REPORT OF THE VISIT BY THE DELEGATION TO NEW YORK, CITY AND WASHINGTON DC

5-13 APRIL 2018

Contents

Introduction……………………………….2

Purpose……………………………………2

Programme activities……………………3

Annex: Programme……………………...25

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Introduction 1. This is the report of the visit by the Scottish Parliament delegation to New York (policy meetings and participation in the 20th New York Tartan Day Parade, (meetings at the National Assembly of Quebec), and Washington DC (policy meetings). The delegation comprised:

• Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament • MSP, Convener of the Public Petitions Committee; Deputy Convener of the Education and Skills Committee, and Member of the Presiding Officer’s Advisory Group on Parliamentary Reform • Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee and Member of the Scottish Futures Forum

2. The purpose of the visit was to meet with Quebec parliamentarians and hold discussions on parliamentary activities and policy issues directly relevant to the core parliamentary roles of each Member of the delegation. Specifically, the primary area of interest was parliamentary reform. In New York and Washington DC, the primary interest was the work of the Scottish Futures Forum.

3. The delegation also participated in the Tartan Day Parade in New York. Since 1998, Tartan Day (6 April) has been recognised by the US House of Representatives as an official celebration of the contribution of American-Scots to US culture and life. Fifty million people across the world claim Scottish heritage, the majority being in America and Canada.

4. The Scottish Parliament’s budget for this outward visit has been capped at £30,000 since 2009. The cost of the 2018 visit was £19,726.03 which covered the cost of travel, accommodation and expenses for the three parliamentarians and two accompanying staff.

5. The delegation wishes to thank all those who facilitated the meetings and engagements across this visit, and for the time and information they so willingly shared. There was genuine warmth and friendship across all programme activities which contributed to reinforcing the strong bond between Scotland and Quebec and with the USA.

Purpose 6. While the primary focus for the delegation was parliamentary reform and the Scottish Futures Forum, the range of issues discussed are highlighted below.

New York: • smart city technology, big data, privacy issues • sexual harassment, increasing women’s leadership, political participation and ending violence against women • participate in the Annual Tartan Day Parade and associated engagements

Quebec City: • parliamentary reform • lobbying • education performance

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• sexual harassment • international engagement

Washington DC: • smart city technology, big data, AI, privacy • policy development • financial oversight by legislatures • international engagement • drug initiatives • fair work, workers rights and generally: • enhance the Scottish Parliament’s institutional and international reputation through meetings with other parliamentarians and policy thinkers; and • support and promote, through the Scottish Parliament’s participation, activities which could bring wider economic benefit and added value to Scotland

7. The Scottish Parliament has maintained strong friendships and links with Canadian parliaments, both federal and provincial, since 1999 and seeks to build on these links to further strengthen and find further opportunities to share knowledge and experiences of core parliamentary issues.

8. As with all visits the approach was to link its purpose and outcomes to the Scottish Parliament’s International Strategy which identifies activities it considers as strategically important. In addition to the issues highlighted above, the delegation also participated in discussions across the visit relating to current policy and political issues in Scotland and the UK.

Programme 9. A copy of the visit programme is annexed to this report. The following summarises key issues discussed across the various meetings.

Friday 6 April 2018

New York Stock Exchange 10. The delegation’s first visit was to the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. The NYSE is the world’s largest securities exchange and provides a marketplace for buying and selling 9.3 million corporate stocks and other securities a day. It lists 82% of the S&P 500, 90% of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and 70 of the world's largest corporations.

11. The delegation was given a tour of the building then taken on to the trading floor for the ringing of the opening bell at 9.30am.

12. The delegation met with Will Kantrowitz, Manager, Strategy & Listings, Global Listings and Stefan Jekel, Head of International Listings, Global Corporate Client Group who shared information on the history of the Exchange, how trading works,

3 the role of brokers as well as the building itself and some of the events which have taken place there over the years.

13. This was an interesting visit where the delegation received a very warm welcome, and ‘happy Tartan Day’ wishes, from the numerous people they met on the trading floor.

Office of the Mayor 14. The delegation met with Miguel Gamino, Chief Technology Officer; Jeremy Goldberg, Deputy CTO, NYCx; Lindsey-Paige McCloy, Director Smart Cities; and Kathleen Clark, Communications Director in the New York Office of the Mayor.

15. The focus for this meeting was to discuss policy and practice with other organisations on matters of interest to the Scottish Future Forum. The Forum is the Scottish Parliament's futures think-tank (chaired by the Presiding Officer) which works on a non-party basis to look beyond electoral horizons, promote research and stimulate debate in the Parliament on the long-term challenges and opportunities that Scotland faces. Its work informs MSPs and others and enables them to consider the effects of decisions taken today on Scotland's long-term future.

16. The Forum's 2030 programme is:

'an exploration of Scotland’s culture and society and our aspirations for 2030 and beyond. Taking a number of different perspectives and considering the societal and cultural impacts of existing and predicted trends, we will examine how Scotland can meet the challenges that emerge in order to exploit the opportunities that exist. Through a series of events within the Parliament, supported by collaborative work with partners, the Scotland 2030 Programme will build a bank of useful material on the major questions facing Scotland and help MSPs and the Scottish Parliament as a whole, along with civic society, to envisage the sort of society we aspire to.

17. One area of interest to the Forum is around smart cities. According to the Office of the Mayor’s website:

‘New York City is helping to solve the most pressing sustainability challenges facing NYC and other cities globally. With the United States largest municipal markets in energy, waste, water, and transit, New York City offers a living lab for urban technology companies and entrepreneurs. From deploying resiliency technologies to supporting entrepreneurs, to funding and hosting demonstration projects, we’re making NYC into the world’s model for a smart, sustainable, and resilient city.’

