DOCSLIB.ORG

Meeting of the Parliament

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Meeting of the Parliament MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT Thursday 23 March 2000 Volume 5 No 10 £5.00 Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 2000. Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to the Copyright Unit, Her Majesty‘s Stationery Office, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ Fax 01603 723000, which is administering the copyright on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Produced and published in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by The Stationery Office Ltd. Her Majesty‘s Stationery Office is independent of and separate from the company now trading as The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body publications. CONTENTS Thursday 23 March 2000 Debates Col. INFRASTRUCTURE (PUBLIC INVESTMENT) ........................................................................................................... 881 Motion—[Fiona Hyslop]—moved. Amendment—[Ms Alexander]—moved. Amendment—[Miss Goldie]—moved. Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP) .................................................................................................................... 881 The Minister for Communities (Ms Wendy Alexander) ................................................................................ 888 Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con) ........................................................................................... 893 Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD) ............................................................................................. 897 John Scott (Ayr) (Con) ................................................................................................................................. 901 Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP) .................................................................................................... 903 Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab)............................................................................................................... 905 Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP) ............................................................................................ 907 Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) ...................................................................................................... 909 Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP) ................................................................................................... 911 Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) .............................................................................................. 913 Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP) ....................................................................... 915 Mr Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab) .............................................................................................................. 916 Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP) .............................................................................................. 918 Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab) ...................................................................................................... 919 Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP) .................................................................................................... 921 Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con) ........................................................................................ 923 Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab) .................................................................................................... 925 Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP) ................................................................................................... 927 Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab) ........................................................................................... 928 Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP) .......................................................................................... 930 Mr John Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD) .............................................................................. 931 Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con) ................................................................................................. 933 The Deputy Minister for Children and Education (Peter Peacock) .............................................................. 937 Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 941 BUSINESS MOTION ............................................................................................................................................ 946 Motion—[Iain Smith]—agreed to. QUESTION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 948 FIRST MINISTER’S QUESTION TIME .................................................................................................................... 965 POINTS OF ORDER ............................................................................................................................................ 973 GENETIC MODIFICATION SCIENCE ...................................................................................................................... 975 Motion—[Susan Deacon]—moved. Amendment—[Mr MacAskill]—moved. Amendment—[Alex Johnstone]—moved. Amendment—[Robin Harper]—moved. The Minister for Health and Community Care (Susan Deacon) .................................................................. 975 Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP) ......................................................................................................... 979 Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con) .............................................................................................. 982 Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green) ................................................................................................................. 985 Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD) ....................................................................................................................... 987 Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab) ................................................................................................. 989 Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) .................................................................................. 990 Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD) ...................................................................................................................... 992 Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 994 Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP) ......................................................................................... 995 Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab) .............................................................................................................. 997 Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green) ................................................................................................................. 999 Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con) ................................................................................................ 1000 Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP) ......................................................................... 1002 The Minister for Rural Affairs (Ross Finnie) .............................................................................................. 1003 SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION ........................................................................................................................... 1007 Motion—[Mr McCabe]—moved. POINTS OF ORDER .......................................................................................................................................... 1008 DECISION TIME ............................................................................................................................................... 1011 BUS CORRIDORS (GLASGOW) ......................................................................................................................... 1023 Motion—[Bill Aitken]—debated. Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con) ....................................................................................................................... 1023 Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab) .............................................................................................. 1025 Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP) ........................................................................................................... 1026 Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab) .................................................................................................... 1027 Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD) ................................................................................................................... 1028 Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab) .................................................................................................... 1029 Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 1029 The Minister for Transport and the Environment (Sarah Boyack) ............................................................. 1031 Oral Answers Col. QUESTION TIME SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE ...............................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Scottish Parliament Report
    European Committee 3rd Report, 2002 Report on the Inquiry into the Future of Cohesion Policy and Structural Funds post 2006 SP Paper 618 £13.30 Session 1 (2002) Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 2002. Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to the Copyright Unit, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ Fax 01603 723000, which is administering the copyright on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Produced and published in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by The Stationery Office Ltd. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office is independent of and separate from the company now trading as The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body publications. European Committee 3rd Report, 2002 Report on the Inquiry into the Future of Cohesion Policy and Structural Funds post 2006 European Committee Remit and membership Remit: 1. The remit of the European Committee is to consider and report on- (a) proposals for European Communities legislation; (b) the implementation of European Communities legislation; and (c) any European Communities or European Union issue. 2. The Committee may refer matters to the Parliamentary Bureau or other committees where it considers it appropriate to do so. 3. The convener of the Committee shall not be the convener of any other committee whose remit is, in the opinion of the Parliamentary Bureau, relevant to that of the Committee. 4. The Parliamentary Bureau shall normally propose a person to be a member of the Committee only if he or she is a member of another committee whose remit is, in the opinion of the Parliamentary Bureau, relevant to that of the Committee.
