Hansard

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

23 Mar 2016

Portfolio Question Time · Temporary Accommodation (Time Limit)

Local authorities report significant increases in the length of time that is spent in temporary accommodation. Typical stays in temporary accommodation are now more than seven months, and for some people it can be up to two years. Will the cabinet secretary support a reduction...

8. Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

23 Mar 2016

Portfolio Question Time · Temporary Accommodation (Time Limit)

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a time limit for temporary accommodation. (S4O-05703)

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

03 Mar 2016

Human Rights

Given the different human rights regimes in different parts of the UK, how would that pan out?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

03 Mar 2016

Human Rights

I have a few questions. I will start with the devolution settlement. Arguments have been made that the repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 could have an impact on the devolution settlement. Others have argued against that point. What would be the impact of the repeal of the Hu...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

03 Mar 2016

Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Priorities)

Just to home in on your point about tackling the root causes, what kind of work has been done so far? What work is projected to come your way to make the situation better and tackle those root causes?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

03 Mar 2016

Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Priorities)

Good morning, panel. Your excellency, I will take you back to the refugee crisis, which you mentioned in your opening statement. The competence for addressing the issue rests largely with the member state Governments, and you referred to countries that are bearing the brunt. ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

25 Feb 2016

“Brussels Bulletin”

Brilliant—that would be great.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

25 Feb 2016

“Brussels Bulletin”

So the Equal Opportunities Committee will have access to that information.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

25 Feb 2016

“Brussels Bulletin”

Page 7 of the bulletin has a section on equal opportunities. Under the gender equality item, it says: “Some MEPs have seen this as a ‘downgraded’ document, which restricts the duration of proposed action”. We send the bulletin to other committees, do we not?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

25 Feb 2016

European Union Reform and Referendum

Thank you, that was useful.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

25 Feb 2016

European Union Reform and Referendum

I will stick with that subject, although Professor Boswell might have answered one of the questions that I had. Although the reform package has been put together in response to UK concerns, the measures included in the decision are applicable to all member states, not just the...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Put your money where your mouth is.

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Will the minister comment on the 70-plus donors that NHSBT has said a soft opt-out would bring if we were to go ahead with it?

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

When?

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

What is currently in place for that to happen?

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes, I certainly agree with the British Heart Foundation Scotland. Let us be clear. There is a price to be paid for delaying the decision. I have never said that the proposal is a silver bullet, but an opt-out system that is part of an effective organ donation strategy can an...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

No—I do not agree that that is the case. We have had bills to which up to 200 amendments have been lodged, so I do not agree that the issue of proxies need be a difficulty. I add that the provisions on proxies keep us in line with the United Kingdom structure. As I said, th...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

09 Feb 2016

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

It is my great privilege to open this debate, to welcome key stakeholders and their families to the public gallery and to speak to my motion that the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill. T...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

04 Feb 2016

“Brussels Bulletin”

I just want to highlight page 6 of the bulletin, which says that Glasgow is on a shortlist of nine EU cities for the European capital of innovation award 2016, and to say that people make Glasgow.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

04 Feb 2016

Human Rights

I am an MSP for Glasgow.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

04 Feb 2016

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

No, that is fine—it was great to get the overall picture that you have given.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

04 Feb 2016

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

I am asking about the economic benefits that would be realised from CETA.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

04 Feb 2016

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Can I hear your reply on that point?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

04 Feb 2016

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Good morning. I will move on to the economic benefits of CETA. The Commission suggested in evidence that the agreement is expected to increase trade in goods and services between the EU and Canada by a quarter. The UK Government has suggested that the agreement will benefit th...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

27 Jan 2016

Portfolio Question Time · Student Bursaries and Loans

Young people from deprived backgrounds in Scotland who get to university are facing cuts to grants and bursaries. Now, 70 per cent of Scottish students who emerge debt free come from better-off backgrounds. Will the Scottish Government restore grants and bursaries to help poor...

7. Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

27 Jan 2016

Portfolio Question Time · Student Bursaries and Loans

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the replacement of bursaries with loans results in students from the poorest families having the biggest debt and a reduction in terms of widening access. (S4O-05480)

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

21 Jan 2016

“Brussels Bulletin”

Thank you.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

21 Jan 2016

“Brussels Bulletin”

The last page of the bulletin refers to women innovators. It says that there are “nine finalists for the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2016 competition”. Do we have or is there any way in which we can get the names of the nine finalists? Are any of them from Scotland?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

21 Jan 2016

European Union Reform and Referendum

I think that Mr Engelschiøn has another comment.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

21 Jan 2016

European Union Reform and Referendum

He is putting his bid in now. Good morning, panel. One of the queries that the committee has discussed is about EU law, how it impacts on our law, what that body of law would look like if we had to exit the EU and whether it would be dismantled. To what extent have Norway and...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

19 Jan 2016

National Galleries of Scotland Bill: Final Stage

I am pleased to open the final stage debate on the National Galleries of Scotland Bill. Before I talk about the bill, I pay tribute on behalf of the National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee to Gareth Hoskins, the architect in charge of the galleries project, who, I am sad...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

07 Jan 2016

Scottish Elections (Dates) Bill: Stage 1

I am delighted to contribute to the debate, as I believe that this is an important issue for everyone in the chamber. The Scottish Elections (Dates) Bill will change the date of the Scottish Parliament election from 7 May 2020 to 6 May 2021, so that it does not clash with the...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

17 Dec 2015

European Union Reform and Referendum

Hear, hear. I have a question about the constitutional process for leaving the EU and the renegotiation of the UK’s settlement. I thank Professor Barnard for giving the example of Norway. What steps would be necessary to bring to an end the impact of EU law in Scotland? Would ...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

17 Dec 2015

European Union Reform and Referendum

I am an MSP for Glasgow.

