Show Racism the Red Card in Rutherglen and Cumbernauld

That the Parliament congratulates the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Sports Council, Unison, Strathclyde Police Community Safety Team and the Active Schools coordinators on the recent Show Racism the Red Card football tournament held at the South Lanarkshire Lifestyle centre in Cambuslang and the Burnhill Sports Centre in Rutherglen; welcomes the ongoing efforts to tackle racism and to help children and young people recognise the diversity of cultures that makes up today’s society, and wishes the organisers well in any future events to deliver the anti-racism message.

Livingston’s Touch Bionics Grabbed 14^th. Place in TIME Magazine’s Top Inventions 2008

That the Parliament congratulates Touch Bionics, based in Livingston, on achieving 14th place out of 50 top inventions this year in TIME Magazine for producing the i-LIMB Hand, the first-to-market prosthetic device with five individually powered digits; appreciates the technology and skill involved in producing an artificial hand with subtle capabilities, such as a credit card grip for grasping narrow objects, that looks just like a real human hand; notes that research on the device began in the United Kingdom’s national health system back in the 1960s; commends all those involved in inventing such a life-changing product, which now benefits more than 400 patients worldwide; welcomes Touch Bionics’ recently announced improvements, such as a lycra lining for easier and more comfortable wear with thicker silicone at the fingertips for greater durability; wishes Touch Bionics well with its agenda to develop technology for providing patients with upper-limb deficiencies with prosthetic fingers, wrists and a full bionic arm, and further congratulates TIME Magazine for giving Touch Bionics and other innovation companies the recognition and inspiration to expand and develop in a global market.

UK Government’s Welcome Decision on Post Office Cards

That the Parliament welcomes the decision by the UK Labour government to keep the Post Office card account with the Post Office until at least 2015; believes that comments by the SNP candidate in the Glenrothes by-election and the Deputy First Minister, both of whom suggested that the Labour government was set to strip this vital service from post offices, were misleading and deeply irresponsible, causing fear and alarm to the many pensioners across Scotland who use and value the Post Office account service, and further believesmotion S3M-2876 by Aileen Campbell to be hollow and politically motivated.

Congratulations to Vale of Leven Nurse

That the Parliament congratulates Linda Harley, a cardiac rehabilitation nurse at the Vale of Leven Hospital, on receiving the Heart Disease Team Award at the Scottish Health Awards 2008 after being nominated by her colleagues; recognises her dedication to helping heart attack sufferers in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area over the last 30 years; further recognises the outstanding work that she has done to aid patients in their recovery, such as visiting them at home and going out of her way to tailor programmes to the needs of individual sufferers, and further congratulates her on her achievement, which has benefited many local patients.

New Homes for Maryhill

That the Parliament recognises that the 1,000th home built under a programme to provide homes across the city of Glasgow was recently unveiled in Maryhill; welcomes the fact that this forms part of a new £5 million development of 49 flats and houses provided by Maryhill Housing Association, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Housing Association, and further recognises that this is the latest phase of Maryhill Housing Association’s ongoing development programme of building homes in Maryhill and Ruchill to provide local homes for local people.

People’s Postcode Lottery

That the Parliament congratulates the People’s Postcode Lottery in raising over £1 million for charities in Scotland in its first year in existence; welcomes the fact that funding is unrestricted so that its charity partners, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Children 1st and Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres, can spend the money with complete independence; notes that the money raised so far equates to funding a Maggie’s Centre for one year, supporting the Children 1st Parent Line service for 12 months and maintaining the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s network of over 120 reserves across Scotland; further welcomes the fact that all funds raised in Scotland stay in Scotland, and supports the future growth of the lottery so that other charities can benefit from this invaluable source of funding.

2014 Communities Lottery Fund

That the Parliament congratulates the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland and warmly welcomes the launch of 2014 Communities, a new and dedicated fund aimed at securing a legacy from the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games; notes that this is the first such fund in Scotland or the United Kingdom to provide dedicated funding to help create and support a legacy for communities across Scotland arising from the 2014 Games; further notes that through 2014 Communities the Big Lottery Fund will offer small grants to fund and support grassroots involvement in sport and physical activity, focusing on increasing the number of people participating in or volunteering for such activity, and believes that, by opening this new fund now, to run right up to the 2014 games, people across Scotland will have an early opportunity to benefit.

Winning Through Unity

That the Parliament warmly congratulates Barack Obama on his election as 44th President of the United States of America; believes that his election represents, in the words of the Prime Minister, "a moment that will live in history as long as history books are written" and is a watershed event in the history of the USA, parts of which experienced racial segregation within living memory; admires President-elect Obama’s campaign, which placed emphasis on unity over division, and believes that his election is testament not only to himself as an individual, his party and all those who have supported him in his campaign, but also to the achievements of a non-violent civil rights movement, which has inspired other struggles against injustice and helped to transcend divisions in countries around the globe; further believes that President-elect Obama shares the values of progressive politics in Scotland and the United Kingdom, and looks forward to engaging constructively with his administration for the betterment of our respective countries and the wider world.

