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Showing 60 of 2,096,158 contributions. Latest 30 days: 3,357. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 10 Jun 2026.

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

Forth Road Bridge Inquiry

No. I need to make progress. Although, as the minister told the committee, “It is hard to answer the what-if questions,”—Official Report, Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, 24 February 2016; c 47. it could be argued that the post-toll regime changed FETA’s ro...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

Forth Road Bridge Inquiry

In all honesty, minister, I am not in a position to answer that. I am not aware of any alternative proposals, but I do not have an encyclopaedic knowledge of everything that the Labour Party has proposed over the years. The committee also explored with witnesses whether carry...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Forth Road Bridge Inquiry

I am pleased to speak in the debate as a representative of Mid Scotland and Fife, where residents and businesses suffered inconvenience, stress and financial hardship as a result of the closure of the Forth road bridge in December 2015. As a resident of Dunfermline, I was abl...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Alternative Care Providers (Maintenance of Frontline Support)

I thank the minister for that response. Is he aware that the Scottish National Party’s council budget in Clackmannanshire has imposed across-the-board cuts of 7.1 per cent cash—or 8.4 per cent in real terms—on third-sector providers including the Scottish Association for Menta...

9. Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Alternative Care Providers (Maintenance of Frontline Support)

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that front-line patient and carer support from alternative care providers can be maintained, in the light of the reduction in local authority budgets. (S4O-05603)

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Commission on Local Tax Reform

No, we are not doing that again. I said tourist tax—the bed tax.

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Commission on Local Tax Reform

In that context, what is your view of local authorities using other tax instruments? There is a lot of talk about tourist tax—the bed tax. That seems to be controversial in some places, but acceptable in others. Do you think that it could sit alongside local accountability? Ca...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Commission on Local Tax Reform

Earlier this morning, people who are involved in the local government benchmarking framework told us about the variation in the costs of services across Scotland. When you did your public listening events, did the issue of public accountability seem to be a big issue for commu...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Local Government Benchmarking Framework

To go back to what Colin Mair said about developing a more outcome-based approach to performance reporting, how do you envisage the public and service users being involved in developing those outcomes? Sometimes, a good outcome for the public does not depend on low cost; the p...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Local Government Benchmarking Framework

My question follows on from Cara Hilton’s—which I was going to ask. Laughter.

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Fairer Fife Commission

I begin by congratulating Fife partnership on the bold decision to set up the fairer Fife commission. The commission was set up as an independent body with membership from across the public, private and third sectors and with support from a secretariat that comprised officers ...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Local Government Elections 2012 (Follow-up)

Good morning. My questions follow on from Willie Coffey’s question about the new e-counting system. Our notes say that it is being specified and built to build on what happened in 2012. You have touched on some of the things that are going to change, but I wonder what improvem...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Carers (Scotland) Bill

There are almost 800,000 carers in Scotland. Although around 30,000 to 40,000 people stop caring for a loved one each year, the overall number hardly varies, because a similar number replaces them. According to Carers UK, the economic value of that unpaid care is in excess of ...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Draft Budget Scrutiny 2016-17

Thank you. 10:30

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Draft Budget Scrutiny 2016-17

My question is on the £250 million transfer from the national health service to the integration joint boards. Is there a mechanism to ensure that that money continues to be additional and that councils cannot reduce their contribution as a result of the new money coming in?

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Homelessness (Prevention)

Homelessness is becoming increasingly visible on the streets of our cities this winter. “The homelessness monitor: Scotland 2015”, which Crisis published recently, noted that attempts to prevent homelessness are often “relatively ‘light touch’”, consisting primarily of informa...

2. Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Homelessness (Prevention)

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to prevent people becoming homeless. (S4O-05505)

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I begin by drawing attention to my entry in the register of interests. On behalf of Scottish Labour, I thank the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee for its stage 1 report, the Finance Committee and the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee for their scrutiny, ...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

I have a point to make about language and the use of acronyms and initials. I used to be a community planning officer and, when Bill Howat mentioned best value, the phrase “the four Cs of best value” came to mind. Even though that phrase was drummed into us, I cannot remember ...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

No—I am content. I was just floating an idea.

