Meeting the Needs of Disabled Children and their Families - £34 Million Could Go a Long Way— That the Parliament acknowledges the courage, persistence and commitment of parents with disabled children within the Pollok constituency, across Glasgow and throughout Scotland, in fighting for the rights of their families; notes the findings of the report, Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families, drawn from the experience and priorities of families with disabled children across the United Kingdom and which seeks to address the needs of the disabled child and the impact of disability on the rest of the family; welcomes the £34 million funding secured by the dedicated campaigning of families with disabled children and provided to the Scottish Executive to deliver the package of improvements in short breaks, accessible childcare, support for young disabled people in transition to adulthood and help for parents to be involved in shaping local services, and considers that families of disabled children should benefit fully from the £34 million fruits of their campaigning endeavour

John Park: STUC Memorandum of Understanding—That the Parliament welcomes the re-signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Scottish Government and the STUC; recognises the valuable role that the MoU has played in developing government and trade union relations since being signed in 2002 by then First Minister, Jack McConnell MSP, and STUC President, David Bleiman; recognises that the strategic dialogue undertaken through the MoU enabled achievements such as the two-tier workforce protocol, the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 and the extension of the Union Learning Fund, and welcomes the continued involvement of trade unions as social partners with government.

Our Vote Our Voice Launch—That the Parliament congratulates Outside the Box Development Support on the launch of its online election voting pack for adults with learning difficulties; recognises that people with such difficulties have as much right to accessible information on matters that affect their lives as other members of Scotland’s communities; welcomes the contribution that people with learning difficulties made to the production of the pack, and believes that the election pack should inform and influence the planning of elections by those who have responsibility for doing so, such as returning officers and the Electoral Commission, to ensure the maximum participation in elections by all eligible voters.

Prepayment Penalties on the Poor—That the Parliament expresses concern that customers using prepayment meters to pay for their energy are currently paying an average of £214 per year more than those who have signed up for suppliers’ online tariffs and £137 more than those paying by direct debit; notes that one in three households have no home access to the internet while one in 11 do not have a bank account; expresses further concern that the number of prepayment meters installed for debt has risen in the last year, effectively barring those customers from switching to a cheaper supplier and payment method; further notes that smart meters have an important role in eradicating the inequalities associated with payment methods, and calls on the Scottish Government to make representations to Ofgem to undertake a comprehensive review of charges for prepayment meter customers as a first step to ensuring that large numbers of Scottish consumers no longer have to pay more for their energy simply because they have no access to a computer or bank account.

Prisoners with Learning Difficulties and Learning Disabilities—That the Parliament welcomes the report, No One Knows, produced by the Prison Reform Trust, based on interviews with prison staff in Scotland regarding the identification and support of prisoners with learning difficulties; notes the suggestion that up to 2,250 prisoners out of approximately 7,000 are likely to have a technical learning disability or require some additional support with learning; notes further that all public services, including criminal justice organisations, have a duty under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to eliminate discrimination and promote opportunity for disabled people, including those with learning difficulties; is concerned that few systematic procedures appear to be in place in prisons to identify prisoners with learning difficulties or disabilities and that information about this does not accompany most prisoners when they enter prison; is aware that short-term prison sentences militate against effective working with such prisoners; calls on the Scottish Executive to act on the recommendations of the report, and believes that there would be considerable value in a review of the care and treatment of prisoners with learning difficulties and disabilities by HM Inspectorate of Prisons and by the Scottish Commissioner for Equality and Human Rights, as recommended in the report.

Support Project Scotland— That the Parliament expresses its dismay at the decision of the Scottish Government to withdraw funding from Project Scotland, the ground-breaking volunteering project, which since its inception has secured well over 1,000 placements for young people throughout Scotland; recognises the very real and tangible benefits both to local communities and organisations, such as the Temple Shafton Youth Project in Glasgow, which have participated in the scheme and wholeheartedly applauds the effort and commitment of the volunteers involved; acknowledges that participants have been able to discover and develop new skills during their time with Project Scotland; notes the cross-party support for motion S3M-695 in the name of Sandra White, which acknowledged the positive role played by Project Scotland in helping "those previously excluded from participating in society to realise their true potential and aspirations", and believes that the decision should be reversed and support given to a project which, through the sterling efforts of volunteers, has made a significant contribution to a more inclusive and co-operative Scotland.
 

