Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-04518, in the name of Keith Brown, on winter resilience.14:42

The Minister for Transport and Veteran Affairs (Keith Brown) SNP

Presiding Officer, thank you for the opportunity to update members on how Scotland is becoming more resilient, year on year, in the face of severe weather, a...

Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green) Green

Will the minister give way?

Keith Brown SNP

I give way to Alison Johnstone.

Alison Johnstone Green

Speaking about new technologies—

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

Could we have Alison Johnstone’s microphone on please? Please put your card in, Ms Johnstone.

Alison Johnstone Green

Speaking about new technologies, the minister may be aware that the Dutch are about to test heated cycle paths that will use heat that has been gathered duri...

Keith Brown SNP

I made the point at the start of my speech that we want to keep Scotland moving. To the extent that they will help keep Scotland moving, I am more than willi...

Margo MacDonald (Lothian) (Ind) Ind

I thank the minister for giving way near the end of his speech. I was waiting for what I thought would be the crescendo. What is the Government going to do a...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Minister, you must conclude, please.

Keith Brown SNP

I think that Margo MacDonald has stolen Alex Johnstone’s thunder. We have procedures in place to deal with potholes. My responsibility is for trunk roads, an...

Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) Lab

As the minister said, long-range weather forecasting is notoriously unreliable because weather patterns are influenced by many factors, including variations ...

Keith Brown SNP

It is worth looking behind some of the figures that Elaine Murray cited. Last year, many local authorities had very high levels of salt but did not use it be...

Elaine Murray Lab

I thank the minister for that clarification of the issues in the article. However, councils are implementing cuts not because they do not take winter resilie...

Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

It is my recollection from my time as a local councillor that the funding for repairs to the road network to deal with potholes, for example, came from counc...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

You are in your final minute, Dr Murray.

Elaine Murray Lab

Capital budgets are under huge pressure as well—it is not just revenue budgets that are under pressure. I did not mention revenue budgets specifically and, w...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

You must close now, Dr Murray.

Elaine Murray Lab

That information needs to be put in the public domain in advance of any prolonged period of severe winter weather.I move amendment S4M-04518.1, to insert at ...

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I welcome the debate and thank the minister for bringing forward—for the second time, I believe, after last year’s debate—a debate on winter resilience at th...

Mark McDonald SNP

Does the member agree that another issue that arises is when the road is dug up—by a utility company, for example—and then not properly filled in or patched ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Mr Johnstone, you are going into your last minute.

Alex Johnstone Con

Absolutely, I would not dispute that what the member describes is an issue.I will have to move quickly to ensure that I cover some of the other points that I...

Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD) LD

The last days of October are fast becoming characterised not by gaining an extra hour, or by Hallowe’en, but by the annual winter resilience debate in the ch...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

We turn to the open debate. At this stage of the debate, we are tight for time and it is unlikely that I will be able to call all members to speak. Speeches ...

Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I, too, welcome the debate and acknowledge the considerable work that the Minister for Transport and Veteran Affairs, his officials, the services and the Red...

Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I highlight the recent Citizens Advice Scotland energy briefing, which says that the Scottish Government and local authorities might be able to help with rur...

Chic Brodie SNP

That point is well made and noted.The resilience programme should be packaged under the two themes of communication and equipment availability. It is good ne...

Margo MacDonald Ind

Will the member give way?

Chic Brodie SNP

No, I must finish.We do not just have to deal with domestic issues. It is critical that airports and cross-border rail links continue to operate effectively....