Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 09 January 2014
09 Jan 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003
Thank you, Presiding Officer.
I hope that the Scottish Government will consider people who do not have a factor but need one. Properties throughout the country are deteriorating rapidly, simply because factors are not in place.
I would have liked to have talked about land-owning maintenance companies, but I do not have time to do so, other than to say that the position is complex and I do not know how we can make it more simple—if I did, I would wave my magic wand and do that today.
16:03In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08666, in the name of Christine Grahame, on behalf of the Justice Committee, on its report on the inquiry...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
Ah. “Thereby” is tactful. I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on behalf of the Justice Committee and thank all those who provided written submission...
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Christine Grahame on doing an admirable job in explaining very complex areas of law. Does she agree that part of the problem lies with how sol...
Christine Grahame
SNP
If only John Lamont had waited until to the end of my riveting speech—I will come to that. I know that this is riveting stuff—I have said so several times a...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
That is not bad. 15:36
The Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs (Roseanna Cunningham)
SNP
I am pleased to respond to the debate, which falls under the heading of post-legislative scrutiny by the Justice Committee. The work that the committee carr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Hear, hear. Many thanks. 15:44
Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I acknowledge the minister’s point about the absent member, who was a tower of strength in my time on the Justice Committee. On occasions, he was a good shie...
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on the Justice Committee’s inquiry into the effectiveness of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003. I w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
We now turn to the open debate, with speeches of four minutes, please. 15:54
Roderick Campbell (North East Fife) (SNP)
SNP
It seems a long time since the Justice Committee took evidence for its inquiry into the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003, but it was in fact in March las...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate. As colleagues will know, I am not a member of the Justice Committee, but I listened to the committe...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You must conclude now, please.
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I hope that the Scottish Government will consider people who do not have a factor but need one. Properties throughout the coun...
Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome this debate. I joined the Justice Committee a few months ago, too late to have any input into its excellent report, “Inquiry into the effectiveness...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
I join colleagues across the chamber in thanking those who submitted evidence during the review of the practical operation of the Title Conditions (Scotland)...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
The member should come to a conclusion, please.
Alison McInnes
LD
In seeking to improve standards in the property management and maintenance sector, many of the issues centre on devolving power to the most local of communit...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I am afraid that we are a bit tight for time, and if I am to include everyone in the debate I need members to stick to their four minutes, please. 16:12
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the other Justice Committee members and the clerks, and I also thank Jenny Marra, who proposed that we carry out an investigation into the provisions...
Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western) (SNP)
SNP
I associate myself completely with the comments made earlier about David McLetchie’s sense of humour—he is definitely missed in this chamber. Like my former...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
A critical function of this Parliament—and one that, as I know many colleagues agree, we do not do enough of—is post-legislative scrutiny to review our laws ...
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
I must admit that when I saw this debate listed in the Business Bulletin last week, I did not immediately want to get involved in it, but on closer inspectio...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Could I ask you to conclude, please?
Maureen Watt
SNP
I welcome the report, which I am sure will inform my committee’s deliberations on the Housing (Scotland) Bill. 16:28
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Ind)
Ind
In the small amount of time available, I intend to concentrate on the land maintenance issue and commend some of the evidence that we heard, which I will rea...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
Despite my obvious deprivation in not being a member of the Justice Committee, I am nonetheless grateful for the opportunity to take part in this debate. Jen...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We now come to closing speeches. I remind all members who participated in the debate that they should be in the chamber for the closing speeches. 16:36
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am particularly pleased to take part in this afternoon’s debate, not least because, as Jenny Marra pointed out, post-legislative scrutiny is so rarely carr...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
The debate has been a useful exercise in revisiting the decisions that were made by an earlier Parliament about what has proved to be a complex area of relat...