Hansard

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

04 Jun 2015

“Code of Conduct for Members of the Scottish Parliament”

I do not think that it is so much a question of time. Often, these directorships can be exercised on a Saturday or in the evening. It is a question of remuneration and involvement, but not time—that is not in any way relevant. I am a director of four companies, two of which ar...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

07 Nov 2013

Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland (Annual Report)

You talked about outreach with employers. Surely one of the problems is asking employers to give employees time off to serve on boards. I was self-employed, so I could take time off to be on a board, but I knew of a company that would not give an employee time off because it r...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

21 Apr 2015

Culture, Visitor Attractions and Events (Contribution to Economy and Society)

It is clear to all that culture, visitor attractions and events make a huge contribution to Scotland’s economy and society. Be they daily, annual or even one-off, the various activities that we have to offer have a valued impact on our lives. I hope that all of us in the chamb...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

11 Jun 2014

Local Government Elections

I accept that. We have to go down to the bottom. We have had a top-down approach, rather than a bottom-up approach.Although there is a need for discussion and debate on the broad issues, the pace of the consultation has meant that there has been a focus on the administration o...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

21 Apr 2015

Palestinian State (Recognition)

I agree that the best time for peace is now, but recognition of a Palestinian state is dependent on certain conditions being met first and which I will now enunciate. One of them is that, for its part, Palestine must recognise the right of the Jewish state to exist, which at t...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

10 Sep 2015

Committee Reform

We discussed at last week’s meeting the idea that Tuesday afternoons should perhaps be for members’ business debates. I rather agree that there are too many debates that are unnecessary—I have to be careful about what I call them, so let us put it that way. There are repetitiv...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

24 Sep 2015

Committee Reform

I want to add three quick points. First, the churning of committee membership is wrong, because members have no time to build up expertise. I came into Parliament not knowing anything about it, and I found it very difficult to follow some of the arguments. I was put into a co...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

25 Feb 2016

Criminal Verdicts (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I thank members for the constructive debate this afternoon. It has been a pleasure to take part in it. Like others, I begin by paying tribute to Michael McMahon for bringing this issue and the connected issue of jury majorities to the fore. A member’s bill requires unrelentin...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

05 Feb 2014

National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy

I have another question for Mr MacLeod. You state in your written submission that the 60-day statutory timeframe is “sufficient and proportionate” but that the timings of committee proceedings make it difficult for local authorities to respond in time. Do you agree that denyin...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

16 Jan 2014

Town Centre Action Plan

A number of speeches in the debate highlighted the importance of our local businesses to our town centres. As my colleague Gavin Brown made clear, the Scottish Government must do more on rates relief and we must have concrete progress on business rates incentivisation. We need...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

11 Jun 2014

Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

It does not matter whether officers are non-uniformed; as long as they have the right identification, it should be okay. It will waste officers’ time if a non-uniformed officer who sees a badge has to call for a uniformed officer. By the time that officer arrives, the person w...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

29 Jan 2014

National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy Review

Okay. Thank you.Is 60 days enough time for proper scrutiny of the NPF? That seems a very short time. Is there any reason behind having 60 days?

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

09 Jan 2014

City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill: Preliminary Stage

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 build a school. The Parliament is being asked to approve that straightforward principle today—nothing more, nothing less. ...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

13 Mar 2014

Local Government Finance (Scotland) Amendment Order 2014 [Draft]

Like the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2014, which we debated last month, this amendment order merely formalises the transfer of moneys already agreed by the Parliament and authorises the cash held back for the purposes of the council tax freeze. For that reason, t...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

19 Jun 2014

Legislative Procedures

We heard from organisations such as Shelter that the deadline for lodging amendments is very difficult to meet—I think it was Shelter that said that. Should the deadline be extended? Professionals—people who come here all the time—said that there is sometimes not enough time t...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

06 Feb 2014

General Question Time · Police Scotland (Meetings)

The decision that was taken this week by the City of Edinburgh Council to suspend its licensing regime for saunas has involved work with partner agencies to ensure the safety of those who work in saunas and a number of court actions against the council. Does the cabinet secret...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Dec 2014

Penicuik Capital Credit Union Outpost

I, too, commend Capital Credit Union for starting an outpost at Penicuik North kirk, and I welcome Ms Grahame’s motion, particularly as I am, for once, agreeing with her. Access to credit at reasonable rates can be important for many people, and the responsible provision of i...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

27 May 2014

Regeneration

I began serving on the Local Government and Regeneration Committee in the middle of its evidence gathering on regeneration, so I am pleased to have followed the report through the Parliamentary process. I must say that, at first, the scale of the inquiry and the breadth of di...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

20 May 2014

Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I start by declaring an interest as a blue badge holder, as members will know I am from seeing me stagger into the chamber with my two sticks. I have a great interest in the subject. As a blue badge holder and a fellow MSP, I add my congratulations to Dennis Robertson on intr...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

