That the Parliament notes what it considers the important economic and employment contribution of country sports in the Mid Scotland and Fife region and throughout Scotland; notes concerns raised by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group (SCSTG) regarding what they consider is a fundamental lack of support for sporting businesses in Scotland during the COVID-19 outbreak; further notes that many non-domestic, rate-paying sporting organisations are not eligible for the small business support grant; understands that many sporting businesses consider that they should get 100% relief to offset the ongoing hardship facing them at this time, and notes the calls for Scottish Government support to be extended to cover sporting businesses, including those that pay council tax in lieu of non-domestic rates.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes what it considers the important economic and employment contribution of country sports in the Mid Scotland and Fife region and throughout Scotland; notes concerns raised by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group (SCSTG) regarding what they consider is a fundamental lack of support for sporting businesses in Scotland during the COVID-19 outbreak; further notes that many non-domestic, rate-paying sporting organisations are not eligible for the small business support grant; understands that many sporting businesses consider that they should get 100% relief to offset the ongoing hardship facing them at this time, and notes the calls for Scottish Government support to be extended to cover sporting businesses, including those that pay council tax in lieu of non-domestic rates.
Supported by: Alexander Stewart, Miles Briggs, Peter Chapman, Brian Whittle, Edward Mountain R, Finlay Carson, Gordon Lindhurst, Annie Wells, Jeremy Balfour, Rachael Hamilton, Bill Bowman, Liam Kerr, Michelle Ballantyne
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That the Parliament congratulates the charity, Chess in Schools and Communities, on launching a campaign to get one million children playing chess online during the COVID-19 lockdown; notes that the charity has secured the help of ChessKid.com to donate one million free memberships for children of primary school age in the UK for three months; further notes that the memberships include access to videos, lessons and puzzles, and wishes Chess in Schools and Communities every success during the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the charity, Chess in Schools and Communities, on launching a campaign to get one million children playing chess online during the COVID-19 lockdown; notes that the charity has secured the help of ChessKid.com to donate one million free memberships for children of primary school age in the UK for three months; further notes that the memberships include access to videos, lessons and puzzles, and wishes Chess in Schools and Communities every success during the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond.
Supported by: Miles Briggs, Alexander Stewart, Kenneth Gibson, John Mason, Brian Whittle, Richard Lyle, Margaret Mitchell, Edward Mountain, Bill Kidd, David Torrance, Gordon Lindhurst, Alison Harris, Jeremy Balfour, Liam Kerr, Peter Chapman, Clare Adamson, Ruth Maguire, Annie Wells, Michelle Ballantyne, Finlay Carson
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That the Parliament congratulates the community support group, Feldy-Roo, on providing around 100 vulnerable residents in the Aberfeldy area with a soup and a roll for lunch and a hot meal in the evening every day for free; notes that the meals are prepared and supplied by a number of businesses in Aberfeldy; acknowledges that a fundraising effort has raised more than £11,000 and a £5,000 grant has been provided by Perth and Kinross Council’s Action Partnership, and wishes Feldy-Roo every success during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the community support group, Feldy-Roo, on providing around 100 vulnerable residents in the Aberfeldy area with a soup and a roll for lunch and a hot meal in the evening every day for free; notes that the meals are prepared and supplied by a number of businesses in Aberfeldy; acknowledges that a fundraising effort has raised more than £11,000 and a £5,000 grant has been provided by Perth and Kinross Council’s Action Partnership, and wishes Feldy-Roo every success during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
Supported by: David Torrance, Brian Whittle, Alexander Stewart, Richard Lyle, Miles Briggs, Alison Harris, Edward Mountain, Jeremy Balfour, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Margaret Mitchell, Clare Adamson, Finlay Carson, Maurice Corry, Jamie Greene, Liam Kerr, Michelle Ballantyne, Annie Wells, Peter Chapman, Ruth Maguire
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That the Parliament commends the efforts and dedication of 92-year-old Mervyn K-Browne from Ardtalnaig, south Loch Tay, who has just retired as a weather data recorder after close to 63 years of daily weather observations; recognises that Mervyn has taken daily 9.00am weather recordings from his home weather station since he first volunteered in 1957 and is thought to be one of the longest-serving weather recorders on record; understands that he has made measurements of rainfall, sunshine, windspeed and direction, cloud cover, days of consecutive rain and snow depth, as well as measuring permanent snow patches on nearby Munros; notes that his data has been used by the Met Office, the National Weather Organisation, book writers and the National Climate Archive, which has added his data to its collection; thanks Mervyn for his contributions to the nation's favourite conversation; wishes him the very best for the future, and hopes that he enjoys his very well-earned retirement.