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

17 Dec 2015

General Question Time · Individual Patient Treatment Requests (Replacement)

I am led to believe that the peer-approved system was promised for May 2015. Given that the individual patient treatment request system was extended and given the new guidance on dropping exceptionality, what monitoring has the Scottish Government done to ensure that the postc...

3. Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

17 Dec 2015

General Question Time · Individual Patient Treatment Requests (Replacement)

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce the new peer-approved clinical system to replace the individual patient treatment request system. (S4O-05196)

The Convener Lab Committee

15 Dec 2015

National Galleries of Scotland Bill: Consideration Stage

That ends the bill’s consideration stage. I thank my committee colleagues, Fiona McLeod and Jean Urquhart, for the time that they have taken to consider the bill. I also thank the promoter and witnesses for their contributions. The next stage is the final stage, at which the ...

The Convener (Anne McTaggart) Lab Committee

15 Dec 2015

National Galleries of Scotland Bill: Consideration Stage

Good morning and welcome to the fifth and final meeting of the National Galleries of Scotland Bill Committee. I remind committee members and members of the public to turn off mobile devices as they interfere with the sound system, even when switched to silent. The only agenda...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

That is a different conversation, convener. I think that it may have been Mr Doris—I am sorry if I am wrong about that—who mentioned the need to empower specialist nurses and the clinical leads on organ donation, and to enable them to have the power behind them. The conversati...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Good morning, everyone. I thank committee members for their patience and for inviting me to give evidence on my bill. The Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill aims ultimately to increase the number of deceased organ donors in Scotland and sa...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

As outlined in my letter to the committee of 29 October, the estimated cost of implementing the bill is £6.8 million over 10 years. It is not £22 million, as there are no recurring publicity campaign costs. That is covered by the Scottish Government’s obligation under section ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I do not see that as fundamental.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

The six months should provide people with enough time to become aware of the soft opt-out legislation and take action to opt out, if that is their wish. Six months is considered to be long enough to give a reasonable opportunity in most circumstances. We heard evidence from M...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Absolutely, Mr Robertson. You are right that there will always be risk and it is about how we manage that risk and set the bill up to enable an increase in organ donations. I mentioned the 46.1 per cent family refusal rate earlier, and that figure has increased by 7 per cent ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

There will always be risk with such issues. There are risks now, and there will always be risks. You are exactly right that the issue is how we try to mitigate some of the risks. I know that it is far too soon to say this, but the Welsh Government has now initiated its opt-out...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We have also heard concerns from people who most definitely want to donate their organs but who know that their family members would go against that if they passed away before them. We have heard that evidence as well, and those people also have the right to have their wishes ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We have heard some of that being peddled. Under the bill, the proxy decision to authorise the removal of organs for transplantation or to refuse that authorisation is decisive. That is to say, it cannot be overridden by another relative or by NHS staff. In practice, however, t...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you. Just in case you thought I was swaying you.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I wish it was that easy, convener. Can Louise Miller give some technical answers on that?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

As I said earlier, I would rather not be in this position. If I thought for one second that the current system was working, I would not be in this position—I have loads of other things that I could be doing—but the system is not working, which is why I introduced my bill. If ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

It most certainly is a reasonable suggestion, and it is one that I have thought about greatly, but we need to ask whether what we are doing at the moment is raising donation rates and awareness sufficiently. No, it is not. We are not saving enough lives. Therefore, we need to ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

With parental consent.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We put the bill together and we have taken evidence from, I say this again, the British Heart Foundation, the British Medical Association, organ recipients and their families, other organisations that work at the front line and the Scottish Youth Parliament. I said earlier th...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We did some work on that with the Scottish Youth Parliament and looked at some of the research behind that. The Scottish Youth Parliament was hugely involved in putting the bill together. The age just now is 12. The Welsh Government is looking at the age of 18, but we have loo...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We have looked at that and asked in the bill that there be three proxies. We are looking to amend that, possibly to two proxies. That would be in line with the UK system as it currently stands.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I have brought the bill to the table to ask for people’s views and opinions. I want people to share their ideas so that we can make the bill the best that it can be, to increase organ donation. Some of the Government’s 22-page response contradicts itself, but am I looking for...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Of course.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Absolutely not. I will put the question back to you. Why would it be different from anywhere else in the UK? Why would we have a different structure?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

08 Dec 2015

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We work under the British transplantation system. I am not sure why Scotland would be any different or why we would put in an extra role or tier of staff. The role of the AIP is the same as what Wales has and what Northern Ireland is proposing in its bill. I am not sure that w...