Motion For Debate · S4M-01449 · Session 4
Scotland’s Future
The motion
That the Parliament believes that over 100,000 young people unemployed in the country is a crisis for Scotland’s future and that an unemployment rate for 18 to 24-year-olds of 21.5%, higher in Scotland than the UK rate of 20.2%, threatens a lost generation in Scotland; therefore calls on the Scottish Government to produce an emergency response to the youth jobs crisis to include appointing a dedicated minister for youth jobs to get young people into jobs as recommended by The Smith Group, to immediately bring forward a procurement bill including provisions to create employment and training for young people, to expand the Community Jobs Fund into the private sector to take on the long-term young unemployed and to put in place a capital investment plan that supports employment and results in major projects proceeding without further delays; further believes that the Scottish Government should not proceed with cuts in college funding of 20%, which will only make tackling youth unemployment harder, and calls on all political parties in Scotland to make tackling youth unemployment a national priority using the significant powers that the Parliament has to secure a better future for Scotland and its young people.
What MSPs voted on: the motion as amended
Labour’s motion was rewritten by an SNP amendment (S4M-01449.3) before this vote. A vote ‘for’ was a vote for the SNP’s wording.
That the Parliament believes that over 100,000 young people unemployed in the country is a crisis for Scotland’s future and that an unemployment rate for 18 to 24-year-olds of 21.5%, higher in Scotland than the UK rate of 20.2%, threatens a lost generation in Scotland; therefore calls on the Scottish Government to produce an emergency response to the youth jobs crisis to include appointing a dedicated minister for youth jobs to get young people into jobs as recommended by The Smith Group, to immediately bring forward a procurement bill including provisions to create employment and training for young people, to expand the Community Jobs Fund into the private sector to take on the long-term young unemployed and to put in place a capital investment plan that supports employment and results in major projects proceeding without further delays; further believes that the Scottish Government should not proceed with cuts in college funding of 20%, which will only make tackling youth unemployment harder, and calls on all political parties in Scotland to make tackling youth unemployment a national priority using the significant powers that the Parliament has to secure a better future for Scotland and its young people.S4M-01449.3 SNP welcomes the Scottish Government’s efforts to tackle the scourge of youth unemployment, which is a consequence of the UK Government’s failed economic policies; commends the Scottish Government for the wide range of measures in place to provide improved life chances for Scotland’s young people, including providing a record 125,000 modern apprenticeships over the lifetime of this Parliament, support for 14,500 training places each year to help transitions into the labour market, the ‘Opportunities for All’ scheme that will provide a guaranteed suitable place in learning or training for all 16-19 year school-leavers, and by providing support to both institutions and students which maintains university and college numbers; further welcomes that, as a result of Scottish Government policy, youth employment in Scotland is significantly higher than in the UK; recognises that there must be a constant focus on identifying additional measures and welcomes all positive proposals from any quarter that can improve youth employment, and affirms that this Parliament should have the necessary job creating powers at its disposal to maximise opportunities for Scotland’s young people.
193 words removed by S4M-01449.3
Final wording as read into the Official Report at Decision Time. The marked changes are worked out by this site from the amendment texts and match that wording.
Amendments
- S4M-01449.3 SNP Alex Salmond Agreed vote, 64–47
- S4M-01449.1 Conservative Liz Smith Fell per the Official Report
- S4M-01449.2 Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur Not put to a vote (worked out by this site: never called at Decision Time: not selected or not moved)
Vote
1 division- 1 Dec 2011Carried64 for, 47 against
Amendments
3-
No recorded vote
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No recorded vote
Supporters
No MSP has added their name to this motion.
In the Official Report
3 contributions mention S4M-01449-
1 Dec 2011Youth Unemployment
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-01449, in the name of Iain Gray, on Scotland’s future.09:15
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1 Dec 2011Decision Time
There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that, in relation to the debate on Scotland’s future, if amendment S4M-01449.3, in the name of Alex Salmond, is agreed to, amendment S4M-01449.1, in the n…
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1 Dec 2011Decision Time
Amendment S4M-01449.1 therefore falls.The next question is, that motion S4M-01449, in the name of Iain Gray, as amended, on Scotland’s future, be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.