S4M-03654: Low-risk Scots Overpaying £200 Million Flood Subsidy

20/07/2012

That the Parliament believes that householders in low flood-risk areas in Scotland should not be contributing disproportionately toward an annual £200 million subsidy on their home insurance to pay for high-risk parts of the UK; understands that 11% of new buildings in England are built in areas vulnerable to flooding compared with almost none in Scotland or Wales; further understands that less than 5% of existing homes in Scotland are at risk of flooding compared with 23% in England; agrees with David Crichton, who is considered an expert in flood insurance and is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Dundee and Honorary Visiting Professor at University College London, that this subsidy enables continued housing development in high-risk areas in the south east of England, a claim similar to that of Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, who says that householders in Scotland are “effectively subsidising the higher risks in England”, and calls for the insurance of householders in Scotland to proportionately reflect the risk of flooding to their properties.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Richard Lyle

Date Lodged: 17/07/12

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03653: Crown Estate Marine Assets Must be Devolved

20/07/2012

That the Parliament calls on the UK Government to reconsider what is seen as its refusal to commit fully to the recommendations of the Scottish Affairs Committee, which has called for the management of Scotland’s coast and seabed to be devolved from the Crown Estate to the Scottish Government, with further devolution at community level; understands that the Crown Estate currently manages around 50% of Scotland’s coast and most of its seabed; expresses considerable alarm at what it considers to be the highly critical nature of the Scottish Affairs Committee’s report, which concludes that the Crown Estate lacks accountability, transparency and public consultation and which records claims by some local communities that the Crown Estate acts like an absentee landlord and tax collector; notes that the committee’s chairman has stated that “the Crown Estate has raised millions more pounds from its assets in Scotland than it invested back into coastal areas”, and strongly believes that Scotland’s marine assets should not be under the control of an unelected body lacking in accountability to local communities.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Mike Mackenzie

Date Lodged: 17/07/12

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03609: Warm Congratulations to Andy Murray

16/07/2012

That the Parliament warmly congratulates Andy Murray on reaching the final of the 2012 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis Championships; recognises that he is the first Scot to achieve such a feat and is also the first UK citizen to do so since Bunny Austin in 1938, and extends its very best wishes to Andy for his participation in the 2012 London Olympics in the coming weeks.

Supported by: Graeme Dey, Richard Lyle, Maureen Watt, Christine Grahame, Kenneth Gibson

Date Lodged: 09/07/12

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03581: Big Lottery Funding for McLean Primary School

12/07/2012

That the Parliament congratulates McLean Primary School in Dunfermline on receiving a Big Lottery award of £1,975 under the 2014 Communities programme; understands that the school has used this award to fund a variety of Olympics-themed after-school activities, including athletics, badminton, football, hockey, basketball, gymnastics, netball and tennis, and considers the 2014 Communities programme to be beneficial in helping schools and other community groups to encourage people of all ages to participate in sport or physical activity in the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Supported by: Kevin Stewart, Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan, Colin Beattie

Date Lodged: 04/07/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03584: Congratulations to Eilidh Child on her Olympic Selection

11/07/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Eilidh Child from Pitreavie Athletics Club in Dunfermline on being selected by the British Olympic Association to compete in the 400 metre hurdles at London 2012; notes that she is already the silver medallist from the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and wishes her the very best for further success at London 2012.

Supported by: Colin Beattie, Maureen Watt, Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan, Margaret Burgess, Kevin Stewart, Alison Johnstone

Date Lodged: 04/07/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with , ,

S4M-03576: Congratulations to Lauriston Nursery on Impressive Inspection

10/07/2012

That the Parliament commends Lauriston Nursery in Dunfermline on an inspection by Education Scotland that rated the nursery as very good in every quality indicator; understands that the quality indicators were curriculum, children’s experiences, meeting learning needs, improvements in the nursery’s performance and improvement of the nursery through self-evaluation; notes that, among other results, the inspectors found that the children were making very good progress in learning and development, could take part in a wide range of enriching experiences, including outdoor learning and play, and were encouraged to become involved in deciding what they would like to learn and how they would like to learn; considers these results to be impressive, and applauds the staff of Lauriston Nursery for what it considers to be their hard work and dedication.