Current Status:
That the Parliament commends the efforts and dedication of 92-year-old Mervyn K-Browne from Ardtalnaig, south Loch Tay, who has just retired as a weather data recorder after close to 63 years of daily weather observations; recognises that Mervyn has taken daily 9.00am weather recordings from his home weather station since he first volunteered in 1957 and is thought to be one of the longest-serving weather recorders on record; understands that he has made measurements of rainfall, sunshine, windspeed and direction, cloud cover, days of consecutive rain and snow depth, as well as measuring permanent snow patches on nearby Munros; notes that his data has been used by the Met Office, the National Weather Organisation, book writers and the National Climate Archive, which has added his data to its collection; thanks Mervyn for his contributions to the nation's favourite conversation; wishes him the very best for the future, and hopes that he enjoys his very well-earned retirement.
Supported by: Michelle Ballantyne, Liam Kerr
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That the Parliament congratulates the Perthshire-based Care and Wellbeing Co-operative on receiving £10,000 in National Lottery funding; understands the money will be used to improve the co-operative's work in rural areas, including funding for care and support services and activities for older people and disabled adults and children, as well as people living with dementia and mental health challenges; notes that the group was set up in 2015 and is comprised of therapists, carers, wellbeing specialists and self-employed professionals, with the aim of helping people with health problems and additional needs to live more independently in their own homes and communities, and wishes everyone involved with the Care and Wellbeing Co-operative the very best for the future.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the Perthshire-based Care and Wellbeing Co-operative on receiving £10,000 in National Lottery funding; understands the money will be used to improve the co-operative's work in rural areas, including funding for care and support services and activities for older people and disabled adults and children, as well as people living with dementia and mental health challenges; notes that the group was set up in 2015 and is comprised of therapists, carers, wellbeing specialists and self-employed professionals, with the aim of helping people with health problems and additional needs to live more independently in their own homes and communities, and wishes everyone involved with the Care and Wellbeing Co-operative the very best for the future.
Supported by: Dean Lockhart, Michelle Ballantyne
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That the Parliament congratulates the staff of Blairgowrie Dental Care on raising £620 for charity; understands that the funds have been donated to the Fire Fighters Charity and will be used to help active and retired fire fighters recovering from physical injuries, mental health problems and to support those away from the workplace to help ensure their social wellbeing; recognises that Dental Care staff raised the money through a variety of means, including car washing, selling strawberries and cream and charity collection tins; notes that Blairgowrie Dental Care has other charitable pursuits in its sights and is currently raising money for the Scottish Cot Death Trust and Cornhill Macmillan Support Group, and wishes all the staff at Blairgowrie Dental Care the very best of luck in their future charitable ventures.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the staff of Blairgowrie Dental Care on raising £620 for charity; understands that the funds have been donated to the Fire Fighters Charity and will be used to help active and retired fire fighters recovering from physical injuries, mental health problems and to support those away from the workplace to help ensure their social wellbeing; recognises that Dental Care staff raised the money through a variety of means, including car washing, selling strawberries and cream and charity collection tins; notes that Blairgowrie Dental Care has other charitable pursuits in its sights and is currently raising money for the Scottish Cot Death Trust and Cornhill Macmillan Support Group, and wishes all the staff at Blairgowrie Dental Care the very best of luck in their future charitable ventures.
Supported by: Dean Lockhart, Michelle Ballantyne
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That the Parliament congratulates everyone involved in the successful organisation and running of East Perthshire’s Big January Get Together; understands that the Big January Get Together was a series of events running for four weeks aimed at bring people together during January, a usually dull, cold and isolating month; notes that events included free lunches, music, sports activities, face painting and evening suppers that helped bring together over 250 local people from all ages and backgrounds; recognises the hard work and dedication of the children from Rattray and Alyth primary schools who attended and successfully hosted this year's events; commends the Couper Angus Youth Activities Group (CAYAG), which hosted and served up a supper get together every Wednesday evening; acknowledges that this was a great experience for the CAYAG children to participate in and learn from experienced youth workers about the hospitality industry; thanks the officers and members from Perth and Kinross Council, St Anne’s Church Ecumenical Lunch Group, Active Schools and Tayside Contracts, which were involved and without whom, it considers, the 2020 Big January Get Together could not have happened, and wishes everyone who was involved in the Big January Get together the very best for the future.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates everyone involved in the successful organisation and running of East Perthshire’s Big January Get Together; understands that the Big January Get Together was a series of events running for four weeks aimed at bring people together during January, a usually dull, cold and isolating month; notes that events included free lunches, music, sports activities, face painting and evening suppers that helped bring together over 250 local people from all ages and backgrounds; recognises the hard work and dedication of the children from Rattray and Alyth primary schools who attended and successfully hosted this year's events; commends the Couper Angus Youth Activities Group (CAYAG), which hosted and served up a supper get together every Wednesday evening; acknowledges that this was a great experience for the CAYAG children to participate in and learn from experienced youth workers about the hospitality industry; thanks the officers and members from Perth and Kinross Council, St Anne’s Church Ecumenical Lunch Group, Active Schools and Tayside Contracts, which were involved and without whom, it considers, the 2020 Big January Get Together could not have happened, and wishes everyone who was involved in the Big January Get together the very best for the future.
Supported by: Michelle Ballantyne, Liam Kerr
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That the Parliament believes that there can be no justification for either further tax increases or further cuts to public spending and vital public services in the coming financial year, given analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute, which shows that the UK block grant to the Scottish Government will increase by 2.1% in real terms from 2019-20 to 2020-21 as a result of increases in spending by the UK Government, and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward a Budget for the coming year that includes measures to help boost economic growth, with no widening of the tax gap between Scotland and the rest of the UK, a reduction in the Large Business Supplement for non-domestic rates to the same rate payable south of the border and protection of all existing reliefs, an investment of all health Barnett consequentials in the Scottish NHS, a scheme for the refund of hospital parking charges, a £15.4 million national drug rehabilitation bed fund and strategy, the delivery of NRAC funding parity, an increase in core funding for local government at least in line with inflation, a protection of revenue funding for higher education and a 2% real-terms increase in capital funding, an additional £50 million for the police to spend on protecting 750 officer roles, and an additional £10 million for the expansion of the Ending Homelessness Together Fund.