SMARTies

That the Parliament welcomes the establishment of the SMARTies Airdrie Youth Forum, a group of young people from throughout Airdrie aged 12 to 15 years, set up to represent the views of young people in the area; recognises that the group has listened to the views of local young people through conducting a survey and plans to campaign on the issues that have emerged as a result, and wishes group members well in their efforts to improve the lives of young people in Airdrie.

Airdrie Remembers

That the Parliament congratulates the staff and pupils of Caldervale High School on the success of their recent Airdrie Remembers event, an evening of music, songs, poems and memories involving the history, geography, music, French and English departments, that commemorated the lives of all those who fought and died for their country during the two world wars, and recognises the cross-curricular benefits of this approach to making history real and relevant to pupils, in which business studies pupils handled publicity and tickets for the event, school technicians produced a film of the pupils’ Flanders visit, home economics pupils provided a World War One purvey of tea, cakes and scones and art department pupils put on a display of paintings.

Renfrewshire Nursery School Cuts

That the Parliament notes with grave concern the plans by Renfrewshire Council to downgrade six nursery schools, four to nursery classes and two to pre-5 centres; considers the removal of all dedicated nursery head teachers to be wrong; deplores the forced redeployment of nursery teachers in these establishments; condemns the fact that, at the end of this exercise, there will be a maximum of 20 instead of 39 teachers dedicated to teaching pre-5s in Renfrewshire; congratulates Renfrewshire parents for their efforts to resist these changes, and, with this in mind, calls on the SNP/Liberal-controlled council to use the formal consultation period now underway to retract these unpopular proposals and retain teacher-led nursery schools in Renfrewshire.

Hospital Broadcasting Service

That the Parliament recognises the work of the Hospital Broadcasting Service (HBS), which broadcasts to a number of hospitals in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area; commends its commitment to providing a regular and varied selection of programmes to patients; praises the recent revamp of the service at Drumchapel Hospital through the relaunch of the request programme; salutes the efforts and hard work of HBS volunteers, who provide a vital link with and ongoing point of contact for patients through regular hospital visits; further recognises that HBS provides high quality training and encouragement to its members as well as the role that it has played in the development of the careers of several distinguished Scottish broadcasters, and wishes HBS continued success in the years ahead.

Brian Pack - Well-deserved winner of Ed Rainy Brown Memorial Award

That the Parliament notes that the Chief Executive of the ANM Group, Brian Pack, has received the prestigious Ed Rainy Brown Memorial Award, which is presented annually to individuals in the farming, forestry, aquaculture or associated industries who have made an exceptional contribution within their specific fields; believes that this award is welcome recognition of the contribution that Brian Pack has made to Scottish agriculture as the driving force behind ANM Group’s development into one of the largest and most progressive farmer-owned businesses in the United Kingdom; recognises that, under his leadership, the ANM core business in auctioneering and abattoir sectors has grown while, at the same time, it has expanded into livestock procurement, meat processing, catering, hospitality, land and property sales and specialist auctions, and hopes that, although he will formally retire from the ANM Group in 2009, his pugnacious style, perceptive insight and pithy wit will still be enjoyed by and available to the industry.

Congratulations to Edinburgh University for being awarded the Carbon Trust Standard

That the Parliament congratulates the University of Edinburgh on becoming the first Scottish educational institution to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard; believes that the awards are a positive contribution to encourage reduction in carbon emissions; notes the current and future importance of technology such as energy efficiency measures, micro-renewables and combined heat and power systems in helping not only businesses, public authorities and educational institutions but also households to reduce their carbon emissions, and calls on the Scottish Government to look at all options, including local fiscal levers such as council tax, to develop better financial incentives encouraging the use of small-scale and householder renewables across Scotland.

Carers’ Rights Day

That the Parliament supports Carers’ Rights Day 2008, a campaign run by Carers Scotland; recognises that nearly three quarters of carers in Scotland are financially worse off as a result of caring and supporting family, friends or neighbours, with many falling into poverty and debt while they save the country an estimated £7.6 billion each year, and seeks to increase the uptake of benefits by carers, raise awareness of carers’ rights and the support for which they are eligible.

That the Parliament welcomes the United Nation’s declaration of November 14 as World Diabetes Day; further welcomes the arrival in the Scottish Parliament of Diabetes UK Scotland’s exhibition, which aims to raise awareness of the impact that the condition has on children and young adolescents in Scotland; recognises that Scotland has one of the highest rates in the world for Type 1 diabetes and that more than 90% of young people with diabetes in Scotland are at risk of serious health complications because they lack the information and support to manage their condition properly; congratulates Diabetes UK Scotland on the publication of the Making Connections toolkit, which aims to give young people an improved transition from paediatric to adult services in hospitals and gives them advice on living with diabetes as young adults, and calls on the Scottish Government to support fully children and young people with diabetes.

