Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 09 January 2014
09 Jan 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill: Preliminary Stage
Again, I offer the Government’s position, which, as is normal with private bills, is to remain neutral. However, I can say that we have certainly explored a constructive approach to the bill this afternoon. I think that the committee convener, Siobhan McMahon, helpfully and comprehensively covered the committee’s views and some of the detail, which made it clear that further work needs to be done as the bill progresses to take account of many of the expert views that have been expressed.
There is, as Dr Elaine Murray so eloquently pointed out, a wider debate to be had about common good assets. I could be accused of being an anorak about common good funds, having been involved with them since the age of 16—[Interruption.] I hear Christine Grahame saying that she is the biggest anorak in the Parliament—
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
Good afternoon, everyone. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08530, in the name of Siobhan McMahon, on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Coun...
Siobhan McMahon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill Committee, I am pleased to open the preliminary stage debate. I thank my committee co...
The Minister for Local Government and Planning (Derek Mackay)
SNP
I welcome Cameron Buchanan to his place as Opposition spokesperson for the Conservatives on the local government and planning portfolio. This is my first opp...
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the committee for its service to the issue. I live in the Edinburgh Eastern constituency, not far from Portobello high school, and members will know ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
You should be drawing to a close, please.
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
In my closing speech I will talk about the reasons why the school must be built on the park and counter some of the arguments against that approach. Members ...
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
The City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill will change the law in order to allow the City of Edinburgh Council to appropriate Portobello park to bu...
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
As a serial member of private bill committees, it is appropriate that I thank the committee members and the convener in particular, the committee clerks and ...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
I declare an interest as a City of Edinburgh councillor from 2007 to 2012; a current Lothian MSP; and a board member of Fields in Trust. The controversy ove...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
Colleagues may be surprised that a member who represents a constituency in the south of Scotland should be taking part in a debate on a bill brought to Parli...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Many thanks. We move to the closing speeches, and I call Derek Mackay. Interruption. Perhaps I have not called the right person. Forgive me, minister. I shou...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
I will pick up on a few of the points that were made in this afternoon’s debate, which has been constructive. Elaine Murray raised the issue whether the bil...
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
Having established the case for the school in my opening speech, I intend to address some of the counterarguments, the first of which is common good. The st...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Again, I offer the Government’s position, which, as is normal with private bills, is to remain neutral. However, I can say that we have certainly explored a ...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I did not!
Derek Mackay
SNP
—and she might have a point. However, although there is a wider parliamentary debate to be had about common good assets, that is for another day. This aftern...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
First of all, I extend my sympathies to the deputy convener of the committee and will, in his absence, close the debate on the committee’s behalf. I, too, t...