Hansard

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Chamber

15 Jan 2009

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Gaza

I have been proud of Scotland's response to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza as we have lived up to the country's reputation as a caring and compassionate nation. However, the depth of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza means that the aid operation in the region will be lengthy....

1. Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

15 Jan 2009

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Gaza

To ask the Scottish Government when it last had discussions with representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the situation in Gaza and any implications for the Scottish Government's international development policy. (S3O-5524)

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

13 Jan 2009

New Petitions

Parents and teachers can play a major role. When a child leaves in the morning and the parents take them to the car or bus or whatever, they should remind the child to be careful and to take extra care when they cross the road or leave the bus. That kind of reminder will stay ...

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

08 Jan 2009

Gaza (Humanitarian Disaster)

I thank the Scottish Government for lodging the motion.Since 27 December, we have witnessed an assault on Gaza that is unlike anything before. The numbers involved are truly horrific. Almost 700 Palestinians are dead and more than 3,000 people, including many women and childre...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Chamber

18 Dec 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Institute of Asian Professionals (Meetings)

I know that the cabinet secretary values the significant contribution of the Asian business sector. As he is aware, Asian businesses have their own specific needs, which are affected by the current economic downturn. What can be done to use existing business support to assist ...

3. Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

18 Dec 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Institute of Asian Professionals (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives from the Institute of Asian Professionals to discuss the current economic climate. (S3O-5324)

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

18 Dec 2008

Dignity for Palestinians

I congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing this important debate. I also congratulate her, Sandra White and Hugh O'Donnell on completing their recent voyage to Gaza. We are all pleased to have them back safe and sound.Last weekend, I read in one of our national newspapers a de...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

16 Dec 2008

Current Petitions

Why is St Margaret's hospice not paid as much as other hospices?

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

16 Dec 2008

New Petitions

Members are divided on whether we should be considering the petition. The committee should consider petitions on issues that affect the general public at the moment, but this petition is about what will happen in the future.

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

04 Dec 2008

Forced Marriages

I welcome today's debate on an extremely serious and important issue. The term "forced marriages" is used a lot by the media, politicians and community organisations, but I am often surprised to discover how many people still do not know the difference between an arranged marr...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

02 Dec 2008

New Petitions

Buses can often be big things, so if minibuses were run frequently, that could help the problem.

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

02 Dec 2008

New Petitions

I have heard for a number of years that without money you cannot do much. However, at the same time, money is not everything. To take the nation forward, we should make people willing to take part wherever they can do so. My way of thinking might be different, because I was br...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Chamber

27 Nov 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Strathclyde Police (Meetings)

Will the cabinet secretary join me in welcoming the formation of the Strathclyde Police Muslim association, which is Scotland's first-ever Muslim police association? Does he agree that the organisation, due to be launched next week, will be important to further build up trust ...

2. Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

27 Nov 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Strathclyde Police (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of Strathclyde Police. (S3O-5008)

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

19 Nov 2008

Identity Cards

I am delighted that the Scottish Parliament is debating ID cards. Even though we do not have direct control over the matter, it will eventually affect all of us who live in Scotland, so it is only correct that we, as the people's Parliament, have a say on this important issue ...

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

18 Nov 2008

Current Petitions

No.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Chamber

06 Nov 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Meetings)

Last week, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde decided against removing health visitors from local general practitioner practices. Does the cabinet secretary welcome the health board's announcement, and does she agree that the original proposal was ill-advised? How will the future r...

7. Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

06 Nov 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing last met officials of the board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. (S3O-4730)

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

07 Oct 2008

New Petitions

Thank you for letting me in again, convener. It is not a question of interfering, but a question of sympathy and of solving the problem that we all face. That problem should be solved.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

07 Oct 2008

New Petitions

The problem of Kashmir is more than 50 years old. I come from an area that is not far from Kashmir and have watched what is happening in India and Pakistan with regard to this disputed area. There were conflicts in 1947, 1948 and 1949, and there was a small war in 1965. That w...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

07 Oct 2008

New Petitions

I took the A92 when I went from Dunfermline to Glenrothes. I count myself as a good and experienced driver, but when I reached the part that we are talking about, where the road goes from dual to single carriageway, I was really confused. That bit of the road should be well do...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

07 Oct 2008

New Petitions

As I said, I did not mean to criticise. Money spent on creating a better park is money that is well spent, but we needed to spend that money on other things, such as preventing those buildings from collapsing. Something could have been done for the people living in the area su...

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

07 Oct 2008

New Petitions

Although I am not from Govanhill, I come from not far away and I know quite a few things about the area. It needs to end up with more money—it is true that we cannot do anything without money—but money is tight. That is one point.Another point is that the money that has been s...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Chamber

11 Sep 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Glen Oaks Housing Association (Meetings)

I thank the minister for that response. He will be aware of the deadlock between Glen Oaks Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, which has not been forthcoming with the money that is desperately needed for regeneration in Arden. How can he assist in that matter so that...

3. Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

11 Sep 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Glen Oaks Housing Association (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met officials from Glen Oaks Housing Association. (S3O-4127)

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

10 Sep 2008

Indian Chefs

I congratulate my colleague Brian Adam on securing this most important debate. It is no secret that I used to own an Indian restaurant in the 1970s. I take great pride in the fact that it was the first curry restaurant in the Rutherglen area. Even back in those days, when immi...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

Current Petitions

Can we make sure that we are not eating the meat of animals that died before they were properly slaughtered?

