2pm

Time for Reflection: Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Parliamentary Bureau Motions

George Adam on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-12946)

That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the programme of business for—
(a) Tuesday 23 April 2024—
after
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
insert
followed by Ministerial Statement: Gender Identity Healthcare for Young People
delete
5.00 pm Decision Time
and insert
5.30 pm Decision Time
(b) Wednesday 24 April 2024—
delete
9.00 pm Decision Time

followed by Members’ Business
and insert
8.20 pm Decision Time
(c) Thursday 25 April 2024—
delete
5.00 pm Decision Time
and insert
3.55 pm Decision Time

Further details available for S6M-12946
Topical Questions

Sarah Boyack (S6T-01932)

To ask the Scottish Government what potential impact the proposed Berwick Bank offshore windfarm not being included in the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 6 will have on achieving Scotland’s climate targets.

Official Report available for S6T-01932

Stuart McMillan (S6T-01937)

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported statistics indicating that wet wipes contribute to up to 94% of sewer blockages, what assessment it has made of the potential impact on Scottish Water of the planned ban on wet wipes containing plastic, including whether water and sewerage charges will be reduced in the future as a result of the ban.

Official Report available for S6T-01937

Meghan Gallacher (S6T-01938)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the LGBT Youth Scotland pilot programme to introduce youth clubs in schools.

Official Report available for S6T-01938
Ministerial Statement: Gender Identity Healthcare for Young People
Stage 1 Debate: Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

Angela Constance (S6M-12922)

That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Further details available for S6M-12922
Financial Resolution: Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

Shona Robison (S6M-12560)

That the Parliament, for the purposes of any Act of the Scottish Parliament resulting from the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, agrees to any expenditure of a kind referred to in Rule 9.12.3A of the Parliament’s Standing Orders arising in consequence of the Act.

Further details available for S6M-12560
Appointment of Members of the Standards Commission for Scotland

Maggie Chapman (S6M-12910)

That the Parliament agrees, under section 8 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, to appoint Morag Ferguson and Lezley Stewart as Members of the Standards Commission for Scotland.

Further details available for S6M-12910
Committee Announcements
Business Motions
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5:30pm

Decision Time
Members' Business — S6M-12841 Clare Haughey: Seventh Anniversary of the Two-child Benefit Cap

Clare Haughey (S6M-12841)

That the Parliament regrets to mark the seventh anniversary of the introduction by the UK Government of the two-child benefit cap, and the associated so-called rape clause; notes with alarm reports that over 87,000 children across Scotland are affected by the cap, including 3,610 in South Lanarkshire; further notes the work of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which reports that the poverty rate for children in families with three or more children was almost twice as high as the poverty rate for children in one- or two-child families in 2021-22, at 43% compared with 23% and 22% respectively, as a result of UK welfare policies such as the two-child benefit limit; highlights what it considers to be the contrast between the inhumane practices of the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions and the compassionate approach of the Scottish Government’s Social Security Scotland; understands that the Scottish Government has already spent more than £733 million over the last five financial years to mitigate UK Government welfare policies, despite what it sees as a remarkably challenging financial environment and the fiscal limitations of devolution; notes that the Scottish Child Payment and other devolved policies are forecast to keep up to 100,000 children in Scotland out of relative poverty in this financial year; further notes the view that Scotland should continue to build a social security system that is founded on dignity, fairness and respect, and notes the calls urging the UK Government to reverse the two-child benefit cap and what it regards as the other abhorrent and ineffective welfare reforms that have been implemented over more than a decade of austerity.

Further details available for S6M-12841

Committee business

The committee will meet at 9:00am at T4.60-CR6 The Livingstone Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take item 4 in private.

2. Local government in Scotland: Financial bulletin 2022/23: The Committee will take evidence from—

Jo Armstrong, Chair, Accounts Commission
Andrew Burns, Deputy Chair, Accounts Commission
Carol Calder, Audit Director, Audit Scotland
Blyth Deans, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland
Lucy Jones, Audit Manager, Audit Scotland

3. Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the Bill at Stage 2.

