The Next Step - That the Parliament welcomes the report on disabled people’s experiences of Scottish public transport, Mind the Gap: The Next Step, by Leonard Cheshire Disability; notes the findings that problems with transport create barriers to education, work and leisure, and that problems arise not only from physical inaccessibility but also from attitudes; further notes that these and other conclusions were also reached in Session 2 by the Equal Opportunities Committee in its report on its disability inquiry, Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities; supports Leonard Cheshire Disability’s call for a public awareness campaign and robust disability equality training for staff, and believes that the other recommendations made in Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities should be built on and developed in this parliamentary session.

The Economic Impact of Rugby Matches at Murrayfield - That the Parliament welcomes the report into the economic impact of matches at Murrayfield for the 2008-09 season, prepared for Scottish Rugby by Napier University; notes with interest the findings, which see a contribution of £50 million net spending to the local Edinburgh economy and £104 million to the national economy of Scotland; recognises that through hosting both rugby and non-rugby events there are clear and tangible benefits for tourism, enhanced business opportunities and increased revenue for local and national economies; believes that Murrayfield Stadium is an invaluable resource for Edinburgh and the nation, and, as such, welcomes recent moves by Scottish Rugby to ensure that these matches are coordinated and delivered with the full involvement of all local, regional and national authorities and agencies and in consultation with local communities so that the economic benefits can be felt by everyone involved.

Parkinson’s Disease Society - Get it on Time - That the Parliament congratulates the Parkinson’s Disease Society on its award-winning Get it on Time campaign highlighting the problems faced by people with Parkinson’s in hospital, with materials aimed at patients, health professionals and NHS managers; notes that there are about 10,000 people with Parkinson’s in Scotland, including in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, and that more than a quarter of them will be admitted to hospital at least once each year; is concerned that many people with Parkinson’s are unable to follow their medication regime in hospital; recognises that if people with Parkinson’s do not get their medication on time they can suffer serious and distressing problems, including being unable to move, speak or swallow and that extended hospital stays are needed to restore effective symptom control; believes that many of the barriers to receiving medication on time can be addressed through straightforward measures, including policies enabling people who wish to self-medicate to do so, involvement from a Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist or pharmacist on admission, education for hospital staff, listening to people with Parkinson’s, their carers and families and wider availability of anti-Parkinsonian drugs in hospital pharmacies, and believes that measures should be taken to ensure that people with Parkinson’s get their medication on time, every time.

Asthma UK Scotland - That the Parliament wishes Asthma UK Scotland very well on its 15th birthday; recognises the work it does on behalf of the 390,000 people in Scotland who have asthma, and acknowledges that there have been a number of significant developments in health care in Scotland that Asthma UK Scotland has contributed to over recent years, including smoke-free public places, free prescriptions, promotion of self-management and national standards for asthma services for children and young people.

Aberdeen Crossrail Project - That the Parliament supports the Aberdeen Crossrail project as an integral part of a future transport strategy for the north east; believes that a frequent rail service with new stations running between Stonehaven, Inverurie and Aberdeen is vital to tackling congestion in Aberdeen and to economic growth in the north east; believes that the project is essential for a sustainable transport strategy in the area and to provide much improved public transport options for residents and commuters; believes that supporting Aberdeen Crossrail will enable even more ambitious plans to be developed for new rail services in other parts of Aberdeenshire; is concerned at recent reports that the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland are no longer supporting the scheme, and hopes that the long-established consensus to support Aberdeen Crossrail will continue.

Supporting our Renewables Industry - That the Parliament applauds the Scottish renewable energy industry for its contribution to the national economy and to combating climate change; welcomes the publication of Scottish Hydropower Resource Study, commissioned by the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) Hydro Group and carried out by Nick Forrest Associates, detailing opportunities for new sites to take advantage of Scotland’s untapped hydroelectric potential; congratulates the engineers on the successful completion of the Glendoe Hydro Scheme and commencement of filling, and calls on the Scottish Government to give serious consideration to amending the terms of its tender for electricity supply in such a way as to reinstate a requirement for 100% of the electricity to come from renewable sources, including hydroelectric power, thereby supporting our renewables industry as was the case in the last three contracts put in place by the previous administration.

Sex and Power - That the Parliament welcomes the publication of Sex and Power 2008, the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s annual report looking at women in positions of power and influence across the public and private sector; notes the theme of the report, "missing women", and its statement that "if women hope to shatter the glass ceiling and achieve equal representation, we would need to find the women who are missing from top positions of power in Scotland"; is concerned that despite higher academic attainment, with 57% of university students being women, women constitute only 7.4% of senior police officers, 11.8% of judges of the Court of Session and 13.6% of Scottish MPs and that, while Falkirk Council has women as leader of the administration and Chief Executive and in many senior posts, this is rare elsewhere, with women constituting only 12.5% of local authority chief executives and only 18.8% of local authority leaders; is further concerned that the report shows a declining percentage of women among public appointments, senior police officers, judges of the Court of Session, Scottish MPs and MSPs and highlights that ethnic minority women experience greater barriers in the workplace and are almost completely absent from positions of power; considers that Scotland is failing to get talented women into these positions and consequently is losing out on their contribution to Scotland’s social and political life and our economy, and believes that much more should be done to find the 130 women missing from public appointments, the 85 missing women headteachers in secondary schools, the 21 missing women MSPs and many others, as identified by the report.