CHILDREN 1ST New Tayside Premises— That the Parliament congratulates CHILDREN 1^ST on the opening of its new Tayside premises in Dundee; notes that CHILDREN 1^ST, formerly the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, has helped Dundee’s most vulnerable children and families for over 70 years; further notes that from its new premises CHILDREN 1^ST will continue to provide much-needed support to children and their families affected by family breakdown, abuse or neglect, including those affected by substance misuse, and recognises the important contribution of CHILDREN 1^ST’s staff and volunteers across the whole of Scotland whose hard work helps give vulnerable children and young people a brighter future.
 

RNIB Report on Election Experiences of People with Sight Loss— That the Parliament welcomes the RNIB report, Make it count, on the election experiences of people with sight loss; notes the issues identified from individual experience in the report, particularly those of staff training, design including font size and colour contrast, the need for good lighting, better polling booth design and voter advice and information in polling stations, and the problem of delayed despatch of postal ballot papers; notes also the recommendation for the appointment of a Chief Returning Officer; urges the Scotland Office and the Scottish Government to consider and act on the report along with the recommendations in the Gould report and to involve organisations like RNIB more closely in arrangements for future elections, and believes that it is an urgent requirement of any democracy that all its citizens should be able to cast an effective vote in a manner suited to their needs.
 

Scotland’s Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists— That the Parliament acknowledges the role of Scotland’s Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists (PDNSs) in providing care and support for people living with Parkinson’s disease; notes that Parkinson’s disease is a complicated condition that requires to be managed by specialist teams of health professionals; recognises that for many people with Parkinson’s disease and their families a PDNS is the most important health professional in their lives and that the evidence shows that access to a PDNS improves quality of life and symptom control and reduces unnecessary hospital admissions; is concerned that six NHS boards have no access to a PDNS and that in other boards PDNSs are heavily oversubscribed, and encourages boards to take the opportunity to work in partnership with the Parkinson’s Disease Society and with people with Parkinson’s disease to design higher quality services where everyone with Parkinson’s disease has access to a PDNS.

Support the White Ribbon Campaign— That the Parliament applauds the White Ribbon campaign around the world for developing the role of men in tackling violence against women; applauds White Ribbon Scotland for taking forward the issue here; notes that the simplest action for men to take is to wear a white ribbon, symbolising the pledge to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women, and encourages all male MSPs to do so during the 16 days of action opposing violence against women, which start on 25 November 2007, and all female MSPs to encourage the men around them to do so.
 

Say No to Racism— That the Parliament commends and supports the annual Scottish Trades Union Congress St Andrew’s Day Anti-Racism March and Rally taking place in Glasgow on Saturday 24 November 2007; welcomes the all-party support for the march and rally, sponsored by the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance; congratulates those who stand together against racism and fascism, and notes the theme of this year’s march which commemorates the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
 

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child— That the Parliament notes the 18th birthday of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees the rights of all children and young people in Scotland to fulfil their potential; believes that all children and young people in our society, but particularly children with a disability or additional support needs, face a number of barriers in realising these rights, for example to be included, to achieve their promise and to access leisure and recreational activities as well as other core services; supports the work done by the Cross Party Group on Children and Young People to raise awareness and consensus in the Parliament around this issue; urges the Scottish Government to listen to, and actively involve, children and young people in the development and delivery of educational, social, leisure and health services, and believes that it is the Scottish Government’s responsibility to research the extent and reasons for such barriers and that the voices of children and young people with additional support needs should form a central part of the inspection processes that these services undergo.
 