That the Parliament recognises the importance of World AIDS Day on 1 December 2008 and its aim of highlighting the challenges and consequences of the HIV epidemic around the world; acknowledges that there are 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide and that countries face a myriad challenges in halting the spread of the virus and improving the lives and experiences of people affected; recognises that HIV diagnoses in Scotland have been increasing in recent years with 2007 seeing the highest annual number on record; acknowledges that it is estimated that there are 5,500 people now living with HIV in Scotland; regrets that a recent poll found that people in Scotland had comparatively poorer rates of HIV knowledge than in other areas of the United Kingdom; considers that this lack of public understanding about the virus and how it is transmitted compounds and exacerbates the stigma and prejudice experienced by many people living with HIV in Scotland, and therefore supports this year’s theme of Respect and Protect, which highlights the responsibility of everyone to transform attitudes to HIV and encourage actions that stop its spread.

That the Parliament congratulates, in the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Nargis, the impressive progress toward recovery made by citizens and aid workers in Burma over the past six months; commends the efforts made by the United Nation’s World Food Programme, which is still supplying some 770,000 Burmese with food aid; highlights the success of UK-based charity Save The Children in setting up 350 temporary schools and reinhabiting a further 200 schools, and recognising that, according to the International Crisis Group, there is still much work to be done, thus supports and encourages the future

efforts of these and other international aid organisations.

That the Parliament welcomes the introduction of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, which came into force throughout Europe in the summer of 2008 and is designed specifically to give disabled and elderly people access to air transport comparable to that enjoyed by all other passengers flying to or from, or passing in transit through, airports in the European Union, with no discrimination and at no additional cost; believes that, as a result, no traveller with reduced mobility should experience any form of discrimination, and urges anyone who does to inform the national enforcement body, which in Scotland is the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Epilepsy Scotland -

That the Parliament commends the efforts of Epilepsy Scotland in its work to increase understanding and awareness of epilepsy and ensure that the appropriate services and support are available across Scotland; notes that this serious neurological condition affects one in 130 people of all ages in Scotland and values the Scottish Government’s recognition of the important role that epilepsy specialist nurses (ESN) have in patient care, and, finally, congratulates and applauds Epilepsy Scotland’s efforts in raising £65,000 from its annual Wags dinner events in Edinburgh and Glasgow and £31,000 from the colourful art sale of works from some of Scotland’s finest artists, including Peter Howson.

The Costs of Child Poverty in the UK -

As an amendment to motion S3M-2787 in the name of Bill Wilson (The Costs of Child Poverty in the UK), leave out from "commends" to end and insert "considers that the SNP government has decided to reward those who are better-off by offering them tax cuts and penalise the less well-off by cutting local services that many children, disabled and older people depend on; believes that a lack of government funding to local authorities is responsible for cuts to nursery places and a reduction in hours, school kitchen closures, reduced support for one-parent families and funding cuts to respite care services for disabled people as well as cuts to Sure Start funding for vulnerable children and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to use the budget process as an opportunity to revise its settlement with local government; notes, in addition, that the SNP government has delivered a schools settlement described as awful by EIS General Secretary Ronnie Smith, and further believes that these cuts have plunged more people into poverty rather than lifted them out, highlighting a stark contradiction to its claim to redistribute wealth."

International Robert W Service Verse Speaking Competition -

That the Parliament welcomes the announcement that the International Robert W Service Verse Speaking Competition is to be held in Beith on 28 February 2009; notes the connection between Robert Service and the people of Ayrshire and, in particular, the town of Kilwinning where he grew up; acknowledges that this contest represents an opportunity for his works to be promoted both in Scotland and on the world stage and could form part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 programme; agrees that events such as this play a vital role in enhancing Scotland’s cultural heritage, and therefore thanks the Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club for organising the event.

New Lanark World Heritage Site -

That the Parliament notes the educational, historical and economic importance of New Lanark World Heritage Site as one of Scotland’s top attraction sites, which receives over 400,000 visitors each year; recognises the excellent work carried out by the New Lanark Trust in achieving world heritage site status in 2001 following the restoration and development of the New Lanark village, building on the principles of philanthropist Robert Owen’s own campaign for a fairer and better society; further recognises the importance of the trust’s work not only in preserving New Lanark as a sustainable community with a resident population, but also in creating new opportunities for employment; deeply regrets the recent lack of grant money available on which the trust has been so reliant in previous years; recognises the potential threat this poses for the future of the trust’s work in the continued development of the site, and calls on the Scottish Government to take the steps necessary to safeguard the future of this educationally, historically and economically vital world heritage site.

Success as Edinburgh’s nightclubs "Unight" to tackle Violent Crime -

That the Parliament welcomes the success of Unight, an innovative new safety initiative set up a year ago in a partnership between 21 of Edinburgh’s top nightclubs aiming to improve communication between bars and nightclubs to make the city’s nightlife safer; congratulates all 21 nightclubs for their involvement in the scheme and commitment to tackling antisocial behaviour, drugs and violent crime; welcomes the collaborative approach of participating nightclubs in sharing CCTV footage of antisocial and drug-carrying customers; supports moves to ban troublemakers from all city establishments; believes a zero tolerance policy against drugs, assaults and weapons is the right approach in tackling violent crime and antisocial behaviour; notes the full support of Lothian and Borders Police and the positive feedback received from customers; welcomes recent figures from Lothian and Borders Police that show a 21% reduction in overall crime at Unight venues since the scheme was introduced, with the decline in criminal activity reaching as much as 70% in some venues; supports calls to roll out schemes such as Unight that enable higher standards of supervision and safety to become reality in towns and cities across Scotland, and supports proposals to make such schemes a national standard throughout the club and bar industry in Scotland.