18. The main areas of discussion at the meeting centred around:

• the overall smart city vision for New York was and how ‘it gets there’ • how New York has engaged with citizens in this process, particularly how it overcomes a lack of understanding of the technology being used

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• the difference citizens will see and how it will change the delivery of public services • how the technology can be governed effectively, engage citizens, and improve public safety • how New York is dealing with privacy issues, especially in light of recent coverage of ‘privacy lapses’ by some organisations

19. One key consideration in developing smart city technology was the access which citizens have to reliable and appropriate speed broadband which allows them to utilise the benefits of this technology. In a city of approximately 8½ million people, around 1 million people are not connected to the internet. Engaging with New Yorkers was a key element to this programme, in understanding what their needs are and how the city can react to the concerns they have.

20. A point was made about the viability for providers to install the necessary infrastructure in less prosperous areas and where the financial return would be less or even negative. However, the Office does not work with internet service providers which do not sign up to the city’s broadband principles on:

• performance • access • affordability • choice and • privacy

21. Mention was made of the ‘mayors for net neutrality’ campaign and the ‘cities open internet’ pledge, which requires all internet providers with whom Mayors do business to follow a strong set of net neutrality principles.

22. The city was working with housing developers and internet service providers to ensure that broadband infrastructure is included in such developments. A point was made about the valuable assets owned by the city which developers and ISPs would need access to and which assisted the city in discussions around broadband connectivity.

23. One practical example given of where poor or non-existent connectivity can have a real impact was in the school classroom. Pupils would be set tasks which required accessing information from the internet or were web based tasks. Due to poor or non-existent broadband or, due to the prohibitive cost to less prosperous households, where there is none at all then pupils are unable to complete these tasks which can adversely affect the child’s opportunities to learn as well as their confidence – there can also be a social stigma in such situations.

24. Along with the other Scottish Futures Forum focused discussions, the information gathered from these experts was relevant and helpful to the future consideration by the Forum in a wide array of discussions it will have as part of its 2030 programme.

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UN Women 25. The delegation met with Julie Ballington, Political Participation Advisor; Dina Deli Giorgis, Knowledge Management Specialist; Bradley Orchard, Policy Specialist and Military Liaison Officer; Purna Sen, Executive Coordinator and Spokesperson, Sexual Harassment; Leona Barusya, Donor Relations and Partnerships Analyst; Tamara Cummings, Work Place Relations, Human Resources; and Zohra Khan, Leadership and Political Participation.

26. UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, it was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. It supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide. It seeks to works globally ‘to make the vision of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focusing on five priority areas:

• increasing women’s leadership and participation • ending violence against women • engaging women in all aspects of peace and security processes • enhancing women’s economic empowerment • making gender equality central to national development planning and budgeting’

27. The focus for the discussion was on leadership and political participation and ending violence against women. This also provided an opportunity for the delegation to discuss the approach taken in the Scottish Parliament on sexual harassment.

Leadership and political participation 28. The UN officials highlighted the under representation globally of women in political and electoral processes although there were some positive points e.g. as of 2015, there were more women politicians than at in any point in history, representing 22% of the world’s national parliamentarians; by comparison, in 1995 just 11% of national parliamentarians were women and that millions more women are elected at sub-national levels. Despite this progress, however, women remain significantly under-represented as voters, candidates, elected representatives and electoral administrators worldwide, and are largely excluded from the most senior decision making positions within government.

29. There was discussion around the electoral process in Scotland and the measures taken by parties to encourage and promote women into more frontline politics.

30. The Presiding Officer highlighted the work of the Commission on Parliamentary Reform in making a number of recommendations aiming to improve political participation for women and show leadership in diversity issues. For example, Parliament officials are working closely to support political parties to consider putting in place the most appropriate arrangements for increasing the

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numbers of female candidates who are selected. This issue has the broad support of each political party in Scotland and they are very keen to learn from other nations.

31. Reference was also made to the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians which seeks to increase female representation in parliament and work towards the mainstreaming of gender considerations in all Commonwealth Parliamentary Association activities and programmes.

Ending violence against women 32. UN officials outlined the background to work in this area. They highlighted that civil society and women’s movements have put ending gender-based violence high on national and international agendas with a large number of countries now having laws against domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of violence.

33. There was discussion on the measures which UN Women are taking to address these issues such as through the international agreements under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its work with governments, UN agencies, civil society organizations and other institutions to advocate for ending violence, increase awareness of the causes and consequences of violence and build capacity of partners to prevent and respond to violence. It also works on promoting the need to change the norms and behaviour of men and boys, and advocate for gender equality and women’s rights.

34. Johann Lamont MSP highlighted the work of the Cross-Party Group on Men's Violence against Women and Children and the domestic abuse legislation passed by the Parliament. The Presiding Officer highlighted the work of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the involvement of the Scottish Parliament in hosting the gender analysis and post legislative scrutiny conference in 2017.

Scottish University Alumni reception 35. The delegation attended a reception hosted by the (the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work) for Scottish university alumni now living in the United States.

36. The delegation was delighted to meet with many alumni based in the New York. There was great interest in the constitutional and political events in Scotland and, more generally, the work of the Scottish Parliament.

Saturday 8 April 2017

Kirkin’ of the Tartan 37. The delegation attended the St Andrew’s Society of the State of New York Kirkin’ of the Tartan service which returned to its ‘traditional home’ of the Brick Presbyterian Church. The service (non-denominational) was again conducted by the Reverend George William Rutler (along with other clergy). The service is a traditional prelude to the Tartan Day Parade. After some warm words of welcome from the President of the St Andrew’s Society of the State of New York, the Presiding Officer was pleased to be asked to give a reading at the service. The delegation met with members of the Society and others attending the service.