Carers' Respite and Short Breaks— That the Parliament notes that 7 December 2007 is Carers’ Rights Day; applauds the huge contribution made to society by more than 600,000 unpaid carers in Scotland; welcomes the work done by organisations such as Grangemouth Carers and the Falkirk Carers Centre; recognises the enormous benefit that the provision of respite and short break services can make to both the carer and the cared for; notes with concern the inequalities of access to respite provision recently highlighted by the Scottish Society for Autism; believes that regular updates should be made available, detailing progress towards the provision of an additional 10,000 weeks respite per year, as well as a guaranteed annual entitlement to breaks from caring by 2011; welcomes the Scottish Government’s consultation on its new respite care guidance; is concerned, however, that this guidance does not contain a duty on local authorities to develop specific respite strategies; believes that such a duty is vital to strengthen the development of respite services and to achieve equality of access across Scotland, and believes that, in the absence of a duty on local authorities, measures should be taken to ensure that the impact of any additional resources for respite services is not undermined by weaknesses in local respite planning.
 

Say No to Racism—That the Parliament commends and supports the annual Scottish Trades Union Congress St Andrew’s Day Anti-Racism March and Rally taking place in Glasgow on Saturday 24 November 2007; welcomes the all-party support for the march and rally, sponsored by the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance; congratulates those who stand together against racism and fascism, and notes the theme of this year’s march which commemorates the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

18 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child— That the Parliament notes the "coming of age" of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 2007, which since its adoption in 1989 has been ratified more quickly and by more governments, all except Somalia and the United States of America, than any other human rights instrument; recognises that it is the most far-reaching and comprehensive of all human rights treaties and has transformed the status of children as rights holders; supports its basic premise that children are born with fundamental freedoms and the inherent rights of all human beings; recognises that much work still needs to be done to ensure that the convention is fully implemented; further notes that in 2008 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will examine a report by the UK Government on its implementation of the convention; welcomes the Scottish Government’s engagement in that reporting process and its commitment to improving the lives of young people, and continues to support the work of Kathleen Marshall, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People in promoting and safeguarding children’s rights in Scotland.

Domestic Abuse in Lothians— That the Parliament recognises the need to end violence against women; notes that the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign will run from 25 November (UN International Day of Action to Eliminate Violence Against Women) until 10 December 2007 (International Human Rights Day); notes that domestic abuse remains both widespread and under-reported in Scotland and that research indicates that victims suffer episodes of abuse up to 35 times before they call the police; further notes that 60% of recorded domestic abuse incidents in Lothian and Borders are known to involve repeat victimisation; welcomes the pilot project being run by Lothian and Borders Police in East Lothian to improve the service provided to victims of domestic abuse with the aim of reducing repeat victimisation through working with partner agencies to provide help, support and prioritise the safety and protection of victims when reporting crimes, and looks forward to this pilot leading to a more effective response to domestic abuse throughout the force’s area.

Diabetes UK Scotland World Diabetes Day Report 2007— That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the Diabetes UK Scotland report, Getting our act together - supporting young people with diabetes in Scotland; recognises that Scotland has one of the highest rates in the world for Type 1 diabetes and that more than 90% of young people with diabetes in Scotland are at risk of serious health complications because they lack the information and support to manage their condition properly; acknowledges the report’s action points on sustaining paediatric services for children with Type 1 diabetes, providing structured education, psycho-social support and information about living with Type 1 diabetes and its consequences, informing patients about their treatment options, educating people working with young people in schools and elsewhere about Type 1 diabetes, improving transition from paediatric to adult services and improving communication among professionals; furthermore recognises that the report is part of a year-long worldwide campaign to raise awareness of the rising prevalence of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents, and calls on the Scottish Government to make a response to the report and the campaign.
 

Fellowship with Cuba—That the Parliament welcomes Mr Jaime Crombet Hernandez-Baquero MP, Mr Ramon Pez Ferro MP and Ms Gladys Maria Zuazaga Cabrera MP who are visiting the Parliament on 15 November 2007 courtesy of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; notes that extensive democratic participation is at the centre of the Cuban model of government and further notes that in the most recent Cuban elections this year over 95% of the voting population chose to cast their vote; congratulates Cuba on sharing its advances in medical science, education, sport and agriculture with poor and dispossessed people around the world; believes that Scotland could benefit from strengthening relations with Cuba, including shared information on education and health, and calls for an immediate end to the United States blockade of Cuba.

