Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Questions Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Mark Griffin 1. [Not Lodged] Gillian Mackay S6O-02229 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether the UK Government has communicated any intention to provide exemptions to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 in relation to legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament. Pam Duncan-Glancy S6O-02230 3. To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering replacing any retained EU law. Neil Bibby 4. [Not Lodged] Ruth Maguire S6O-02232 5. To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting culture and the arts in the Cunninghame South constituency. Sharon Dowey S6O-02233 6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is supporting the arts sector. Ash Regan S6O-02234 7. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review its prospectus for an independent Scotland, in light of reported divisions within the independence movement. Bill Kidd S6O-02235 8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office regarding the reported communique to UK ambassadors and diplomats and their involvement in the Scottish Government’s international engagements. Justice and Home Affairs Ariane Burgess S6O-02236 1. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding any changes to the policing of protests. Brian Whittle S6O-02237 2. To ask the Scottish Government what "concrete action" it anticipates taking on the proposals outlined in relation to "Michelle’s Law", which were discussed in the debate on the Michelle's Law Campaign on 6 September 2018. Alasdair Allan S6O-02238 3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle youth antisocial behaviour. Alexander Stewart S6O-02239 4. To ask the Scottish Government what work it has conducted to ascertain the public’s perception of the frequency of police patrols in their local area. Jackie Baillie 5. [Not Lodged] Gordon MacDonald S6O-02241 6. To ask the Scottish Government how many frontline police officers have been trained to use, and equipped with, naloxone. Mercedes Villalba S6O-02242 7. To ask the Scottish Government how many fines have been issued by courts to companies for breaches of health and safety rules, resulting in workers’ deaths, in the last five years. Sarah Boyack S6O-02243 8. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Court of Session's ruling that a so-called nil cap for sexual entertainment venues under provisions in the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 is unlawful. followed by Scottish Labour Party Debate: Access to Bus Services Alex Rowley S6M-08954 That the Parliament believes that reliable, accessible and affordable public transport is a key lifeline service in Scotland; believes that public investment in passenger transport should deliver value for money, environmental and social benefits; notes the recent bus fare rises across the country that are hitting during a cost of living crisis; further notes that these come on the back of route cancellations across much of Scotland that are isolating communities; believes that local authorities must be fully supported, empowered and resourced in their role regarding local public transport, and calls on the Scottish Government to support the introduction of a cap on bus fares across Scotland and set out what action it will take to stop the cuts to bus services on routes across Scotland. Kevin Stewart S6M-08954.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-08954 in the name of Alex Rowley (Access to Bus Services), leave out from "notes the recent" to end and insert "supports the vision outlined in the policy prospectus, Equality, Opportunity, Community, for a public transport system that is more accessible, available and affordable; notes the success of the concessionary bus travel schemes, which now offer free bus travel to 2.6 million people, with over two thirds of young people under 22 now holding the National Entitlement Card, making over 62 million journeys to date; agrees that bus services should serve the needs of local communities; notes the introduction of provisions under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, which will empower local authorities with the flexible tools that they need to respond to their own transport challenges, coupled with funding that allows local authorities to develop new ways of supporting bus development; recognises the key role of bus services in decarbonising transport and therefore welcomes the recent second tranche of zero emissions bus funding, and commends all of the staff involved in sustaining bus services over the last three years." Graham Simpson S6M-08954.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-08954 in the name of Alex Rowley (Access to Bus Services), insert at end "; further calls on the Scottish Government to set out in detail how it plans to achieve its 20% car kilometre reduction target by 2030, and calls on the Scottish Government to publish its Fair Fares Review before summer recess 2023." followed by Scottish Labour Party Debate: Tackling Scotland’s Mental Health Crisis Jackie Baillie S6M-08955 That the Parliament acknowledges Mental Health Awareness Week and, in so doing, is deeply concerned by the mental health crisis in Scotland, with almost 30,000 children, young people and adults on waiting lists; notes that mental health-related calls to NHS24 were almost seven times higher in 2022 than in 2019 and that, tragically, 7,576 people have died from probable suicide in the last decade; considers that staff shortages are undermining efforts to improve care, with the Scottish Government failing to begin the recruitment of the 1,000 additional roles to support community mental health resilience; agrees that funding must be directed into frontline services and community-based services; supports the creation of a new referral system, so that no young person is rejected for treatment, the provision of a dedicated mental health worker in every GP practice and a mental health A&E department in every health board so that patients can be fast-tracked, and calls for mental health spending to be increased to at least 11% of the NHS budget. Maree Todd S6M-08955.