Meeting of the Parliament 01 March 2016
Thank you, Presiding Officer.
We have had a number of useful briefings for this afternoon’s debate on the proposals in the bill. I urge Cameron Buchanan, who seems to be the only voice departing from the consensus, to think again, given his wide experience of the issue and his understanding following the committee’s investigation.
It is important that we support the bill at stage 1, because we would be agreeing to the principles of the bill. If there is time to consider the bill at stages 2 and 3, that would of course offer an opportunity to change the bill as Cameron Buchanan has requested and to refine it to his satisfaction.
It would be important if the whole Parliament were to agree at stage 1 to the principles of taking forward action on responsible parking. As all members have hinted, the legislation can largely be about common sense and about thinking about the needs of everyone. Sandra White has made that point repeatedly in discussing the need for the bill.
Even when there was doubt about legislative competence, Sandra White encouraged the UK Government and the Scottish Government to work together. Now that we have consensus, it is unfortunate that the necessary legislative change to remove all doubt will not happen in time to legislate during this session of the Scottish Parliament. I suppose that that gives us the time to refine the proposed legislation to everyone’s satisfaction. Maybe then even the Conservatives will be able to come on board with it.
Cameron Buchanan rose—