Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Questions Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Economy and Gaelic Foysol Choudhury S6O-04866 1. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with business leaders regarding work to maximise the economic impact of Edinburgh's festivals. Stephanie Callaghan S6O-04867 2. [Withdrawn] Daniel Johnson S6O-04868 3. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken on digital exclusion to address the "weakened" national leadership referred to by Audit Scotland in its report Tackling Digital Exclusion, which was published 12 months ago. Elena Whitham S6O-04869 4. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the recently published NatWest Group and Beauhurst’s New Startup Index, indicating that Scotland has one of the fastest growing startup economies in the UK. Jamie Halcro Johnston S6O-04870 5. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the economic impact of any increased taxation by UK, Scottish and local governments on people and businesses across the Highlands and Islands. Tim Eagle S6O-04871 6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how growth deals are growing the economy of the Highlands and Islands region. Willie Rennie S6O-04872 7. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with GFG Alliance, Liberty Steel and Alvance British Aluminium regarding the companies’ operations in Scotland. Michelle Thomson S6O-04873 8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with UK Government ministers regarding the potential impact on the Scottish economy of recent developments with the Grangemouth cluster. Finance and Local Government Kenneth Gibson S6O-04874 1. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on the public finances of working age economic inactivity. Patrick Harvie S6O-04875 2. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support local authorities and other public bodies to apply ethical criteria when deciding whether to divest from sectors such as fossil fuels, arms companies and businesses complicit in occupation or war crimes. Ash Regan S6O-04876 3. To ask the Scottish Government what role the finance secretary has in authorising any continued expenditure of public bodies that incur substantial legal costs, including those covered by the Clinical Negligence and Other Risks Indemnity Scheme. David Torrance S6O-04877 4. To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with local authorities to deliver transformation programmes and accelerate any reforms needed to achieve financial sustainability and ensure that local services are fit for the future. Maggie Chapman (S6O-04878) To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to local authorities to help ensure that all residents across the north east can access local council services, including help when things go wrong, in person as well as online. Rona Mackay S6O-04879 To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to East Dunbartonshire Council to help meet any additional costs of providing social care services for an ageing population. Alex Rowley S6O-04880 To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage and support local authorities to empower and enable people and communities to have a greater say over the delivery of local public services. Alexander Stewart S6O-04881 To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly spending over £1 million every week on agency staff, in light of it having announced plans to reduce corporate costs. followed by First Minister's Statement: Situation in Gaza followed by Scottish Government Debate: Palestine Angus Robertson S6M-18686 That the Parliament agrees with the recognition of the State of Palestine and that peace in the region must be pursued by all. Further details available for S6M-18686 Jackson Carlaw S6M-18686.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-18686 in the name of Angus Robertson (Palestine), after “Palestine” insert “at the appropriate time and as part of a wider and lasting peace settlement in which the Palestinian people are free from the control of Hamas,”. Further details available for S6M-18686.3 Neil Bibby S6M-18686.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-18686 in the name of Angus Robertson (Palestine), insert at end “; welcomes the actions taken by the UK Government to respect the jurisdiction and independence of the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, restore funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, restrict arms sales licences to prevent breaches of international law, issue sanctions on Israeli ministers and settlers in the West Bank and commit to recognising a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly; calls on the Scottish Government to update the Parliament on the due diligence checks carried out by Scottish Enterprise during investment decision processes to ensure that defence products are not used in breaches of humanitarian law in Gaza or elsewhere, and considers that there must be an immediate ceasefire, with delivery of humanitarian aid and food into Gaza, the release of all the hostages and a pathway to a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, secured by a two-state solution.” Further details available for S6M-18686.2 Patrick Harvie S6M-18686.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-18686 in the name of Angus Robertson (Palestine), insert at end ", and calls on the Scottish and UK governments to immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine." Further details available for S6M-18686.1 followed by Decision Time followed by Members' Business — S6M-18369 Kenneth Gibson: Recognising the Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) That the Parliament recognises the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on individuals and the NHS, with, it understands, thousands of people reliant on dialysis or living with a kidney transplant, and many more at risk of progression; understands that CKD is one of the most common and resource-intensive long-term conditions but considers that it lacks a specific policy focus; welcomes the Scottish Government’s work on a long-term conditions strategy and notes the belief that the Scottish Government should include CKD as a dedicated strand, with actions on prevention, early diagnosis, equitable access to transplantation, and a home-first approach to dialysis care; notes the view that increasing support for home dialysis and improving organ donation rates would improve outcomes and reduce system pressures, and further notes the belief that the Scottish Government should work with people across Scotland, including in the Cunninghame North constituency, who are living with kidney disease, as well as clinicians, third sector organisations and industry, to deliver meaningful change. Further details available for S6M-18369