Muscle Disease Awareness Week - That the Parliament recognises Muscle Disease Awareness week, taking place from 20 to 27 September 2008, during which the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign will publish a new report, Building on the Foundations: Scotland; is concerned that the report reveals that families with rare and debilitating conditions are being denied treatments that could prolong and improve their lives, particularly home ventilation and physiotherapy, and are faced with major delays in the provision of essential equipment and barriers to independent living; notes that care from a multidisciplinary team, with a lead professional or key worker to coordinate care, improves patient outcomes; welcomes the work of the Scottish Muscle Network to improve patient care in terms of quality, access and appropriateness, and hopes to achieve improved standards of care for all patients with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions.

Dementia Research Network for Scotland - That the Parliament welcomes the formal opening of the Dementia Research Network for Scotland on Friday 29 August 2008; agrees that the network will play a significant role in bringing together Scotland’s leading academic and clinical experts conducting research into dementia and potential treatments; notes that the network will also collaborate with similar networks across the United Kingdom; further notes that the research hubs will be positioned across Scotland in order to allow participating patients easer access to facilities; recognises its creation as part of the wider campaign to ensure that Scotland is prepared for a large increase in the number of people with dementia in the next two decades, and looks forward to its findings in the coming years.

Auchengeich Colliery Disaster - That the Parliament notes the 50th anniversary of the Auchengeich Colliery Disaster which claimed the lives of 47 miners on 18 September 1959; recognises that the tragedy not only directly affected the 41 widows and 76 children left fatherless but also impacted on all of the people of Chryston and surrounding communities; appreciates that this devastating event continues to be significant to the people of the area; commends the local community for the dignity and respect that it has shown to the memory of the victims and their families during commemorative events held annually at the disaster memorial; considers that such events play an important role in ensuring that those who die as a result of work are not forgotten; commends the trade unions for their work in building trade union organisation and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health and safety laws to help in the struggle for safer workplaces, and supports the call for recognition of International Workers Memorial Day as a national day of remembrance for those who have been killed, injured or made ill by their work

Fuel Poverty and the SWIFT Warm Winter Challenge - That the Parliament commends the efforts of Renewable Devices SWIFT Turbines Ltd to combat fuel poverty in Scotland through its SWIFT Warm Winter Challenge whereby it has offered to donate its annual profits this year to alleviate fuel poverty in a joint initiative with Energy Action Scotland; encourages the business community to take up the challenge and fund the installation of 250 SWIFT wind turbines in fuel-poor homes in Scotland; recognises the value in the installation of the SWIFT Rooftop Wind Energy System, which will have a long-term cost saving for households in fuel poverty as well as providing a green source of energy and reducing our carbon footprint, and notes that, in the wake of the announcement of the closure of the Vestas wind turbine factory in Scotland, this challenge not only supports our fuel poor, but will also demonstrate Scotland’s ongoing commitment to renewable energy.

Congratulations to Team GB, especially Scotland’s Athletes - That the Parliament congratulates the athletes from Team GB who have performed incredibly well in the 2008 Beijing Olympics; recognises the commitment and togetherness of Team GB in its pursuit of sporting excellence; commends the achievement of 47 medals, including 19 gold medals; congratulates Chris Hoy on his achievement of three gold medals and on being the first British Olympian in 100 years to win three gold medals in a single games; considers that calls for a separate Scottish Olympics team from the First Minister are divisive and unnecessary, and calls on the First Minister to spend more of his time finding resources to invest in sport and facilities in Scotland rather than depending on the legacy of the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat administration and to listen to the Scottish Olympians, such as Chris Hoy and Allan Wells, on how best to support Scottish athletes in the future.

August 2008

Insulin Pump Therapy - That the Parliament welcomes the recent decision by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to approve the new NICE guidelines on insulin pumps for use in Scotland; notes that more people will now be eligible for continuous insulin infusion pump therapy thereby improving the quality of lives for those with insulin-dependant diabetes, and urges the Scottish Executive and local NHS boards to monitor closely the insulin pump programme availability throughout Scotland to ensure that people with type 1 diabetes who meet the criteria have access to these insulin pumps that deliver therapy.

Free Tibet - That the Parliament recognises the courageous actions of Iain Thom, member of the Parliament’s Cross-Party Group on Tibet who, with other supporters, was arrested by Chinese police on 6 August 2008 during their peaceful demonstration in Beijing against injustices that are being inflicted on the people of Tibet, and applauds his bravery at this particular time when the Chinese government is trying rigorously to suppress expressions of freedom

Lost Without Words Campaign - That the Parliament welcomes the Stroke Association’s Lost Without Words campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the impact of stroke-related communication disability; notes that thousands of people in Scotland are currently living with this problem; recognises the real and lasting benefits of communications support in improving communication skills, restoring self confidence and helping reintegration into families and the wider community, and encourages NHS boards to seek more information about this disability by routinely collecting data on the incidence of stroke-related communication disabilities and plan services accordingly, which recognise ongoing communications support as a vital component that must be fully integrated into the stroke care pathway.

C difficile - That the Parliament calls on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to apologise to the families that have suffered loss in the Clostridium difficile outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital and supports their call for a public inquiry; regrets that the Cabinet Secretary has not met the families nor provided them with a preview of the Cairns Smith report prior to full publication; notes with concern the increasing level of Clostridium difficile cases reported in the last two quarters in Scotland, compared to the significant drop in cases in England (32% in the last quarter); regrets that, despite the warnings given by opposition members in the health care associated infection debate on 26 March 2008, it apparently took notification from the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter prior to its reporting the tragedy of the deaths at Vale of Leven to spur the Cabinet Secretary into action; also calls for upgrading of the mandatory surveillance system to web-based reporting of cases by individual hospital, replacing the current pan-NHS board reporting system whereby the best hospitals can mask the worst, to be introduced as soon as possible on the lines of the English NHS reporting system, which was updated in January 2008; further calls for reporting to be extended to all cases in those over the age of two instead of only over 65, along the lines announced for England; calls for a clear linkage between hospital-acquired cases reported and outcomes to be the subject of mandatory reporting and for this linkage to be published on a monthly basis on the web, and finally calls for all hospitals to have in place clear antibiotic policies supported by pharmacists on the wards.

