Hansard

The Parliament is asked yet again to support a Sewel motion on a bill that will amend Scottish legislation. The motion that is before us seeks to amend the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to allow Scottish ministers to make regulations to aid the mobility of persons who have guide dogs and who use private hire vehicles.

That is a welcome outcome with which no one will disagree, but it is unacceptable that, yet again, the UK Parliament will legislate on behalf of the Scottish Parliament. Yet again, we see the Executive's inability to legislate for the people of Scotland, reliant as it is on Sewel motions to bail it out when its own legislative programme is found wanting.

The motion also concerns another piece of legislation that relates to local government matters in Scotland. In recent months, four members have suggested measures that could easily be incorporated into a new civic government bill. Those measures concern litter, dog fouling, fireworks and hedges. Those are obviously matters of public concern. Individual members have undertaken the work that is involved and have had the foresight to see in which areas current legislation needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, the Executive has waited for Sewel motions to appear, as it has done on so many occasions.

The SNP wants the needs and concerns of persons who have disabilities to be addressed properly, not as a mere add-on to English legislation through Sewel motions. It is time for the Executive to act like an Executive and to stop hiding behind Sewel motions and the work of others. We need an overhaul of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. That is overdue and would take care of the measure that is proposed and many others.