Current Status:
That the Parliament believes that there can be no justification for either further tax increases or further cuts to public spending and vital public services in the coming financial year, given analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute, which shows that the UK block grant to the Scottish Government will increase by 2.1% in real terms from 2019-20 to 2020-21 as a result of increases in spending by the UK Government, and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward a Budget for the coming year that includes measures to help boost economic growth, with no widening of the tax gap between Scotland and the rest of the UK, a reduction in the Large Business Supplement for non-domestic rates to the same rate payable south of the border and protection of all existing reliefs, an investment of all health Barnett consequentials in the Scottish NHS, a scheme for the refund of hospital parking charges, a £15.4 million national drug rehabilitation bed fund and strategy, the delivery of NRAC funding parity, an increase in core funding for local government at least in line with inflation, a protection of revenue funding for higher education and a 2% real-terms increase in capital funding, an additional £50 million for the police to spend on protecting 750 officer roles, and an additional £10 million for the expansion of the Ending Homelessness Together Fund.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 05/02/2020
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That the Parliament congratulates Police Scotland Youth Volunteers Perth (PSYV) on receiving a Certificate of Recognition at the Tayside Police Division Divisional Commander's awards ceremony; notes that the certificate was presented by Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Andrew Todd and received on behalf of PSYV Perth by Group Coordinator PC Euan Mitchell; acknowledges that PSYV works nationally with hundreds of young people from all backgrounds aged 13 to 18, and endeavours to provide them with new experiences, life skills and role models; commends the growth of PSYV from the creation of the first initial groups in 2014 and its successful expansion nationally; recognises that young people at PSYV often assist local police forces at many local events and festivals, as well as high profile events, such as the Scottish Open, T In The Park and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo; understands that PSYV also assists Police Scotland in peer-education campaigns, such as the "No Knives Better Lives" campaign; supports the hard work, dedication and support of the PSYV volunteers and police constables, who give up thousands of hours of their own time and who without PSYV could not operate, and wishes everyone in the PSYV the very best of luck and success in the future.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates Police Scotland Youth Volunteers Perth (PSYV) on receiving a Certificate of Recognition at the Tayside Police Division Divisional Commander's awards ceremony; notes that the certificate was presented by Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Andrew Todd and received on behalf of PSYV Perth by Group Coordinator PC Euan Mitchell; acknowledges that PSYV works nationally with hundreds of young people from all backgrounds aged 13 to 18, and endeavours to provide them with new experiences, life skills and role models; commends the growth of PSYV from the creation of the first initial groups in 2014 and its successful expansion nationally; recognises that young people at PSYV often assist local police forces at many local events and festivals, as well as high profile events, such as the Scottish Open, T In The Park and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo; understands that PSYV also assists Police Scotland in peer-education campaigns, such as the "No Knives Better Lives" campaign; supports the hard work, dedication and support of the PSYV volunteers and police constables, who give up thousands of hours of their own time and who without PSYV could not operate, and wishes everyone in the PSYV the very best of luck and success in the future.
Supported by: David Torrance, Miles Briggs, Edward Mountain, Finlay Carson, Richard Lyle, Alison Harris, Stuart McMillan, Margaret Mitchell, Alexander Stewart, Brian Whittle, Jeremy Balfour, Bill Kidd, Annie Wells, Peter Chapman, Bob Doris, Jackson Carlaw, Michelle Ballantyne, Stewart Stevenson, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Maurice Corry, Jamie Greene, Liam Kerr, Ruth Maguire, Clare Adamson, Bruce Crawford, Maureen Watt
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That the Parliament congratulates the Railway Heritage Trust (RHT) on its successful refurbishment of one of the old salt rooms at Pitlochry railway station; understands that the room is used by the station's highly successful second-hand book shop, which has raised almost £300,000 for charity since it opened in 2006; thanks the RHT for the restoration of so much of the country's railway history; applauds the volunteers at the bookshop for all their hard work in raising money for charities, and wishes them every success.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the Railway Heritage Trust (RHT) on its successful refurbishment of one of the old salt rooms at Pitlochry railway station; understands that the room is used by the station's highly successful second-hand book shop, which has raised almost £300,000 for charity since it opened in 2006; thanks the RHT for the restoration of so much of the country's railway history; applauds the volunteers at the bookshop for all their hard work in raising money for charities, and wishes them every success.
Supported by: Miles Briggs, Gordon Lindhurst, Edward Mountain, David Torrance, Kenneth Gibson, Finlay Carson, Richard Lyle, Alison Harris, Stuart McMillan, Margaret Mitchell, Alexander Stewart, Brian Whittle, Bill Kidd, Annie Wells, Peter Chapman, Bob Doris, Jackson Carlaw, Michelle Ballantyne, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Maurice Corry, Jamie Greene, Liam Kerr, Ruth Maguire, Clare Adamson, Maureen Watt
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