Shetland Times Petition on Airline charges -

That the Parliament notes that airlines are adding extra charges to their basic ticket prices; further notes that such extra charges often include the use of debit and credit cards and seat reservations; is concerned that such charges often seem to bear very little relationship to the actual costs that the airlines face and that such extra charges have been imposed on the air services between Shetland and the UK mainland; understands the concerns that this has raised and believes that there should be no charge for using a debit card or for reserving a seat and that the charges applied to credit cards should reflect the actual cost to the airline, and congratulates Shetland Times on its petition campaign to see seat reservation and debit card charges dropped and credit card charges lowered.

Lerwick Airport Authority achieves Highest Environmental Certification -

That the Parliament notes that Lerwick Port Authority has been awarded an ISO 14001 certificate, the highest environmental standard certificate in the world, in recognition of the efforts that have been made to improve the environmental practices of the operation of the port; further notes that this has been achieved by introduction of new management procedures with built-in environmental benefits, including the monitoring of all fuel and electricity used in port premises and vehicles and the recycling of all waste; recognises that, as the same standards have been achieved by the Peterson SBS oil service base in the port, Lerwick is now the only UK port capable of decommissioning oil and gas rigs while upholding the same environmental standards as the oil industry, and congratulates the port’s management and staff on the efforts they have made in order to reach the high environmental standards that holders of the ISO 14001 certificate have to achieve.

Bishopbriggs Teacher Best in Britain -

That the Parliament congratulates David Miller from St Ninian’s High School in Bishopbriggs for winning the Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School award at the 2008 Teaching Awards; notes his commitment to children in the area by serving on a children’s panel, prompting his decision to take up teaching; also notes the excellent standard of teaching in Scotland’s schools, and recognises the hard work that teachers in Scotland put in to create a safe and enjoyable learning atmosphere.

Edinburgh Citizen Advice Bureau -

That the Parliament notes with deep concern the decision of Citizens Advice Edinburgh (CAE) to close four CAB offices across the city, specifically in Pilton, Leith, Fountainbridge and Portobello; appreciates that CAE both regrets this decision and considers it to be a direct consequence of inadequate funding from the City of Edinburgh Council; understands that the funding settlement has always been tight and believes that relevant constituency and regional MSPs have always supported CAE and the invaluable services that it offers to communities across Edinburgh; is deeply concerned about the impact of centralising these services for individuals who have mobility or financial difficulties believing that an expansion of online facilities automatically excludes a significant proportion of users who are neither computer literate nor have ready access to computer facilities; further believes that this development is an unacceptable alternative to frontline advice services, and resolves to work together to reverse this shocking cut to vital local services.

Secondary School Teacher of the Year -

That the Parliament congratulates David Miller from St Ninian’s High School in Bishopbriggs, who was named Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School at the 2008 Teaching Awards; notes the achievement of the English teacher who, even though being in the teaching profession for only five years, is a tutor to trainee English teachers, and also notes the praise given to him by pupils, former pupils and parents of pupils at St Ninian’s for his flexible use of computers in class and his discussion-based teaching style.

Congratulations to Forres in Bloom -

That the Parliament congratulates Forres in Bloom for winning gold in the town category of Britain in Bloom; notes that over 1,000 villages, towns and cities entered this year’s contest and that Forres has a history spanning more than two decades of winning national awards in floral competitions; further notes that the judges were particularly impressed by the involvement of youngsters from Applegrove Primary School, who won the Britain in Bloom Young People’s Award, with both their knowledge of gardening and the school garden impressing the officials, and congratulates the Forres in Bloom team and all their supporters for the tremendous effort they put into the floral displays each year, which bring many visitors to the town.

Ofcom charges for RNLI -

That the Parliament notes with concern Ofcom’s consultation document, Applying spectrum pricing to the Maritime and Aeronautical sectors, which proposes cost increases for the use of VHF radio frequencies; further notes with particular concern section 1.18 of the consultation, which states that "we are inviting views on whether charities whose objective is the safety of human life in an emergency should receive a discount"; understands that the annual charge to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) could increase from £40,000 to £260,000; recognises that the RNLI is a national charity, supported and financed by volunteers, which provides a vital life-saving service; further recognises that the proposed cost increases will certainly threaten both local and national sea and mountain search and rescue charities across the country; believes that all charities whose objective is the safety of human life should receive a 100% discount on using radio frequencies, and calls on Ofcom to reject its current proposals and enter into a process to introduce a 100% discount for these vital life-saving services.

