David has given his support to the following members motions submitted by MSPs.
UCATT Victory over Umbrella Company
That the Parliament notes the recent employment tribunal that was taken out by the construction workers union, UCATT, which resulted in a worker receiving almost 4,000 in compensation after having wages unlawfully deducted by a so-called umbrella company; understands that such companies are endemic in the construction industry in Scotland and include businesses working on publicly-procured projects and across other sectors; believes that workers forced to operate via these firms can be up to 100 a week worse off as they are required to pay both employers and employees national insurance contributions, have their holiday pay rolled up into the rate and pay a weekly administration charge just to be paid in this manner, and, in light of the tribunal s finding, calls for an urgent review of public procurement rules to ensure that workers are not exploited in this manner and for the introduction of stricter regulations so that employers are required to pay workers on a standard PAYE basis.
Protecting Human Rights at Work
That the Parliament congratulates the UN on seven decades of protecting and upholding human rights and freedoms; condemns the UK Government s attempts to abolish the Human Rights Act 1998 and replace it with what it considers a watered-down bill of rights, which will use discretion defined by British values to determine whether human rights have been breached, by-passing globally accepted laws; believes that diluting universal human rights and removing the ability to challenge authorities and countries that breach them is a dangerous path to tread; considers that, if the UK Government was serious about protecting civil and cultural liberties, it would have introduced a bill of rights in Northern Ireland, which, it understands, was put to the main party leaders by the coalition government in 2010 as well as receiving overwhelming support from human rights and community groups in response to a consultation paper published at the time; understands that, five years on, there has been no movement on this; considers that the Scottish Government should make sure that it upholds the human rights of workers in its procurement practices and processes, and believes that the time is right to establish a human rights committee to ensure that robust debate takes place to defend the Human Rights Act and keep up the pressure to ensure that universal human rights are respected, protected and enforced.
Universal Children s Day
That the Parliament notes that 20 November 2015 is Universal Children s Day; notes that the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 1959 and 1989 respectively; welcomes Universal Children s Day, which aims to promote the rights of children to survive and thrive, learn and grow and to give them a voice to be heard, and pays tribute to all of the charities and organisations in Scotland that support the country s children and young people in meeting the aims of the day.
Award for Armadale Farm
That the Parliament congratulates Joyce Campbell and her team from Armadale Farm in north Sutherland on their being named as the Thorntons Scottish Sheep Farm of the Year 2015 Overall Winner; congratulates Armadale Farm on its success at Agriscot 2015; recognises its achievements in modernising the practice of sheep farming in a less-favoured area, and wishes it all future success.
The Usual Place, an Unusual Success Story
That the Parliament congratulates the Inspired Community Enterprise Trust (ICET) on the official opening of its community caf , The Usual Place, on 16 November 2015 in the former Townhead Church building in Dumfries; notes that ICET is a non-profit distributing social enterprise that provides valuable workplace experience and training opportunities for people aged 16 to 26 who require additional support; notes that the qualifications for which training is offered includes SVQ1 in Hospitality, Food Hygiene and other accredited courses; understands that the large contemporary caf , kitchen area and training and meeting rooms are all fully accessible and that The Usual Place also offers a changing places toilet, the only one in a public venue in Dumfries; thanks Dumfries and Galloway Council, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, The Big Lottery Fund, The Holywood Trust, Solway Heritage, the People s Project, Youth Scotland, Dumfries Lions Club, Vigilant Security Services and The Wooden Spoon, a rugby charity for young people, for their financial support, and congratulates ICET and, in particular, Heather Hall and Linda Whitelaw for the years of hard work and determination that have resulted in what it considers this excellent venue, which it believes will be an asset to the town.
Scottish Towns Week
That the Parliament congratulates Scotland s Town Partnership on what it considers a successful Scottish Towns Week; believes that town centres are vital to local economies and that hard work is carried out to maintain them; notes the efforts in the rural town of Lanark in South Lanarkshire, by the Lanark Community Development Trust and other groups, in developing programmes such as Lanark Winterfest 2015, which will be held over the festive season and will aim to encourage people to visit the town centre, and congratulates the trust on what it considers the great programme of events that it has planned for Winterfest.
Solar Schools Making Glasgow Greener and More Sustainable
That the Parliament commends the work of Glasgow City Council in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and energy bills by installing solar panels at eight schools across the city; understands that a test solar school was equipped with such panels in 2012 and exceeded expectations in energy output; recognises the support from Sustainable Glasgow toward this initiative, which, it understands, is expected to save 725,000 over 20 years after the initial cost of investment is paid back; believes that these efforts support the commitment of the city council to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2020; supports what it considers a commendable effort to make Glasgow a greener city, and wishes the initiative success in the coming years.
40th Anniversary of Trinity High School in Renfrew
That the Parliament congratulates Trinity High School in Renfrew on celebrating its 40th anniversary; wishes the school well in the staging of its anniversary celebrations and recognises the contribution that the school has made to past and present pupils over the last 40 years; acknowledges the achievements of the school since its establishment such as becoming the first Fairtrade School in Scotland in 2004, its attainment of the Eco-Schools Silver award in 2010 and what it considers its continuous and tireless work for charity such as St Vincent s Hospice and SCIAF and its partnership with the Association of People with Disability in Bangalore; recognises what it considers the hard work of all the staff and pupils, past and present, to provide a high quality educational environment, and thanks the former head teacher of 20 years, from 1994 to 2014, Jack Nellaney, and the current head teacher, Margaret Anne Renfrew, for their years of service to the school and the community of Renfrew
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