Sectarian Stories— That the Parliament welcomes the launch of Sectarian Stories, an educational documentary produced by Nil by Mouth in conjunction with the Gallery of Modern Art’s Blind Faith programme, which will be premiered at the Parliament on 14 November 2007; notes that the documentary features 12 people from across Scotland sharing their personal experiences of sectarianism which reflect the impact that sectarian attitudes, language and behaviour have on individuals and their communities; applauds the courage of the participants for speaking out on the issue; views such first hand experiences as a valuable resource that will support work to challenge sectarianism across primary, secondary and community education programmes, and, while acknowledging the significant strides taken in recent years to challenge and legislate against sectarianism, realises that it still presents Scotland with a series of deep-seated, emotive and complex challenges that are best met by strong and visible leadership from the Scottish Government.
 

National Youth Work Week - All Different All Equal—That the Parliament notes that national Youth Work Week takes place from 1 to 8 November 2007 and that this year’s theme, "All Different All Equal", is based on the pan-European youth campaign, involving 42 countries, to reinforce the fight against racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and intolerance; further notes that the Scottish All Different All Equal steering group, made up of 12 organisations and chaired by YouthLink Scotland, is launching Youth Work Week at a conference and exhibition on 1 November at Hampden Park and that this provides both voluntary and statutory youth work organisations the opportunity to showcase their best practice across three themes of the campaign: participation, diversity and human rights, and congratulates the organisers of the conference for creating opportunities which enable youth workers and young people to participate in activities on issues around race, gender, disability and sexuality and to overcome barriers, therefore enabling youth workers and young peer leaders to be better equipped to engage with the diversity of Scotland’s young people.

World AIDS Day 2007—That the Parliament observes World Aids Day on 1 December 2007; acknowledges that there are an estimated 39.5 million people living with HIV worldwide; supports this year’s campaign theme, "HIV: Let’s Get Talking", aimed at encouraging wider discussion and understanding of HIV; recognises that, despite the decreasing visibility of HIV in Scotland in recent years, numbers of annual diagnoses have increased sharply since the 1990s with 2005 seeing the highest number of reported cases on record; considers that around a third of people living with HIV in Scotland remain undiagnosed; understands that late diagnoses account for at least 5% of HIV-related deaths each year in the United Kingdom, many of which could be avoided through early testing and access to treatment; acknowledges that stigma impacts profoundly on the lives of people living with HIV and acts as a major barrier to testing; supports efforts to promote greater awareness and understanding of the realties of living with HIV, and welcomes the opportunity which World Aids Day presents to get people in Scotland talking about HIV.

Employment Legislation and the Council of Economic Advisers—That the Parliament is concerned by the recent comments from Sir George Mathewson, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), regarding the impact of employment legislation on the Scottish economy; recognises that while there have been significant improvements in workers’ rights, such as the national minimum wage, new entitlements to paid holidays and increased maternity leave, employment in Scotland is at record levels; is further concerned that, while the World Bank ranks Scotland, in the United Kingdom, as sixth of 178 countries for ease of doing business, the chair of the CEA chooses to attack rights at work, and calls on the CEA to base all of its future advice to the First Minister on independent evidence and to concentrate on real issues facing the Scottish economy, such as skill shortages, low levels of business research and development investment and security of energy supplies.

Freedom of the City of Glasgow for Aung San Suu Kyi—That the Parliament welcomes the decision of Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Councillor Robert Winter, to recommend Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of Burma who has been under house arrest since 1990, for the Freedom of the City of Glasgow in recognition of her achievements in the service of democracy, as a further signal of Scotland’s support for her immediate release and restoration of Burmese democracy; congratulates Glasgow Women’s Library and Amnesty International Scotland for their successful campaign; calls on all parties and civic organisations in Glasgow to support the Lord Provost’s initiative, and further calls on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government to highlight the situation in Burma and campaign for an end to oppression.