Salmond’s Government has No Compassion for Disabled People - That the Parliament deplores that in the 21st century the clock is being turned back so that disabled people are apparently the least cared about by this SNP government; further deplores that all those disabled people in Scotland who now for the first time, under a Nationalist government, will face assessments of income in order to determine which scale of fees will apply for essential services that, under the previous Labour-led Scottish Executive, were provided free of charge and without any age discrimination; recognises that the age discrimination against disabled people must be investigated as a matter of urgency, and hopes that all those disabled people in the Fife region and, in particular, the towns of Lochgelly and Dalgety Bay, will act as champions supported by their local elected representatives and pursue this very important issue with every relevant agency conceivable until this disgraceful policy is reversed.

400^th. Stonewall Diversity Champion - That the Parliament congratulates the British Army on becoming the 400th Stonewall Diversity Champion, demonstrating its commitment to supporting all of its current and future employees; notes that this a remarkable achievement in light of the fact that less than 10 years ago lesbian and gay people were banned from the army; believes that the road to equality is a long one but recognises the substantial achievements of the Labour government in ensuring that equality and diversity are valued and protected at all levels of our society, and supports the UK Equality Bill which aims to make it easier for people to access their rights and be afforded the dignity and respect that they rightfully deserve.

Federation of Master Builders and Climate Change - That the Parliament congratulates the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) on its recent successful policy conference in London on 9 July 2008; recognises that, in 2050, 80% of our present housing stock will still be in use and that improvements to the insulation, draft proofing and energy efficiency of our present housing stock are the greatest urgency in the context of the challenge of climate change, and calls on the Scottish Government to work as closely as possible with the FMB and small and medium sized construction firms to start a process of innovation, skills development and capacity building in the construction industry, moving towards a future standard for housing refurbishment that is consistent with an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050.

Antonine Wall- A World Heritage Site - That the Parliament welcomes the confirmation of the Antonine Wall’s status as a world heritage site; congratulates all those who have contributed to this achievement, including Historic Scotland, campaigners from Bo’ness to Old Kilpatrick, Falkirk Council and other local authorities, the Scottish Executive past and present and the UK Government; notes that this will focus international attention on the area, helping to promote tourism and increase awareness of Scotland’s Roman heritage, and looks forward to a continuing partnership approach to ensure the preservation, study and development of educational and tourist resources highlighting the global importance of Scotland’s heritage.

Glasgow Women’s Library - That the Parliament congratulates Glasgow Women’s Library on its successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which has agreed to provide a grant of £410,000 for the creation of a dedicated archive space at the Mitchell Library and the recruitment of a full-time archivist; recognises that the bid was of a very high standard and attracted 110 letters of support; believes that the work of Glasgow Women’s Library, which includes redressing the neglect of women’s historical and cultural contributions to Scottish society and creating new approaches to culture and heritage that bring together women from the most diverse backgrounds, is of immense value to Glasgow and to Scotland, and offers everyone at the Glasgow Women’s Library the very best wishes as they take this significant step forward in the development of their service.

Friends of the Earth Scotland Launches Big Ask Scotland Campaign with Radiohead - That the Parliament welcomes the launch at Radiohead’s Glasgow Green gig on 27 June 2008 of Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Big Ask Scotland campaign for a strong Scottish Climate Change Bill; notes that the gig is part of Radiohead’s carbon-conscious European tour which has aimed to reduce its environmental impact as much as possible; notes that Radiohead is also supporting the Big Ask Europe which aims for continent-wide action on climate change; further notes that the Big Ask Scotland demands that (a) the Scottish Bill must cover all greenhouse gas emissions, including those from international aviation and shipping, and include the basket of greenhouse gases, not merely carbon dioxide, (b) there must be a scientifically-based limit placed on total emissions every year between now and 2050, not merely an end-point 80% reduction target, and (c) the Scottish Government should establish a Climate Super Fund, which will reward public bodies that reduce their emissions in line with targets and fine bodies that fail to do so, and wishes Friends of the Earth Scotland every success in its campaign.

80^th. Anniversary of Universal Suffrage and Votes at 16 - That the Parliament notes that 2 July 2008 will be the 80th anniversary of universal suffrage, the passing of the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928, which gave women in the United Kingdom equal voting rights to men; welcomes the further extensions to the franchise since 1928 and their contribution to democracy, and considers that equal voting rights should be afforded to 16 and 17-year-olds as valued members of our society.

Twentieth Anniversary of the Piper Alpha Disaster - That the Parliament notes the twentieth anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster which claimed the lives of 167 offshore workers on 6 July 1988; celebrates the contribution of members of the Piper Alpha Families’ and Survivors’ Association, whose tireless campaigning in the aftermath of the disaster helped to raise the standards of offshore safety to the benefit of many thousands of other offshore workers over the last 20 years; believes that the regulation of offshore safety by the Health and Safety Executive, the provision for offshore safety representatives, support for safety initiatives, such as Step Change in the context of the government/oil and gas industry PILOT taskforce, and the recognition of trade unions offshore have supported a more positive safety culture, and looks forward to continuing active engagement in promoting that safety culture by all concerned in the North Sea and other oil provinces around the world.