Supported by: Kevin Stewart, Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan, Colin Beattie

Date Lodged: 03/07/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03521: Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra Success and Workshop

28/06/2012

That the Parliament congratulates the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra (FYJO) on receiving an Awards for All grant of £1,450 from Creative Scotland; understands that the orchestra, which is based in Cairneyhill in Dunfermline, will use the grant to attend the Islay Jazz Festival in September 2012 and deliver a jazz workshop for local children using recently qualified FYJO tutors; believes that young people should be encouraged to take part in such beneficial recreational activities, and wishes the FYJO an enjoyable and productive festival attendance and workshop on Islay.

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Richard Lyle, Colin Beattie, Stuart McMillan

Date Lodged: 27/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03520: Commitment to Carbon Capture and Storage

28/06/2012

That the Parliament confirms its commitment to the principle of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the generation of Scotland’s electricity; considers that the successful application of CCS to clean electricity generation from Scotland’s own substantial gas supplies at such potential sites as Fraserburgh, Cockenzie and Grangemouth will substantially reduce Scotland’s CO2 emissions, and understands that such reliable and non-intermittent generation of electricity will certainly be required for some decades until renewable sources such as marine current, tide and wave technologies and mass electricity storage can be fully developed to provide sustainable and fully predictable electricity generation and provision in the long term.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan

Date Lodged: 27/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03465: Congratulations to the Scotland Rugby Team

26/06/2012

That the Parliament extends its warmest congratulations to the Scotland rugby team on completing its South Pacific tour with successive victories over Australia, Fiji and Samoa; understands that Scotland was the only European team to maintain a 100% record in recent games in the southern hemisphere and that these victories were all achieved in thoroughly adverse weather conditions; compliments the team on what it understands are the positive contacts it makes with schools and communities wherever it has played, and extends its best wishes to the players in preparing for the next season’s Six Nations Championship.

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Maureen Watt, Richard Lyle, Kenneth Gibson, Dave Thompson, Colin Keir, Stuart McMillan

Date Lodged: 25/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03464: Congratulations to the Dalai Lama

26/06/2012

That the Parliament congratulates the Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on what it sees as his popular pastoral visit to Scotland and extends to him its best wishes in spreading his message of human harmony, freedom and peace throughout the world.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Kenneth Gibson, Kevin Stewart, Colin Keir, Stuart McMillan

Date Lodged: 25/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03417: Scotland’s Ancient Capital is now the Literary Capital

25/06/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Dunfermline, the home of the world’s first Carnegie public library, on figures compiled by the online retailer Amazon that put it at the top of a list of Scotland’s most well-read towns and cities; understands that Amazon, which is a major employer in the Dunfermline area, came to this conclusion after analysing its sales of books, magazines and newspapers in both print and Kindle formats since June 2011; notes that Amazon has placed Dunfermline in the top five UK towns and cities with the highest number of book downloads per head, and believes that future competition for this title from other areas of Scotland would help raise standards of literacy throughout the country.

Supported by: Stuart McMillan, Colin Beattie, Richard Lyle, Kenneth Gibson, Maureen Watt

Date Lodged: 20/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03358: Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma

19/06/2012

That the Parliament congratulates the Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on finally being able to collect her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, an award that was made 21 years ago; considers that modest steps have been taken in Burma toward political reform through her personal sacrifices, and supports Dr Suu Kyi and the people of Burma in striving for freedom and fully democratic structures in their country.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Hanzala Malik, John Mason, Fiona McLeod, Colin Beattie, Kenneth Gibson, Humza Yousaf, Kevin Stewart, Christine Grahame, Chic Brodie,  Angus MacDonald, Paul Wheelhouse, Margaret Burgess, Mike MacKenzie, Maureen Watt, Stuart McMillan, Colin Keir

Date Lodged: 18/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03347: 50 Years of Giving by the Robertson Trust

19/06/2012

That the Parliament congratulates The Robertson Trust on publishing its 50th anniversary report, 50 Years of Giving 1961-2011; understands that this independent grant-making trust donates to a wide range of charitable projects across Scotland, with priority areas including care, health, education and training, and community art and sport; welcomes confirmation that The Robertson Trust has, to date, awarded approximately £125 million to charities across Scotland; further welcomes confirmation that in 2011-12 the Trust awarded £14.6 million, including £173,675 in Fife, and wishes The Robertson Trust many more years of charitable giving.