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Tartan Day parade 38. The Tartan Day Parade is seen as a high point of Scotland Week which this year celebrated its 20th anniversary. In 1998 the US Senate declared April 6 as National Tartan Day to recognise the contributions made by Scottish-Americans to the United States. Since the first Parade, involving two pipe bands and a small but enthusiastic group of Scottish Americans marched from the British Consulate, it has grown to include hundreds of pipers, thousands of marchers and many more thousands cheering from the sidelines. The Parliament is a long time participant.

39. The National Tartan Day New York Committee was formed in 2002 to organise the Parade and co-ordinate all the associated activities. This has now become Tartan Week. Its members include St Andrew’s Society of State of New York, New York Caledonian Club, American-Scottish Foundation, Carnegie Hall.

40. This year’s Grand Marshall was K T Tunstall. The delegation walked behind the Scottish Parliament banner near the front of the Parade.

L-R: Clare Haughey MSP; Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, Presiding Officer; and Johann Lamont MSP: New York Tartan Day Parade

41. Following the Parade, the delegation transferred to Québec City.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (Québec City)

St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 42. St Andrew's is the oldest English-speaking congregation of Scottish origin in Canada. The congregation began in the year 1759. The church building was erected

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in 1810, the Kirk Hall (the site of the oldest English School in the Province of Quebec) in 1829, and the Manse in 1837.

43. The delegation was welcomed by the Rev. Katherine Burgess during the service which included a rousing rendition of Highland Cathedral on the church organ with bagpipe accompaniment. The delegation was then invited to join members of the congregation in the Kirk Hall where they were shown round the small museum and chatted to members of the congregation, many of whom had strong connections with Scotland, including a couple who had met with MSPs during visits in 2005 and 2009.

Monday 9 April 2018

National Assembly of Québec 44. The delegation was welcomed on arrival at the Assembly building by President (Speaker) Jacques Chagnon MNA. The warmth and hospitality was consistent across the two days of discussions with Assembly Members and staff. The delegation acknowledges the generosity of time and information given by everyone which reinforced the bond of friendship not only between the two parliaments but also Scotland and Québec. In particular, the delegation records its thanks for the support throughout from Assembly staff Émilie Bevan and Simon Bérubé.

President Jacques Chagnon and the Presiding Officer

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Public petitions 45. The delegation’s first working session was with François Arsenault, Director General for Parliamentary Affairs and focussed on the public petitions system and citizen consultations. This provided an opportunity, particularly for Johann Lamont MSP as Convener of the Public Petitions Committee, to hear about the Quebec petitions process and draw comparison with Scotland and look at good practice across the two systems. The delegation highlighted the establishment of the Committee Engagement Unit which had emerged from the Commission on Parliamentary Reform.

46. The material shared with the delegation has been forwarded to the Clerk to the Public Petitions Committee for further consideration.

Parliamentary reform 47. The delegation’s next session was the first of several across the visit to the Assembly relating to parliamentary reform. Across three sessions (one on Monday 9 April and two on Tuesday 10 April) the delegation held details discussions with the President, Members and officials of the Assembly on the following issues:

• Question Time: time limits for asking and answering questions; frequency of question periods; applause by MNAs to questions and answers • legislative process: pre- and post legislative scrutiny; accompanying documents and what these should include; role of the Bill committee in setting the Bill timetable; timetable for amending the Bill throughout • debate management: proportionality across parties, speaking lists, time allocation in debates • developing the 'parliamentarian', making parliamentary business 'less tribal', reducing the influence of the party whips • election of committee conveners (chairs); remuneration of resourcing of conveners (chairs) • scope for Members to bring debates to the Chamber • relevance of public engagement in the business of the parliament: creating opportunities for public and civic society to influence policy; citizen juries; methods of working with civic society; role of a committee engagement unit • broadening diversity in parliament • existence and role of a backbench committee • how committees develop their work programmes • how the work of committees is co-ordinated • Chamber and committee meeting slots: meeting at same time • Reviewing parliament's rules of procedure

48. The Presiding Officer outlined the background to the Commission on Parliamentary Reform which he established in 2016 and which reported in June 2017 (a copy of the report was sent by the Presiding Officer to the President of the Assembly) and highlighted its recommendations. He also outlined the status of the report, the changes which he had already introduced, particularly in relation to questions to the Scottish Government (e.g. the extension of time available for First Ministers Questions) and in the management of business (e.g. the role of the Parliamentary Bureau).

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49. The Presiding Officer also highlighted the connection with Quebec going back to the ‘checks and balances’ report commissioned by the Consultative Steering Group which looked at how other legislatures, including Quebec, operate and which informed the approaches taken in the Scottish Parliament since 1999.

50. There was discussion around the reforms the Assembly had introduced following its procedural review in 2009 and its earlier review of 1984.

51. Some issues highlighted related to the ability of Assembly Members to raise matters (without notice) of importance to their constituents (similar to the urgent question process which the Presiding Officer has introduced). This broadened out to the discipline exercised within caucuses by business managers particularly around questions to government. There was concern at the lack of opportunity for MNAs to be flexible in how and when they could hold ministers to account through oral questions, with “no room for improvisation”. Parties can exert control on who speaks, what questions are asked, and whether questions are asked at all. This can reduce the likelihood of MNAs from the governing party even asking ‘their’ ministers questions.

