That the Parliament notes with grave concern the announcement by the Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, detailing further cuts to the armed forces as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review; understands that the UK Government’s intentions will see the army reduced from 102,000 soldiers to 82,000 at a time when £100 billion is being spent on nuclear weapons; further notes that under Mr Hammond’s proposals, the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS), would become simply 3 SCOTS and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders would become 5 SCOTS; is further concerned about Mr Hammond’s comment that the names are meaningless in relation to geographical recruitment areas and believes that this shows a fundamental lack of understanding about the historical importance of the regiments, and urges all parties concerned to reconsider what it believes is this unnecessary and harmful policy decision, which will ultimately harm the identity of the communities that have long associated themselves with these regiments.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes with grave concern the announcement by the Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, detailing further cuts to the armed forces as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review; understands that the UK Government’s intentions will see the army reduced from 102,000 soldiers to 82,000 at a time when £100 billion is being spent on nuclear weapons; further notes that under Mr Hammond’s proposals, the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS), would become simply 3 SCOTS and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders would become 5 SCOTS; is further concerned about Mr Hammond’s comment that the names are meaningless in relation to geographical recruitment areas and believes that this shows a fundamental lack of understanding about the historical importance of the regiments, and urges all parties concerned to reconsider what it believes is this unnecessary and harmful policy decision, which will ultimately harm the identity of the communities that have long associated themselves with these regiments.
Supported by: John Mason, Margaret Burgess, David Torrance, Bill Walker, Kevin Stewart, Graeme Dey, Gordon MacDonald, Mark McDonald, Colin Keir, Jim Eadie, Humza Yousaf, Mike MacKenzie, Stuart McMillan, Richard Lyle, Colin Beattie, Bill Kidd, Nigel Don, Dennis Robertson, Kenneth Gibson, John Wilson, Aileen McLeod, Rob Gibson, Roderick Campbell, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Adam Ingram, Fiona McLeod, Jackie Baillie, Helen Eadie, Annabelle Ewing, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani
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That the Parliament congratulates the University of Dundee on being rated as the best in the UK for student experience as surveyed by the Times Higher Education; is pleased that the University of Dundee has been recognised for its commitment to students academically and in all other areas of student life; believes that these results are a testament to the redevelopment of much of the university’s main campus over the past five years, which it considers to be a result of the Scottish Government's sustained level of funding for Scotland’s higher education institutions; is optimistic that the result of this survey will be beneficial to the university in attracting new students to the city; continues to support the university in its future endeavours to consolidate what it sees as its reputation as an excellent place in which to study, not just across the UK, but across the world, and considers that, as Dundee seeks to promote itself as a modern forward looking city, this news is a welcome boost to the whole city.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the University of Dundee on being rated as the best in the UK for student experience as surveyed by the Times Higher Education; is pleased that the University of Dundee has been recognised for its commitment to students academically and in all other areas of student life; believes that these results are a testament to the redevelopment of much of the university’s main campus over the past five years, which it considers to be a result of the Scottish Government's sustained level of funding for Scotland’s higher education institutions; is optimistic that the result of this survey will be beneficial to the university in attracting new students to the city; continues to support the university in its future endeavours to consolidate what it sees as its reputation as an excellent place in which to study, not just across the UK, but across the world, and considers that, as Dundee seeks to promote itself as a modern forward looking city, this news is a welcome boost to the whole city.
Supported by: Maureen Watt, Jean Urquhart, Annabelle Ewing, Adam Ingram, Sandra White, Hugh Henry, Gil Paterson, Roderick Campbell, Bill Kidd, Stewart Maxwell, Murdo Fraser, John Wilson, Kenneth Gibson, Dennis Robertson, Nigel Don, Rob Gibson, Jamie Hepburn, Colin Beattie, Angus MacDonald, Richard Lyle, Joan McAlpine, Mike MacKenzie, Humza Yousaf, Paul Wheelhouse, Mark McDonald, Colin Keir, Graeme Dey, Kevin Stewart, Margaret Burgess
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That the Parliament notes that the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has now been part of the childhood immunisation programme for five years; understands that Scotland has the highest uptake rate of the vaccine in the UK and celebrates this; notes that, in Scotland, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease has dropped from over 300 cases per year to around 50; commends all who were associated with, and campaigned for, the addition of the vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme; believes that this is a successful example of a preventative approach to treatment, and hopes that, as there are still dangers associated with pneumococcal disease, particularly for those in high-risk groups, other preventative programmes in the future will bring similar success.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes that the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has now been part of the childhood immunisation programme for five years; understands that Scotland has the highest uptake rate of the vaccine in the UK and celebrates this; notes that, in Scotland, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease has dropped from over 300 cases per year to around 50; commends all who were associated with, and campaigned for, the addition of the vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme; believes that this is a successful example of a preventative approach to treatment, and hopes that, as there are still dangers associated with pneumococcal disease, particularly for those in high-risk groups, other preventative programmes in the future will bring similar success.
