Parliament Live from Holyrood – 08/01/2020
Parliament Live from Holyrood with the Legislative Consent to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill debate.
Portfolio Questions – Social Security and Older People
Joan McAlpine S5O-03951
1. To ask the Scottish Government how many gender recognition certificates it expects to be issued under its proposed system of self-declaration, and how this compares with the current system.
Jenny Gilruth S5O-03952
2. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the WASPI campaign.
Willie Rennie S5O-03953
3. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to change the qualifying criteria for Carer’s Allowance.
Ruth Maguire S5O-03954
4. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address child poverty in North Ayrshire.
Alison Harris S5O-03955
5. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action that it is taking to reduce loneliness among older people.
Monica Lennon S5O-03956
6. To ask the Scottish Government how much the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold will be in 2020-21, and how many claimants reported earnings in 2019-20.
Gordon Lindhurst S5O-03957
7. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that there will be a functioning equivalent to the Motability scheme in Scotland.
Daniel Johnson S5O-03958
8. To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum backdating period is for the Scottish Child Payment.
Portfolio Questions – Finance, Economy and Fair Work
Alexander Stewart S5O-03959
1. To ask the Scottish Government how much it has provided in loans through its Digital Growth Fund.
John Mason S5O-03960
2. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the timing of the UK and Scottish budgets.
Maureen Watt S5O-03961
3. To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the UK Government’s spending pledges and the Barnett consequentials that might arise from these.
Gillian Martin S5O-03962
4. To ask the Scottish Government how transitional rates relief would be affected if business rate powers were devolved to local government.
Finlay Carson S5O-03963
5. To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase its digital economy budget.
Pauline McNeill S5O-03964
6. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to calls for it to no longer offer contracts to private firms that employ people on zero-hours contracts.
Michelle Ballantyne S5O-03965
7. To ask the Scottish Government how much funding Skills Development Scotland has received through the Apprenticeship Levy.
Gordon MacDonald S5O-03966
8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the timing of the block grant settlement.
Ministerial Statement: Short-term Lets
Scottish Government Debate – Michael Russell S5M-20318
European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
That the Parliament notes the legislative consent memorandum on the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill lodged by the Scottish Government on 20 December 2019; further notes that people in Scotland voted remain and for remain parties, most recently at the UK General Election on 12 December 2019; considers that the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by the UK Government would cause damage to Scotland’s environment, economic and social interests; regrets that the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill has been amended to remove important protections from workers’ rights and asylum-seeking children, and to prohibit an extension of the implementation period to negotiate the future relationship with the EU; regrets that the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill is to proceed through the UK Parliament with minimal scrutiny, failing to respect the significance of the decision to be taken by, or the role of, the Scottish Parliament in scrutinising legislation requiring its legislative consent; is determined to respect and uphold the views of the people of Scotland on this crucial issue to the future of the nation, and therefore does not support the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration negotiated by the UK Government, and does not consent to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill that would implement that agreement.
Adam Tomkins S5M-20318.1 – European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
As an amendment to motion S5M-20318 in the name of Michael Russell (European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill), leave out from “people in Scotland” to end and insert “the legislative consent memorandum indicates that the Scottish Ministers would have recommended that the Parliament withhold consent from any legislation providing for EU exit, irrespective of its content; recalls that the decision to leave the EU was taken by a clear majority of those voting in the 2016 referendum; believes that the results of referendums should be respected and implemented, rather than ignored; welcomes that the UK will be leaving the EU later this month with a Withdrawal Agreement; recalls that all parties in the Scottish Parliament have called for such an agreement to be in place before EU exit and therefore supports the Withdrawal Agreement, and consents to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which will implement this agreement.”