Supported by: Colin Beattie, Fiona McLeod, Richard Lyle, Graham Dey, Mike MacKenzie

Date Lodged: 15/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03305: Dunfermline Children’s Gala

18/06/2012

That the Parliament wishes the participants and organisers of Dunfermline Children’s Gala a happy gala day on 23 June 2012; understands that the Dunfermline Children’s Gala, which organisers say is the largest and oldest in Scotland, first took place in 1902 and can draw crowds of around 15,000 people to watch over 3,000 primary school children parade through the city centre from East Port to Pittencrieff Park; notes that the entertainment over the years has included Chinese dragons, juggling unicyclists, a giant caterpillar, stilt-walkers, acrobats and pirates and that this year the gala will have an Olympics theme, billed as the Galympics, and believes that the organisers of Dunfermline Children’s Gala should be praised for their dedication in ensuring that this annual event remains a vibrant celebration and a vital part of Dunfermline’s heritage.

Supported by: Colin Beattie, Stuart McMillan, Richard Lyle, Kenneth Gibson, Mike MacKenzie

Date Lodged: 14/06/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03162: Clan Chief Charlie of Clanranald

07/06/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Charlie Allan of Kincardine on Charlie’s Army, a programme airing on STV, which documents many of the events in what it sees as Charlie’s fascinating life; understands that Charlie founded Clanranald, of which he is clan chief, that he is a member of the internationally successful heavy metal bagpipe band, Saor Patrol, and that he has acted in the Hollywood blockbusters, Gladiator and Robin Hood, alongside his friend, the actor, Russell Crowe, and wishes Charlie every success with Duncarron, the medieval fortified village outside Stirling that he is building as an educational facility for schools and as a social enterprise venture for volunteers and unemployed people.

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Richard Lyle, Kevin Stewart

Date Lodged: 31/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03121: Forth Bridge World Heritage Site Status Bid

31/05/2012

That the Parliament notes that the Forth Bridge has been selected as the first of only two UK sites to be submitted for UNESCO World Heritage Site status after the iconic bridge topped the recent UK tentative list of 11 proposed sites; considers that the Forth Bridge is recognised around the world as an emblem of Scotland and of pioneering Scottish engineering and thus richly deserves World Heritage Site status; notes that the Forth Bridge was designed and built generations before the advent of computer-aided design and manufacturing; believes that World Heritage Site status would be a tribute to everyone who has worked on the Forth Bridge over its 130-year history, particularly to the 73 men who died building it, and eagerly anticipates the announcement expected in 2015 as to whether World Heritage Site status will be granted.

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Kevin Stewart, Fiona McLeod, Liz Smith, Richard Lyle, David Torrance, John Mason, Stuart McMillan

Date Lodged: 30/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03090: Big Lottery Funding for Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline

30/05/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline on receiving a grant of £5,940 from the Big Lottery Fund to develop its extracurricular sports programme; understands that the school will use this award to purchase and install rugby posts, basketball stands and basketball markings; considers after-school programmes to be of great benefit to pupils and parents; believes that young people should be encouraged wherever possible to take part in healthy exercise, and encourages local groups and organisations to be aware of funding, such as Big Lottery grants, that might be available to them for their community projects.

Supported by: Colin Beattie, Richard Lyle, Mike MacKenzie, Kevin Stewart, Margaret Burgess

Date Lodged: 29/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-02988.1: Celebrating Fife’s Outdoor Education Centre

30/05/2012

As an amendment to motion S4M-02988 in the name of John Park (Celebrating Fife’s Outdoor Education Centre), insert at end “praises the way in which Fife Council recently worked constructively in partnership with the Ardroy Ambassadors group to secure Ardroy’s future in spite of what it considers the neglect of the centre over decades by previous Labour administrations, and considers that this neglect necessitated the previous SNP-led administration to seek alternative ways of delivering the desired outcome without allowing the renewal campaign to become a burden on the public purse.”