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-08955 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Tackling Scotland’s Mental Health Crisis), leave out from first "and" to end and insert "; understands that many people are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing, so welcomes this debate as an important opportunity to talk openly about issues such as anxiety; recognises the cumulative impact that the COVID-19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, Brexit and the cost of living crisis have had on the mental wellbeing of children, young people and adults across the country; welcomes the fact that mental health spending has doubled in cash terms from £651 million in 2006-07 to £1.3 billion in 2021-22, and that, as a result of that investment, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and psychological therapies staffing has more than doubled; acknowledges that the Scottish Government has exceeded its commitment to fund over 800 additional mental health workers in settings such as A&E departments, GP practices, police custody suites and prisons; notes the aims to increase mental health staffing further, but recognises that supporting wider community resilience is as important as enhancing NHS capacity; welcomes, therefore, the fact that, between July and December 2022, more than 45,000 children, young people and their family members across Scotland accessed community-based mental health support; acknowledges the benefit of the 3,300 grants provided to grassroots community organisations through the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults in the past two years, with a further £15 million of investment confirmed for 2023-24; notes that, since its launch in 2017, the Distress Brief Intervention programme has provided support to over 40,000 people; recognises that every death lost to suicide is an enormous tragedy, which leaves devastating and long-lasting impacts on families, friends and communities; supports the aims of the work being driven forward by a wide range of partners as a result of the Scottish Government and COSLA's Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan, published in 2022, and believes that these efforts will be enhanced by the publication in June 2023 of a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which will focus on further action required to support mental health and wellbeing." Sue Webber S6M-08955.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-08955 in the name of Jackie Baillie (Tackling Scotland's Mental Health Crisis), insert at end "; raises the issue of increased levels of mental illness among NHS staff, with almost 75,000 staff members being absent due to anxiety, stress, depression or other mental illness between 2018 and 2022; notes that the outgoing Children and Young People's Commissioner said that the former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, had failed children on a number of issues, including mental health, and reminds the Scottish Government that failing to solve the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) crisis today will lead to poor mental health outcomes for future generations, further compounding the issue." followed by Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Debate: Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee's 10th Report, 2023 (Session 6) Martin Whitfield S6M-08946 That the Parliament notes the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee's 10th Report, 2023 (Session 6), Complaint against Maggie Chapman MSP (SP Paper 366), and agrees to impose the sanction recommended in the report that Maggie Chapman MSP be excluded from the first meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee that is held after this motion is agreed. followed by Decision Time followed by Members' Business — S6M-07769 Evelyn Tweed: National Lyme Disease Awareness Month That the Parliament acknowledges that May 2023 is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month; notes that Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks, which are tiny spider-like creatures found in woodland and moorland areas that feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including humans; understands that many people with early symptoms of Lyme disease develop a circular rash around the tick bite three to 30 days after being bitten, often described as looking like a bull’s eye on a dart board, whilst some people may develop several rashes in different parts of their body, and around one in three people will not develop a rash; further understands that some people with Lyme disease also have flu-like symptoms, including tiredness, muscle and joint pain, headaches, a high temperature, chills and neck stiffness; notes the calls encouraging anyone who has been bitten by a tick and develops a rash or flu-like symptoms to speak to their GP and tell them that they have been bitten by a tick; further notes, however, that diagnosing Lyme disease is often difficult as many of the symptoms are similar to other conditions; acknowledges that NHS Scotland advises that Lyme disease is treatable, however, that without treatment, more serious and longer-term symptoms may develop, including pain and swelling in joints, nerve problems, memory problems, difficulty concentrating and heart problems; understands that there is currently no vaccine available and that the best way to prevent Lyme disease is to adopt simple measures when in the countryside or near wildlife, including tucking trousers into socks and wearing insect repellent, and notes the calls encouraging anybody who is concerned that they have contracted Lyme disease to contact their GP and for everyone to take precautions when in the countryside.