Oil Prices -

That the Parliament calls on the oil companies to pass on to consumers immediately decreases in the price of oil; notes how quickly increases in prices are passed on to consumers as the world price of oil goes up, and believes that consumers should benefit as soon as possible as a result of the drop in price of oil.

Funding for Gaelic Medium Schools -

That the Parliament welcomes the continuation of support for Gaelic medium education, building on the work of the previous administration in securing the status of the Gaelic language and in funding the expansion of learning and teaching through the medium of Gaelic; believes that support for Gaelic medium education is the key to ensuring the survival of the language; recognises the campaigning efforts of parents across the country and the desire of those in Edinburgh, Fort William, Portree, Barra and elsewhere for stand-alone Gaelic medium schools to expand on the success of the existing Gaelic medium units; welcomes any additional capital funding to help build or refurbish these new schools but believes that recent announcements are insufficient and that the Scottish Government should match the example of the previous administration in the £3.5 million of support given to Glasgow to establish an all Gaelic school, and believes that any funding commitment should last longer than just two or three years if it is to help secure the long-term future of the Gaelic language.

Congratulations on Scottish University World rankings -

That the Parliament notes the publication of the 2008 Times Higher Education QS World University Rankings; congratulates the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and University of St Andrews for being ranked in the top 100; further congratulates the University of Aberdeen for being ranked in the top 200 universities in the world; recognises that Scottish universities make up four of the 29 UK universities in the top 200; notes the improved ranking of the University of Glasgow and the drop in ranking for the University of St Andrews and University of Aberdeen; notes the drop in ranking of the University of Dundee out of the top 200 world universities; further notes the delay in publishing the final report of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities; highlights the serious financial concerns expressed by many leaders across the university sector in Scotland over the last few weeks, and calls on the Scottish Government to come forward with concrete and substantive proposals to ensure Scotland’s universities maintain and build on their current international position over the coming years.

A Taste of Orkney -

That the Parliament notes that leading food producers from Orkney, working with the Orkney Marketing initiative, have combined with Country Channel TV to make A Taste of Orkney, a film available worldwide on internet TV; considers that the film promotes Orkney and its high quality produce in a new and exciting way, highlighting Orkney’s food heritage, its pristine environment, its superb raw materials harvested from the sea and land, and the commitment of its food producers to quality; believes that anyone who is attracted by the film to try Orkney produce will not be disappointed, and congratulates all those involved in this innovative marketing project.

Congratulations to Alness for Fifth Britain in Bloom Gold Award -

That the Parliament congratulates the volunteers and businesses whose efforts and contributions have resulted in Alness winning a gold award in the 2008 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom competition and notes that this latest success is the town’s fifth gold award in Britain in Bloom and its 39th award in different competitions, putting Alness once again firmly on Britain’s floral map.

Glasgow Rangers and UNICEF -

That the Parliament congratulates Glasgow Rangers on establishing a partnership with UNICEF that will see the Rangers Charity Foundation raising £300,000 by 2011 to fund a UNICEF education programme in India called Reducing the Gender Gap: Quality Education for Girls, which will focus on improving the quality of children’s education and working to ensure that all children, especially girls and those from disadvantaged or socially excluded backgrounds, have access to schools in the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajastan, Gujurat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Mod in Western Isles in 2011 -

That the Parliament congratulates the Western Isles following the announcement from An Comunn Gaidhealach that the Western Isles will host the Royal National Mod in 2011; looks forward to a memorable celebration of Scotland’s Gaelic culture in the heart of the Gaidhealtachd, and commends all those locally and nationally who will be organising the event and taking part in it.

Support the lessons from Auchwitz Project -

That the Parliament notes that 16 October 2008 marks the last visit to Auschwitz organised and subsidised by the Holocaust Educational Trust and supporting school pupils to fly directly from Scotland; recognises the importance of successive generations learning about one of the most horrific crimes in human history; appreciates the impact that such trips have had on young people across Scotland, including those from Fife who organised the Anne Frank and You festival in Kirkcaldy marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2007; notes the renewed funding granted by UK ministers to allow two pupils from every school in England and Wales to continue to benefit from this moving and memorable experience, and calls on the Scottish Government to reconsider its approach to Holocaust education and to match the UK Government's funding in this devolved area of responsibility so that Scottish pupils can also continue to learn the "Lessons from Auschwitz".

Sprinklers Save Lives -

That the Parliament notes that Argyll and Bute Council has failed to install a sprinkler system in the new Hermitage Academy; expresses disappointment that it is the only education authority without sprinkler systems in each new school; notes that 50,250 fires were recorded and 52 people were killed by fires in Scotland in 2006; recognises the vital role that sprinkler systems may play in both maintaining the fabric of the buildings and, more importantly, the lives of the pupils and teachers, and calls on Argyll and Bute Council to consider retrospectively fitting a targeted system for the safety of all who attend Hermitage Academy.

