Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman) Lab

The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S3M-7752, in the name of Elaine Smith, on the there is a better way campaign. Motion debate...

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab) Lab

I thank the members who signed the motion, those who are here today and those who support the Scottish Trades Union Congress’s campaign. On 23 October, 20,00...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green

I apologise that I will not be able to stay for the whole of this important debate.Does the member agree that it is a little disgraceful that members of the ...

Elaine Smith Lab

I absolutely agree with that. Perhaps it would be quite uncomfortable for them to hear this message.Spending on public services is an investment, not a debt ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

I remind members of the public in the public gallery that it is not appropriate to applaud.12:42

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I congratulate Elaine Smith on securing this worthwhile debate. As per my register of interests, I declare my membership of the union Unite. I have been a tr...

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab) Lab

Does the member not agree that freezing the council tax has had a major effect on women and other low-paid workers whose jobs are under threat? Is that reall...

John Wilson SNP

I will deal with that later in my speech.In February 2011, Unison could not provide a full-time official to attend a meeting of members in St Andrew’s high s...

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I thank Elaine Smith for securing this debate and restate the welcome that she gave to the people in the gallery. I think that some of them might have missed...

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab) Lab

I was puzzled by John Wilson’s curious speech because I was unsure what he was trying to portray to us about the better way campaign. I have respect for him ...

The Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism (Jim Mather) SNP

There is a big difference between light touch and no touch. The Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority let this country down enor...

Hugh Henry Lab

Jim Mather may wish to reflect on the fact that the First Minister wanted an even lighter touch taken to what was, at the time, no regulation. That is bizarr...

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I am tempted to begin by listing a number of individual backers of the Labour Party and wondering what their position might be on the there is a better way c...

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab) Lab

I support the motion in Elaine Smith’s name and the STUC’s there is a better way campaign. Those who support the notion that there is a better way should uni...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

You should finish now, Ms McNeill.

Pauline McNeill Lab

It is important that there is a bar for those who are working for poor pay in the private sector, too. By supporting a living wage, we can make it the bar fo...

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab) Lab

I thank Elaine Smith for bringing the debate to the chamber. As Pauline McNeill said, we should have discussed these issues before. I, too, thank the STUC fo...

The Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism (Jim Mather) SNP

I thank Elaine Smith for securing the debate. Viewed in the wider context of the increasingly extreme political and economic challenges that are being faced ...

Elaine Smith Lab

As John Wilson did not respond to Cathy Peattie’s point about the council tax, I will ask the minister. Does he not recognise that the council tax freeze res...

Jim Mather SNP

The big prize is cohesion. Local government is compensated for the council tax freeze. This is an issue on which we can avoid polarising the argument, albeit...

Hugh Henry Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

Jim Mather SNP

No. Time is against me.There are two-parent families that are struggling, which means that both parents must work where only one had to before.I say to Hugh ...