Government Rejection of New Station for Plains— That the Parliament condemns the decision of transport minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP, not to fulfil the commitment of the previous administration to enable the construction of a new train station at Plains, as part of the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link; notes that, during the previous session, the proposals received the backing of the Local Government and Transport Committee and the endorsement of the Scottish Executive; recognises that there is overwhelming support from the people of Plains for a new station to be built and that a direct link into the Airdrie-Bathgate line would make a real difference to local people, allowing them access to educational, employment, recreational and cultural opportunities that are presently out of reach, and believes that the will of the Parliament should prevail and that this decision not to proceed should be reconsidered as a matter of urgency.
 

Human Papilloma Virus— That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to introduce a vaccination programme against the most dangerous strains of human papilloma virus (HPV); understands that sexually transmitted HPV is extremely common among men and women in the United Kingdom and has been found to cause 75% of cervical cancers and 90% of the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in clinics in Scotland, genital warts; supports the assurances given on the future vaccination of girls aged between 12 and 13 years and recognises that there are discussions surrounding a catch-up programme for young women up to the age of 16; further recognises that trials are ongoing on the vaccine’s efficacy in protecting men from a range of cancers; acknowledges the potential benefits which the vaccination of young men could bring in terms of both improving men’s health in Scotland and of cost savings for the NHS in genito-urinary medicine and cancer treatment, and urges ministers to consider fully these factors when determining the shape of Scotland’s vaccination programme.
 

Not for Sale— That the Parliament notes the conference entitled Challenging Demand, organised by the Women’s Support Project, that explores the issue of commercial sexual exploitation; welcomes to Scotland Professor Gail Dines and Dr Rebecca Whisnant, two visiting American academics, who are addressing the conference; believes that prostitution and pornography are part of the continuum of violence against women and are predicated on gender inequality and a perception of women’s subordination; further believes that the Parliament should take whatever action is necessary to challenge the demand for women’s bodies to be traded for men’s sexual gratification; urges the Scottish Government to provide better funding to allow exploited women to have their voices heard, and sends out a clear message that women in Scotland are "Not for Sale."
 

Dundee Success at Video Game BAFTAs— That the Parliament congratulates the team of five students from the University of Abertay who were awarded the One to Watch award at the 2007 British Academy Video Games Awards for their game, Ragnarawk; recognises the world-leading role that Abertay university plays in the digital education field, with over 1000 students currently studying at the School of Computing and Creative Technologies; also congratulates Abertay graduate, Dave Jones, and his Dundee-based company, Real Time Video Games, which won Best Use of Audio and Best Action and Adventure awards for one of the biggest-selling Xbox 360 games of the year, Crackdown; notes that the global software market is estimated to be worth over £20 billion by 2010, and welcomes the ground-breaking Abertay initiative, White Space, which will help Dundee and Scotland to gain a larger share of this growing market.
 

Integration of Prison Health Services— That the Parliament notes the publication of the Scottish Consortium on Crime and Social Justice’s paper, The Cost of Unnecessary Imprisonment; agrees with the proposal that the Scottish Prison Service needs to accelerate its integration of health services, including mental health and addictions services, with the NHS; believes that an approach of interventions integrated with the patients’ pathway determined by NHS practitioners and, where appropriate, followed up by provision in the community on release would result in reduced crime and reoffending, reduced costs to the taxpayer and fewer people in Scottish prisons, and calls on the Scottish Executive to support the Scottish Prison Service and the NHS in achieving this integration.
 

Celebration of Hindu Dusshera Festival— That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Indian Arts Forum for the successful celebration of Dusshera on Calton Hill on 14 October 2007; recognises that cultural events such as this, which marks an important Hindu festival, are crucial in bringing together people from Scotland’s many diverse communities, and further applauds the outstanding participation of over 25,000 individuals who helped make the event a great success.
 