When do three Cs make a B? -

That the Parliament notes the publication of the Schools Estates Statistics 2008 on 30 September 2008, which lists those schools considered to be in most need of substantial repair; expresses considerable surprise at the absence of Dumbarton Academy from that list given the condition of its school buildings; notes that the three buildings that make up the school campus have all been designated as category C, which is "poor", and require almost £2 million of investment in emergency repairs; further notes that the three Cs became a "satisfactory B" suggesting, at best, a degree of confusion; acknowledges that the rebuilding of Dumbarton Academy was dropped by West Dunbartonshire Council from the phase one schools regeneration programme and appears now to have been dropped from the SNP government’s list of priorities; strongly believes that the time for woolly statements and promises of jam tomorrow from the SNP has now long passed, and calls on the Scottish Government to set out a clear timetable and funding path for the replacement of the school in the interests of this and future generations of young people in Dumbarton.

BMA get Scotland Going -

That the Parliament welcomes BMA Scotland’s publication Get Scotland Moving, which highlights the health and social benefits of an active lifestyle among Scotland’s children; notes that one in four Scots are at risk of dying early from diseases related to inactivity and that the number of children travelling to school by car has doubled over the last 20 years, thus doubling the traffic problems for those few children who still walk to school; recognises that one of the main barriers to increasing physical activity of children is the built environment where parents have concerns about issues such as traffic levels and also about unsafe environments for their children; notes that October is Walk to School month and encourages everyone to get their children into the habit of walking to school, and urges the Scottish Government to take assertive action to improve communities and make them clean, safe and healthy so that we can get Scotland’s children moving.

Science and the Parliament : Educating our scientists -

That the Parliament welcomes the 2008 Science and the Parliament event on 5 November 2008 on the theme of educating our scientists of tomorrow; recognises the role of the Royal Society of Chemistry in organising this annual event with the involvement and support of a range of organisations from the scientific and engineering communities in Scotland; believes that the focus on science education is important and timely given the consideration currently being given to education at all levels, and acknowledges that ensuring that our education system gives a good grounding in scientific knowledge and methods to future specialists and to the whole population would greatly enhance the opportunities for Scotland in the future.

Congratulations on Scottish University World Rankings -

That the Parliament notes the publication of the 2008 Times Higher Education QS World University Rankings; congratulates the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and University of St Andrews for being ranked in the top 100; further congratulates the University of Aberdeen for being ranked in the top 200 universities in the world; recognises that Scottish universities make up four of the 29 UK universities in the top 200; notes the improved ranking of the University of Glasgow and the drop in ranking for the University of St Andrews and University of Aberdeen; notes the drop in ranking of the University of Dundee out of the top 200 world universities; further notes the delay in publishing the final report of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities; highlights the serious financial concerns expressed by many leaders across the university sector in Scotland over the last few weeks, and calls on the Scottish Government to come forward with concrete and substantive proposals to ensure Scotland’s universities maintain and build on their current international position over the coming years.

University of Stirling -

That the Parliament recognises the contribution that the University of Stirling makes to higher education in Scotland; notes the recent installation of the new Chancellor of the University of Stirling, an event that takes place only every 10 years; congratulates Dr James Naughtie for achieving this position and notes that this post was previously held by Dame Diana Rigg; is pleased to note that, alongside Louise Martin CBE and Jasminder Singh OBE, the Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP, a Stirling graduate, will be made a Doctor of the University for his contribution to public affairs; extends further congratulations to those receiving honorary degrees, and wishes the University of Stirling and all its staff and students every continued success.

C difficile -

That the Parliament notes the most recent Health Protection Scotland (HPS) statistics on healthcare associated infections; while recognising the continuing improvement in MRSA, notes that the number of cases of Clostridium difficile in the most recent quarter (April to June 2008) showed an increase from the same quarter in 2007 of 150 cases or around 9%; regrets that HPS, having tried to explain the increases over the previous two quarters (October 2007 to March 2008) as "probable seasonal variation", now suggests that the small reduction from the two winter quarters represents a real reduction rather than a continuing year-on-year increase; further notes that, unlike England, Scotland still reports on the basis of NHS boards and not individual hospitals, thus preventing the public from having any information about their local hospitals; considers that the continued rise in antibiotic resistance reflects the continuation of a failure to implement effective antibiotic policies; calls on the Scottish Executive to urgently review hand hygiene policies, practice and reporting to ensure that alcohol wipes and hand washing are not conflated in hand hygiene reports and ensure that the denominator of observations is standardised for each hospital and also that inspection is rigorous and independent for each hospital, thus ending self reporting, and further calls on the Scottish Executive to set tough targets for a reduction in Clostridium difficile cases by 2011 to match or exceed the 30% target set in England.

Julie Fowlis - First Gaelic Ambassador -

That the Parliament congratulates Julie Fowlis, traditional Gaelic singer and multi-instrumentalist, for gaining the accolade of first Gaelic Ambassador for Scotland; welcomes the Scottish Government’s sponsorship of this new award announced at the national Mod 2008, in Falkirk; recalls that the First Minister, in opening the Mod, described Gaelic as a unique vehicle for passing Scottish understanding from one generation to the next; believes that the celebration of Gaelic raises the self-esteem of our national culture; encourages all Scots to celebrate the contribution of Gaelic to our national fabric, and praises the part that Julie’s warm personality and well-deserved public profile can play as a popular role model for all young singers and musicians.

