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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Business Gateway Inquiry

Following on from Chic Brodie’s question, I want to ask about social enterprises. Would the Scottish Government consider the formation of a national support structure for social and community enterprises? I may well have misread Chic’s question but I do not think that it has b...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I am not sure who I will aim my question at, but I am sure that someone will jump up and down—although most of the witnesses will simply look at their feet. Should the bill prescribe the structure and operation of local authority police and fire committees? I ask Mr Laing to a...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Edinburgh Agreement (Legal Validity)

In response to a question from my colleague Mark Griffin MSP, the Lord Advocate said:“the Edinburgh agreement, in laying out an agreed route to independence, provided the basis upon which specific legal advice could be sought.”—Official Report, 7 November 2012; c 13131.However...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

My question has been answered fairly well, but I have another question for Mr Dutton in light of the conversation that has just taken place. Does he have any experience of the difficulties that communities face in obtaining publicly owned assets?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

City of Edinburgh Council (Leith Links and Surplus Fire Fund) Bill: Preliminary Stage

I have a question for Mr Livingstone. It is similar to the question that I asked earlier, but on a different topic. Can you explain the ground rules that determined who the affected persons were for the consultation?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Procurement Reform (Public Services and Community Regeneration)

I have a question for Mr Gould. In the written submission that we have received from Highland Council, as opposed to SOPO, your answer to the question, “How should communities be empowered by the new procurement system?” is not very positive. How do you think the bill will ass...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

My question has partly been answered. It was about the structural steps before the FAI, which you have clearly illustrated.My other question is about costings. Have you looked at costings?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland) Bill

I am keen to contribute to the closing of today’s stage 3 debate on the Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland) Bill for the Scottish Labour Party. I, too, thank David Stewart for all his hard work in making these important proposals in the Parliament. Huge thanks are also...

The Convener Lab Committee

National Galleries of Scotland Bill: Preliminary Stage

I have one more question, after which I will open it up to committee members. What will be the likely impact on the gardens during construction? I am not sure whether that question is for Mr Tully or Ms Stevenson.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Thank you, convener, panel and committee members. Given what I have heard this morning, I am not sure whether I should just sit and cry or ask a question. I am deeply saddened, disheartened and downright disgusted at some of the mistruths that have been peddled here this morn...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

I’ll bet.Thank you for your inspiring discussion this morning. I have a fairly simple question. The previous Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee left a legacy paper in which it set out what it thought would be best for this committee to consider. On the economy, that include...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Scottish Government Priorities

I welcome the cabinet secretary and Yvonne Strachan to the meeting.I have a question on the proposed draft regulations on specific duties. You are asking that public authorities set equality outcomes that are“based on evidence and informed by the involvement of equality groups...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Draft Budget 2012-13 and Spending Review 2011 Scrutiny

I have a quick question for Lena Wilson and Alex Paterson. Lena Wilson talked about focusing on the companies that are most likely to grow. I assume that that includes social enterprises. Given the importance of credit unions in Glasgow, where they are used by one in five peop...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Draft Budget 2012-13 and Spending Review 2011 Scrutiny

I will be as brief as I can be. It is a question for Norman Kerr, which ties in with what Mike MacKenzie said about other methods for eradicating fuel poverty.You mentioned preventative spending, which is an issue that I have tried to highlight in Parliament. I will highlight ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

And the second part of the question?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

It is okay, convener. My question has been answered.11:15

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Renewable Energy (Targets)

My question, which was about skills and barriers, has just been asked, convener.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Insulin Pump Therapy (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

9. To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the level of insulin pump therapy available in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. (S4O-00120)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Insulin Pump Therapy (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, there are more than 700 people with type 1 diabetes in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area who could and should benefit from an insulin pump; yet, the number of people accessing pump therapy is a mere 6...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Insulin Pump Therapy (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)

On behalf of those constituents, I urge the Scottish Government to make a real effort to enforce its commitment. Access to pump therapy should be boosted significantly across NHS board areas over the lifetime of the action plan.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Lightburn Hospital

I thank Paul Martin for securing the debate. I also welcome the members of the East Glasgow Parkinson’s support group to Parliament this evening along with some of my colleagues from Glasgow City Council.There is widespread concern at Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board’s deci...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Social Economy

2. To ask the Scottish Executive how it is strengthening the social economy to enhance sustainable growth. (S4O-00339)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Social Economy

Many of the social enterprises that have contacted me have raised concerns that the Government cuts to the third sector are increasing the demand on the social economy for its services. How will the minister address those concerns in order to support further this vital area of...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I have one more question. You mentioned the retail sector. Is the situation particularly acute in the retail sector, or are other sectors experiencing similar issues in respect of vacancy rates?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Credit Unions (Membership)

19. To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage growth in credit union membership. (S4O-00507)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Credit Unions (Membership)

The United Kingdom Government’s Welfare Reform Bill will put significant financial strain on a number of our most vulnerable groups. Does the cabinet secretary agree that credit unions will have a crucial role to play in providing ethical financial support and advice, particul...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Credit Unions (Membership)

Does the cabinet secretary agree that credit unions require additional assistance from the Scottish Government?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

You have answered my question—thank you.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I will ask a different question this time. Is that okay? Laughter.You have all been here for most of the afternoon and we have spoken about the impact on communities, but I want to ask you about something that has been mentioned in the press and in documents that we have read:...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Broadband Take-up (Glasgow)

4. To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase broadband take-up in Glasgow. (S4O-00592)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Broadband Take-up (Glasgow)

As Glasgow’s broadband infrastructure could support higher uptake than the present level, and given that there is an issue about computer access, does the cabinet secretary agree that greater public access to computers should be supported in schools, libraries and further educ...