52. Similar points were made in relation to debates and the scrutiny of legislation. Any concerns the MNAs might have on particular policy issues and amendments to Bills would be addressed through discussions within the caucus, and so they were not highlighted in the more public forum of the Assembly Chamber. This, again, can impact on the ability of the MNA to have issues debated openly.

53. Discussions were however being held by the President and the parties to look at ways to allow MNAs more time and opportunity to raise matters in the Assembly (for example through motions without notice, up to 10 statements per session) and to reform speaking times and allocations (mention was made of the changes which had emerged from the 2009 reform around the parliamentary calendar). There was a desire to reduce the partisan nature of question time and the proceedings of the Assembly (the Presiding Officer highlighted the importance of the Commission’s recommendation around developing the parliamentarian).

54. There was discussion around the role of the Committee of the National Assembly (similar to the Conveners Group). Part of its role is to co-ordinate the work of the other Assembly committees and it was seeking to introduce improvements across the workings of committees. There were also general discussions around better work/life balance for MNAs (which can be achieved through procedural reforms) and the ability for MNAs to spend more time in their constituencies.

55. Material was shared with the delegation which Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, indicated would be useful to that Committee given its role in reviewing Standing Orders.

56. The discussions generally were very helpful to the delegation is taking forward consideration of the Presiding Officers reform programme in the Scottish Parliament.

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Lobbying 57. The delegation met with Jean-François Routhier, Québec Commissioner of Lobbying, which was of particular interest to Clare Haughey MSP as Convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. The Commissioner set out the role and mandate of his office which is to:

• ensure compliance with the Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act and Code of Conduct for Lobbyists; • promote the transparency, legitimacy and sound practice of lobbying activities in order to implement the public's right to know who is seeking to exercise influence with public institutions.

58. The activities of the office are placed under the authority of the Commissioner (who is appointed by the Assembly and must receive the approval of two thirds of AMs) which aims to ensure the independence of the Commissioner with regard to the executive power and government.

59. The Commissioner may also, on their own initiative or on request, conduct investigations if they have reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a breach of any provision of the Act or of the Code of Conduct. The Commissioner may authorise any person to conduct such investigations and who has broad powers to collect evidence relevant to the investigation. In carrying out this mandate, the Commissioner calls on the various players concerned by the Act and the Code. Lobbyists, public office holders and citizens each play their role in implementing the public's right to know who is exercising influence with public institutions.

60. The Commissioner was interested in learning more about the newly introduced Scottish lobbying system and the role of the Lobbying Registrar. The discussions centred around:

• oversight to ensure lobbying regulation is adhered to • lobbying regulation and how issues are resolved • the details which are required to be registered, by whom, exemptions or prohibitions, status of written submissions • transparency benefits brought about by lobbying regulation • review and assessment procedures • expansion and development of the process and how is change managed • distinguishing between different types of lobbyists

61. The Lobbying Registrar has subsequently contacted the Commissioner to share information on the respective lobbying systems and establish a line of communication as the Scottish lobbying system develops and where examples of international best practice will be relevant.

International relations 62. The Presiding Officer met with President Chagnon to discuss the Assembly’s approach to international engagement.

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63. The Assembly develops and maintains its own relationships with other parliaments and various interparliamentary organisations. Through its international work it seeks to:

• increase the effectiveness of the institution and of the Members • increase the Assembly's influence on the international scene • help build a global community founded on democracy, peace, justice and prosperity • promote those sectors in which Québec excels

64. The President (like the Presiding Officer) represents the Assembly on the international scene and oversees its interparliamentary relations. The position is supported by Members from all the parliamentary groups, who make up the 18 branches or delegations operating in the field of interparliamentary relations. Activities are planned and carried out under the auspices of a steering committee composed of the President and a number of Members. Each branch or delegation is assigned an adviser from the Interparliamentary and International Relations and Protocol Directorate, which acts as administrative secretary.

65. The Presiding Officer was particularly interested in the experience of the Assembly in establishing and maintaining bilateral relationships with other legislatures. In particular:

• the approach of the Assembly to entering bilateral relationships and the process to formalise and agree these • how it identifies and approaches ‘potential’ parliaments and create a useful two-way relationship • how it supports (Member, staff, financially) each relationship and secure benefits for the wider Assembly and its core work • how it manages expectations of Assembly Members and the other legislature to be involved • whether the Government has any input to these bilaterals • how it avoids negative coverage/criticism about elected Member’s participating in such relationships and undertaking overseas visits

Education 66. Meanwhile, the other Members of the delegation met with senior officials from the Québec Department of Education to discuss educational attainment and performance in the province. The officials gave an overview of the vision for ‘education success’ in Quebec. This covered objectives relating to ‘graduation and qualification’; ‘equity’; ‘prevention’; ‘language proficiency’; ‘educational path’; and ‘living environment’.

67. Both Members were interested in hearing about the improvements in educational performance across the Province. Johann Lamont MSP, as Deputy Convener of the Education and Skills Committee indicated that this information was very helpful in informing the Committee’s ongoing work around educational attainment and performance in Scotland.

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Current affairs 68. The whole delegation met with President Chagnon and Members of the CPA Québec section for a wide-ranging discussion on parliamentary and political developments in both Scotland and Québec. The main area of interest was Brexit and its impact on Scotland and the work and role of the Scottish Parliament.

Media 69. The Presiding Officer had an interview with Nick Gamache for CBC’s the House programme which has an audience of around 1,000,000. As well as the purpose of this visit, the interview focussed on ties between Quebec and Scotland, tackling sexual harassment and political developments included Brexit and related legislation.

Tuesday 10 April 2018

Media 70. The Presiding Officer was interviewed by Susan Campbell, anchor of Quebec FM, where similar issues to the above interview were explored.

Parliamentary reform 71. The delegation held further discussions, across two sessions, on parliamentary reform (a summary of the issues discussed can be found on pages 10 and 11).

Education 72. The delegation met with Mrs Rita Lc de Santis MNA, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education and Maka Kotto MNA and Claire Samsom MNA, Members of the Committee, to discuss education performance in the province. Johann Lamont MSP and Clare Haughey MSP were able to follow up on points made in the discussions the previous day with education officials.

73. There was also discussion on the measures taken in the province around teacher recruitment and the impact of social deprivation on pupil outcomes.

Question Time 74. The delegation observed Question Time in the Assembly Chamber where the Presiding Officer was formally welcomed to the Assembly Members by President Chagnon. Of particular interest to the delegation was the absence of clapping and the time limits for each question and answer.

Sexual harassment 75. The delegation met with Mrs Maryse Gaudreault MNA, Vice-President of the National Assembly and Carole Poirier MNA to discuss the approaches taken in both legislatures to tackling sexual harassment.

76. The Presiding Officer outlined the approach taken at the Scottish Parliament (including a survey across the Parliament, helpline, information on reporting instances etc) and how it had worked with external organisations in developing this approach. He also highlighted the inquiry being taken forward by the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee and the establishment of a Joint Working Group of Parliament officials and MSPs.

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77. The MNAs spoke about the Assembly’s Policy on preventing and managing situations involving harassment in the workplace which it had brought into effect in 2015. This policy has also come about through the creation of a working group. While no survey had been undertaken to date consideration is being given to this. A campaign was being prepared by the Assembly to increase awareness across the organisation and presentations would be held with staff. A survey is to be undertaken to gauge understanding of this issue, confidence in existing policies and approaches, how to make a complaint, where to go for further information etc. The Presiding Officer had previously provided information to the Assembly on the Scottish Parliament approach and of the survey which it had undertaken.

78. There was also discussion around the formal role of the Assembly’s HR Office (in formally considering complaints (there were no statistics on the number)) and the process of mediation, perhaps involving an external third party, which was offered following complaints.

79. The Policy document has been shared with the secretariat to the Scottish Parliament’s Joint Working Group. Updates on the Assembly’s campaign have also been sought.

Circle of Women Parliamentarians 80. The delegation met with Mrs Maryse Gaudreault MNA, Vice-President of the National Assembly and President of the Cercle des Femmes Parlementaires (Circle of Women Members of the National Assembly) on preventing and managing situations of sexual harassment in the National Assembly and the work of the Circle of Women Parliamentarians.

81. The Cercle was established in 2010 to bring together the female Members as a forum for reflection and sharing experiences to better equip them to play their scrutiny and legislative roles. Its objectives are to:

• encourage the free flow of ideas and create a venue for non-partisan exchange on all issues involving women or of particular concern to women parliamentarians • equip women Members with the best possible tools and practices for their role as parliamentarians

82. It has adopted guiding principles which set out its mandate and operating procedures and govern its actions and powers. It is administered by a five-member select committee. In addition to its Chair, the committee includes a member from each political party in the Assembly, chosen by their peers within each party.

83. There was strong interest in the work of the Circle (which the delegation discussed further with other Assembly Members at a later meeting). The delegation was particularly interested in learning about:

• how it operates, how often it meets, its budget and staffing support • how it sets and achieves objectives

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• how it develops a work programme and agrees what issues to consider and how • whether it has any formal involvement in the proceedings of the Assembly and whether there are opportunities to link its work, through the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Québec Branch, into the work of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians

84. One approach taken by the Circle is to invite external ‘experts’ to come and discuss policy or other issues which can then enhance understanding of the possible impact on women. Circle Members have given evidence before Assembly committees. Working in an objective, non-partisan way has helped promote the reputation of the Circle and its role.

85. Further information about the Circle was provided to officials. The delegation has since discussed the option of creating a similar ‘Circle’ for female MSPs, and agreed to consider whether the CPA Women Parliamentarians group might be a good outlet in the first instance.

Current affairs 86. The delegation met with Jean-François Lisée MNA, Leader of the Official Opposition, for a discussion on parliamentary and political events in Scotland and Québec. It separately met with MNA of the Coalition avenir Québec Party for a similar discussion on parliamentary and political events in Scotland and Québec.

Wednesday 11 April 2018

87. The delegation transferred to Washington DC.

Office of the Mayor 88. The delegation’s first meeting, the first of several relating to issues of relevance to the Scottish Futures Forum was with Troy Icenhour, Program Director for Federal Shared Services and other officers from the Office of the Mayor. The focus of the discussion was on the city’s ‘Smarter DC’ initiative and ‘DC-Net Citywide Communications Network’.

89. The officers set out the interagency effort to explore how smart city technology (intelligent city infrastructure, connected devices, sensors and data analytics) can improve quality of life for residents, enhance economic growth and address city challenges. They explained the collaborative approach involving partnerships between city agencies, the federal government, universities, business improvement districts, the tech community, advisory neighbourhood commissions and other stakeholders.