18 Mar 2015

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

As members can see, amendment 1253 is quite a simple amendment that seeks to speed up the process for members of the public who apply to lease an allotment. As many submissions point out, it can take a long time for people to move up the allotment waiting list; the last thing ...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

23 Apr 2015

Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Yes, I know that—thank you very much. Making everyone who wants to own or use an airgun apply for a licence is certainly not targeted. Why should innocent users who want to shoot for sport be forced to go through a cumbersome licensing process that charges for the privilege? ...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

13 May 2015

Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

We should not restrict the length of time for which young people’s certificates last. If someone is 15, 16 or 17, they should not have to apply for another certificate when they are 18. We want a certificate to last for five years, irrespective of the applicant’s age. It is o...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

20 May 2015

Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 83 is technical, and relates to amendment 84, which seeks to reduce the time for which someone who has had their licence revoked for any reason has to wait to reapply, from five years to three years. The amendment relates in many ways to amendments 53 and 54. I welco...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

18 Jun 2015

Lobbying

I want to add to Patricia Ferguson’s point. What happens if those big organisations with 60 or 70 people change personnel all the time? They will be stuck and will have to register and reregister. I am concerned about that, as I do not think that it is the right way to proceed...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

17 Jun 2014

Strategic Planning (Lothians)

I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss strategic planning in the Lothians this evening, and I extend my thanks to those members who added their support to the motion and allowed this issue to be debated. I realise that strategic planning is not exactly a subject that se...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Sep 2015

Internationalising Scottish Business

As we all know, Scotland is well known all over the world for certain original and iconic products. Whisky, tartan and bagpipes are examples. Therefore, in many ways, Scottish business does not need to be internationalised, as it is already well known. I have travelled all ov...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

08 Oct 2015

Committee Reform

The committee is constrained by its Cinderella time, because we have to finish at half past 11. In view of that, should we move First Minister’s question time to Thursday afternoon, so that we are not constrained? We have to finish at half past 11 on a Thursday, which is somet...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

01 Dec 2015

St Andrew’s Day

It is that time of year again—time to celebrate St Andrew’s day. I am pleased to have this opportunity to join in the many celebrations, even if I am the lone Tory here. The story of St Andrew is well known to some, but my historical thunder has been stolen by Mike Russell, a...

10. Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

03 Dec 2015

General Question Time · Elective Surgery Waiting Times (NHS Lothian)

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time from general practitioner referral is for elective surgery in NHS Lothian. (S4O-04903)

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Dec 2015

General Question Time · Planning (Countryside Housing)

It is true that we need more housing, but to make that happen we need to ensure that planning regulations are not overzealous. What analysis has the Scottish Government done of planning systems elsewhere that take less time to make decisions?

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

13 Jan 2016

Social and Economic Success

I welcome this opportunity to discuss what can be done to address the social and economic problems that face Scotland, including the need to help people into well-paid work. Discussions on broad general economic and social policy strike at the very heart of the political beli...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

13 Jan 2016

Social and Economic Success

I think that the SNP is a great example of giving with one hand and taking away with the other. The main point to underline is that policy decisions cannot be assessed in isolation. Time and again it has been shown that policies must take into account the context in which the...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

09 Mar 2016

Portfolio Question Time · Film Studio

Given that the Scottish Government has stated many times—including in the white paper on independence—the critical importance of the industry to the Scottish economy, will the cabinet secretary assure us that the Government can, this time, turn aspiration into reality and not ...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

04 Dec 2013

Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy in Scotland

Your submission is very bullish, but I am concerned about the timescale. How will you do all the work that you have set out, which includes the setting out of local approaches and the identification of long-term characteristics, in three months? That seems extremely tight. If ...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

07 Nov 2013

Cross-party Group (Application)

The cost of Neil Moore’s time is not a cost to us, is it? We are not going to have to pay for it, so it is not really relevant to us, or to the Parliament.

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

07 Nov 2013

Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland (Annual Report)

It was more a question of the women on boards. I find that women are much more reluctant to come forward. People who are very well qualified and perhaps had children but would like to get back into doing something are reluctant to come forward. Perhaps Women on Boards and the ...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

06 Nov 2013

Procurement Reform (Public Services and Community Regeneration)

I have one question about the difference between commissioning and procurement. Do you give feedback to the companies that have not been successful so that they can try again the next time? I presume that they have been unsuccessful not just on the basis of price but because o...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

18 Dec 2013

Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I am pleased to speak in the stage 1 debate on the Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Bill and I thank the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee for its deliberations.The bill is complex and has many facets, but it is important to keep in mind the overall object of the game...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

03 Dec 2013

Scotland’s Census

I am pleased to contribute to this debate on the results of the 2011 census, which is in fact the 23rd census.The results of the census inform and shape the future of public policy in a number of areas. However, when one considers how the questions have changed over time and t...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