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

This might be a question for the next panel, but I will float it now to see what our current witnesses think. We have talked about experiential evidence, and it seems to me that people such as councillors and MSPs possess a lot of that, because they constantly do casework that...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

I very much agree with what Professor Kearns said, but how do we take that forward? Knowledge is power, and information is at the root of that. Things have to be explained and communities have to be supported to take on board the information and work out what they are going to...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

Social and Economic Success

In a word, yes. In the decades to come, sustainability will be an increasingly important driver of all economies. With no sustainability, we will not have any economic success—certainly none that will last. We must learn the lessons of the past—the credit crunch and the globa...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Social and Economic Success

When a society is faced with poverty and inequality, tackling the root causes and mitigating the effects should be the foremost concern for any politician anywhere in any Parliament. We live in an unequal world in which wage disparities are so massive that it is shameful and a...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Age and Social Isolation

I was a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee when it undertook its inquiry into age and social isolation. I thought at the time that our work could point the way to new models of local service delivery and a new awareness of the true cost to society in health, social an...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Just to work that through, that means that someone could be expelled but could still be a funeral director in another setting. It is a voluntary scheme.

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Are those standards enforceable or are they voluntary? Are there sanctions if your inspectors find that there is a problem with one of your members?

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

That is really helpful. Thank you, everybody. It seems to me that being a funeral director is a highly skilled role that requires a lot of sensitivity and communication skills. How is the registration and regulation of funeral directors managed? Is it compulsory to be registe...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

My question picks up on an answer that was given two questions ago. I am interested in the relationship between funeral directors and crematoria management. It was said earlier that there might be some liaison about the size of coffins. Is that a regular occurrence? Do the two...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Forth Road Bridge

Given that 100,000 people use the bridge every day, a wide range of journey patterns and journey purposes are represented. In his statement, the minister mentioned a willingness to monitor and adjust the travel plan according to feedback. Has any consideration been given to of...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Arm’s-length External Organisations

Is it fully funded through the council to do that?

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Arm’s-length External Organisations

I will ask you the same question as I asked everybody else the last time, just to be consistent. Does Bon Accord Care pay the living wage?

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Arm’s-length External Organisations

Let us make it about Bon Accord Care, because that is what we talked about last time.

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Arm’s-length External Organisations

I will ask about performance. It sounds as if you have structures in place to gather and examine a lot of performance information. Has the council ever had to take action because of concerns about performance? Have there ever had to be sanctions or a withdrawal of contracts? A...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

That is okay—and forgive me for not appreciating the timescales. I hope that I have not offended you by thinking that you were working in London in the 1970s. It would be interesting to find out whether any research or follow-up was done at the time. It sounds as if the legis...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Professor Rye, you talked about your experience when you were working in London, where prohibition of pavement parking and enforcement stopped the problem. That is great, and it is what all of us want to see happen in Scotland. I would like to know more about what happened. D...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Town Centre First (Progress)

Given that there is all-party support in Dunfermline for the relocation of Fife College to Dunfermline town centre, does the minister agree that Fife College must examine that option and should publish all the details of the business case relating to each site being considered...

2. Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Town Centre First (Progress)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the implementation of the town centre first principle. (S4O-04865)

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I was interested in a comment that Mr Hay made earlier. It seems to me as I go about my business, visit my family and just live in the world, that people in a lot of housing estates park on the pavement. That goes against the bill’s principles, and I accept and appreciate that...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you. It was just a point of clarification.

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

This question might have been answered already. Is an unadopted road the same as a private road?