90. They also explained DC-Net’s mission which is to:

• deliver cost effective, reliable, value added and secure data and telecommunicaion services within the District, with a focus on services to public safety, education, healthcare, and government operations

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• improve access to affordable broadband services to District residents and businesses particularly in underserved areas

91. The officers then gave some examples of smart city technology in practice:

• Pennsylvania Avenue 2040 which will create a smart city prototype solution that inspires cross-domain participation/sharing and guides future smart city initiatives in terms of scalability, sustainability, and investments • Waste Management Pilot which will identify to what degree advanced sensor technology integrated into the city’s street side waste containers could make waste collection more efficient and improve services to residents • ParkDC Pilot which will manage and regulate the city’s curbside and parking assets through demand-responsive parking pricing with a goal of effective parking turnover that has a positive effective on traffic congestion (this would alert people to where empty parking spaces were available) • Intelligent Lighting Public-Private Partnership (P3) which will transition the City’s 75,000+ street lights to more energy efficient LED, remote monitoring/control, and potential of expanding public Wi-Fi services 92. The broad discussion centered on issues relating to governance, which was a core function of the Office of Mayor, in relation to cross agencies, organisational structures, planning and funding/investments (e.g. public-private-partnerships). The issue of privacy and citizen engagement was also discussed. Citizen engagement would also be crucial in not only allaying concerns around privacy and safety but in creating a two-way relationship to explain the advantages and benefits which this work would bring to their day to day lives.

93. Information shared with the delegation has been forwarded to officials at the Scottish Futures Forum. They will communicate with DC officers as and when smart city matters are discussed by the Forum.

Bipartisan Policy Centre 94. The delegation met with Michele Stockwell, Executive Director, Timothy Shaw, Senior Policy Analyst, Michael Thorning, Senior Policy Analyst, and Jordan LaPier, Press Secretary.

95. The Bipartisan Policy Centre (BPC) is ‘a non-profit organisation that combines the best ideas from both parties to promote health, security, and opportunity for all Americans. BPC drives principled and politically viable policy solutions through the power of rigorous analysis, painstaking negotiation, and aggressive advocacy. Its Democracy Project is designed to keep “its finger on the pulse of American government, examining trends and advancing ideas for reform in areas from public service and election administration to the inner workings of Congress”’.

96. There was discussion on the outcomes from the BPC’s Healthy Congress Index which was an analysis of the 115th Congress. This provides ‘crucial metrics for evaluating Congress’s ability to effectively legislate and govern and compares the data against past congresses’.

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97. The main areas of discussion were:

• the work and findings of the BPC's Democracy Project and, in particular, the Evidence-Based Policymaking Initiative task force and the Commission on Political Reform • the methods used by the BPC to interact with political and legislative bodies • the work it has done in developing a culture of 'non-tribal' politics and civic engagement in the political and parliamentary process • how it identifies areas of interest and who/what drives its policy focus • its approach to future policy planning and thinking • the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies

98. The BPC spoke of the interaction it has with members of Congress in helping to develop policy ideas or broaden understanding of existing policy initiatives. This can be helpful in helping to ‘shape’ better legislation and in getting people to think more about the long term impacts (which is why consensus and balance was crucial to taking initiatives forward). The BPC can also work across parties, for example in supporting members on congressional committees, in developing and explaining policy.

99. The BPC also seeks to publicise its work through the media and to present balanced, impartial, factual analysis. Getting issues on to the radar of media and the wider public can assist in these matters then getting to a political level in Congress.

100. The Presiding Officer spoke of the policy analysis undertaken by committees and of the need to maintain and develop the parliamentarian role of MSPs, particularly when scrutinising legislation.

101. The BPC reports on evidence based policy making have been made available to officials supporting the Scottish Futures Forum.

Thursday 12 April 2018

National Democratic Institute 102. The delegation were guests at a breakfast seminar organised by the National Democratic Institute (NDI). They met with Ken Wollack, President of the NDI, Shari Bryan, Vice President, and Scott Hubli. The seminar was attended by representatives of organisations with an interest in parliamentary strengthening as well as congressional aides.

103. The National Democratic Institute is a non-profit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organisation working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. Since its founding in 1983, NDI has worked with local partners in 132 countries and territories, bringing together individuals and groups to share ideas, knowledge, experiences and expertise. Partners receive broad exposure to best practices in international democratic development that can be adapted to the needs of their own countries. NDI’s multinational approach reinforces the message that while there is no single democratic model, certain core principles are shared by all democracies.

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104. The Presiding Officer outlined some of the Scottish Parliament’s international work, in particular in working with other legislatures across the world, through bodies such as the UNDP and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy on the issue of parliamentary strengthening. The Presiding Officer also drew attention to some engagement with the NDI in hosting visits of parliamentarians from Kyrgyzstan.

105. There was also a wider discussion on the founding principles and workings of the Scottish Parliament, its principles and approaches to legislative scrutiny, undertaking inquiries, outreach and engagement and other features of how the Parliament seeks to hold the Government to account.

106. Parliament officials have held further discussions with NDI officials and staff supporting the House Democracy Partnership on the scope for collaboration between the Scottish Parliament and NDI/HDP partners in the area of parliamentary strengthening.

Future of Privacy Forum 107. The delegation met with John Verdi, Vice-President of Policy, and other Forum staff. The FPF is a non-profit organization that ‘serves as a catalyst for privacy leadership and scholarship, advancing principled data practices in support of emerging technologies. FPF brings together industry, academics, consumer advocates, and other thought leaders to explore the challenges posed by technological innovation and develop privacy protections, ethical norms, and workable business practices.’

108. The main areas for discussion were:

• technological developments driven by big data and artificial intelligence, their effects on society and their challenges to regulators and legislators • what is happening now and what is likely to happen in the next ten years • how prepared people in the US are for those challenges and what we can learn and/or do differently • how to ‘keep ahead’ of the technology when considering ethics and privacy issues (particularly in relation to children) • the experience of a more ‘local’ approach, legislatively, to addressing privacy issues • what interactions the FPF has with political and legislative bodies • through its Education and Innovation Foundation, how the FPF educates the public about issues relating to data privacy • the recent introduction in the UK of general data protection requirements

109. The FPF spoke about its work around ethics and its support for new frameworks and standards to promote a more ethical use of data collected in corporate, non-profit, and other non-academic settings for scientific research. It was working with companies, civil society, and others to identify ethical challenges posed by algorithmic decision-making and artificial intelligence and to look for potential solutions to promote fairness and mitigate the risk of algorithmic discrimination.

