‘The Presiding Officer wishes to announce that this session of the Parliament will end at midnight on 22 March 2011, and that dissolution begins immediately thereafter on 23 March 2011.’
So now we know. The current parliament will last till 22nd March, and then there will be a lull until the election at the beginning of May. Presumably the various parliamentary candidates are revving up for their electioneering.
If you would like to keep up to date with what goes on at Holyrood until then you can either catch the action as a live programme or you can do a catch up here.
Part of the procedure at Holyrood is the weekly question time.
The trams project feature in the questions which will be answered in Parliament on 3rd March 2011 and which are as follows:-
1. Gil Paterson: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the effects of minimum pricing for alcohol. (S3O-13173)
2. Mr Frank McAveety: To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to Save the Children’s report, Severe Child Poverty in Scotland. (S3O-13140)
3. Bill Butler: To ask the Scottish Executive when it next plans to meet the chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. (S3O-13126)
4. Not Lodged
5. Derek Brownlee: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. (S3O-13116)
6. Not Lodged
7. Dr Richard Simpson: To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the future role of community hospitals. (S3O-13151)
8. Jim Tolson: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has been involved in regarding the provision of support to local authorities and commercial companies looking to develop renewable power from organic waste. (S3O-13195)
9. Ken Macintosh: To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Education last met the principal or management of the University of Glasgow. (S3O-13142)
10. Iain Smith: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the development of the handline mackerel and sprat fisheries in the Firth of Forth. (S3O-13191)
Finance and Sustainable Growth
1. Sandra White: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote and support sustainable growth in cities. (S3O-13179)
2. Duncan McNeil: To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting enterprise agencies in attracting businesses and jobs to Inverclyde. (S3O-13144)
3. Cathie Craigie: To ask the Scottish Executive how much was included in the Scottish budget to aid financial recovery. (S3O-13128)
4. Mary Scanlon: To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding discussions between the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and COSLA regarding funding of the Elgin and Forres (river Findhorn and Pilmuir) flood alleviation schemes. (S3O-13117)
5. Willie Coffey: To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to the development of co-operative enterprises. (S3O-13156)
6. Des McNulty: To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to the Inquiry Reporters Unit of the appeal by Tesco against the decision by East Dunbartonshire Council to turn down the planning application for an enlarged store in Woodburn Way, Milngavie, and when a decision on the matter is expected. (S3O-13146)
7. Dave Thompson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned at the price of oil. (S3O-13176)
8. Kenneth Gibson: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to aid job creation and training and encourage economic growth in North Ayrshire. (S3O-13161)
9. Joe FitzPatrick: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase economic activity. (S3O-13160)
10. John Scott: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has been involved in regarding a further round of funding for local authorities to help refurbish or rebuild school buildings. (S3O-13115)
11. Mike Rumbles: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will accept the invitation from the Ballater Business Association sent on 17 February 2011 to visit the village to discuss business rate rises. (S3O-13190)
12. John Park: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can advise of any recent developments regarding the Scottish Investment Bank. (S3O-13149)
13. George Foulkes: To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland will take a more active role in the delivery of the Edinburgh tram project. (S3O-13131)
14. David McLetchie: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the level of absenteeism in the public sector. (S3O-13119)
15. Jamie Hepburn: To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome has been following the consultation undertaken in 2009-10 by Transport Scotland on railway station car parking. (S3O-13164)
16. Elaine Smith: To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the impact on people in Moodiesburn and the surrounding communities of the opening of the new Moodiesburn bypass. (S3O-13152)
17. John Farquhar Munro: To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has had with Highland Council regarding the future of the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music. (S3O-13186)
18. Not Lodged
19. Not Lodged
20. Jamie McGrigor: To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Argyll and Bute Council regarding continuing concerns about its funding allocation for 2011-12. (S3O-13118)
