Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Scotland Branch “Contributing to the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy” REPORT OF THE SCOTLAND BRANCH 2018-19 1 Office-Bearers President: Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament Vice-Presidents: Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Scotland Rt Hon Ruth Davidson MSP Branch Executive Committee: Claire Baker MSP Stuart McMillan MSP Margaret Mitchell MSP Tavish Scott MSP Secretary: Margaret Neal MBE, International Relations Office Introduction 1. Welcome to the Annual Report of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Scotland Branch for the year 1 September 2018 to 30 September 2019. 2. The CPA connects, develops, promotes and supports parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of the enduring values of the Commonwealth. To achieve its goals the CPA collaborates with parliaments and other organisations, including the intergovernmental community. It brings parliamentarians and parliamentary staff together to exchange ideas among themselves and with experts in various fields, to identify benchmarks of good practices and new policy options they can adopt or adapt in the governance of their societies. 3. As a member of the CPA the Scotland Branch has the opportunity to participate and engage in plenary, regional conferences, seminars, visits and exchanges of delegations. The CPA's programmes and activities promote parliamentary democracy and co- operation with other networks and organisations dedicated to good governance. Programmes are aimed towards the achievement of goals including professional development, poverty reduction, support of human rights and Commonwealth promotion. The CPA, Commonwealth and the Scottish Parliament: 20 years 4. In line with the CPA’s mission to identify benchmarks of good practices CPA Scotland Branch has continued to work with and on behalf of Members of the Scottish Parliament to support the CPA by delivering innovative and effective capacity-building programmes for parliamentarians and officials. 5. On 4 May 2000 the Scottish Parliament approved motion S1M-789 which established a Scottish Parliament Branch of the CPA. Membership allowed Members of the Scottish Parliament, particularly in the early days, to promote the institution as a modern, dynamic democracy on an international stage. Over the past 20 years the Scotland Branch has delivered a wide range of programmes and conferences and attended similar events organised elsewhere. The reputation of the Scotland Branch has been good with Members who have engaged with the CPA earning respect and trust from their Commonwealth colleagues. The success of the Branch is dependent on the commitment, expertise and enthusiasm of its Members. 2 6. The following activities provide a flavour of the work undertaken under the auspices of the CPA Scotland Branch: • Around 450 inward visits from Commonwealth countries have been arranged for over 1,000 parliamentarians • Around 90 outward visits have taken place including Scotland Branch cross party delegation visits to other parliaments, seminars, conferences, election observing, post- election seminars and capacity building workshops • In 2001 and 2012 the CPA Scotland Branch hosted the British Islands and Mediterranean Region Annual Conference • In 2004 the Scotland Branch put forward “the Scotland Paper” which set out proposals (later adopted) to change the format of the regional conference to ensure shorter business focussed programmes. • Christine Grahame MSP was a member of the Working Group which produced guidance for parliaments on best practice for Freedom of Information • In February 2005 the Scotland Malawi relationship at a parliamentary level was established. A delegation of six MSPs visited South Africa and Malawi • In September 2005 the Scotland Branch began its three-year term as a member of the CPA International Executive Committee • In March 2006 the CPA Scotland Branch celebrated Commonwealth Week by inviting athletes from the 2006 Commonwealth Games team to visit the Parliament • The Scottish Parliament participated in a Working Group which produced the original CPA Benchmarks published in 2006 which comprised of 87 indicators • In October 2007 the Scottish Parliament hosted the 19th Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar • In October 2009 then Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP led a delegation to Australia and New Zealand to mark the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament and celebrate the Year of Homecoming • In 2010 Annie Lennox OBE became the Scotland Branch Special Envoy for Africa and HIV/AIDS • In March 2014 the Scotland Branch hosted the first British Islands and Mediterranean Region Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference Scottish Parliament’s International Strategy (SPIS) 7. The Scotland Branch is an important component of the Scottish Parliament’s international work. The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body agreed that the Parliament should continue, through the Scotland Branch, to participate and engage in CPA plenary, regional conferences, seminars, visits and exchanges of delegations which promote parliamentary democracy and co-operation with other networks and organisations dedicated to good governance. 8. This is done by seeking opportunities offered through by the CPA such as those of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region, the Commonwealth Plenary Conference and the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians to engage with parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth to discuss the key policy issues to benefit Members and the Scottish Parliament. Opportunities are also provided for Members to meet with inward delegations from other parliaments. 9. One of the key aspects of the Parliament’s international work is to develop relationships and share information with other parliaments and organisations and the CPA is an ideal 3 vehicle in which to support this. Such relationships provide opportunities for Members and staff to learn from the common experiences of other parliaments across the Commonwealth thereby supporting the continuous professional development of MSPs and officials through engagement with other legislatures. 10. The opportunities to collaborate with other Commonwealth parliaments have increased significantly this year. These opportunities provide the Scotland Branch with the means to provide interesting professional development opportunities for Members and enhance the Parliament’s reputation as a trusted partner by collaborating with other parliaments in the delivery of parliamentary strengthening programmes. CPA Scotland Branch highlights (including other Commonwealth related activities) • On 6 November 2018, Maurice Corry MSP met Dr Ahmad, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) to discuss the CWP and the role of the ‘male champion’ • Stuart McMillan MSP attend the CPA ExCo meetings in London and Ottawa as Acting Regional Representative • Steve Rodan, President of Tynwald, visited the Scottish Parliament with a delegation for a study visit to learn about scrutiny and outreach. • Jamie Greene MSP participated in a BIMR Election Observing Mission to the British Virgin Islands • Jackie Baillie MSP facilitated sessions at the CPA UK Overseas Territories Forum which took place in Miami • Kenneth Gibson MSP and Maureen Watt MSP delivered parliamentary strengthening workshops at the Namibian Parliament • Stuart McMillan MSP and Margaret Mitchell MSP attended the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Uganda The 48th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference 11. Claire Baker MSP, Stuart McMillan MSP, Margaret Mitchell MSP and Tavish Scott MSP along with over forty parliamentarians from more than thirteen Commonwealth countries and territories met in Guernsey to discuss the impact of ‘fake news’ and the media challenges for Parliamentarians and democracy. The 48th CPA BIMR Conference, was hosted by the States of Guernsey and CPA Guernsey Branch from 19 to 22 May 2019 in St Peter Port. Parliamentarians discussed the impact ‘fake news’ and digital disinformation on media freedoms in the Commonwealth and the importance of quality journalism in the reporting of parliamentary proceedings and elections. 4 Tavish Scott MSP, Margaret Mitchell MSP, Claire Baker MSP and Stuart McMillan MSP at the BIMR Conference, Guernsey 12. Guest speakers included Dr Victoria Nash, Senior Policy Fellow and Deputy Director of the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University; Rita Payne, Journalist and President Emeritus, Commonwealth Journalists Association; Professor Dr Horst Risse, Secretary- General of the German Bundestag; Victoria Schofield, Historian and Doug Wills, Managing Editor of The Evening Standard and The Independent. Other topics discussed included ‘No-platforming’ which is the practice of preventing someone from discussing their ideas by refusing them a platform either physically at an event or online via a website or social media. 13. Delegates also heard presentations on the CPA Secretariat’s roll-out to CPA Branches of self-assessment against the updated CPA Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures and the CPA UK Branch’s work on Commonwealth Election Observations. They were also briefed by the Secretariat on preparations for the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Uganda in September 2019. 14. The CWP BIMR held a meeting of the regional Steering Committee in the margins of the Guernsey conference at which