4. Local government in Scotland: Financial bulletin 2022/23: The Committee will consider the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Euan Donald on 85212 or at [email protected]

The committee will meet at 9:15am at T4.40-CR2 The Fairfax Somerville Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 3 and 4 in private.

2. Climate Change Committee – Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland – 2023 Report to Parliament: The Committee will take evidence from—

Chris Stark, Chief Executive, Climate Change Committee
Professor Keith Bell, Scotland Champion, Climate Change Committee

3. Climate Change Committee – Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland – 2023 Report to Parliament: The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

4. Work programme: The Committee will consider its work programme and an initial approach to its scrutiny of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Peter McGrath on 0131 348 6039 or at [email protected]

The committee will meet at 9:30am at T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 5, 6 and 7 in private.

2. Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will take evidence from—

Morna Grandison, Director of Interventions, Law Society of Scotland
Gavin MacColl KC, Faculty of Advocates
Dr Alisdair MacPherson, Senior Lecturer in Commercial Law, University of Aberdeen
Professor Gareth Morgan, Charity Law Association

and then from—

Morna Grandison, Director of Interventions, Law Society of Scotland
Sandy Lamb, Partner, Lindsays
Ken Pattullo, Partner, Begbies Traynor

3. Instruments subject to affirmative procedure: The Committee will consider the following—Scottish Tribunals (Listed Tribunals) Regulations 2024 (SSI 2024/Draft)

4. Instruments subject to negative procedure: The Committee will consider the following—Plant Health (Export Certification) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024 (SSI 2024/86)Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024 (SSI 2024/102)

5. Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the delegated powers provisions in this Bill after Stage 2.

6. Committee correspondence: The Committee will consider correspondence received from the Minister for Parliamentary Business.

7. Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider the evidence it heard earlier in the meeting.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Greg Black at [email protected]

The committee will meet at 9:30am at TG.40-CR1 The Burns Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill (in private): The Committee will consider a draft Stage 1 report.

2. Work programme (in private): The Committee will consider its work programme.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Joanne McNaughton, at [email protected].

The committee will meet at 10:00am at T1.60-CR4 The Clerk Maxwell Room and will be broadcast on www.scottishparliament.tv.

1. Public petitions: PE01787 The Committee will consider the following continued petition— The use of Makaton sign language in the legal system.

2. Suicide Prevention in Scotland: The Committee will take evidence from—

Rob Gowans, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE)
Neil Mathers, Executive Director, Samaritans Scotland
John Gibson, Chief Executive Officer, The Canmore Trust
Dan Farthing, Head of Suicide Prevention, Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH)
Jason Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Men's Sheds Association
Rebecca Hoffman, National Policy Lead, LGBT Health and Wellbeing
Aidan Mitchell, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Change Mental Health
Dr Richmond Davies, Head of Public Health Analytics and Intelligence, Public Health Scotland

3. Suicide Prevention in Scotland (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence it heard under agenda item 2.

For further information, contact the Clerk to the Committee, Katrina Venters on 86244 or at [email protected]

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What's On

Tuesday 23 April 2024

Business Bulletin

Chamber business

Time for Reflection: Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

Parliamentary Bureau Motions

George Adam on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau (S6M-12946)

Topical Questions

Sarah Boyack (S6T-01932)

Stuart McMillan (S6T-01937)

Meghan Gallacher (S6T-01938)

Ministerial Statement: Gender Identity Healthcare for Young People

Stage 1 Debate: Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

Angela Constance (S6M-12922)

Financial Resolution: Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

Shona Robison (S6M-12560)

Appointment of Members of the Standards Commission for Scotland

Maggie Chapman (S6M-12910)

Committee Announcements

Business Motions

Parliamentary Bureau Motions

Decision Time

Members' Business — S6M-12841 Clare Haughey: Seventh Anniversary of the Two-child Benefit Cap

Clare Haughey (S6M-12841)

Committee business

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee