Hansard

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

22 Mar 2011

First Minister’s Question Time · First-time Home Buyers

Does the First Minister agree that getting on to the housing ladder would be considerably easier had Labour ensured a proper supply across all tenures during its time in office? The Scottish people will examine the SNP Government’s record on housing, as well as that of the pre...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Chamber

22 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · Public Sector Employment (Compulsory Redundancy)

That is indeed welcome news for many people. There are 34 Glasgow City Council workers who are being transferred under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations against their will as a result of the awarding of the United Kingdom Border Agency asylum ...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

22 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · Public Sector Employment (Compulsory Redundancy)

2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it is committed to a policy of no compulsory redundancies across the public sector. (S3O-13458)

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

22 Mar 2011

Forced Marriage etc (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Bill

This will be my final speech as an MSP. I have decided to set myself a challenge. Instead of having the speech written out in front of me in 16-point bold, with double spacing, I have a few notes. I am beginning to regret that, because I am not sure in what order the notes are...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

17 Mar 2011

Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Bill

Sometimes it might seem to people as if we in this Parliament are navel gazing or talking only to ourselves, but nothing could be further from the truth. This bill is an example of that. We have consulted widely and have received a tremendous response from tenants and landlord...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

17 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · Change Fund

The change fund is extremely welcome and will help us to develop our health and care provision. I know that the minister is well aware of the importance of carers and small-scale carer organisations to the provision of many of our care services, but when it comes to ensuring t...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Chamber

17 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · St Patrick’s Day

The minister will be aware of the St Andrew’s day campaign committee, which is calling for St Andrew’s day to be a full national public holiday. Perhaps she will support the call.Will the minister comment on recent remarks in the Parliament about Ireland’s current economic sit...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

17 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · St Patrick’s Day

5. To ask the Scottish Government whether Scotland can learn from the way in which Irish culture, history and achievements are promoted and celebrated world wide on St Patrick’s day. (S3O-13318)

Anne McLaughlin SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · Middle East and Africa (Support)

Will the minister join me in condemning Robert Mugabe’s repressive regime in Zimbabwe, which arrested, detained and abused 45 people simply for watching and discussing the Egyptian revolution? Six of them remain in jail charged with treason and facing the death penalty. Some o...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · Middle East and Africa (Support)

6. To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to people in those areas of the middle east and Africa that are experiencing civil unrest. (S3O-13277)

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2011

Lee Jeans Sit-in

I grew up in Greenock and Port Glasgow. My dad was in the Army and we travelled to Germany and various parts of England, all of which was a great experience. However, our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were always in Greenock. It is where we went for all of our holida...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2011

First Minister’s Question Time · Old Firm Summit

Does the First Minister agree that one of the biggest concerns about football violence is related domestic violence? That is not caused by football, nor is it caused by alcohol. Football gives the excuse; alcohol turns thoughts into actions. Until we, as a society, tackle the ...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

10 Mar 2011

First Minister’s Question Time · Old Firm Summit

4. To ask the First Minister what progress was made at the summit on Tuesday 8 March concerning the disorder at and following recent old firm football matches. (S3F-2954)

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Legacy Paper

Is anyone else feeling emotional?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Legacy Paper

Throughout the paper, it says “Fergus to insert text” but it did not say that in that paragraph. I was just slightly worried.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Legacy Paper

On PE1056, on deep vein thrombosis, the paper says:“The Committee agreed to invite the Session 4 committee to ???”I just wondered about that.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

It is fitting that this is the final petition that we will consider. It is also fitting, given the significance of what has been achieved through the petition, that we are closing it on international women’s day. I echo everything that has been said in paying tribute to Tina M...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

I would not be happy to close the petition at this stage, because we still do not know how many residential places there will be for Dance School of Scotland students. Pupils from not just Glasgow but all around Scotland go to the school, but if the number of residential place...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