Supported by: John Mason, Margaret Burgess, David Torrance, Graeme Dey, Kevin Stewart, Graeme Pearson, Colin Keir, Paul Wheelhouse, John Finnie, Humza Yousaf, Joan McAlpine, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Richard Lyle, Colin Beattie, Jamie Hepburn, Bill Kidd, Jackson Carlaw, Dennis Robertson, Nigel Don, Kenneth Gibson, Stewart Maxwell, Dave Thompson, Roderick Campbell, Adam Ingram, Hugh Henry, Sandra White, Nanette Milne, Fiona McLeod, Annabelle Ewing, Annabel Goldie, Jean Urquhart, Maureen Watt, Mary Scanlon, Linda Fabiani
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That the Parliament acknowledges the collaborative efforts of the University of Dundee, GlaxoSmithKline and the Wellcome Trust in their efforts to create safe and affordable treatments for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs); understands that these NTDs include African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease, which cause in excess of 150,000 deaths per year across three continents; further understands that current treatments have toxic side-effects and have varied success; is grateful to the Wellcome Trust for its investment of a further £8.6 million in the Drug Discovery Unit in Dundee, bringing total investment to over £10 million; will watch with interest future developments that the partnership is able to help bring about, and considers that this work will reinforce what it sees as the world-leading role that Dundee plays in the field of medicine and in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs.
Current Status:
That the Parliament acknowledges the collaborative efforts of the University of Dundee, GlaxoSmithKline and the Wellcome Trust in their efforts to create safe and affordable treatments for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs); understands that these NTDs include African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease, which cause in excess of 150,000 deaths per year across three continents; further understands that current treatments have toxic side-effects and have varied success; is grateful to the Wellcome Trust for its investment of a further £8.6 million in the Drug Discovery Unit in Dundee, bringing total investment to over £10 million; will watch with interest future developments that the partnership is able to help bring about, and considers that this work will reinforce what it sees as the world-leading role that Dundee plays in the field of medicine and in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs.
Supported by: Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Jackie Baillie, Annabelle Ewing, Adam Ingram, Nanette Milne, Sandra White, Gil Paterson, Rob Gibson, Dave Thompson, Hugh Henry, Kenneth Gibson, Roderick Campbell, John Wilson, Bill Kidd, Colin Beattie, Dennis Robertson, Angus MacDonald, Humza Yousaf, Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan, Jamie Hepburn, Mike MacKenzie, Jim Eadie, Colin Keir, Joan McAlpine, Jenny Marra, Mark McDonald, David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, Margaret Burgess, Marco Biagi
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That the Parliament notes the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Hot Chocolate Trust, which is a grassroots youth organisation based in Dundee city centre; congratulates the centre's team of six staff and the approximately 20 volunteers who run the group; notes that the group works with young people aged 12 to 21, many of whom, it understands, are facing issues such as alcohol or drug problems, unemployment, homelessness, criminal activity, debt or ill-health; understands that, as an independent charity, the Hot Chocolate Trust offers a highly cost-effective and unique service; believes it to be a safe refuge for young people by offering help, advice, one-to-one support, group work, training sessions and a holistic development programme that help young people to build up their self-confidence, self-esteem and skills, and urges all funders and key partners in Dundee to continue to support what it considers to be this transformational youth group over the trust's next ten years.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Hot Chocolate Trust, which is a grassroots youth organisation based in Dundee city centre; congratulates the centre's team of six staff and the approximately 20 volunteers who run the group; notes that the group works with young people aged 12 to 21, many of whom, it understands, are facing issues such as alcohol or drug problems, unemployment, homelessness, criminal activity, debt or ill-health; understands that, as an independent charity, the Hot Chocolate Trust offers a highly cost-effective and unique service; believes it to be a safe refuge for young people by offering help, advice, one-to-one support, group work, training sessions and a holistic development programme that help young people to build up their self-confidence, self-esteem and skills, and urges all funders and key partners in Dundee to continue to support what it considers to be this transformational youth group over the trust's next ten years.