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Kevin Stewart, Kenneth Gibson

Date Lodged: 26/05/2012

Read more of this post

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-03054: Playground Funding for St Leonards Primary School in Dunfermline

28/05/2012

That the Parliament congratulates St Leonards Primary School in Dunfermline on securing a grant of £8,231 from the Big Lottery Fund to redevelop its playground; understands that the grant will be used to purchase artificial grass, pencil weaver posts, an I-spy trail, a bench, a pergola, a music panel and wall games; welcomes such attempts to encourage children to enjoy outdoor activities, and wishes the children many hours of quality playtime in their new and improved playground.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Mike MacKenzie, Kevin Stewart, Colin Beattie

Date Lodged: 25/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-03015: West Fife Villages Win Big Lottery Floral Funding

24/05/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir Community Council on receiving a grant of £9,895 from the Big Lottery Fund for a floral displays scheme; understands that the community council hopes to encourage more local people to become involved in community gardening so as to help beautify the villages and enhance civic pride, and believes that such projects enhance the enjoyment that residents take in their environment as well as creating a positive image for visitors.

Supported by:  Dennis Robertson, Richard Lyle, Mike MacKenzie, Colin Beattie, Stuart McMillan, Kevin Stewart

Date Lodged: 23/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-02975: Launch of the Green Room in Dunfermline

23/05/2012

That the Parliament extends its best wishes to proprietors Neil and Fiona Beattie on the launch of the Green Room restaurant in Dunfermline, which is situated next to the Alhambra Theatre; believes that the new restaurant will enhance Dunfermline by providing another attractive facility for discerning diners and theatre-goers, and recognises that new businesses such as the Green Room play a vital role in stimulating the economy during challenging times.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Mike MacKenzie, Colin Beattie

Date Lodged: 21/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-02869: Building Technologies Showcase 2012

14/05/2012

That the Parliament considers the forthcoming Building Technologies Showcase 2012 to be a positive step in promoting energy-efficient and sustainable construction; understands that the event, which is due to be held on 30 May at Dunfermline’s Carnegie Conference Centre, will cover such themes as renewables, the importance of well-insulated and well-ventilated buildings and legislative and regulatory changes, and hopes that the hosts, Fife Construction Forum and Edinburgh Napier University’s Low Carbon Building Technologies Gateway, build on the success of the first showcase, which was held last year.

Supported by: Richard Lyle, Kevin Stewart, Kenneth Gibson, Fiona McLeod, Mike MacKenzie, Colin Beattie, Dave Thompson

Date Lodged: 11/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-02815: Samantha Barber Appointed as Iberdrola’s Corporate Social Responsibility Chairman

10/05/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Samantha Barber from Dunfermline on her appointment as chairman of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of Scottish Power’s parent company, Iberdrola; understands that Ms Barber’s previous roles have included director of Business for Scotland and chief executive of Scottish Business in the Community; notes that she serves as an advisory board member for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and sits on the 2020 Group on Climate Change, and wishes Ms Barber success in her new appointment, where, it understands, she will seek to improve social policies and community relations.

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Colin Beattie, Richard Lyle, Margaret Burgess, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt

Date Lodged: 09/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with

S4M-02805: Michaela Tabb Referees a Second World Snooker Championship Final

09/05/2012

That the Parliament congratulates Dunfermline-based Michaela Tabb on refereeing the World Snooker Championship final for the second time; considers that Ms Tabb has made a significant contribution to the sport as the first woman to referee at a professional-ranking snooker tournament, at a world-ranking snooker final and at the World Snooker Championship final, and wishes Ms Tabb many more successes in her career.

Supported by: Mike MacKenzie, Colin Beattie, Richard Lyle, Colin Keir

Date Lodged: 08/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

S4M-02801: Stephen Hendry Retires from Tournament Snooker

09/05/2012

That the Parliament sends its best wishes to the Fife-raised snooker player Stephen Hendry MBE on his retirement from tournament snooker; recognises Stephen’s achievements as seven-times winner of the World Championship, which he won for the first time as the youngest ever world champion, at the age of 21; recognises that Stephen is the holder of 36 world-ranking titles, which is more than any other player, and wishes him well for the future.

Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Nanette Milne, Mike MacKenzie, John Mason, Colin Beattie, Colin Keir, Maureen Watt, Stuart McMillan, Richard Lyle

Date Lodged: 08/05/2012

Filed under Motions Tagged with ,

← Older posts

Newer posts →