Chamber
Plenary, 01 Jun 2005
01 Jun 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Transport (Scotland) Act 2001
My committee colleague Paul Martin pointed out this afternoon that Mr Michael Martin and I are single-party House of Commons representatives from Scotland. Together, and with our other colleagues, we will represent Scotland well in that chamber.
I was particularly pleased that the committee was willing to visit Stranraer to engage with the communities and various people who fed into the report. However, people must see that their participation in the inquiry and the general public participation in which the Parliament has engaged have some meaningful effect. One of my greatest disappointments as an MSP was to see what happened to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee's report on its inquiry into lifelong learning on which I and others, including Mr McNulty, spent more than a year. Although an enormous amount of time was invested in that inquiry and an enormous number of people contributed to it, little or nothing flowed from it. If the public see that their participation is having no effect, they will simply not engage in such work.
As a member for the South of Scotland, I felt that the most pertinent issues in the inquiry related to the funding of rural bus services. As a result, I would like to hear the minister repeat his reassurances with regard to Dumfries and Galloway Council's concerns that changes to funding, particularly in relation to the national concessionary scheme, will lead to a reduction in services in those communities. There is no point in having a concessionary scheme that allows people to travel for free if there are no buses in their locality for them to travel on. The report also highlighted the lack of bus operators in rural areas to offer alternatives to Stagecoach or FirstBus. We must not only take forward those important issues, but take account of Brian Souter's response to the questions on new and fresh ideas for rural transport that I asked at the committee's meeting in Glasgow. He said:
"It is absolutely not the answer to have a big bus trailing around with three people in it."—[Official Report, Local Government and Transport Committee, 28 September 2004; c 1132.]
I pay tribute to the committee clerks for their support in preparing the report. If you will indulge me slightly, Presiding Officer, I want to reaffirm the comment that I made in my letter of resignation: it is with genuine sadness that I leave the many friends and colleagues in the Parliament with whom I have worked over the past six years.
I was particularly pleased that the committee was willing to visit Stranraer to engage with the communities and various people who fed into the report. However, people must see that their participation in the inquiry and the general public participation in which the Parliament has engaged have some meaningful effect. One of my greatest disappointments as an MSP was to see what happened to the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee's report on its inquiry into lifelong learning on which I and others, including Mr McNulty, spent more than a year. Although an enormous amount of time was invested in that inquiry and an enormous number of people contributed to it, little or nothing flowed from it. If the public see that their participation is having no effect, they will simply not engage in such work.
As a member for the South of Scotland, I felt that the most pertinent issues in the inquiry related to the funding of rural bus services. As a result, I would like to hear the minister repeat his reassurances with regard to Dumfries and Galloway Council's concerns that changes to funding, particularly in relation to the national concessionary scheme, will lead to a reduction in services in those communities. There is no point in having a concessionary scheme that allows people to travel for free if there are no buses in their locality for them to travel on. The report also highlighted the lack of bus operators in rural areas to offer alternatives to Stagecoach or FirstBus. We must not only take forward those important issues, but take account of Brian Souter's response to the questions on new and fresh ideas for rural transport that I asked at the committee's meeting in Glasgow. He said:
"It is absolutely not the answer to have a big bus trailing around with three people in it."—[Official Report, Local Government and Transport Committee, 28 September 2004; c 1132.]
I pay tribute to the committee clerks for their support in preparing the report. If you will indulge me slightly, Presiding Officer, I want to reaffirm the comment that I made in my letter of resignation: it is with genuine sadness that I leave the many friends and colleagues in the Parliament with whom I have worked over the past six years.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-2854, in the name of Bristow Muldoon, on behalf of the Local Government and Transport Committee, on its i...
Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab):
Lab
In deciding on the Local Government and Transport Committee's work programme, members believed that it would be useful to undertake post-legislative scrutiny...
Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab):
Lab
I want to pick up on that point. I have travelled around the country and it strikes me that much of the soft passenger information is much better and that, a...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
I agree entirely. Ensuring that bus passengers and people who are not currently bus users have access to accurate information about timetables and real-time ...
That the Parliament notes the recommendations contained in the Local Government and Transport Committee’s 4th Report 2005 (Session 2):
Inquiry into issues arising from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 (SP Paper 316).
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I was not a member of the Local Government and Transport Committee when it began its deliberations; I came in at the end. I convey the apologies of Bruce Cra...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
They are on the bus.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Brian Adam reliably informs me that they are on the bus.It is clear that quality contracts and quality partnerships are a solution that, when examined closel...
David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
This is the last time that I will speak in this Parliament, at least for a while, and I am very pleased to speak in this particular debate. For me, there is ...
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member give way?
David Mundell:
Con
I will indeed.
Des McNulty:
Lab
Given that so many of his colleagues are in the chamber to hear him, I am sure that David Mundell's maiden speech as the shadow Scottish secretary cannot be ...
David Mundell:
Con
My committee colleague Paul Martin pointed out this afternoon that Mr Michael Martin and I are single-party House of Commons representatives from Scotland. T...
Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab):
Lab
I put on record my appreciation for the convener of the Local Government and Transport Committee, Bristow Muldoon, for his indulgence during the inquiry. Non...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
We move to the open debate. I want to call as many back benchers as I can, so I ask for four-minute speeches.
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I tender my apologies for the discourtesy of not being in the chamber for the opening speeches. Regrettably, and as is often the case, my media interview did...
Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate, which is important, not least because it is David Mundell's last debate in this Parliament. He has cherry p...
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
Sometimes we in the chamber congratulate ourselves on passing legislation, and we are right to do so. However, occasionally we should take a look at what has...
John Scott (Ayr) (Con):
Con
I am well aware that the fact that I was not a member of the Local Government and Transport Committee that compiled the report puts me at something of a disa...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
Will the member give way?
John Scott:
Con
I will do so in a moment.The Parliament should also note the National Federation of Bus Users written submission, which states:"the interest of bus users has...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
If the policies that have been pursued by the Executive and by the Labour Government since 1997 have been so wrong, why has bus patronage been rising consist...
John Scott:
Con
The change is due to the voluntary arrangements that have been put in place. It is certainly nothing to do with the quality partnerships or quality contracts...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
Much of what I will say concerns those areas of Scotland in which support from local authorities and from the new regional transport partnerships will be nec...
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
We hear a lot in the chamber about rail, but it is bus travel that is most important to Scots on a daily basis. Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders—an area...
Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab):
Lab
I am grateful to members of the Local Government and Transport Committee for their work on the report. I am even more grateful to Sarah Boyack, who was the m...
Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD):
LD
I am still slightly confused about where those 158 stations in the Highlands are. Perhaps I will have a look at my map later and find them. I am pleased that...
Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab):
Lab
As Des McNulty said, the importance of the report is that it attempts to monitor the implementation of previous legislation. When the other Deputy Presiding ...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I agree with other members of the committee who worked on the report that the clerks, parliamentary staff and those who gave evidence contributed in importan...
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
Will the member give way?