Supported by: Mark McDonald, Margaret Burgess, Kevin Stewart, David Torrance, Gordon MacDonald, Paul Wheelhouse, Joan McAlpine, Colin Keir, Humza Yousaf, Mike MacKenzie, Jamie Hepburn, Richard Lyle, Alison McInnes, Stuart McMillan, Dennis Robertson, Colin Beattie, Nigel Don, Bill Kidd, James Dornan, Roderick Campbell, Kenneth Gibson, Gil Paterson, Chic Brodie, Alex Johnstone, Sandra White, Maureen Watt, Nanette Milne, Adam Ingram, Annabelle Ewing, Jackie Baillie
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That the Parliament regrets the decision of an Israeli military court to detain Aziz Duwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, for six months without trial following his arrest on 19 January 2012; recalls that Dr Duwaik was previously held for almost three years between August 2006 and June 2009 despite his claim to parliamentary immunity and serious concerns being expressed about the nature of the charges against him; is advised that Dr Duwaik’s legal representative, Fadi Qawasme, feels that the Israeli military court has failed to adequately explain and justify his client’s detention; understands that Dr Duwaik’s detention brings the total number of democratically elected Palestinian parliamentarians held by the Israeli authorities to 27, including two parliamentarians, Mohammed Totah and Khaled Abu Arafeh, who were seeking shelter with the International Committee of the Red Cross in East Jerusalem; recognises that Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Israel is a signatory, proscribes arbitrary arrest and detention, demands that those who are arrested are promptly informed of the reasons for their arrest and charges against them, entitles all individuals to a trial within a reasonable time and gives them the right to challenge their detention before a court; acknowledges that the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has claimed that the arrests represent a retaliatory act and a form of collective punishment in breach of the Geneva conventions; understands that the Palestinian National Authority has issued a statement making clear that it believes that Dr Duwaik’s detention is unacceptable and suggesting that Israel’s conduct is undermining intra-Palestinian reconciliation, and calls on the Israeli Government and the international community to ensure that the inalienable legal rights of all those detained by Israel are respected and upheld without further delay.
Current Status:
That the Parliament regrets the decision of an Israeli military court to detain Aziz Duwaik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, for six months without trial following his arrest on 19 January 2012; recalls that Dr Duwaik was previously held for almost three years between August 2006 and June 2009 despite his claim to parliamentary immunity and serious concerns being expressed about the nature of the charges against him; is advised that Dr Duwaik’s legal representative, Fadi Qawasme, feels that the Israeli military court has failed to adequately explain and justify his client’s detention; understands that Dr Duwaik’s detention brings the total number of democratically elected Palestinian parliamentarians held by the Israeli authorities to 27, including two parliamentarians, Mohammed Totah and Khaled Abu Arafeh, who were seeking shelter with the International Committee of the Red Cross in East Jerusalem; recognises that Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Israel is a signatory, proscribes arbitrary arrest and detention, demands that those who are arrested are promptly informed of the reasons for their arrest and charges against them, entitles all individuals to a trial within a reasonable time and gives them the right to challenge their detention before a court; acknowledges that the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has claimed that the arrests represent a retaliatory act and a form of collective punishment in breach of the Geneva conventions; understands that the Palestinian National Authority has issued a statement making clear that it believes that Dr Duwaik’s detention is unacceptable and suggesting that Israel’s conduct is undermining intra-Palestinian reconciliation, and calls on the Israeli Government and the international community to ensure that the inalienable legal rights of all those detained by Israel are respected and upheld without further delay.
Supported by: Linda Fabiani, Jean Urquhart, Adam Ingram, Sandra White, Chic Brodie, Gil Paterson, Richard Simpson, Hugh Henry, Bill Kidd, Colin Beattie, Christina McKelvie, Jamie Hepburn, Richard Lyle, Bob Doris, John Finnie, Mike MacKenzie, Humza Yousaf, Jim Eadie, Colin Keir, David Torrance, Mark McDonald, Kevin Stewart
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That the Parliament welcomes the signing of a 35 year lease by MWB to establish a Malmaison Hotel in Dundee's listed Tay Hotel building, which, it understands will bring 120 jobs to the city; considers the deal to have an enduring nature and that, as the lease has the potential to run for an additional 35 years, this will ensure valuable long-term investment in the city; is delighted to witness the rebirth of what it considers one of Dundee’s most iconic and recognisable listed buildings after years of lying dormant; considers that investment such as this is a considerable endorsement to the successful redevelopment of Dundee’s waterfront; welcomes the potential that it considers this development creates in attracting visitors to the city both as tourists and as businesses participating in Dundee’s games and renewable energy future, and believes that, as the Dundee Waterfront Project moves forward, it will give an immeasurable boost to the local economy.