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

Current Petitions

A human being should come first, then an animal—if at all. If a human being is given—

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

Current Petitions

Nowadays, new methods are being used to get chickens to grow. I know that most of the chickens that are slaughtered never see daylight. They are kept in the dark and given special food that makes their meat grow quickly. Most of, if not all, the chickens that we get in the sho...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

Current Petitions

I agree.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

Current Petitions

How many houses are involved in compulsory purchase?

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

New Petitions

Education, education, education—that was the motto of the previous Government, wanting to educate the nation. When a student has needs for their education, our Government should do its best to provide whatever that person needs, so that they can get the education that they want.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

New Petitions

We read about the knife problem among youngsters almost every day. Most of the young people concerned are taking drink, which is so cheap and so easy to get. To me, drink is the main cause of the problem. Drink should be available to buy only after the age of 21. By providing ...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

New Petitions

Yes. You are talking about hard punishment.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

New Petitions

That is very true. It is a very difficult situation. If three generations of junkies are living in a house, and one is sentenced, that is no punishment. We are giving them a comfortable life in jail.

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

09 Sep 2008

New Petitions

What would you say to the criminals who murdered your son, and to other people who are trying to do the same to others? What would you like us to do about them?

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

10 Jun 2008

New Petitions

As my colleague Nigel Don said, Aberdeen City Council has been overspending. The time has come to rectify previous mistakes. Kevin McCahery mentioned that people were willing to subsidise themselves if they could get a little help. People are willing to move forward together, ...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

10 Jun 2008

New Petitions

My hiccups are better. My question relates to the growth in Aberdeen's population. Have you received more asylum seekers and refugees recently?

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

10 Jun 2008

New Petitions

So you assumed that there would be no chance of getting a reply from the First Minister or the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

10 Jun 2008

New Petitions

Have you written to them again this year to remind them about that?

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

10 Jun 2008

New Petitions

I am suffering from continuous hiccups, which have been terrible for the past four or five days. I apologise.You mentioned that you wrote to the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in 2007.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

27 May 2008

New Petitions

Angela Constance is the mother of a new-born baby. The mother can tell what love there is for the child. As men, we cannot really tell how much love there is. We should leave it to the mother rather than to the man.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

27 May 2008

New Petitions

The situation has been going on since 1948; that is a very long time. I do not know how and when it will end, but we should do our best to get the problem settled. I am in favour of doing whatever we can to settle it. It has been going on for 60 years or so, which is far too l...

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

27 May 2008

New Petitions

When I became a councillor in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow in 2003, there were a lot of demands on me to get CCTV cameras into the area. I have been living in that area for a number of years and I know that the people living there are good people but there are some troubl...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Chamber

15 May 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Inward Investment

In an era in which world markets are tumbling, economies in the middle east are still going strong. One reason for that, which is often overlooked, is the Islamic finance model, which supports many middle eastern economies.Islamic finance brings more than £1 billion to the Lon...

4. Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

15 May 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Inward Investment

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the amount of foreign inward investment to Scotland. (S3O-3279)

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

13 May 2008

Current Petitions

The previous train service was stopped, because diesel cars and buses were preferred. These days, it is clear that diesel is not good for the public because of pollution. Rail services were suitable in the past, and they are still suitable now. I support the proposal in the pe...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

13 May 2008

New Petitions

I see no reason not to support the petition. As I said earlier, Scotland is not known to the rest of the world. The domain name ".sco" would help to raise Scotland's profile in the world.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

13 May 2008

New Petitions

I fully support dotSCO's proposal. For one thing, the name is easy for me to pronounce. Secondly, Scotland is not a well-known country in the world. Indeed, when I lived in the place that I left behind, I did not know that Scotland was on the map. The real priority for me and ...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

13 May 2008

New Petitions

I, too, would like the Home Office to provide us in Scotland with that information. The petitioner is a good, able person, but she is not getting the chance to stay in Scotland to work, which is shameful for us.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

13 May 2008

New Petitions

Convener, can we put the case to the Scottish Government, asking whether it can do anything with the Home Office?

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

13 May 2008

New Petitions

You blame the Home Office. Have you submitted a written complaint to the Home Office?

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Chamber

24 Apr 2008

International Education

When I came to this country more than four decades ago, I came with minimal education. At that time, the important thing was not education but financial security for loved ones back home. Times have changed, and today, the importance of education is recognised. At the moment, ...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

Hospital car parks are being misused. As one of the witnesses made clear, if there are no charges, the car parks will simply fill up before the first patient turns up. The fact is that the management of the car parks is not working properly; if it were, we would not have this ...

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

I see that £3 per day is the cost for a full day's parking at hospitals in Glasgow. What is the minimum?

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

I am getting old, too, you know.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

Yes.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

So there will be three different ways of dealing with the three different petitions.

Bashir Ahmad: SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

So we are dealing with all three in one go.

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP Committee

15 Apr 2008

Current Petitions

Why have the petitions been grouped together? Surely they are different. Petition PE909 is about dropping kerbs; it is nothing to do with disabled parking bays.