We’ve got Big Plans for Deaf People and Young Children in Scotland - That the Parliament commends all deaf young people in Scotland who got involved in the National Deaf Children’s Society’s (NDCS) largest ever consultation with deaf children in the UK, Change Your World; acknowledges that the results of this national conversation present a unique insight into the opinions of young deaf people on issues that affect them; supports the NDCS as it develops its Big Plans for Scotland’s deaf children and young people as a result of the Change Your World consultation; congratulates all those who attended the NDCS event in the Parliament on Wednesday 18 June 2008 to launch the results of the consultation, particularly the pupils from Dingwall Academy and Dalziel High School who led the event with such confidence and maturity and told us how they wanted the world to change, and commits to listening to what these results tell us about being a deaf young person in Scotland today.

Holyrood National Youth Parliament Competition 2007-08 - That the Parliament congratulates Belmont Academy, Ayr, on winning the National Team award at the Holyrood National Youth Parliament Competition 2007-08, organised by the Citizenship Foundation; notes the success of Belmont Academy in this competition over recent years and acknowledges the excellent work of staff at the school in supporting the pupils with their entries; recognises the role played by the competition in helping to raise awareness and interest in the political process, and commends all of the young people from schools across Scotland who took part in the competition.

Josie Pasane - That the Parliament condemns the Home Office’s decision to separate Josie Pasane from her family, with whom she has been living for seven years in Broughty Ferry, and to deport her to South Africa; expresses concern over reports that Josie received incorrect advice from the Home Office over her status which has led to the order for deportation; notes that Josie, a graduate of the University of Abertay, is in employment and is a valued member of the local community, and calls on the UK Government to urgently review her case.

Handcuffing Pregnant Women - That the Parliament notes with regret that despite the statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 1 May 2008 that handcuffing pregnant women is "absolutely unacceptable" (Official Report c. 8177), the Scottish Prison Service and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice remain adamant that this procedure can continue in exceptional circumstances, namely potential self-harm, harm to a baby or possible danger to others; regards these as medical or psychiatric conditions, and agrees that pregnant or newly delivered offenders attending hospital from custody should be treated in the same way as other non-offenders with similar risks and should be the responsibility of obstetric, paediatric or psychiatric staff and not of the Scottish Prison Service or Reliance.

Photodynamic Therapy - That the Parliament notes with sadness the death of Alf Stewart; recognises his support for the Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Unit in Dundee without which that unit would not have remained open; recognises the help which can be derived from PDT in a number of conditions at a modest cost; notes that this unit and the PDT work in Glasgow requires funding in order to continue, and calls on the Scottish Government to develop this service as a national managed clinical network.

Robert Gordon’s Debaters Triumph in Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament - That the Parliament congratulates Jo Farmer and Michael Sim from Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen, who won the 10th National Final of The Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament; notes that this year’s tournament saw the entry of over 130 teams representing schools from across Scotland, and congratulates all the pupils who took part this year.

Parkinson’s Disease Society - That the Parliament notes the findings of a recent survey carried out by the Parkinson’s Disease Society, in which it was highlighted that 32% of people with Parkinson’s are not being diagnosed by specialists, that more than 3 in 10 disease sufferers have never seen a Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist, that more than one-third of sufferers have never been referred to a physiotherapist, that more than half have never been referred to an occupational or speech and language therapist; welcomes the views of many respondents that a Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist was found to provide a useful source of information about their condition; notes that some NHS boards continue to provide no access to nurse specialists and that the provision of specialist nurses in other areas is heavily oversubscribed, and calls on the Scottish Executive and NHS boards to examine this report in detail to ensure that Parkinson’s disease sufferers are able to access the appropriate range of support services in every area of Scotland.

First Female Chief Constable in Scotland - That the Parliament congratulates the Kingdom of Fife and Fife Constabulary on the appointment of the first female Chief Constable in Scotland; further congratulates Chief Constable Norma Graham, and expresses its hopes that this will mark a step towards the fair and equal representation of women in the higher positions of the public service in Scotland and beyond.

Train Support - That the Parliament notes with concern the withdrawal of all catering from services north of Edinburgh by Cross Country Trains, which means that passengers using these trains can get nothing to eat or drink; points out that passengers travelling north of Edinburgh and south of Plymouth into Cornwall are being discriminated against by this policy; urges the company to think again about the withdrawal of catering for passengers on these routes, and asks ministers to investigate whether this move represents a breach of the franchise agreement.

Ullapool Primary School - That the Parliament notes the concerns being expressed by the Ullapool Primary School Parents Council over the adverse effects which the ongoing budget cuts being made by the Highland Council are having upon the educational quality at Ullapool Primary School; notes that due to lack of finances the school has no library service and, because of the budget cuts this year, no swimming classes and no specialist teachers for music or higher education, and therefore calls on the council to make the necessary resources available to ensure that children attending Ullapool Primary School receive the resources needed to provide for their education.