Time for a Fresh Debate on Organ Donation— That the Parliament commends the ongoing work that British Medical Association Scotland is doing to raise awareness of organ donation; recognises that the number of people on the active and temporarily suspended transplant waiting list in Scotland rose by almost 20% from 695 in September 2005to its highest level of 818 in July 2007 and yet only 50 organs were donated in Scotland last year and that at 10 June 2007 there were 135 people in the NHS Lothian area registered with UK Transplant as waiting for an organ; recognises that the current opt-in system of organ donation is unable to meet the increasing demands placed upon it; acknowledges the need for a full and proper public debate to establish the level of support that exists for a move to a system of presumed consent that will both inform future proposals in this area and raise awareness of the desperate need for organ donors, and considers that moves to turn the tremendous level of public and, increasingly, professional support that exists for organ donation into something meaningful should be supported by implementing a system of presumed consent.

Alcohol Awareness Week— That the Parliament notes that Scotland’s first ever Alcohol Awareness Week runs from 21 to 27 October 2007; notes that each year in Scotland over 40,000 people are hospitalised due to alcohol-related conditions and that every four hours someone dies because of alcohol; further notes the huge cost to the NHS and emergency services of excessive alcohol consumption which is estimated at almost £400 million annually, and welcomes Scotland’s first Alcohol Awareness Week which will help to combat alcohol problems by promoting responsible drinking.

House of Lords Ruling on Pleural Plaques— That the Parliament notes with concern the judgement of the House of Lords in respect of pleural plaques which would in effect remove the right of asbestos victims to compensation and reaffirms its own commitment to compensation; supports the work already done by Clydeside Action on Asbestos and others on the matter, and calls for a reversal of this decision through prioritisation of the bill already drafted by Thompsons Solicitors

Sea's the Future— That the Parliament recognises that, with its vast wave and tidal resource, outstanding technical expertise and strong political support, Scotland looks set to become a world leader in marine energy; welcomes delegates to Dundee on Friday 9 November 2007 for the third national seminar on marine energy, hosted by Scottish Renewables, and acknowledges the importance of the Scottish Parliament Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Group’s contribution to exploring the opportunities of and identifying the barriers to marine energy development.
 

Show Racism the Red Card - A Fortnight of Action— That the Parliament looks forward to Show Racism the Red Card’s fortnight of action which commences on Tuesday 16 October 2007; congratulates Show Racism the Red Card Scotland for four years of hard work in trying to drive out racism, not just from football but also wider society; notes that one of the best ways to do this is to cultivate role models in our community to come forward with a strong anti-racism message, and continues to pledge its support to such a noble campaign.

Supporters Direct in Scotland— That the Parliament welcomes the work of Supporters Direct in Scotland; recognises its contribution to Scottish football and believes that supporters’ trusts provide the best mechanism for involving communities in their football clubs, enabling the Parliament to meet its wider commitment to improving participation in sport and health in communities, and believes that the Scottish Government should continue to support the valuable work carried out by the trusts.

University of Abertay Awarded Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark

That the Parliament congratulates the University of Abertay in Dundee which, along with Glasgow and Strathclyde universities, has been granted the Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark; notes that the quality trust mark is awarded to higher education providers who go the extra mile to support care leavers, and welcomes the comments of Principal, Professor Bernard King, that Abertay is committed to opening its doors to anyone who could benefit from a university education, regardless of their background.

Scottish Spina Bifida Association Centre, Cumbernauld—That the Parliament acknowledges the vital work carried out by the Scottish Spina Bifida Association by providing the only specialist family support service for spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Scotland; welcomes the new family support centre in Cumbernauld which has allowed the association to expand its support services to best meet users’ needs by providing a relaxing environment for families to visit and training, recreation and support services; congratulates the association on the creation of a specialist telemedicine suite which is the first to be located outwith a hospital setting and which enables those with spina bifida and hydrocephalus to receive medical advice from health professionals based across the United Kingdom; recognises that Scotland has more live births with spina bifida per head of population than anywhere else in the UK, resulting in one pregnancy per week in Scotland being affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, and notes that taking folic acid supplements at the correct recommended dose could prevent over 75% of those pregnancies from being affected.

Women and Human Trafficking— That the Parliament expresses its continuing deep concern about the number of women who, falling victim to trafficking, are brought to Scotland and forced to work in our growing illegal sex trade; notes that more than 6,000 foreign women are already believed to be here through this route, many living a miserable existence as virtual prisoners of the criminal gangs who brought them to Scotland with promises of a new and better life, and calls on the Scottish Executive to work closely with the UK Government to ensure a well-resourced and co-ordinated inter-agency approach to ending sex slavery in Scotland and to provide to the women affected every possible chance to rescue themselves from those who would exploit them.

Welcome for the Cervical Cancer Vaccine— That the Parliament welcomes the decision of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to recommend a new vaccination programme against the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is responsible for around 70% of cases of cervical cancer; further welcomes the Scottish Executive’s proposals to introduce this vaccination for girls aged 12 to 13 by autumn 2008; notes with concern that almost 3,000 women are diagnosed with and 1,000 women die from cervical cancer in the United Kingdom each year; recognises the huge long-term benefits to be had though vaccination not only in reducing deaths but in also reducing the number of colposcopies, reducing the number of abnormal smears and reducing the number of people requiring treatment for genital warts; also recognises however that the vaccine will not prevent all cases of cervical cancer; therefore believes that the cervical cancer screening programme should be continued and that further action should be taken to increase the take-up of screening in more deprived areas, among ethnic minority groups and among women with learning difficulties; further believes that this will improve early detection and allow earlier treatment of this disease, and welcomes the work of charities such as Jo’s Trust, Cancerbackup and Cancer Research UK, among others, in supporting patients with cervical cancer and their families and in counselling the thousands more women who worry about their health following an abnormal smear result.

EU Ban on Cat and Dog Fur— That the Parliament welcomes the decision of the European Parliament to support a complete ban on the import, export and trade of cat and dog fur across all 27 member states; places on record its disgust at the practice of breeding cats and dogs for the purpose of killing them for their fur; hopes that, in conjunction with similar existing bans in the USA and Australia, this will signal the end of this abhorrent trade in the global market, and congratulates animal rights agencies and concerned European citizens who successfully lobbied the European Parliament on this issue.

Affordable Housing for All— That the Parliament reaffirms its commitment to making housing affordable for all; notes that, despite increases in funding over the last 10 years and limited reform of the right to buy, many families living in overcrowded accommodation are currently waiting years for suitable offers from social landlords; believes that there is a severe shortage of housing for social rent in some areas, such as in the west end of Glasgow and other high-demand areas where housing provision is driven by developers’ desire to provide only high-return accommodation, resulting in families and individuals being forced out of areas where they have a strong family or community connection; further notes that there are no legal requirements on local authorities or any other agencies to ensure a sustainable housing mix that would include affordable housing to both buy and rent, and calls on Scottish ministers to examine urgently affordable housing policy in order to ensure the availability of affordable homes in every part of Scotland.

Investment in Building Affordable Rented Homes— That the Parliament acknowledges the need for increased investment in building affordable rented homes; further acknowledges that the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review is the most significant opportunity to secure this funding, which is essential to achieve the Scottish Executive’s target that all unintentionally homeless people will have the right to a home by 2012, and recognises the case for committing the funding for 30,000 affordable homes for rent over the period 2008 to 2011.

National Diabetes Week, 10 to 16 June 2007—That the Parliament welcomes the Small Change, Big Difference campaign being run by Diabetes UK Scotland for National Diabetes Week 2007; commends the tremendous support that Diabetes UK Scotland gives to the estimated 173,000 people in Scotland who are living with diabetes; notes that, in the Highlands alone, the number of people living with diabetes stands at 11,111 and this figure is predicted to rise to at least 13,000 by 2017, and therefore considers that the Scottish Diabetes Framework Action Plan should be delivered by 2009, as set out in the Diabetes UK Scotland Manifesto 2007.

Council of Economic Advisers Representation—That the Parliament supports the important role that constructive industrial relations plays in improving workplace productivity and competitiveness; welcomes the central role that trade unions in partnership with employers can play in ensuring world-class employment standards; recognises the strategic input of trade unions in economic matters in countries such as Ireland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden; believes that trade unions bring expertise and balance to economic debate, and calls on the Scottish Executive to ensure there is a workplace perspective in the shape of trade union representation in the proposed council of economic advisers or any similar body advising government