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Footway Parking and Double Parking (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I accept David Livey’s point, but in some areas there are one and a half parking spaces per property, so there is overspill. That will have to go somewhere else and it will have a knock-on effect on the surrounding streets. We need to be mindful of that. I completely accept th...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Violence Against Women

Tomorrow, 25 November, marks the international day for the elimination of violence against women. This date was designated by a resolution of the United Nations in 1999. It might interest members to know that it was no arbitrary date plucked from the international calendar, ...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Community Justice (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I no longer sit on the Justice Committee, but my last appearance at that committee was for the first evidence session pertaining to the bill—in September, I think—so I took the chance to read the Official Report this week to remind myself of what I said. I was struck by a comm...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Fixed-odds Betting Terminals

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Fixed-odds Betting Terminals

My next question is for the convener and the rest of the committee. The planning review is an opportunity for us to put down some kind of marker and I agree that we should do what we can. Could the committee write to the independent review body to raise the issue and reflect t...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Fixed-odds Betting Terminals

When did all the discussion between the Gambling Commission and the local authorities take place?

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Arm’s-length External Organisations

The Scottish living wage has just gone up to £8.25 an hour. Many councils have declared themselves to be—and have become accredited as—living wage employers. Many arm’s-length external organisations that rely on council funding find it difficult to get that accreditation, beca...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Arm’s-length External Organisations

I was going to ask about zero-hours contracts, but as my question has been answered, I will ask about employee involvement in general. I should say that this question is for all of the witnesses and that I expect an answer from each of them, if possible. Do any of the witness...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Sheriff Courts (Unnecessary Repetition of Case Stages)

Given that the number of summary cases completed within a timeframe of 26 weeks is the only performance indicator of sheriff court efficiency, will the minister commit to introducing more detailed performance indicators in order to allow the public a more comprehensive picture...

5. Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Sheriff Courts (Unnecessary Repetition of Case Stages)

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to reduce the reported £10 million that is lost in the sheriff court system by cases repeating stages unnecessarily. (S4O-04775)

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Carers (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I am not a member of the Health and Sport Committee, so I have not been involved in the detailed scrutiny of the bill, but I am very pleased to speak today about what is a very important bill. If we get it right, it has the potential to transform the lives of carers and, by as...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

General Question Time · National Standards for Community Engagement

Does the minister agree that the national standards for community engagement are important as we increasingly look to involve communities in the design, delivery and review of services, whether at a local or a national level?

7. Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · National Standards for Community Engagement

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the review of the national standards for community engagement. (S4O-04754)

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Education (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I welcome the bill because it gives us the chance to work together to tackle the attainment gap in Scotland. That principle must surely be accepted by everyone in the chamber. From the speeches that I have heard this afternoon, there certainly seems to be a very positive respo...

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Draft Budget Scrutiny 2016-17

Jayne Baxter Lab Committee

Draft Budget Scrutiny 2016-17

Where do you think that the ultimate accountability and responsibility for the effectiveness of those decisions for communities will sit? Will they sit with the community council, or with the council or city deal partnership? How will those be agreed?

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Committee

Draft Budget Scrutiny 2016-17

I listened with interest to what you said about city deals offering value for money. I am a big believer in collaboration and shared agendas, so I was pleased to note your comments on that. It seems to me that there are two complementary agendas progressing at the same time. O...

Jayne Baxter Lab Chamber

General Question Time · NHS Fife (Consultant Vacancies)

Following the recent release of figures from the national health service that show an increase in the number of cancelled operations across Scotland—and specifically an increase in the number of operations that are cancelled for capacity or non-clinical reasons—what action wil...

2. Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · NHS Fife (Consultant Vacancies)

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to fill consultant vacancies in NHS Fife. (S4O-04689)

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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 15 March 2016

15 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Forth Road Bridge Inquiry

Baxter, Jayne Lab Mid Scotland and Fife Watch on SPTV

No. I need to make progress.

Although, as the minister told the committee,

“It is hard to answer the what-if questions,”—[Official Report, Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, 24 February 2016; c 47.]

it could be argued that the post-toll regime changed FETA’s role from having a self-contained income generation that could be spent on maintenance to one of governance, where capital spend was a matter for the Scottish Government.