The Scottish Government is yet to fully consider the joint study by the British Geological Survey and Scottish Natural Heritage. In its most recent response, the Government said:“Once we have considered the study’s recommendation we plan to meet with its authors and others to ...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Can we ask Christine Grahame if she can suggest how we might take the matter forward? I think that we are all completely sympathetic to the petitioner and the petition; it is about knowing what to do next with the petition.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

In your demonstration with a tape measure, at the first height level that you demonstrated it was almost as if the magazine placement was aimed at children, because adults would not necessarily see them, but children might.It was helpful that you included some of the magazine ...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

I know that the survey that we asked you to undertake was limited, but we wanted to establish whether there is a problem out there—and there clearly is. I am interested in what you say in your report about the forecourt retailers:“One area of notable interest relates to foreco...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Will you consult the petitioner, who is currently doing a lot of work on that anyway and might be able to help to provide some of the evidence?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

One of the petitioner’s suggestions was that the Government could review whether public sector organisations have a responsibility on this issue under the public sector equality duty. Will you ask your officials to look into that as an option? That would seem to be the cleares...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

I know that the election is coming up but, if it were not and if we were carrying on as normal, what would the Scottish Government do? I take it that your suggestions for taking evidence were for the committee to pursue. You said that you were trying to have a meeting with The...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

So, we all generally agree that the Mosquito is a completely undesirable method of—supposedly—tackling antisocial behaviour. We are left with the three main options that the petitioner has suggested, but the two main options for getting a national conclusion to this are that t...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

In its latest response, the Scottish Government states:“We consider that the mosquito device is not consistent with our approach as outlined in Promoting Positive Outcomes and is also not consistent with our desire to create strong supportive communities”.Is that the same as h...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Committee

08 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Last week, we closed some petitions on the basis of what they actually asked for, despite the fact that further developments were to come. In doing so, we advised the petitioners to produce a different petition when those developments occurred. I agree with Robin Harper. There...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Chamber

03 Mar 2011

“Session 3 reports of the Public Audit Committee—key themes”

No.That said, I believe that the Public Audit Committee fulfils a vital function. I agree with Hugh Henry that the committee’s remit ought to be broadened so that we can initiate reports, although I think that it is important that we guard against taking a partisan approach to...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

03 Mar 2011

“Session 3 reports of the Public Audit Committee—key themes”

Debates such as this are significant and have the potential to be very beneficial. The process of producing a report to highlight key themes that have reappeared before the committee and which have been of particular concern has been a worthwhile exercise. That said, the commi...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

And, at all times, you were satisfied that there was no reason in terms of the contract letter to withhold money from the project.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

That is what you said, Mr McLaughlin.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

It has been suggested that you simply signed blank cheques every month. From what you have said, it seems that you get invoices every month and a detailed monthly report. You then have to reconcile the two before you pay out any cheques. Is that correct?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

I take on board that you remain involved, but we have heard calls for Transport Scotland to be involved in a more formal capacity. I do not know whether that will happen. Will it happen? Mediation talks are coming up. What could Transport Scotland’s role be in all that? What c...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

I turn to the support that Transport Scotland has given to the project. In the previous evidence session, when I asked the City of Edinburgh Council and TIE whether Transport Scotland had an open-door policy in terms of its advice and support, they seemed clear that it did. I ...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

It is interesting to listen to this. It would be amusing were it not for the fact that so much public money is involved. I have listened to the difference between Mr Middleton’s interpretation of the decision not to be on the board and that of some of my committee colleagues. ...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

No, it is not a question. It is a statement—a clarification to aid the committee.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

02 Mar 2011

Section 23 Report

Can I come in on that point? I am not sure that I understand why there has been questioning on how early Transport Scotland advised the Government that the project might exceed its budget. My recollection is that Scottish Government ministers warned the Parliament about that, ...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

The Scottish Government has said that demand exceeds supply for only a small number of football matches, so it does not see the point of introducing legislation on the resale of football tickets, which would probably be expensive to enact. The Government states that there are ...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

The petitioners refer to“two occasions on which erroneous information has been supplied to the Scottish Government ... in respect of our petition”and have said that the decision made in response to the petition not to have an inquiry was based on that information. I do not kno...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

