Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 October 2013
02 Oct 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Cost of Living
In my final minute, I want to make it clear that we very much need the ability to ensure that decisions affecting the day-to-day lives and living standards of people in Scotland—decisions around tax and welfare—are taken here in Scotland by the people of Scotland. With those powers—the powers of an independent nation—we can put an end to welfare cuts and abolish the bedroom tax; we can protect household incomes and maintain the social wage; we can build a taxation and welfare system that is a progressive beacon; and we can end the generations of shame that have been caused by child poverty and which have existed under the Labour union as well as the Tory union. More than ever, what we need are the full powers of an independent nation.
I move amendment S4M-07872.3, to leave out from “and believes,” to end and insert:
“welcomes the action taken by the Scottish Government to support household incomes including the council tax freeze, the maintenance of free bus travel for older people, the extension of free nursery provision, the introduction of free personal care for older people, free university tuition and abolition of bridge tolls, and believes that, with independence, including control of taxation and welfare, Scotland can be a beacon of progressive action to tackle poverty and maintain household incomes.”
I move amendment S4M-07872.3, to leave out from “and believes,” to end and insert:
“welcomes the action taken by the Scottish Government to support household incomes including the council tax freeze, the maintenance of free bus travel for older people, the extension of free nursery provision, the introduction of free personal care for older people, free university tuition and abolition of bridge tolls, and believes that, with independence, including control of taxation and welfare, Scotland can be a beacon of progressive action to tackle poverty and maintain household incomes.”
References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-07872, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on the cost of living.14:55
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
There can be no doubt in anyone’s mind that times are tough, but times are much, much tougher for some people than they are for others. I am not often given ...
Gavin Brown (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Will the member give way?
Jackie Baillie
Lab
No. We have heard enough from you. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
A simple “No, thank you” would suffice, Ms Baillie.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Thank you, Presiding Officer.The last time I looked, it was millionaires and bankers who had the broadest shoulders, but members should not kid themselves th...
John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Does Jackie Baillie agree that if the national minimum wage had been introduced at the rate of £5 per hour, which unions asked for at the time, we would not ...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
That was an interesting intervention from John Wilson. Aside from the fact that Labour ensured that the minimum wage was uprated adequately, I recall that th...
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
I appreciate what the member says and believe that she and I would be in agreement on a lot of things. However, how does she square that circle with her desi...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
That is just ridiculous. If we examine the SNP’s record, we can see that it is the SNP that is taking money away from low-income families by not targeting th...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Will the member give way?
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I have not got time.I campaigned for a Scottish Parliament because I realised the Parliament’s potential to help people at times such as this. Just as the la...
Gavin Brown
Con
Will the member give way?
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I genuinely do not have enough time.What about food banks? The Trussell Trust reported in April this year that the number of people in Scotland using food ba...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Order.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
It is depressing the SNP chooses to play constitutional politics instead of thinking about the real issues affecting people in Scotland. I have already said ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I am afraid that members will have to keep to their time limits, as the debate is oversubscribed.15:09
The Minister for Youth Employment (Angela Constance)
SNP
I very much welcome the debate, which gives the Parliament an important opportunity to continue to make its distinctive voice heard on such vital matters.I b...
Drew Smith (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Angela Constance
SNP
In a minute.The bus pass for Scotland’s older citizens saves cardholders around £250 a year and the scrapping of bridge tolls saves a regular commuter £233 a...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister give way?
Angela Constance
SNP
In a moment.Nursery care is being expanded, which will save families £707 per child per year.
Drew Smith
Lab
I am grateful to the minister for coming back to me.There is something that I would like the minister to help me with. I thought that the position of the Sco...
Angela Constance
SNP
Unlike David Cameron, I believe in a Scotland in which those with the broadest shoulders bear the biggest burden, but to allow that to happen we need to have...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Will the minister give way?
Angela Constance
SNP
In a moment. As John Swinney has made clear, this Government will not walk by on the other side.I give way briefly to Jackie Baillie.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I will indeed be brief. Does the minister support Ed Miliband’s energy price freeze?
Angela Constance
SNP
I think that Ed Miliband’s energy price freeze is very well intended. It is a scandal that in a resource-rich country such as Scotland we have fuel poverty. ...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
But does the minister support the principle?
Angela Constance
SNP
I want to see the details. However, I have to say that I would have had more confidence in Ed Miliband had I not looked at his record in government as energy...