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Spending Review 2011 and Draft Budget 2012-13

May I answer that question throughout the rest of my speech, please?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Cycling

1. To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to invest in cycling infrastructure to improve take-up rates of active travel. (S4O-00829)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Cycling

The minister will have read Transport Scotland’s report on transport emissions, which concluded that the Government’s transport policies could lead to an additional 17 kilotonnes entering the atmosphere by 2022. Does he agree that the report makes it even more essential to hav...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 1 (Partnerships and Outcomes)

Thank you, Mr Downie, that was totally inspirational. You have answered my other question, which was about the role of the elected member.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 1 (Partnerships and Outcomes)

Thank you for your submission. I will home in on engaging communities, on which I have a range of questions. You might answer all my questions in answering my first question, but if you do not, I will come back to you. In your experience, what are the main challenges in engagi...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 1 (Partnerships and Outcomes)

I have another wee question about the third sector’s integration with the public sector. Will you tell me a wee bit about the third sector as a partner?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 1 (Partnerships and Outcomes)

My question is for all the panel members. How do you contribute to community planning partnerships’ outcomes and action on prevention?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 1 (Partnerships and Outcomes)

I welcome the minister and Councillor Watters. On that last point, minister, how are we going to do things differently now? That is my brief question.

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I have one quick question. When the bill team gave evidence to the Finance Committee, it acknowledged that not all councils would apply the maximum levy that the proposals would allow. Why was the maximum figure used as the basis—

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Elections 2012

Thank you. My other question is about the impact of the count not going on overnight. Have you discussed the impact of starting the count the next morning rather than overnight?11:45

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 was described by the Prime Minister as a revolutionary piece of legislation that would make work pay and protect the vulnerable. We were also told that the reform would help to clamp down on benefit fraudsters who take from the state what they are n...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I would like you to think outside the box when you answer this question. In what other ways could the Scottish Government and local authorities support owners of empty properties to bring them back into use? In an ideal world, how could they do that? You might want to give you...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

My last question is on building again—it is outside the box. What is your opinion of the impact on the house-building sector of the increased council tax charges for long-term empty properties?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I do not know whether I have said it properly. Hold on a wee second—I will read the question correctly this time. What impact do you think the increase in council tax charges for long-term empty properties—if implemented by a local authority—would have on the house-building se...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

In light of John Pentland’s question about the proposed reforms, do you think that vacant non-domestic properties are an inevitable feature of an economic downturn?

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Walking and Cycling to Work (Glasgow)

I applaud the Government’s work in creating the climate challenge fund. How much of the fund will be spent on plugging the gap that was created by the cuts to the active travel budget?

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

That was before the recession—Mr Brodie forgot to add that part in. Unlike the Scottish ministers, Labour ministers exercised financial due diligence.The Government has not thought about the impact of such legislation on local government. It is estimated that the legislation w...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 2 (Benchmarking and Performance Measurement)

Good morning, panel. I have a question about community planning partnerships. If you listened to the earlier witnesses, you will know that they had good advice in that regard. What are the challenges in applying the benchmarking approach to community planning partnerships, par...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Public Services Reform and Local Government: Strand 2 (Benchmarking and Performance Measurement)

In asking this question, my intention is not to knock community councils. How have the three councillors encouraged other community members to become involved in the benchmarking process and community planning partnerships? I do not need to hear a response today; perhaps the c...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 16 concerns the power to increase non-domestic rates and the exclusion of certain unoccupied public sector buildings.The concern behind the amendment arose because some of the evidence that the committee took suggested that the bill would end up costing local governm...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Charles Rennie Mackintosh Buildings

5. To ask the Scottish Executive what funding and leadership it provides to protect and maintain Charles Rennie Mackintosh buildings. (S4O-01053)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Executive Question Time · Charles Rennie Mackintosh Buildings

Given that it is the 144th anniversary of Rennie Mackintosh’s birth next month, does the cabinet secretary agree that the Scottish Government has a significant role to play in leading the various owners of the buildings to ensure that neither the legacy nor the constructions o...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

Draft Budget Scrutiny 2013-14

That ties in nicely with my next question. We heard from the earlier panel that community involvement is big. We have heard from you that community involvement is best and that regeneration is part of other strategies. I ask for your advice. I am concerned about the importance...