Unacceptable levels of Poverty in Scotland - As an amendment to motion S3M-2134 in the name of Jamie Hepburn (Unacceptable Levels of Poverty in Scotland), leave out from "the Office" to end and insert "and encouragement the findings of the National Statistics publication Scottish Households Below Average Income 2006-07 which shows a marked decline since 1999-2000 in the number of households in both absolute and relative poverty, including a 28% decrease in relative child poverty and a 61% decrease in absolute child poverty meaning that the previous administration’s target to halve absolute child poverty by 2010 has been met significantly ahead of schedule; believes that, while government at all levels should continue to strive to eliminate poverty completely, this progress would not have been possible without many of the initiatives by the previous administration and the UK Government, including the Sure Start programme, record increases in child benefit, the winter fuel allowance, the working families tax credit and the national minimum wage, the latter of which was finally passed in the House of Commons without the support of a single SNP MP, and is concerned that the SNP government’s budget, passed with the Conservatives in this Session of the Parliament, and its single outcome agreements with local authorities are precipitating cuts to a range of local services including homecare services for the elderly, school classes and school meals provision as well as a host of voluntary organisations providing services for some of Scotland's most vulnerable citizens, that this threatens to undo much of the progress on poverty which the report outlines and that this seriously undermines the SNP’s case to be trusted with more powers."

The Workers Beer Company in Scotland—That the Parliament recognises the contribution of the Workers Beer Company to the success of the Scottish live music and events sector and notes the significant fundraising that is provided for various trades-union, labour movement, campaigning, voluntary and charity organisations and its particular success in involving young people in causes and campaigns; commends this remarkable company, which was originally set up by the Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council, for the success of its 2007-08 programme of activities which have included providing bars at the Indian Summer Festival in Glasgow and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, and wishes the Workers Beer Company every continued success in future years

Right to Rent—That the Parliament believes that there is a serious lack of affordable housing in the city of Edinburgh; notes the City of Edinburgh Council’s view that 1,200 new affordable houses are needed in each of the next 10 years; understands that students, graduates, young professionals and families all find it increasingly difficult to get their feet on the property ladder and choose to rent instead; believes that houses in multiple occupation (HMO) legislation was a landmark achievement in terms of improving basic standards of health and safety in the private rented sector but is concerned that HMO legislation must be properly regulated and enforced to be successful, including ensuring that landlords manage their properties in line with the legislation; calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that local authorities have adequate resources to enforce HMO legislation and to use the powers they have to tackle antisocial behaviour so that blanket use of HMO quotas is not seen as the simple solution to ensuring decent housing choices and securing sustainable communities; welcomes the Edinburgh University Students’ Association’s Right to Rent campaign and believes that local authorities should work with student organisations, universities and colleges to ensure that sufficient, new and affordable student accommodation is identified in local authority development plans, and supports students’ associations across Scotland in their efforts to ensure a mixed tenure of properties in their local communities.

Banning of Looped Blind Cords—That the Parliament acknowledges that, in the last 10 years, up to 20 children are reported to have lost their lives in the United Kingdom as a result of incidents involving looped blind cords; recognises that the United States banned the use of looped blind cords in the 1990s and that Australia followed suit in 2004, and supports the efforts of Gordon Banks MP in pressing the UK Government to begin immediate discussions with the British Standards Institute to introduce a new British Standard banning the use of looped blind cords to prevent further avoidable deaths.

Emotional Health at Work— That the Parliament congratulates the Samaritans and the STUC on their continuing campaign for a right to enjoy emotional health at work; notes the findings of their survey which showed that over 20% of workers questioned had taken time off work due to stress and that over 50% found their work more stressful than it was five years ago, and believes that employers across Scotland should work with unions and the Samaritans to make sure that their workers have the necessary support to maintain a good level of emotional health and wellbeing.

Scotrail Franchise Renewal— That the Parliament expresses its grave concern about the decision taken by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change to extend the First Scotrail franchise for three years to 2014 without consulting MSPs, transport authorities, passenger groups, trade unions and other stakeholders, especially in light of the fact that nearly two thirds of First Group plc’s income to run Scotland’s rail services is public subsidy; notes that the First Scotrail franchise is the largest contract let by Scottish Ministers, with the level of public subsidy to be paid over the lifetime of the franchise likely to reach £2 billion; calls on the Parliament’s Transport, Climate Change and Infrastructure Committee to conduct an immediate inquiry into the decision, and believes that the minister should have made the announcement to the Parliament.

Merger of Epilepsy Scotland and Enlighten - Tackling Epilepsy— That the Parliament welcomes the merger of Epilepsy Scotland and Enlighten – Tackling Epilepsy, based in the Lothians; welcomes this progressive move; believes that this merger of two excellent services will bring added support and quality to services that help nearly 40,000 people affected by this common neurological condition, and hopes that it will secure new funding and build on the existing innovative projects that already assist households living with epilepsy and continue to make a difference and transform people’s lives.

Alternative and Augmentative Communication— That the Parliament expresses concern following the findings by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Capability Scotland and Augmentative Communication in Practice whose recent survey of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) equipment and speech and language therapy support provision in Scotland revealed that eight out of 15 NHS boards, including NHS Grampian, are providing a poor service; notes that only 16% of potential beneficiaries are accessing specialist AAC services in Scotland and that AAC provision is a postcode, age, advocacy and impairment lottery, and considers that an AAC strategy for Scotland should be developed and implemented to provide for a national standard of specialist speech and language therapy

Look OK...Feel Crap? That the Parliament supports the Look OK…Feel Crap? campaign piloted across the Lothians in order to reverse the suicide rate among young adults in that region; recognises that the campaign’s website www.lookokfeelcrap.org has helped thousands of young people to deal with depression which is often an underground and life-threatening illness by giving ongoing support and information provision, and believes that the 47% increase in inquiries from clients and carers is an illustration that this campaign is saving lives.

