The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1554 contributions
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 22 February 2022
Graham Simpson
We will come to that in the debate.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 22 February 2022
Graham Simpson
I am aware of those three. You have just completely contradicted yourself—
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 8 February 2022
Graham Simpson
Mr Sweeney makes a very good point. Too often, such changes are decided between public bodies such as Transport Scotland, councils and the police, and the public do not get to hear about any of it. It is worth highlighting that point to the lead committee.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 8 February 2022
Graham Simpson
I am quite astonished that the minister and her official have just confirmed that there is no limit whatever on what councils can charge for a licence. That will frighten the life out of businesses in Scotland.
Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce—Glasgow is one of the cities in which the levy could be introduced—say that the levy should be scrapped or at least put on hold while we recover from the pandemic. Have you considered doing that, minister?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 8 February 2022
Graham Simpson
I am not scaremongering, and there is a difference between penalty charges—you are right to mention them, minister; I think that the maximum penalty charge for non-compliance is £5,000—and the licence charge, which is what I was asking about, and in relation to which you have confirmed that there is no upper limit. I will leave it there, convener.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Meeting date: 8 February 2022
Graham Simpson
I go back to the Nottingham scheme on a point of information. Just more than half of companies that are involved in the scheme pass on the charge to their employees—that is a fact. That goes back to the convener’s first question. However, my question is on something different. Minister, I cannot see anything in the regulations or the parent act that sets a limit on what councils can charge for a licence. Can you help me there?
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Meeting date: 27 January 2022
Graham Simpson
That is encouraging. There are also groups in the list that speak up for disabled people even if they are not specifically disability groups.
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Meeting date: 27 January 2022
Graham Simpson
If you look at the membership list, which you should have in front of you, you will see that the CPG is not just about cycling. As you know, Ms Webber, I am a cyclist but I am not a man in Lycra. I cannot achieve any great speed and cause alarm while I am cycling about.
The name of the CPG is sustainable transport, not cycling. We cover ferries, trains, buses, walking and cycling. It is not just about cycling.
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Meeting date: 27 January 2022
Graham Simpson
Yes. That is a really good idea. One of the challenges that I found, particularly when I was a councillor, was that kids used to take their bicycles to primary school but, when they got a bit older, that became uncool. You might find lots of bikes outside primary schools, but you will not find any outside high schools.
As you were speaking, it occurred to me that it might be an idea for the cross-party group to reach out to the Scottish Youth Parliament and see whether it wants to get involved. I do not know whether it is involved in any groups, but the idea just occurred to me.
If the group were to get the go-ahead, I would invite Collette Stevenson to become involved, too. I had not realised that she had outdoor education experience—she would be a very useful voice.
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Meeting date: 27 January 2022
Graham Simpson
No, it is not 100 per cent on cities. When I was on the cycling, walking and buses cross-party group in the previous session, I found it to be quite Edinburgh-centric, and I am keen for that not to be the case with this group. I am very alive to the issue. As with all of the groups, this is a cross-party group for the whole of Scotland, not just urban Scotland. There are, as you well know, specific issues in rural areas, particularly around public transport.