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110. The FPF also spoke about its work around smart cities (which the delegation had discussed with the respective Offices of the Mayor in New York and DC) and the concerns around privacy, autonomy, and choice. It was working with public, private, and civil society leaders to identify best practices which might assist in how cities and local communities collect, manage, and use personal data to improve services. Its aim was to help individuals, local communities, and IT providers secure the benefits of a data-rich society while minimizing risks to individual privacy and civil liberties.

111. On privacy, it has launched a visual guide Shedding Light on Smart City Privacy to assist citizens, companies, and communities understand the technologies at the heart of smart city and smart community projects and their potential impact on privacy.

112. Reports given to the delegation have been forwarded to the officials at the Scottish Futures Forum. They will communicate with FPF officers as and when matters of interest and relevance are discussed by the Forum.

David Grosso, DC Council Member 113. The delegation met with Council Member David Grosso and his assistant Darby Hickey on the drugs policy of DC Council. Drugs policy was a matter which had been discussed at a meeting of the Scottish Futures Forum so this was a useful opportunity to hear about alternative approaches being taken elsewhere.

114. The discussion was largely focused on Initiative 71 and the marijuana laws in DC which came into force, following a referendum, in February 2015. This made it legal:

• for adults aged 21 and older to possess two ounces or less of marijuana • grow (with their residence) up to six plants (no more than three of which are mature) • transfer one ounce or less of marijuana to another person as long as no money, goods, services are exchanged and the recipient is aged 21 or older • to consume marijuana on private property

115. There was reference to the high number of arrests for marijuana possession, which was not impacting on overall drug reduction, and the financial impact through, for example, policing and enforcement. This had raised discussion on drug policy, and in particular on marijuana possession on to the political agenda at all levels up to the Mayor. Mention was made of the public pressure on Council Members to support the legislation which brought in this Initiative.

116. One argument used to gain support for the measure was to highlight that support for this was not ‘pro-drugs’ or to say that ‘drugs are good’ but was recognising that a different approach was required. There were socio economic arguments to decriminalise. There was also evidence to demonstrate that where marijuana has been decriminalised then opiate addiction has decreased.

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117. It was recognised that the police often approached the issue by tackling illegal drug use which the Council Member considered was not viable. However, the police did not express a view during the referendum campaign.

118. Mr Grosso also highlighted work he is now involved with around sex work legislation which he highlighted has direct links into the approach to tackling illegal drugs.

119. The discussions and the points made were of particular relevance to the Presiding Officer and Clare Haughey MSP as members of the Scottish Futures Forum and its interest and consideration of alcohol and drugs issues in Scotland.

Congressman John Duncan 120. The delegation visited Congress for a meeting with Congressman John Duncan. The Congressman is a former Chair of the Friends of Scotland Caucus. The delegation discussed with the Congressman his experience of how committees in the House of Representatives work; how they gather ‘evidence’ when conducting inquiries; how they engage with public, civic bodies etc; and what he sees as the core function of the House and how it fulfils this as a representative body.

121. There was also discussion on current political and policy issues in Scotland and of the strong historical connections between Scotland and the US.

Millennium Project 122. The delegation met with Jerome Glenn, CEO of the Millennium Project. This is an ‘independent non-profit think tank composed of futurists, scholars, decision- makers, and business planners, which focuses on the future’.

123. It publishes an annual State of the Future report, including the 15 Global Challenges which include:

• sustainable development and climate change • population and resources • global foresight and decision-making • global convergence of ICT • rich-poor gap • health issues • education and learning • status of women • energy • science and technology

124. These were areas of interest to the work of the Scottish Futures Forum. In particular, the discussion centred around:

• how the Millennium Project produces its work • what guides its approach and how it engages with elected representatives/legislatures both at state and national level

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• what Scotland might look to do to make sure its decision making is as future- proofed as possible

125. There was discussion around the Project’s State of the Future Index which ‘is an indication of the 10-year outlook for the future, based on historical data of selected variables for the previous 20 or more years and on judgments about the best and worst plausible 10-year outcomes for each variable’ and assess the consequencies of different policies.

126. It was suggested that this might be a useful approach in Scotland, to develop some form of index which assesses the best and worst case impacts of government policies e.g. that introduced through legislation passed by the Parliament. One suggestion made was for legislation to include a ‘foresight provision’.

127. Reference was made to the Committee of the Future which sits in the Finnish Parliament which, it was suggested, might be a useful example for the Scottish Futures Forum to consider. The Committee’s mission is to ‘generate dialogue with the government on major future problems and opportunities’.

128. Further consideration will be given to this suggestion by Scottish Futures Forum officials.

129. In addition to the discussion on the need to have systems in place which identify and assess the long term impacts of policies, there was talk about the need for clear communication lines between people involved in this type of work. There was also discussion around the 15 Global Challenges, identified by the Project on the local and global prospects for humanity and which will require collaborative action across governments, international organisations, business, universities, NGOs, and individuals. Some of these Challenges relate to meeting rising energy demands, the threat from new and reemerging diseases, population growth.

130. Reports given to the delegation have been forwarded to officials at the Scottish Futures Forum.

Friday 13 April 2018

Congressional Budget Office: 131. The delegation met with Keith Hall, Director; Mark Hadley, Deputy Director; Bob Sunshine, Senior Advisor; Deborah Kilroe, Associate Director for Communications.

