Hansard

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

12 Jun 2001

Women's Offending

My view is similar to Christine Grahame's. Although we may want to undertake a wide-ranging inquiry, it would have to concentrate on issues such as alternatives to custody. If, as Mary Mulligan suggested, we wish to consider why women are in jail and explore the alternatives, ...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Chamber

09 May 2002

Voluntary Sector

I put on record my congratulations to Margaret Curran on her promotion to the ministerial ranks. Unfortunately, she is not here to hear that for herself, but that is neither here nor there. Mr Henry has a hard act to follow. I also offer Iain Gray every good wish in his new po...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

20 Nov 2000

Restorative Justice

I will return briefly to the means inquiry, which Dr Tombs mentioned. Part of the difficulty with means inquiry courts, on which I sat before I became an MSP, is that people will sign up to anything, just to get out the door. I recall women, young men and older people being ma...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

28 Nov 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

You have heard that we have been almost everywhere in Scotland and that every region will be covered by our inquiry. The committee has heard evidence, during its travels up and down the country, that many complaints about local authority funding of the voluntary sector relate ...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Chamber

24 May 2001

Justice

I heeded what Robert Brown said, but whether the motion is election fluff or not, the system is in crisis. That is a fact and unless it is addressed, the crisis will deepen.Much of this morning's debate has centred on the resignation of Mr Hingston. All right, we are having a ...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Chamber

05 Dec 2001

Gypsy Travellers and Public Sector Policies

As a recently appointed member of the Equal Opportunities Committee, I have been involved only in the later stages of debate and deliberation on the report. The report has caused controversy and disagreement. The Equal Opportunities Committee has taken evidence from several gr...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

11 Jun 2002

Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry

I want to go back to a comment that Morag Alexander made, when she talked about the standards that can be set and whether those standards should be easily attainable or whether the system should have rigour. Are the references to equal opportunity requirements in the Local Gov...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

11 Jun 2002

Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry

Is the standard that has been set the lowest common denominator? Should a higher standard be set?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

11 Jun 2002

Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry

It could mean anything.

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

25 Jun 2002

Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry

COSLA's guidance on best value in equalities recommends that any performance indicators that are developed should be focused on the areas where legislation supports equalities perspectives. It does not favour broader indicators. What is your take on that?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

25 Jun 2002

Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry

When Audit Scotland audited local authorities, it reported that about half the authorities had not integrated equalities into how council priorities are identified, that only a fifth regularly consulted hard-to-reach stakeholders and that equal opportunities are more developed...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

25 Jun 2002

Gender Equality and Best Value Inquiry

The importance of effective monitoring is a constant theme that comes through the research findings on equalities work. What is the best way to ensure effective monitoring of the implementation of the requirements of the Local Government in Scotland Bill?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

22 May 2000

Draft Bail, Judicial Appointments etc (Scotland) Bill

No—Mrs Hands sometimes clerked for me when I sat in the district court. I was interested in Mrs Murray's comments on training. Many of those on whom one relies for an input on the training organised for JPs are not those who wished to sit on the bench because of their long exp...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

19 Sep 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

I was interested in Mr Batho's introduction, when he talked about foreign trips and all the rest of it. I waited with bated breath when he said that he was going to make a recommendation—I had hoped that it was going to be a trip to a country but, unfortunately, we will only l...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

19 Sep 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

I do not wish to seem to be the committee's IT technophile, but could you tell us a bit more about the £1.1 million that has gone into IT initiatives over this year and the past year?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

19 Sep 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

You are not the technophile in your group, are you?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

19 Sep 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

I take it that IT is one way of overcoming the problem of not reaching out to enough organisations or people, to which Linda Fabiani referred. Are you hopeful that IT will help you get your message across and gather more opinions?

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

03 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

My question was prompted by your analogy about people shaking tins in your face, which is the public perception of so many fundraising ventures. Can you outline in more detail the proposed framework on public charitable collections?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

03 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Yes, I do.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

03 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

There is no escape.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

03 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

What powers should CharityScotland have in relation to charities whose expenditure on fundraising is considered excessive? People will be twitchy about that sort of thing when they give to a charity. There is no audit trail for public donations, but when one looks at the accou...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

03 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Rather than that being a specific amount, would you think in terms of it being a percentage?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

03 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

I shall be brief and I hope that the response will be brief, too. You state that training and work experience are important motivations to volunteers. Was there any evidence of promoting volunteering in economically deprived areas? Why do you think that larger organisations of...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

At this stage, we come to a thorny issue. As your submission states, the Parliament and the Executive support volunteering. That is highly welcome, although I would not expect anything less. To what extent does the Scottish Executive recognise the independence of the sector? I...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

I doubt that they would fit in.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Is there also the possibility of confrontation over the voluntary sector's independence?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Does Mr Murray have a view on that?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Good morning, ladies. I sympathise with your comment about the jargon and the fact that some issues are not covered because of tabloid headlines in other directions and so on. Everyone on the committee will agree that many worthy things happen but do not get the publicity they...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Thank you. That has clarified the matter.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

The progress report that you have given us lists many organisations with which you have undertaken joint working. Will you give more detail about the types of joint working that you have done? Has that fed into your view on whether you will pursue other projects?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

That has given me a completely new focus on the matter. Finally, what is the relationship between CVS Scotland and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Just tell us the truth.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Why?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

I have been fascinated by the different comments, particularly the distinction that Harriet Eadie made between participation and service delivery. In practice, how easy is it for community organisations to maintain their independence?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

It reaches a critical mass.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

31 Oct 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

It becomes an organisation that has influence.

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

14 Nov 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

My apologies for my late arrival. I had difficulties on the M8. My question follows on nicely from what Karen Whitefield said. In a recent debate, and when we were out on a field trip to Paisley last week, the question was raised whether, because there is so much statutory fun...

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

28 Nov 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Does the provision of services by voluntary organisations add anything over and above the direct delivery of services by the local authority or the private sector? Is there a special, added ingredient?

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

28 Nov 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

So the sum is greater than all the individual parts.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

28 Nov 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

That answers my question about the financial decision-making process and indicates that it can be confusing for organisations.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Committee

28 Nov 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

It is a morass.

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): Con Committee

12 Dec 2001

Voluntary Sector Inquiry

Careful.

Mrs McIntosh: Con Chamber

30 Nov 2000

District Courts

I appreciate that, and you made it clear in your speech that you were there at the invitation of the Glasgow Bar Association. However, the district court is no different: it still goes like a fair. I know—I have worked in a district court.The other part of that point is that t...

Mrs McIntosh: Con Chamber

09 May 2002

Voluntary Sector

I am in my last minute; the member should have asked earlier.I will end on a more positive note. Volunteers week is due to start in less than a month, on Friday 7 June. It will start with a parade from George Square to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. It is an opportunity for u...