyone disputes the fact that there will be residual waste. The problem is that faciliti...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
I have an element of sympathy with the member’s comments. That is why more infrastructure needs to be built in Scotland.I am acutely aware of the strong emot...
Stewart Maxwell
SNP
On a very specific point, my understanding is that the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 provides that there should be a fit and proper person test for anybod...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
The member raises an interesting point. Of course, the Electricity Act 1989 is reserved to the United Kingdom Government, although elements of it are devolve...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member give way?
Richard Lochhead
SNP
I apologise, but I have taken three interventions already.I have no desire to see such levels of incineration in Scotland. That is why we have set some of th...
Elaine Smith
Lab
Will the member give way?
Richard Lochhead
SNP
I am sorry, I have taken three interventions already. I will take the member’s intervention in my closing speech.At each stage of the planning process, wheth...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
This is a timely debate, for there is little doubt that waste management is contentious, complicated and emotive—almost always because communities do not con...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Margaret Mitchell
Con
I am in my last seconds.Finally, the Scottish Government must consider the reform of subsidies for renewable energy operators in an effort to discourage spec...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
We move to the open debate. I remind members that they have a very tight four minutes.09:39
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab)
Lab
The debate is vital, because how we deal with our waste will have consequences for our planet for generations to come. People recognise that. Masses of peopl...
Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I know that the Labour Party does not oppose energy from waste per se, and I give it credit for that. I know that because when Aberdeen City Council—I declar...
Siobhan McMahon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The Scottish Government’s zero waste plan was intended to lead to waste disposal being regulated in“a better, more consistent way”,and to help clarify the ex...