Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): I am a not infrequent speaker in the chamber, but this is the first time that I have spoken in a procedures debate. I was prompted to do so because I thought that the Procedures Committee produced an excellent report on the use of parliamentary time. I will make one contribution to the committee’s final deliberations, which lie ahead.
Clips of Wendy in the Scottish Parliament (20 minutes long).
(These clips require Macromedia Flash Player)
Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): It is refreshing to have the chance to debate SNP policy. I wanted to do the party justice, so I had a look at its website.
Politics and history are colliding in Scotland. Next May’s Scottish Parliament elections coincide with the tri-centenary of the Union. Jack McConnell opened the new session of the Scottish Parliament this week with a declaration that no Scot’s patriotism should be doubted because they support the partnership created over three hundred years ago. And Gordon Brown yesterday redefined the economic case for the Union in our time.
If the political temperature is rising, the historical debate is also hotting up with an estimated seven new books due this year examining the origins of the Union.
Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): This has been an interesting debate. As it moves to a close, I invite members to consider the amendments that are before us.Unaccountably, the Tories’ amendment seems to have overlooked the big idea of their leader, David Cameron, for Scotland’s future ”that in future, all Scots who are elected to the Westminster Parliament to represent their fellow Scots should become second-class members of that Parliament. Little wonder that not one of the Holyrood Tories—the old Tories—is trumpeting the new Tories’ big idea for Scotland. I have a word of advice for our old Tories in Scotland: beware. They may be about to enjoy the irrelevance, ignominy and isolation that old Labour has enjoyed under Tony Blair.
Our title today is GIVING OUR CHILDREN AN APPETITE FOR LIFE?And an appetite for life - means a healthy appetite for food. But something has been going wrong.
If we take just one figure – one in five Scottish toddlers are overweight by the time they reach their third birthday.
HAVING recently become a mum, the subject of infants and their eating habits has become of great interest to me.
Having survived breastfeeding twins, I did not want to fall at the first hurdle, so I am pureeing carrots with a vengeance. This was a new departure; I have only just learned (in my twins’ honour) how to use a blender.
My poor babies had to celebrate their six-month birthdays with carrots washed down with water. I harbour high hopes about their future diet.
Perhaps they will manage the easy relationship with food that has eluded their mother. But coming from the west of Scotland I live in trepidation that this may be harder to achieve than it first appears. (more…)
Buddies could soon have the opportunity to see Olympic heroes training at close quarters.
Scottish sporting facilities are being asked to register their interest in hosting pre-Games training camps for teams preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
With the longer summer nights anti-social behaviour by a few can spoil the evenings for everyone. I wanted to let Buddies know their rights if they experience antisocial behaviour.
As buddies start heading off on their summer holidays I wanted to write about the new plans for the future of council housing here in Renfrewshire.
