Meeting of the Parliament (Accessible)

Time for Reflection Revd Dr Alistair May, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland followed by General Questions 1. Michelle Campbell S7O-00461 To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in conjunction with SEPA following the severe flooding caused by Storm Boelo to address any issues identified with flood forecasting during severe weather. 2. Tim Eagle S7O-00462 To ask the Scottish Government what evidence informed its view that a four-hour walk-in GP centre operating on Friday afternoons in Elgin will be sufficient to meet local healthcare in Moray. Submitting member has a registered interest. 3. Alexander Burnett S7O-00463 To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any further discussions it has had with COSLA regarding its proposals for local government reform. 4. Iris Duane S7O-00464 To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to fund the £2.5 billion of infrastructure investment needs identified by the Scottish Funding Council for colleges over the next decade. 5. Bob Doris S7O-00465 To ask the Scottish Government how it works with Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership to help reduce unscheduled presentations to acute services among people requiring palliative and end of life care. 6. Laura Moodie S7O-00466 To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its headcount reduction programme on the delivery of the Learning for Sustainability Action Plan and the Target 2030 commitments. 7. Patrick Harvie S7O-00467 To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding Creative Scotland's handling of the future of the former Centre for Contemporary Arts building in Glasgow. 8. Heather Anderson S7O-00468 To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce levels of nicotine addiction among under-18s. followed by First Minister’s Questions (Backbench Members) followed by Ministerial Statement: Winter Resilience followed by Scottish Government Debate: The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland Màiri McAllan S7M-01962 That the Parliament opposes the BBC's proposal to close the linear BBC Scotland channel and to discontinue Reporting Scotland: News at Seven; expresses concern that proposed changes could reduce access to Scottish news and public broadcasting, particularly for audiences who rely on traditional television services, and could impact jobs and investment in Scotland; highlights the contribution of broadcasting to Scotland's economy through investment in skilled jobs, the screen sector and the creative industries workforce; notes the importance of fair and sustainable support for Gaelic media and the continuing disparity in funding between Gaelic-language and Welsh-language broadcasting; believes that licence fee revenues raised in Scotland should be reinvested in full in Scotland; recognises the opportunity presented by the ongoing BBC Charter Review to deliver greater accountability, representation and investment for Scotland; believes that BBC television and radio must authentically reflect the lives of people in Scotland, and calls on the UK Government to devolve responsibility for broadcasting to the Scottish Parliament. Further details available for S7M-01962 Katherine Sangster S7M-01962.1 As an amendment to motion S7M-01962 in the name of Màiri McAllan (The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland), leave out from "opposes" to end and insert "believes that audiences in Scotland should have access to high-quality programming that tells Scottish stories and reflects the richness and diversity of its culture and communities; recognises the BBC's important role in delivering this content and supporting Scotland's creative industries, including independent Scottish production companies; believes that moving BBC Scotland content online and onto BBC Two provides an opportunity to protect this programming, including Gaelic content, while ensuring audiences can continue to access news on terrestrial television through Reporting Scotland; calls on the Scottish Government and all Members to engage fully in the BBC Charter Renewal process to champion Scottish broadcasting and to protect the future of public service broadcasting, and further calls on the Scottish Government to support Scotland’s screen sector by making the creative economy a national industrial priority and reforming the skills system and business support to reflect the needs and priorities of Scotland’s creative industries." Further details available for S7M-01962.1 Victor Currie S7M-01962.3 As an amendment to motion S7M-01962 in the name of Màiri McAllan (The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland), leave out from "opposes" to end and insert "believes that the BBC has not adapted to long-term changes in media habits; notes that Ofcom weekly reach figures indicate that 58% of the population watch at least one BBC channel and that fewer than 50% of people aged under 25 watch any BBC channel over a full year; considers these figures to be evidence that the BBC’s current structure is out of date, and calls, therefore, on the UK Government to conduct a broader charter review of the