Racism in Football—That the Parliament congratulates Show Racism the Red Card on the success both of its 2008 Schools’ Art Competition and its unique employment of football to convey messages of tolerance and citizenship in schools and communities throughout Scotland; welcomes its development of educational resources which contribute greatly towards helping young people to gain a greater understanding of different cultures in our society; notes that during the course of the current season there have been several cases of players being racially abused, at all levels of the game, and others being targeted for abuse owing to their decision to play international football for countries other than Scotland; acknowledges the contribution made down the years both to the national team and to club sides by players born outside Scotland and, whilst welcoming the increased efforts being made by governing bodies, players, clubs, supporters trusts and educational initiatives to tackle racism, accepts that there is still a great deal of work to be done to remove this ugly stain from "the beautiful game".

RNIB Scotland’s Right to Read Campaign—That the Parliament welcomes the Right to Read campaign by RNIB Scotland for equal access to textbooks and other educational material for blind and visually impaired children; notes the excellent example of schools such as Craigiebarns Primary School in Dundee in ensuring that blind and visually impaired children are included in mainstream schooling; believes that a national transcription service should be established, building on the work done by RNIB, other organisations and local councils; acknowledges that such a service could also be of use to other children with additional support needs, and so believes that prompt action is needed to move forward with this agenda.

Young Drivers - Reducing the Death Toll—That the Parliament notes with concern that one in three fatal road accidents in Scotland last year involved young people under the age of 25 and that three quarters of those crashes happened on rural roads; notes that this is particularly true in the Grampian region where 40% of fatalities were young drivers and so welcomes The Press and Journal’s Young Driver of the Year competition; further welcomes the competition entrants’ innovative recommendations on how the death toll on the roads could be reduced, and considers that all these recommendations should be examined in detail to see which proposals could be taken forward to improve the safety of young drivers in Scotland.

Standing Up for Edinburgh’s Youngest and Poorest—That the Parliament expresses considerable concern at the decision of the SNP/Liberal Democrat-led City of Edinburgh Council to cut £300,000 from the Edinburgh Leisure budget, resulting in all but two crèches at city leisure facilities closing; believes that the provision of crèches is vital for some families with more than one child to enjoy council leisure facilities; considers that crèches provide a vital role in improving and promoting the health of young parents and are particularly important to mothers suffering from post-natal depression, and further believes that these cuts to crèche facilities, combined with earlier cuts to full-time nursery places, cuts in hours of care in part-time nursery places, cuts to Sure Start funding in Edinburgh totalling £966,000, cuts of £850,000 to Community Learning and Development funds and substantial cuts to grants for local voluntary groups and organisations, including £357,000 being removed from the council’s previously acclaimed Youth Services, demonstrates that the youngest and poorest people across the city of Edinburgh are suffering at the hands of the SNP in power.

Dignity and Integrity for All—That the Parliament notes the lecture given by the Rt Rev Joseph Devine, Bishop of Motherwell, at St Aloysius’ College on Tuesday 11 March 2008; condemns his claim that homosexuals were not persecuted during the holocaust and his suggestion that the imprisonment of Oscar Wilde and other homosexuals was appropriate; observes that according to figures of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100,000 men were arrested as homosexuals by the Third Reich between 1933 and 1945 and that it is estimated that over 10,000 homosexuals died as a result of the Holocaust; further notes that in many countries homosexuality is today punishable by death or imprisonment, and urges all churches to defend the dignity and integrity of every individual regardless of sexual orientation

The Plight of Burma's Children— That the Parliament notes with great concern a recent report in The Irrawaddy News on the poor treatment of Burmese detainees, many of them children, in Mae Sot, Thailand; recognises the plight of millions of Burmese children, who have long been subjected to starvation and maltreatment by the country’s cruel military dictatorship; laments the misfortune of those children who have attempted to escape this miserable life only to end up in situations like those described in the report, and in accord with the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms the right of every child to have his or her basic needs fulfilled.

Cuba - That the Parliament notes the recent decision by Fidel Castro not to seek re-election to the National Assembly of Cuba and wishes him all the best in his future role; sees this as another opportunity to embrace the ideas of positive engagement between the people of Scotland and Cuba; notes that Fidel remains an inspiration to the majority of Cuban people and to all those seeking to challenge injustice and inequality around the world; commends his heroic contribution to the fight against poverty and oppression; congratulates Cuba on an unrivalled legacy of internationalism and humanitarian aid throughout the developing world with one million poor patients treated with eye surgery under Operation Miracle; notes that Cuba is the only country with permanent emergency medical corps on standby to respond to natural emergencies and, further, has 30,000 free medical scholarships for doctors from developing countries, with plans for a further 200,000 in the next ten years; believes that Cuba’s sovereign institutions should be respected by the US Government; calls for an end to the illegal blockade of Cuba, and congratulates Raul Castro on his appointment as head of state and wishes him every success for the future of a socialist Cuba.

Children's Right to Play— That the Parliament warmly congratulates Theresa Casey on her recent election as President of the International Play Association (IPA); notes that this appointment recognises her longstanding membership of IPA, her years as chair of the Scotland branch and her high personal standing as a practitioner, consultant and writer on children’s play, with her special interest in inclusion, play environments and children’s rights and her breadth of knowledge and experience through her wide contacts and numerous publications; in congratulating her, affirms its conviction that opportunities for children to play in freedom and safety are essential for their wellbeing and development, and agrees to foster these opportunities.