I agree with Christine Grahame. Having read the petitioners’ response and the other responses and having listened to Christine Grahame, I think that there are too many unresolved issues for us simply to close the petition. Given current events, as Christine Grahame says, and w...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

In the debate in the Parliament last week on the work of the Public Petitions Committee, I suggested that in future we should invite petitioners to contribute to evidence sessions. I am feeling the frustration of not having that happen today.We have heard what we already knew:...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

I know. I used to work for Cancer Research UK, raising some of those funds.Would £225,000 be enough to enable LDN Now to conduct the research that it needs to conduct if it is to get to where it wants to be?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

What annual budget is available for successful applications?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

That is an interesting answer. The petition asks the Scottish Government“to provide guidance to all GPs on LDN protocol and require them to collect LDN clinical data.”The petitioners have anecdotal evidence on the issue, but they agree that there is a lack of data. In their vi...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

That has been suggested as the reason why methotrexate is used more. What reason would you suggest?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Is methotrexate a drug that is prescribed for some auto-immune disorders? Someone contacted me to say that it is off licence, which makes it sound like I am buying alcohol. Although significant side effects and costs are associated with methotrexate and there is limited previo...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

The petitioners have said that they cannot afford to obtain a marketing authorisation to apply for the drug to be licensed, as it costs about £200,000. If they went down the route that Dr McNair describes, would they have to do that? I understand that they are speaking to a Sc...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Notwithstanding my point that there are wider issues than those to do with a single drug, I would not have thought that the process would be terrifically expensive, given that we have naltrexone. However, I am not a pharmacist and do not know how to produce lower-dose medicine...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

I take the point that if pharmaceutical companies think that there is a big enough body of people out there to allow them to make money, they will produce it, but is that not just an admission that their primary interest is profit? They are private companies, so that is likely...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Did you say that your colleagues were going to take us through how they might help? Although the petition is on the provision of LDN, I would like to know how people who feel that other medicines help can go down the same route.I want to come back on what you said about specia...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Committee

01 Mar 2011

Current Petitions

Good afternoon. When we had an evidence session with the petitioners, we were all struck by their personal testimonies. I think that we took evidence over a year ago—certainly the petition came to us 15 months ago. Since then, I have been contacted by a number of people who ha...

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

24 Feb 2011

Scottish Executive Question Time · Domestic Abuse

I support all the work with female victims of domestic violence, but I ask the Government for reassurances that, in its efforts on the issue, it will take into account the male victims of domestic violence. The Public Petitions Committee finally closed a petition on that issue...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

That is a perfectly legitimate explanation. My view is the same as the one Shirley-Anne Somerville expressed earlier—that the mediation should have happened a long time ago; nevertheless, I welcome what you say about relationship building. We cannot underestimate the importanc...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

The decision to go to mediation was made in December. I appreciate that things do not happen overnight, but it has taken three months for the mediation to take place and every day that we wait for the mediation costs a huge amount of money. Why has it taken so long?

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

Thanks, Jamie.

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

I have a question for Sue Bruce. This is a little bit of speculation, but I think that you will be able to give some form of answer. The Auditor General has called for Transport Scotland to get more involved now and work in a more hands-on way, given the circumstances in which...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

I know that Transport Scotland witnesses are coming in next week, but I wish to clarify something. There seems to be a line of questioning that suggests that Transport Scotland had completely washed its hands of the project. Mr McGougan and Mr Jeffrey, you have both referred t...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

I do not remember it, actually—I remember the repeats, George.People were always asking, “How are the potholes in Rosamund Street?” It was a dull issue, but it is now the hot topic of the day, for obvious reasons. It is about more than car damage; I wonder whether there has be...

Anne McLaughlin SNP Committee

23 Feb 2011

Section 23 Reports

I thank the convener for enlightening me about the practice of the insurance companies and why you have to report every pothole. I was at a residents meeting in the east end of Glasgow last week at which one of our councillors read out a list of about 25 streets in which he ha...