The fact is that there was a clear statement of intent by FETA to replace the truss end links. The authority’s robust maintenance inspection regimes had identified that work was required to the truss end link mechanisms. Had that work been carried out, it may have had a bearing on the closure of the bridge in December 2015. It is impossible to say.

That said, it is a huge relief to have the bridge back in operation and it is a great pleasure to see the new crossing emerging. I am sure that no one wants a repeat of what happened in December, and it is good to know that new equipment is in place to assess the stress on individual components.

I will conclude by once again commending the achievement of the engineers and by again asking that the Government considers the economic impact of the closure and whether some compensation might be provided.

In the same item of business

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15904, in the name of Jim Eadie, on the report entitled, “Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the ...

Adam Ingram (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) SNP

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. On behalf of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, I am pleased to open the debate on the committee’s...

The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay) SNP

I confirm, for accuracy, that it is the case that, at any point, Amey—the operating company—can close the bridge for an emergency at a moment’s notice, witho...

Adam Ingram SNP

I thank the minister for that helpful intervention. As part of its inquiry, the committee was keen to establish whether the defect that led to the closure—a...

The Presiding Officer NPA

Thank you. Mr Ingram, I thank you for your service to the Parliament as a member of the Scottish Parliament, a committee member and a minister, over the pas...

The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay) SNP

On behalf of the Government, I concur with the Presiding Officer in her praise of Adam Ingram for his remarkable work as a member of the Scottish Parliament,...

Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP) SNP

When the minister talks about priorities, is the top priority the safety of the users of the bridge at all times?

Derek Mackay SNP

Of course it is. Safety is of paramount importance—it is the number 1 priority before, during and after all such works and in all other interventions. That a...

Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab) Lab

I, too, thank Jim Eadie and the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee for producing the report. It was important that the committee considered the ...

Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

While we can say “what if” and talk about what might have been, the scoping of the truss end link project had not been done. There is no guarantee that the r...

Alex Rowley Lab

I accept that there are what ifs. The conclusion that I draw is that FETA intended to have the work done. As a result of cuts in budget, FETA did not do the ...

Derek Mackay SNP

I am sure that the member is aware, from having read the report and understood the indicative capital programme, that paint jobs, landscaping and vehicle rep...

Alex Rowley Lab

The committee report is there and speaks for itself. The evidence speaks for itself and will allow people to draw their own conclusions. Given the time that...

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

There are many concepts for which there is no word or phrase in the English language. We usually overcome that by borrowing from the French, but there is one...

Derek Mackay SNP

I hope that I can further reassure the member with the example of the cable bolts issue. In 2012, money was requested to address the emerging concern about t...

Alex Johnstone Con

The minister is convinced that that is how the system works and I am sure that it is. The problem is that there was a mismatch of expectations on both sides ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

We now move to the open debate. 15:32

Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Presiding Officer, I have a confession to make: I expected the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s investigation into the Forth bridge closure ...

Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab) Lab

The Forth road bridge is one of the most important transport links in Scotland and it is crucial to Fife’s economy. More than 70,000 vehicles cross the bridg...

Derek Mackay SNP

Would the member have found it helpful to find out more about the travel plans that we put in place if she had attended any of the briefing sessions that I o...

Cara Hilton Lab

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the briefing sessions that Derek Mackay mentions. On one of the days that a briefing was offered, I was out meeting s...

Derek Mackay SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Cara Hilton Lab

No, I have no time—sorry. I have no doubt that the decision by FETA to reprioritise projects within its capital plan, including the work to replace the trus...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Cara Hilton Lab

I am glad that the minister laughs. That is going to be a devastating blow to the local community. It is vital that plans are brought forward to link Kincard...

Derek Mackay SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Cara Hilton Lab

I am sorry; I am running out of time. I am disappointed in the report. It will disappoint the businesses and commuters in my constituency, who suffered not ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Cara Hilton Lab

The SNP took a gamble and thousands of Fife commuters, residents and businesses have been left to pay the price.

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Members may wish to note that this is also Colin Keir’s valedictory speech. We thank him for his service to the Parliament over the past years and wish him w...