Current Status:
That the Parliament welcomes the signing of a 35 year lease by MWB to establish a Malmaison Hotel in Dundee's listed Tay Hotel building, which, it understands will bring 120 jobs to the city; considers the deal to have an enduring nature and that, as the lease has the potential to run for an additional 35 years, this will ensure valuable long-term investment in the city; is delighted to witness the rebirth of what it considers one of Dundee’s most iconic and recognisable listed buildings after years of lying dormant; considers that investment such as this is a considerable endorsement to the successful redevelopment of Dundee’s waterfront; welcomes the potential that it considers this development creates in attracting visitors to the city both as tourists and as businesses participating in Dundee’s games and renewable energy future, and believes that, as the Dundee Waterfront Project moves forward, it will give an immeasurable boost to the local economy.
Supported by: Margaret Burgess, Graeme Dey, David Torrance, Kevin Stewart, Jenny Marra, Joan McAlpine, Jim Eadie, Paul Wheelhouse, Mike MacKenzie, Humza Yousaf, Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan, Colin Beattie, Dennis Robertson, Bill Kidd, Stewart Maxwell, Rob Gibson, Roderick Campbell, Kenneth Gibson, Gil Paterson, Sandra White, Maureen Watt, Jean Urquhart, Annabelle Ewing
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That the Parliament congratulates the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) on successfully delivering an out-of-service fire engine, 150 sets of fire kit, 20 sets of breathing apparatus, 80 fire helmets and leather fire boots as well as 100 pairs of fire gauntlets, all of which were generously donated to Dundee’s twin city, Nablus; notes the vital role played by Jim Malone, Gavin Barrie, John Docherty, Dave Kay and Steve Harman of the FBU who made the 2,500 mile journey across Europe; acknowledges the role played by Adly Yaish, the Mayor of Nablus, in enabling the engine to complete its journey from Haifa to Nablus, as well as what it believes was the indispensable support provided by Histadrut, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the Nablus Municipality Fire Department in facilitating the delivery of what it understands is this much-needed equipment, and hopes to see further collaboration between Dundee and Nablus over the years to come for the benefit of the citizens of both cities.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) on successfully delivering an out-of-service fire engine, 150 sets of fire kit, 20 sets of breathing apparatus, 80 fire helmets and leather fire boots as well as 100 pairs of fire gauntlets, all of which were generously donated to Dundee’s twin city, Nablus; notes the vital role played by Jim Malone, Gavin Barrie, John Docherty, Dave Kay and Steve Harman of the FBU who made the 2,500 mile journey across Europe; acknowledges the role played by Adly Yaish, the Mayor of Nablus, in enabling the engine to complete its journey from Haifa to Nablus, as well as what it believes was the indispensable support provided by Histadrut, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the Nablus Municipality Fire Department in facilitating the delivery of what it understands is this much-needed equipment, and hopes to see further collaboration between Dundee and Nablus over the years to come for the benefit of the citizens of both cities.
Current Status: Fallen on 13/03/2012
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That the Parliament welcomes Stonewall’s 'Stop and think – words can hurt' campaign, which aims to tackle homophobic bullying in schools and has been launched to coincide with the 2011 National Anti-Bullying Week, which runs from 14 to 18 November; notes with concern research findings that 9 in 10 secondary school teachers and more than two in five primary school teachers report that their pupils currently experience homophobic bullying, name-calling or harassment; further notes that homophobic bullying can result in lower educational achievement and increase the rate of self-harm and suicide among young lesbian, gay and bisexual people; encourages participation in Stonewall's 'say capucci-NO to bullying!' campaign, which aims to get people to give up their daily coffee for the week and donate the money that they save to fund campaigns against homophobic bullying; welcomes the steps taken by the Scottish Government to combat homophobic bullying, including the toolkit resource for teachers, which includes recently updated lesson plans and guidance on dealing with homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools, and looks forward to a time when all young people can enjoy the full benefits of learning in a safe and inclusive environment.
Current Status:
That the Parliament welcomes Stonewall’s 'Stop and think – words can hurt' campaign, which aims to tackle homophobic bullying in schools and has been launched to coincide with the 2011 National Anti-Bullying Week, which runs from 14 to 18 November; notes with concern research findings that 9 in 10 secondary school teachers and more than two in five primary school teachers report that their pupils currently experience homophobic bullying, name-calling or harassment; further notes that homophobic bullying can result in lower educational achievement and increase the rate of self-harm and suicide among young lesbian, gay and bisexual people; encourages participation in Stonewall's 'say capucci-NO to bullying!' campaign, which aims to get people to give up their daily coffee for the week and donate the money that they save to fund campaigns against homophobic bullying; welcomes the steps taken by the Scottish Government to combat homophobic bullying, including the toolkit resource for teachers, which includes recently updated lesson plans and guidance on dealing with homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools, and looks forward to a time when all young people can enjoy the full benefits of learning in a safe and inclusive environment.