03 Dec 2013

Scotland’s Census

Certainly I agree, but we are seeing an awful lot of school closures at the same time, and those two things do not go together. The problem is that people want their children to go to the good schools, not the bad schools—that is part of the mindset.The census backs up the tre...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

13 Nov 2013

Modernising Scotland’s Transport Infrastructure

Members have raised a variety of important points, but I will focus my comments on one or two aspects of our future strategy. The Government’s motion is very much focused on the investment that has been made in our transport infrastructure. However, as welcome as that is, it m...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Committee

02 Apr 2014

Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I declare an interest in that I am a blue badge holder. First, I agree about the booklet being too large. It comes out before people get the blue badge. It is only when people get the blue badge that they can put it on the car and go. There should be one piece of paper with ju...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

02 Apr 2014

Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

The photograph is virtually meaningless—it is not seen. When someone else is driving me, for instance, it is not their photograph that is displayed, but mine. I just got my licence back a few months ago so I was being driven all over the place by various different people, but ...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

02 Apr 2014

Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

With regard to the suggestion of putting the rules and instructions on one sheet of paper, I wonder whether the sheet could be laminated and sent out at the same time as the blue badge. After all, pieces of paper get lost. If the sheet of paper containing all the bullet points...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

29 Jan 2014

National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy Review

Can there not be a compromise on the time?

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

29 Jan 2014

National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy Review

I also wanted to ask why the A9 upgrade is not included in the targets. It seems to be one of the most important things that people are asking about. I think that it was part of a Scottish National Party manifesto some time ago.

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

12 Dec 2013

General Question Time · Community Councils (Participation)

The minister is aware that, in my region, the City of Edinburgh Council and West Lothian Council held elections in October, following which one community council in Edinburgh and five in West Lothian were disbanded due to lack of interest—albeit that West Lothian Council now s...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

20 Feb 2014

First Minister’s Question Time · Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Meetings)

Given the confirmed withdrawals from COSLA and the speculation about a number of other local authorities, does the First Minister have a view on the point at which COSLA can no longer reasonably be seen to represent local authorities in Scotland? Is there any contingency plann...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

03 Apr 2014

Defective and Dangerous Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I tend to start my speeches by welcoming the opportunity to contribute. However, I confess that on this occasion I can say with an unusual amount of sincerity that I am pleased to speak in support of this bill. I have met David Stewart to discuss his bill, and I congratulate h...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

11 Jun 2014

Portfolio Question Time · National Health Service Boards (Meetings)

1. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of national health service boards. (S4O-03326)

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

11 Jun 2014

Portfolio Question Time · National Health Service Boards (Meetings)

Will the cabinet secretary confirm whether there have been any discussions about the use of robots in the surgical treatment of prostate cancer following Prostate Cancer UK’s highlighting of the fact that it can deliver better outcomes than other forms of surgery? Moreover, gi...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

11 Jun 2014

Local Government Elections

Is my friend Dick Lyle suggesting that we sing while we vote?On the whole, the debate has been quite constructive. We all agree that we must make it easier for people to participate in our local government elections, and many members have focused on specific areas such as Euro...

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

09 Jan 2014

City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill: Preliminary Stage

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 bill somehow circumvents the 2012 judgment of the Court of Session. I refer to the important point that the committee made,...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

20 May 2014

New Petitions

If Edward Snowden gets asylum in an independent Scotland, surely the Americans could still petition to extradite him, which would cost a lot of time and money. He would not get away with it, would he? That would be my worry—he would be extradited from Scotland to the United St...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

20 May 2014

New Petitions

We have the example of the Westminster bankers who were extradited from the United Kingdom to America and received long jail terms. America does not have a very good record on that sort of thing—it does not seem to matter whether a crime has been committed. Under our extraditi...

9. Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

28 May 2014

Portfolio Question Time · Local Authority Representatives (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met representatives of local authorities. (S4O-03274)

Cameron Buchanan Con Chamber

28 May 2014

Portfolio Question Time · Local Authority Representatives (Meetings)

Following this weekend’s revelation that the City of Edinburgh Council has spent approximately £60,000 on attracting foreign investment, or entertaining, and that it initially refused to release details of how those costs were accrued, will the minister give an assurance that ...

Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

02 Oct 2014

General Question Time · Craighouse Development (Planning Application)

Does the minister not agree that the problem is that the precedent set involves building on green space, which is what we are trying to avoid in Edinburgh? There have been so many objections to the planning application from all parties that I would have thought that it would n...

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

05 Jun 2014

Legislative Procedures

What are your views on the periods of time that are allowed between stage 2 and stage 3, and do you think that they could be structured differently?

Cameron Buchanan Con Committee

19 Jun 2014

Legislative Procedures

How do you respond to the concerns about setting an end point by which a bill must complete its passage through Parliament? We have had criticism—or comment, I should say—about the length of time between stages 2 and 3.