National Minimum Wage – As an amendment to motion S3M-1497 in the name of John Wilson (National Minimum Wage), leave out from "expresses" to end and insert "notes the increase of the National Minimum Wage to £5.73 per hour in October 2008; further notes this will be an increase of nearly 60% since its introduction on 1 April 1999; recognises that the introduction of the National Minimum Wage had a huge impact on thousands of low-paid workers, many of whom were women; applauds the introduction of such legislation for its focus on the rights of working people and not the profits of big business; further notes the failure of the SNP MPs to turn up to vote in the House of Commons for the National Minimum Wage in 1998, and expresses disappointment that the current First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth were among those who did not participate in the vote to introduce the National Minimum Wage."

Scottish Society for Autism: 40 Years Serving Scotland - That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Society for Autism on reaching, in 2008, its 40th year of providing services and support to children, adults and their families living with autism in Scotland; acknowledges its key role, as a parent-led organisation with long experience and 700 staff across the country, in delivering innovative services in local communities, and urges government, local authorities, health services and other voluntary sector organisations to maintain close co-operation with the society to further develop support and services appropriate to the complex needs of those with autism spectrum disorders and their families and to ensure that there will be equity of provision throughout the country.

Un-Christian Remarks of Bishop Devine—That the Parliament expresses concern at the hurt which will be caused to gay people, and gay Catholics in particular, by the unfortunate, outdated and un-Christian remarks of Bishop Devine; believes that all enlightened Catholics reject all forms of prejudice including racism, sectarianism and homophobia, and acknowledges that we must all remember and learn from the past in order to equip ourselves with the tools to tackle prejudice in all its forms.

Homophobia Has No Place in Scottish Society—That the Parliament notes with weary dismay the most recent remarks made by Bishop Joseph Devine which suggest that LGBT communities should not be present at Holocaust memorial events; recognises in particular that many thousands of gay men were arrested, imprisoned and killed by the Nazi regime and that many of these were later rounded up and re-imprisoned by the allies, being seen at the time as "legitimate" targets; welcomes the significant progress which has since been made across Europe toward recognising the equal dignity and worth of all people regardless of sexual orientation or transgender identity; is concerned at further remarks by the Bishop which appear to encourage parents not to tolerate their gay, lesbian or bisexual children; believes that such remarks are homophobic and deeply harmful to society and to young LGBT people who are contemplating coming out to their families, and commits itself to continuing to work toward a society in which prejudice and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and transgender identity are a thing of the past.

Young Gypsy/Travellers Raising Awareness in the Scottish Parliament—That the Parliament welcomes young Gypsy/Travellers from across Scotland to the Parliament on 26 March 2008; acknowledges that Gypsy/Travellers remain one of the most isolated and excluded minority ethnic groups in Scotland; commends the young people, supported by Save the Children, for raising awareness of the issues faced by Gypsy/Travellers among their peers, professionals and parliamentarians and for bringing about a better understanding of Gypsy/Traveller culture, changing attitudes and challenging discrimination; considers the importance of this work, and urges the Scottish Executive to support, through providing both community leadership and funding, the young people to continue to promote equality by challenging prejudice and discrimination through sharing their experiences with their peers.

Water and Sewerage Rates Relief for Charitable and Voluntary Organisations—As an amendment to motion (S3M-1524) in the name of Jim Tolson, leave out from first "welcomes" to end and insert "recognises that the previous Labour-led administration introduced this exemption because it was the right thing to do; supports the campaign by churches and voluntary organisations to continue this exemption; calls on the Scottish Government to ensure the continuation and simplification of this scheme, and hopes that the Scottish Government will extend this scheme to newly built properties and further ensure that an exemption is available to new and old village halls, churches, charities and local organisations."

Racial Harassment Toolkit—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of Positive Action in Housing’s online Racial Harassment toolkit, www.challengeracism.com, aimed at providing a straightforward framework for helping housing providers challenge racism in their communities; believes that this toolkit will complement previous work done on promoting awareness and reporting of such incidents and as such help to further bridge the gap between legislation and guidance, and encourages housing providers and other organisations to make full use of these excellent resources in order to promote a more inclusive society free from racially motivated crime and harassment.

No Smoking Day—That the Parliament welcomes No Smoking Day on 12 March 2008; celebrates the reduction in heart attacks and other smoking-related diseases that is already becoming apparent in Scotland following the legislative ban on smoking in public places, and regrets that continued progress in this undoubted benefit for the health of the people of Scotland may be hindered by the funding cuts in real terms for smoking cessation programmes introduced by the Scottish Government.

One Book - One Edinburgh— That the Parliament congratulates the One Book - One Edinburgh campaign for all the work that it has done to celebrate Scottish literature and promote reading across the city of Edinburgh; notes that 10,000 copies of the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde were distributed on Friday 22 February 2008 in cafes, bars, offices, high schools, hotels and other venues throughout the city; believes that the campaign promotes both the value of education and the joy of reading; recognises that in 2007 a similar number of copies of Kidnapped were distributed across Edinburgh thanks to the fantastic Bookcrossing scheme; notes that some copies have found their way as far afield as Sweden, Barcelona and Hong Kong; remembers that Edinburgh became the very first UNESCO City of Literature in 2004, and wishes the city of Kolkata all the very best in its endeavours to be the next UNESCO City of Literature.

Language Diversity in Schools— That the Parliament affirms its commitment to supporting children in school whose first language is not English and believes that language diversity is a positive benefit in Scotland’s schools and across Scottish society; recognises the challenges faced by teachers, pupils and parents in multi-lingual classrooms, particularly in areas such as Glasgow where 8,853 city children speak one of 102 languages other than English at home, including Punjabi, Urdu, Arabic, Mandarin, Polish, Cantonese, Swahili, Kurdish, Thai, French, German, Spanish and Italian, alongside Gaelic, Scots, Doric and British Sign Language; congratulates Glasgow City Council and other local authorities for the work that they are already doing in response to language diversity, and calls for the Scottish Government to do more to support local authorities such as Glasgow and to respond to the calls that have been made for special funding to be made available in order that language never becomes a barrier in Scottish education.