132. The CBO, since 1975, ‘has produced independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process. Each year, the agency’s economists and budget analysts produce dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed legislation. CBO is strictly nonpartisan; conducts objective, impartial analysis; and hires its employees solely on the basis of professional competence without regard to political affiliation. CBO does not make policy recommendations, and each report and cost estimate summarizes the methodology underlying the analysis. Learn more about CBO’s commitment to objectivity and transparency. CBO’s work follows processes specified in the

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Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (which established the agency) or developed by the agency in concert with the House and Senate Budget Committees and the Congressional leadership.’

133. The delegation was interested to discuss the parallels to the role and workings of the CBO and the Scottish Parliament’s Financial Scrutiny Unit (FSU) within the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. The FSU provides independent analysis and briefings to Parliament committees and individual Members on budgetary trends and issues, including independent costing of specific spending proposals, and providing research on all areas of the economy and public finances as they affect the Scottish Government and Parliament.

134. The main areas for discussion were:

• products produced by the CBO • use made of the CBO by the Speakers in Congress and elected representatives • its relations with media and the recognition of what it does • how it develops and maintains impartial relations with politicians • new initiatives around infographics • its relations with academia and external organisations in both the public and private sector • how it maintains and develops expertise amongst its research staff • any broad recommendations for the FSU as a young, smaller CBO-type institution

135. Key points were made about the ‘legitimacy’ of the CBO and how highly it is regarded. This will stem from the approach it takes to fulfilling its role and undertaking its work. For example, its work with academia through its panel of financial advisors, ‘informal relationship’ with government which can allow it to access data and its discussions with the leaderships in both main parties in Congress on what their priorities are. In some ways, it sees itself as a ‘referee’ in producing impartial, factual analysis. The CBO also undertakes comparative forecasting with blue chip companies which helps support the reports it then publishes.

136. Its relationship with the public was also important and the CBO seeks to broaden understanding of government spend, budgets, fiscal matters etc through the work it produces. One way is through an increasing use of infographics (something the delegation pointed out the FSU was also making more use of). It attendance at congressional budget hearing also allows an opportunity for the CBO to highlight it work and reinforce it neutral position.

137. Contact between the FSU and CBO already existed through informal and formal networking channels. Material shared with the delegation has been passed to the FSU, which has subsequently made contact with the CBO to discuss opportunities to collaborate eg in developing infographic tools.

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International Labour Organisation: 138. The delegation met with Kevin Cassidy, Director and Representative to the Bretton Woods and Multilateral Organizations.

139. The main areas of discussion, of relevance to the work of the Scottish Futures Forum, were around:

• work the ILO has done on the future of work, in developed countries in particular and what are the key messages of its work • what visions or scenarios the ILO has of the world of work in 2030 • how could and should countries be preparing for the changes on their way • how the ILO works with political and legislative bodies

140. An overview was given of how the ILO works, its funding, which organisations and countries it works with etc. There was a detailed discussion around the issue of ‘decent work’ (‘opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men’).

141. Mention was made of increased attention being given to this issue following the financial crash in 2008. The UN has integrated elements of this into its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

142. Johann Lamont MSP spoke of her interest in this issue and its relevance to the work of the Education and Skills Committee and the Cross Party group on Skills. There was wider discussion around the ‘casualisation of the economy’ and the work which the ILO is doing with employers to tackle this and the consequencies for the wider economy but also in relation to the affordability and access to housing, pensions and other issues.

143. The Presiding Officer asked what support the ILO gives to producing research, for example, a comparative analysis between Scotland and other economies (particularly devolved) in relation to decent work.

144. Parliament officials have had a follow up discussion with ILO officials in Geneva on the scope to commission comparative research from the ILO on labour market performance and the impact of automation on skills. This will be of value to the future consideration of skills by the Scottish Futures Forum and the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee.

145. The delegation departed Washington DC to return home.

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Programme

Thursday 5 April 2018 • Depart Edinburgh • Arrive New York

Friday 6 April 2018 • New York Stock Exchange • Office of the Mayor Chief Technology Office • UN Women • Scottish Universities Alumni reception

Saturday 7 April 2018 • St Andrews Kirkin’ of the Tartan service • Bryant Park: Pipes and Drums • Tartan Day Parade • Transfer to Quebec City

Sunday 8 April 2018 (Québec City) • St Patrick’s Church Service

Monday 9 April 2018 (Québec City) • François Arsenault, Director General for Parliamentary Affairs • Jean-François Routhier, Québec Commissioner of Lobbying • President Jacques Chagnon MNA • Ministry of Education officials • President Jacques Chagnon MNA and Members of the CPA Québec section • Nick Gamache, Radio Canada

Tuesday 10 April 2018 (Québec City) • Members of the National Assembly of Quebec • Mrs Rita Lc de Santis MNA, Chair, and Members, of the Culture and Education Committee • Delegation introduced during Question Period • Guided tour of the National Assembly • Mrs Maryse Gaudreault MNA, Vice-President of the National Assembly and President of the Cercle des Femmes Parlementaires • Jean-François Lisée MNA, Leader of the Official Opposition • Benoit Charette MNA, Coalition avenir Québec Party

Wednesday 11 April 2018 (Québec City & Washington DC) • Office of the Mayor • Bipartisan Policy Centre

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Thursday 12 April 2018 (Washington DC) • National Democratic Institute • Future of Privacy Forum • DC Council Committee on Health • Congressman John Duncan • Millennium Project

Friday 13 April 2018 (Washington DC and departure) • Congressional Budget Office • International Labour Organisation • Depart Washington Dulles Airport

Saturday 14 April 2018 (home) • Arrive Edinburgh Airport

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