    [Show full text]
  • Spice Briefing
    MSPs BY CONSTITUENCY AND REGION Scottish SESSION 1 Parliament This Fact Sheet provides a list of all Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who served during the first parliamentary session, Fact sheet 12 May 1999-31 March 2003, arranged alphabetically by the constituency or region that they represented. Each person in Scotland is represented by 8 MSPs – 1 constituency MSPs: Historical MSP and 7 regional MSPs. A region is a larger area which covers a Series number of constituencies. 30 March 2007 This Fact Sheet is divided into 2 parts. The first section, ‘MSPs by constituency’, lists the Scottish Parliament constituencies in alphabetical order with the MSP’s name, the party the MSP was elected to represent and the corresponding region. The second section, ‘MSPs by region’, lists the 8 political regions of Scotland in alphabetical order. It includes the name and party of the MSPs elected to represent each region. Abbreviations used: Con Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Green Scottish Green Party Lab Scottish Labour LD Scottish Liberal Democrats SNP Scottish National Party SSP Scottish Socialist Party 1 MSPs BY CONSTITUENCY: SESSION 1 Constituency MSP Region Aberdeen Central Lewis Macdonald (Lab) North East Scotland Aberdeen North Elaine Thomson (Lab) North East Scotland Aberdeen South Nicol Stephen (LD) North East Scotland Airdrie and Shotts Karen Whitefield (Lab) Central Scotland Angus Andrew Welsh (SNP) North East Scotland Argyll and Bute George Lyon (LD) Highlands & Islands Ayr John Scott (Con)1 South of Scotland Ayr Ian
    [Show full text]
  • Msps Not Standing Or Not Returned in the 2003
    SESSION 1 MSPS NOT STANDING OR NOT Scottish RETURNED IN THE 2003 ELECTION Parliament Fact sheet A number of MSPs did not return to the Scottish Parliament in Session 2. They either did not stand for re-election or they stood as a candidate but were not re-elected. MSPs: Historical This fact sheets is divided into two sections. The first section lists Series those MSPs who stood for re-election but failed to win a seat. The second section lists those MSPs who were serving at the end of the 25 October 2005 first parliamentary session (31 March 2003) but chose not to stand for re-election. Abbreviations used: Con Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Ind Independent Lab Scottish Labour LD Scottish Liberal Democrats SNP Scottish National Party 1 MSPs that stood for re-election but failed to win a seat Brian Fitzpatrick Lab Strathkelvin & Bearsden Kenny Gibson SNP Glasgow Rhoda Grant Lab Highlands & Islands Iain Gray Lab Edinburgh Pentlands Keith Harding Con Mid Scotland & Fife John McAllion Lab Dundee East Irene McGugan SNP North East Scotland Lyndsay McIntosh Con Central Scotland Angus Mackay Lab Edinburgh South Fiona McLeod SNP West of Scotland Gil Paterson SNP Central Scotland Lloyd Quinan SNP West of Scotland Michael Russell SNP South of Scotland Dr Richard Simpson Lab Ochil Elaine Thomson Lab Aberdeen North Andrew Wilson SNP Central Scotland MSPs that did not stand for re-election Name Party Constituency or Region Colin Campbell SNP West of Scotland Dorothy-Grace Elder Ind Glasgow Dr Winnie Ewing SNP Highlands & Islands Duncan Hamilton SNP Highlands & Islands Ian Jenkins LD Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale Rt Hon Henry McLeish Lab Central Fife Rt Hon Sir David Steel KBE LD Lothians Kay Ullrich SNP West of Scotland Ben Wallace Con North East Scotland John Young OBE Con West of Scotland Scottish Parliament Fact sheet 2 Contacting the Public Information Service For more information you can visit our website at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk or contact the Public Information Service.