Handle With Care— That the Parliament welcomes Handle With Care: A report on the moving and handling of children and young people with disabilities, laid before the Parliament by Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People; recognises that moving and handling issues can cause significant disruption to the lives of children and young people and their families; notes that poor practice may result in breaches of children’s rights, be detrimental to their welfare and limit their enjoyment of life, while good practice contributes to children’s physical and emotional welfare, helping to maximise their mobility and independence; congratulates the young people who worked with the commissioner on the report for their courage in helping to bring this important issue to the attention of the Parliament, and urges central and local government and all service providers to note the findings of the report and explore how they can contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people with disabilities by considering how they can take forward the recommendations set out in the report.

Asthma and Physical Exercise— That the Parliament supports Asthma UK Scotland’s attempts to encourage all children to take part in exercise; acknowledges that well-controlled asthma is no barrier to playing sport and keeping fit, and believes that every school should have an asthma policy to ensure that children with asthma are given every opportunity to take part in normal school life.

European Day of Action on Prison Overcrowding— That the Parliament notes the Federation of European Public Sector Unions’ (EPSU) day of action on 28 February 2008 to raise awareness of prison overcrowding across Europe; is concerned at the increasing prison population across Europe over the last decade, which stands at over 600,000; recognises that most prisons across Europe are now overcrowded, with more prisoners than establishments can accommodate healthily and humanely; believes that overcrowding negates many aspects of prisoner rehabilitation and consequently impacts on efforts to reduce reoffending and leads to further increases in prisoner numbers, and calls on the Scottish Government to work with trade unions and others within the justice system to improve prison conditions by further investment in the prison estate alongside robust alternatives to imprisonment where appropriate.

Funding of Supporters Direct— That the Parliament notes the comments of the late Scotland football manager, Jock Stein, that "football without fans is nothing"; believes that this sentiment epitomises the work of Supporters Direct; applauds the work of Supporters Direct in saving six clubs, facilitating £2 million cash input to clubs and establishing 35 supporters’ trusts with 15,000 members; recognises the cross-party support for the work of Supporters Direct but notes that its funding is due to run out in March 2008; expresses disappointment that the SNP administration has failed at this point to provide any new funding to Supporters Direct, and calls on the Minister for Communities and Sport to make funding available from April 2008 to allow Supporters Direct to continue its excellent work on behalf of Scotland’s communities.

Glasgow to Host 2009 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships— That the Parliament congratulates Glasgow on securing the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships to be held at Scotstoun Stadium in May 2009; hopes that Scotland’s involvement will boost its medal chances at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and echoes the words of Terry McLernon, founder of Drumchapel Table Tennis Club, that "Hosting the Championships in 2009 is a real boost for the sport in both Glasgow and Scotland and gives the young people in Drumchapel a real shot at going for gold in 2014".

The Continuing Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip— The That the Parliament expresses its continuing concern about the ongoing blockade of Gaza and the Israeli Government’s decision to begin reducing the electricity supply to 1.5 million Palestinians, including children and innocent civilians, many of whom already live in poverty, 80% of whom are dependent on food aid and 55% of whom are without employment; notes that the situation continues despite warnings from the United States and others against a worsening of the humanitarian situation of the civilian population in Gaza; further notes that human rights groups working in the region argue that the cut in power supplies along with the virtual closure of much of Gaza’s perimeter by Israel violates international law and believes that this amounts to collective punishment of the Palestinian peoples, and therefore calls on the international community to respond urgently to this humanitarian crisis at the same time as working for a peaceful, just and lasting solution for all Palestinians and Israelis.

WWF campaign for Strong Scottish Climate Bill - That the Parliament welcomes the launch of WWF Scotland’s campaign for a strong Scottish Climate Change Bill, which will engage with communities across the country through 25 public events over the course of the public consultation on the Bill proposals; believes that, in tackling climate change, Scotland as a nation can lead the way and, alongside those backing this campaign, supports calls for the Bill to establish the legal framework to achieve an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and a statutory annual target of at least 3% emission reductions year on year and to include reductions in emissions from aviation and shipping, and further notes that these calls are supported across the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition, a broad coalition of environment, development, community and faith groups and UNISON Scotland.

Violence Against Betting Shop Workers - That the Parliament notes with concern the increase in physical and verbal abuse and intimidation faced by betting shop workers and the parallel rise in violent betting shop robberies; recognises that many workers do not receive adequate support from their employers following such traumatic incidents; regrets that the prevalence of workplace violence leads to a culture among employees, many of whom are lone female workers, of viewing such abuse as part of the job; acknowledges the work carried out by the trade union, Community, in challenging the problems of violence faced by its members in betting shops across Scotland, and welcomes the safety poster launch on 21 February 2008 in the Parliament to further raise awareness of Community's campaign to stop violence against betting shop workers.

Children of prisoners : The Invisible Victims of Crime - That the Parliament notes with grave concern the findings of Not Seen. Not Heard. Not Guilty: The Rights and Status of the Children of Prisoners in Scotland, published by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland; further notes that the report sets out serious concerns about the welfare of children in this situation, in particular highlighting the problems with the approach taken to prison visits and the failure of the justice system to recognise the rights of the child in these difficult circumstances, and calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that better facilities are provided for children to see their parents or carers in Scotland's prisons.

2008 : Women and the Vote - That the Parlia