Energy Saving Week Campaign 2008—That the Parliament congratulates the Energy Saving Trust for organising its 12th annual Energy Saving Week from 20 to 26 October 2008; recognises that energy efficiency is the cleanest, safest and cheapest way of reducing carbon dioxide emissions; notes that energy efficiency can play a key role in tackling fuel poverty but acknowledges that the Energy Saving Trust’s independent research shows that people believe that a lack of time is a barrier to them taking energy saving measures; further notes that many actions, such as installing low energy lightbulbs or boiling only the amount of water that you need for a hot drink, actually take very little time; urges all MSPs to show leadership in their constituencies and regions by supporting Energy Saving Week and encouraging constituents to contact their local Energy Saving Scotland advice centre on 0800 512 012 for free, independent, home energy efficiency advice, and notes that since the Energy Saving Trust was established it has funded or influenced measures giving lifetime savings of over 100 million tonnes of CO2.

Educating our Scientists of Tomorrow—That the Parliament welcomes the 2008 Science and the Parliament event on 5 November 2008 on the theme of educating our scientists of tomorrow; recognises the role of the Royal Society of Chemistry in organising this annual event with the involvement and support of a range of organisations from the scientific and engineering communities in Scotland; believes that the focus on science education is important and timely given the consideration currently being given to education at all levels, and acknowledges that ensuring that our education system gives a good grounding in scientific knowledge and methods to future specialists and to the whole population would greatly enhance the opportunities for Scotland in the future.

Congratulations on Scottish University World Rankings—That the Parliament notes the publication of the 2008 Times Higher Education QS World University Rankings; congratulates the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and University of St Andrews for being ranked in the top 100; further congratulates the University of Aberdeen for being ranked in the top 200 universities in the world; recognises that Scottish universities make up four of the 29 UK universities in the top 200; notes the improved ranking of the University of Glasgow and the drop in ranking for the University of St Andrews and University of Aberdeen; notes the drop in ranking of the University of Dundee out of the top 200 world universities; further notes the delay in publishing the final report of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities; highlights the serious financial concerns expressed by many leaders across the university sector in Scotland over the last few weeks, and calls on the Scottish Government to come forward with concrete and substantive proposals to ensure Scotland’s universities maintain and build on their current international position over the coming years.

Plight of Wives of Miami Five—That the Parliament welcomes the visit by Olga Salanueva and Adriana Pérez, the wives of two Cuban nationals, René González and Gerardo Hernández, who are here as part of a UK-wide trip to highlight their own and their husbands’ plight; recognises that their husbands, members of a group of men known as the Miami Five, are currently serving long prison sentences in the United States of America since being arrested while trying to gather information on Miami-based groups allegedly responsible for terrorist attacks against the Cuban people; is concerned that the wives have been denied US visas, meaning that they cannot visit their husbands and have not seen them for over eight years; agrees with Amnesty International that this action is "contrary to standards for humane treatment of prisoners and to states’ obligations to protect family life"; further considers that it is inhumane, unjust and cruel, and believes that the US authorities should grant visas to enable the women to visit their husbands.

Save Scottish Sharks—That the Parliament notes that 11 to 19 October 2008 is European Shark Week; is concerned at the dramatic decline in European shark numbers; is further concerned that most Scottish shark species are classed as critically endangered but that none is currently afforded any protection; regrets the Scottish Government’s refusal to offer the tope the same protection as it has in England, resulting in the landing of tope being legal on the Scottish side of the Solway but not on the English side; looks forward to the publication of the Scottish Government Marine Directorate’s policy on sharks, and considers that action to protect these endangered species is urgently required

Ending the shame of child poverty - as an amendment to motion S3M-2621 in the name of Bob Doris (Ending the Shame of Child Poverty), leave out from "the worst levels" to end and insert "some of the worst levels of child poverty in Scotland; therefore welcomes the findings of the most recent National Statistics publication of Scottish Households Below Average Income, which shows a marked decline between 1999 and 2007 in the number of Scottish 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 was being met significantly ahead of schedule; believes that 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 working families tax credit, child 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; also believes that, despite SNP MSPs’ rhetoric, freezing council tax and abolishing prescription charges by 2011 does absolutely nothing to assist those on the lowest incomes given that they are already exempt; considers that after nearly 18 months in government, the SNP is yet to fulfil its pledge to introduce direct payments to kinship carers of looked-after children and that its budget, passed with the support of the Conservatives, is in fact precipitating cuts to a range of local services including school meals provision and to a host of voluntary organisations providing services affecting some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children, and further believes that this threatens much of the progress made during the past decade in tackling child poverty as well as seriously undermining the SNP’s credibility on these matters."