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

“Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting our Emissions Reduction Targets 2013-2027”

In asking that question I appreciate that every local authority will be different.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Scottish Government Question Time · Youth Olympic Games 2018

3. To ask the Scottish Government what involvement the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs will have with Glasgow City Council regarding the 2018 youth Olympic games under the major events strategy. (S4O-01348)

Anne McTaggart Lab Chamber

Scottish Government Question Time · Youth Olympic Games 2018

I welcome the minister to his new post. Does he agree that we need to create a positive working relationship between stakeholders and that all elected members should be involved in helping to bring the 2018 youth Olympic games to Glasgow, to build on the legacy of the 2012 Oly...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Committee

Good morning, Sandra and Lorraine, and thank you very much for your opening comments. To follow on from the convener’s question, can you describe to us any evidence that you have collated from United Kingdom sources or even further afield?

Anne McTaggart Lab Committee

My question has been answered; it was about the gender-specific nature of the condition. You have said that it is 10 times more common in women.

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Edinburgh Agreement (Legal Validity)

2. To ask the Scottish Government what the Lord Advocate’s position is on the legal validity of the agreement between the United Kingdom and Scottish Governments on an independence referendum. (S4O-01750)

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Committee

Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee 21 September 2011

21 Sep 2011 · S4 · Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee

Item of business

Business Gateway Inquiry

McTaggart, Anne Lab Glasgow Watch on SPTV

Following on from Chic Brodie’s question, I want to ask about social enterprises. Would the Scottish Government consider the formation of a national support structure for social and community enterprises? I may well have misread Chic’s question but I do not think that it has been answered.

In the same item of business

The Convener Con

Item 2 is our business gateway inquiry. We held our first evidence session last week, and we have two new panels today. On our first panel we have David Vale...

David Valentine (Business Gateway Scotland Board)

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for this opportunity to provide evidence. It is really important that we take it. I have submitted written evidence—I a...

Pamela Stevenson (Business Gateway Operational Network)

I thought that it would be useful to give committee members an outline of the business gateway operational network’s remit. BGON, as we call it, comprises th...

Alex Anderson (Scottish Local Authorities Economic Development Group)

SLAED comprises the 32 local authorities—it is the senior economic development officers who sit round the table. We are a joint local authority forum for dis...

The Convener Con

Thank you. Some of our questions will be directed to specific panel members and others will be more general, but you do not all have to contribute to every a...

David Valentine

I addressed the issue to some extent in our submission. Since the beginning of the year we have had a number of events, and there was the post-evaluation exe...

The Convener Con

I take the point that initially you were trying to create consensus among local authorities and so on. Is it fair to say that up to now there has not been a ...

David Valentine

I will let Pamela Stevenson respond to that. It is absolutely true that we have not opened up the detail of our thoughts on how we should move forward with t...

The Convener Con

Pamela, you have been volunteered.09:45

Pamela Stevenson

I completely agree with Dave Valentine’s comments. The original stakeholder event in February was the start of our consultation process at the Scottish level...

The Convener Con

Since the publication of the Ekosgen report, what engagement has the business gateway operational network had with stakeholders who represent service users?

Pamela Stevenson

We worked actively through the summer on starting to design the contracts. A lot of the detail is covered in our written submission, and perhaps we can discu...

The Convener Con

I suppose that that was what my question was driving at. You have described a draft model, which is described in your written evidence as a “draft Invitation...

David Valentine

You acknowledged what I said about building consensus in local authorities. Part of my job is to manage that consensus. I have often said that we have 32 sov...

The Convener Con

I am grateful for that. I will open up the questioning to other members.

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I will start with what might seem like a ludicrous question, but I need to ask it. Who are your employers?

David Valentine

I am quite happy to answer that from my perspective. Angus Council is my employer. In the context of this—

John Wilson SNP

Pamela Stevenson

Alex Anderson

North Ayrshire Council.

John Wilson SNP

That might have sounded like a silly question to ask, but given the responses that we have had from David Valentine on the consultations that have taken plac...

Pamela Stevenson

I am quite happy to answer that.I know from personal experience that, the first time round, delivery of the business gateway contracts under the Scottish Ent...

John Wilson SNP

I welcome the paperwork that is before us and the submission from the business gateway Scotland board and the business gateway operational network, because t...

David Valentine

As I explained in the paper, the workstreams that operated in the groups through the summer have addressed how we improve what we have got. Right from the be...

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

You talked about speaking to 32 local authorities and trying to get them to sign up to one document—that is a bit like herding cats. Then you talked about ge...

David Valentine

Yes. We started with service users. Through the evaluation process, we wrote to more than 17,000 service users, stakeholders and others. We got a response fr...

Rhoda Grant Lab

It sounds hugely bureaucratic, to be frank. You consult stakeholders and I assume that you pull together their views. You then build a framework for local au...

David Valentine

We should not forget that the people who populated the short-life groups that operated over the summer and devised the contract frameworks are from local aut...

Pamela Stevenson

To reiterate the comments about engagement with service users, on the back of undertaking the evaluation, we have a robust quality assurance programme in pla...

Rhoda Grant Lab

It would be helpful to get all that information in writing rather than take up time around the table.