BBC to ensure that it meets modern consumer demand, including consideration of options to abolish the TV license fee in the internet age." Further details available for S7M-01962.3 Q Manivannan S7M-01962.4 As an amendment to motion S7M-01962 in the name of Màiri McAllan (The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland), insert at end “; believes that the Charter Review should secure creative origination in Scotland, with commissioning decisions and ownership of intellectual property resting with independent producers based in Scotland; recognises the BBC as a vital public good that faces an existential threat without a sustainable settlement; expresses concern at the commercialisation of core BBC services and believes that the answer lies in fair, sustainable public funding that keeps services universal and affordable, and calls on the UK Government to ensure that digital terrestrial television services are not discontinued until every household has an affordable alternative.” Further details available for S7M-01962.4 Murdo Fraser S7M-01962.5 As an amendment to motion S7M-01962 in the name of Màiri McAllan (The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland), leave out from “opposes” to end and insert "recognises the importance of independent, impartial and trusted public service broadcasting; believes that BBC modernisation must not diminish Scottish news, current affairs or original programming; calls on the BBC to strengthen its coverage of the Scottish Parliament, including scrutiny of government, and maintain investment in Scottish jobs, skills and production; recognises the importance of Gaelic broadcasting and that the Scottish Government already has the power to increase funding for MG ALBA; believes that the BBC must be accountable, maintain public trust and deliver value for licence fee payers; affirms the importance of a strong, independent, UK-wide BBC that serves Scotland well, and considers that the forthcoming Royal Charter renewal is a crucial opportunity to reinforce the Corporation’s independence, governance and long-term commitment to high-quality public service broadcasting." Further details available for S7M-01962.5 David Green S7M-01962.2 As an amendment to motion S7M-01962 in the name of Màiri McAllan (The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland), leave out from "opposes" to end and insert "expresses concern regarding the BBC's proposal to close the linear BBC Scotland channel and to discontinue Reporting Scotland: News at Seven; recognises the importance of public service broadcasting, trusted journalism and investment in Scotland's creative industries; notes changing audience viewing and listening habits and the increasing use of digital and on-demand services; believes that the BBC should continue to support the production of high-quality news, current affairs and other programming in Scotland, reflecting the diverse experiences of communities across the country; further believes that locally- and regionally-based news gathering, reporting and regional news bulletins are essential to ensuring that communities across Scotland are properly represented in public service broadcasting; recognises the cultural importance of Gaelic broadcasting and the need for sustainable support for Gaelic-language media; further recognises the vital role of the BBC World Service in providing trusted and independent news to audiences across the world; believes that the BBC must continue to deliver value for licence fee payers while maintaining high-quality public service content; recognises the opportunity presented by the Charter Review process to strengthen accountability and representation for Scotland within the BBC, and believes that any future permanent BBC Charter should be subject to ratification by the Scottish Parliament." Further details available for S7M-01962.2 followed by Decision Time followed by Members’ Business: Supporting Scotland's Pubs Jamie Langan S7M-01702 That the Parliament notes with sadness the closure of The Crown Inn in Biggar, a historic public house dating back to 1650, which closed its doors in October after serving the local community for generations; recognises the contribution made by its owners and all their staff over the years; notes that The Crown Inn was named CAMRA Lanarkshire Pub of the Year in 2016 and was widely regarded as an important landmark in the town; believes that traditional country pubs play a vital role in fostering community spirit and identity; expresses concern at the growing number of pub closures across Scotland amid rising operating costs, taxation and what it sees as excessive regulations and bureaucracy; believes that Scotland's pubs form an integral part of Scotland's cultural heritage; notes reported concerns that policy making in recent years has too often treated pubs primarily as a public health problem rather than recognising them as vital community institutions; believes that social drinking is a normal and valued part of British life, and notes calls for the Scottish Government to champion rather than penalise Scotland's traditional pubs and the communities they serve. Further details available for S7M-01702