Eid Mubarak - That the Parliament sends warm greetings to Muslims across Scotland and around the world for the festival of Eid al-Fitr; joins them in honouring the promise of harmony, peace, health and prosperity enshrined in Eid al-Fitr; looks forward to religious diversity and freedom in all countries, and recognises the contribution of Muslim Scots to Scottish life and culture.

The Scottish Museum of Industrial Life - That the Parliament welcomes the re-opening in Coatbridge of Summerlee, the Scottish Museum of Industrial Life, on Friday 26 September 2008 following a major £10 million redevelopment; congratulates North Lanarkshire Council, its employees and the Friends of Summerlee Redevelopment Appeal, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the project’s completion; welcomes the £5 million contribution made by the Heritage Lottery Fund alongside the contributions from North Lanarkshire Council, the Scottish Museums Council, the European Regional Development Fund and the redevelopment appeal; encourages further donations to that appeal, which can be made up until 31 October 2008; notes that Summerlee was formerly one of Scotland’s most important ironworks; recognises the importance of keeping our industrial heritage alive through the preservation of the history of local iron, steel, coal and engineering industries; considers that Summerlee offers an invaluable educational resource providing an opportunity to reflect on the hard work and sacrifice of the working class of Scotland’s industrial heartland and to remember the difficult circumstances in which they worked and lived; further considers it appropriate that North Lanarkshire Workers Memorial is situated at the gates of Summerlee, commemorating International Workers Memorial Day, and encourages visitors to come and see first-hand the excellent facilities, which include interactive displays, a kids’ discovery zone, children’s outdoor play area, shop, café and exhibition area, ensuring that Summerlee takes its place as a leading visitor attraction and a landmark heritage facility for the 21st century.

Treating patients who have ME - That the Parliament notes the serious impact on the lives of those who suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome and the impact on their families and carers; notes that there is a serious shortage of nurses who specialise in treating patients with ME and encourages NHS boards across Scotland to recruit nurses and doctors who are better versed in treating ME to actively combat the disease, and further urges the Scottish Government to dedicate resources to the research and treatment of this debilitating illness.

HBOS and Lloyds - That the Parliament recognises the personal intervention of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP, in negotiations between HBOS and Lloyds to save Halifax Bank of Scotland; believes that the Prime Minister’s strength of leadership and decisive action will preserve the jobs of thousands of people not only in Scotland but across the United Kingdom and overseas while also securing the finances of tens of thousands more, and further believes that there is no one better equipped to steer the United Kingdom through these difficult economic times than Gordon Brown.

The Scottish Museum of Industrial Life - That the Parliament welcomes the re-opening in Coatbridge of Summerlee, the Scottish Museum of Industrial Life, on Friday 26 September 2008 following a major £10 million redevelopment; congratulates North Lanarkshire Council, its employees and the Friends of Summerlee Redevelopment Appeal, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the project’s completion; welcomes the £5 million contribution made by the Heritage Lottery Fund alongside the contributions from North Lanarkshire Council, the Scottish Museums Council, the European Regional Development Fund and the redevelopment appeal; encourages further donations to that appeal, which can be made up until 31 October 2008; notes that Summerlee was formerly one of Scotland’s most important ironworks; recognises the importance of keeping our industrial heritage alive through the preservation of the history of local iron, steel, coal and engineering industries; considers that Summerlee offers an invaluable educational resource providing an opportunity to reflect on the hard work and sacrifice of the working class of Scotland’s industrial heartland and to remember the difficult circumstances in which they worked and lived; further considers it appropriate that North Lanarkshire Workers Memorial is situated at the gates of Summerlee, commemorating International Workers Memorial Day, and encourages visitors to come and see first-hand the excellent facilities, which include interactive displays, a kids’ discovery zone, children’s outdoor play area, shop, café and exhibition area, ensuring that Summerlee takes its place as a leading visitor attraction and a landmark heritage facility for the 21st century.

Treating Patients who have ME - That the Parliament notes the serious impact on the lives of those who suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome and the impact on their families and carers; notes that there is a serious shortage of nurses who specialise in treating patients with ME and encourages NHS boards across Scotland to recruit nurses and doctors who are better versed in treating ME to actively combat the disease, and further urges the Scottish Government to dedicate resources to the research and treatment of this debilitating illness.

HBOS and Lloyds - That the Parliament recognises the personal intervention of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP, in negotiations between HBOS and Lloyds to save Halifax Bank of Scotland; believes that the Prime Minister’s strength of leadership and decisive action will preserve the jobs of thousands of people not only in Scotland but across the United Kingdom and overseas while also securing the finances of tens of thousands more, and further believes that there is no one better equipped to steer the United Kingdom through these difficult economic times than Gordon Brown.

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.

A Year of Sport for Scotland

That the Parliament recognises that 2014 will be a significant year for Scottish sport; notes that, in addition to the annual sporting events taking place that year, Scotland will host the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles; acknowledges that each event will bring international athletes to this country and will focus worldwide attention on Scotland; welcomes the variety of sporting opportunities that 2014 will present to Scotland, and believes that 2014 should be designated "Scotland’s Year of Sport" in order to highlight the benefits that sport and physical activity bring to the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

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.