24/05/2014
As reported by the BBC, the members bill...
MSPs unanimously backed the general principles of the Disabled Persons' Parking Badges Bill, after its Stage 1 debate on 20 May 2014.
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The members' bill, introduced by Dennis Robertson MSP in December, is designed to strengthen enforcement of the blue badge scheme.
The scheme provides parking concessions for people with restricted mobility who have difficulty using public transport.
Disability groups have claimed that misuse of the blue badges was widespread.
The legislation is intended to give local authorities the power to cancel badges which have been reported lost or stolen and confiscate badges that are being misused.
Misuse of a blue badge is already an offence, but enforcement powers currently lie with the police.
Badge misuse may take a range of forms including allowing a friend or family member to use the badge when the disabled person it belongs to is not in the car, tampering with a badge or using a badge that is out of date.
The bill has the backing of the Scottish government, and was unanimously backed across the chamber.
The above article is from the BBC`s website http://www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/scotland-27494976