S4M-02189 John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Scottish National Party): That the Parliament notes the headline story in The Herald newspaper of 1 March 2012 regarding Scotland’s ageing population using figures from the National Records of Scotland; regrets what it considers to be the negative phraseology used in the report such as “demographic time bomb” and “increased burden”; considers that older people are inherently a good thing for Scotland; is delighted that, after years of concern about Scottish life expectancy being so short, more people are living longer; considers that Scots of all ages have much to contribute to society and that, in particular, older people can be a source of wisdom and support for their immediate families and the wider community; hopes that life expectancy in Scotland can continue to be improved, and looks forward to the opportunities afforded to Scotland by this rising trend in population.