Supported by: Annabelle Ewing, Fiona McLeod, Claudia Beamish, Christine Grahame, Jean Urquhart, Jackie Baillie, Linda Fabiani, Maureen Watt, Adam Ingram, Gil Paterson, Chic Brodie, Richard Simpson, Roderick Campbell, Dave Thompson, Rob Gibson, Bill Kidd, Dennis Robertson, Colin Beattie, Liam McArthur, John Park, Kezia Dugdale, Stuart McMillan, Jamie Hepburn, Bob Doris, Richard Lyle, Humza Yousaf, Mike MacKenzie, John Finnie, Paul Wheelhouse, Joan McAlpine, Mark McDonald, Neil Findlay, Kevin Stewart, Drew Smith, David Torrance, Marco Biagi
Current Status: Fallen on 26/01/2012
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That the Parliament believes that all potential avenues of support that it can provide to the computer games industry in Scotland should be considered, including what it believes to be games industry body TIGA’s exciting proposals for a creative content fund to support nascent developers; notes that Richard Wilson of TIGA has said that independence for Scotland "could absolutely reshape games industry policy across Scotland," and has criticised the UK Government for "failing to invest in the Scottish and UK game development sector"; considers that the computer games industry in Scotland has the potential to be world-beating, provided that it is given support that enables its developers to compete on a level playing field with international competitors in Ireland, Canada, France, South Korea and elsewhere, who it considers receive significant government support; acknowledges that a specifically targeted games tax relief, which it believes has gained widespread support among industry stakeholders, has the potential to enable the games industry to prosper, create jobs and help to fuel economic recovery; further considers that TIGA’s proposals for games tax relief show that this could safeguard over 9,500 jobs across the UK and while it is estimated that it would cost around £200 million to introduce, would generate almost £400 million in extra tax receipts for the Treasury over the longer term, meaning that it would more than pay for itself; regrets that only the UK Government currently has the power to introduce games tax relief, but believes that it has consistently failed to support this vital measure that could radically transform the industry’s prospects; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to look again at games tax relief given that his colleague, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, previously indicated his support for this measure but has since, it considers, reneged on his initial commitment after the Chancellor did not include it in the 2010 emergency budget, and believes that, only with independence and the full economic powers that this will provide, would the Scottish Government be able to realise the true potential of the computer games industry in Scotland.
Current Status:
That the Parliament believes that all potential avenues of support that it can provide to the computer games industry in Scotland should be considered, including what it believes to be games industry body TIGA’s exciting proposals for a creative content fund to support nascent developers; notes that Richard Wilson of TIGA has said that independence for Scotland "could absolutely reshape games industry policy across Scotland," and has criticised the UK Government for "failing to invest in the Scottish and UK game development sector"; considers that the computer games industry in Scotland has the potential to be world-beating, provided that it is given support that enables its developers to compete on a level playing field with international competitors in Ireland, Canada, France, South Korea and elsewhere, who it considers receive significant government support; acknowledges that a specifically targeted games tax relief, which it believes has gained widespread support among industry stakeholders, has the potential to enable the games industry to prosper, create jobs and help to fuel economic recovery; further considers that TIGA’s proposals for games tax relief show that this could safeguard over 9,500 jobs across the UK and while it is estimated that it would cost around £200 million to introduce, would generate almost £400 million in extra tax receipts for the Treasury over the longer term, meaning that it would more than pay for itself; regrets that only the UK Government currently has the power to introduce games tax relief, but believes that it has consistently failed to support this vital measure that could radically transform the industry’s prospects; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to look again at games tax relief given that his colleague, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, previously indicated his support for this measure but has since, it considers, reneged on his initial commitment after the Chancellor did not include it in the 2010 emergency budget, and believes that, only with independence and the full economic powers that this will provide, would the Scottish Government be able to realise the true potential of the computer games industry in Scotland.
Supported by: John Mason, Marco Biagi, Graeme Dey, Margaret Burgess, Kevin Stewart, David Torrance, Gordon MacDonald, Mark McDonald, Paul Wheelhouse, Joan McAlpine, Mike MacKenzie, Humza Yousaf, Clare Adamson, Angus MacDonald, Richard Lyle, Stuart McMillan, Colin Beattie, Dennis Robertson, Nigel Don, Bill Kidd, Rob Gibson, Roderick Campbell, Kenneth Gibson, Gil Paterson, Adam Ingram, Sandra White, Maureen Watt, Linda Fabiani, Fiona McLeod, Christine Grahame, Annabelle Ewing
Current Status: Fallen on 26/01/2012
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