    [Show full text]
  • Download (14MB)
    https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ Theses Digitisation: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/research/enlighten/theses/digitisation/ This is a digitised version of the original print thesis. Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Politics, Pleasures and the Popular Imagination: Aspects of Scottish Political Theatre, 1979-1990. Thomas J. Maguire Thesis sumitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Glasgow University. © Thomas J. Maguire ProQuest Number: 10992141 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10992141 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
    [Show full text]
  • Cera: Lcaguc <Gg
    No. 133 Spring / Summer 2006 €4.00 Stg. £3.00 • Super Casino Threat in Scotland • Diwan - Partners of Breizh Council • Jailed for Welsh Language • Irish Language News • Stannary Appeal to Europe • Newodhow • Jamys y Cowle R.I.P. • The Great Deception - Can the EU Survive? ' \ 0 \ i e , \ z L ) ALBA: AN COMANN CEILTEACH “ " w BREIZH: AR KEVRE KELTIEK CYMRU: YR UNDEB CELTAIDD ÉIRE: AN CONRADH CEILTEACH KERNOW: AN KESUNYANS KELTEK MANNIN: YN COMMEEYS CELTIAGH cera: lcaguc <gg Summary Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnell has called for a debate on establishing an official national anthem for Scotland. This Alb a opinion was put forward during the Commonwealth Games which uses the cringe worthy Scotland the Brave as Scotland's anthem as opposed to Flower of Scotland which is used at football and rugby matches and is more widely recognised as the Deasbad air Oran Nàiseanta do dh’Alba national anthem. In addition to these options, several other songs have been suggested as Tha feum air deasbad air dé an t-óran possibilities. Alternatively a brand new náiseanta oifigeil a bu choir a bhith aig Alba anthem might be chosen. a réir a’ Phriomh Mhinistear, Seac MacConnail BPA. Nochd am beachd seo arms a’ Mháirt nuair a bha Geamaichean a’ Cho-fhlaitheis a’ dol air adhart arm an Astráilia. Ged a thathar a’ Gaelic Spellchecker launched cleachdadh Fliir na h-Alba mar oran náiseanta aig geamaichean rugbaidh is ball- A Gaelic spellchecker has been produced coise is tachartasan spórs eile mar as ábhaist, by the European Language Initaitive, the thathar a’ cleachdadh Scotland the Brave same team which created Faclair na mar oran náiseanta aig geamaichean a’ Cho- Parlamaid, the official Gaelic-English fhlaitheis.
    [Show full text]
  • SLR I24.Indd
    scottishleftreviewIssue 24 September/October 2004 Contents Comment ........................................................2 A new vision for a model parliament............12 John McAllion Feedback.........................................................4 Profit and Parliament ...................................14 Briefing ...........................................................5 David Miller Was this the settled will?................................6 Afraid of the bathroom mirror......................16 Derrick Whyte Susan Deacon New parliament, new view .............................8 Opposing but not imposing...........................18 Jim and Margaret Cuthbert Rob Gibson Silence built in ..............................................10 The ideas leaders..........................................20 Chris Thomson Lorna Bett The only mistake here is to believe that these diagnoses are Comment somehow unlinked or even mutually exclusive. In fact, these things are all true and all contribute to and feed off each other. f you stop and think about it, it makes no sense that a minute But why should this have happened? A suspicious Parliament Ibefore midnight on a friend’s birthday we studiously don’t cry has been created and this is in part because of the problem happy birthday; we do this because if we didn’t choose arbitrary of proximity. If you remove the Tories from the equation the moments to stop and take stock then we probably wouldn’t stop political parties in Scotland form an almost seamless strand to take stock at all. So it may be nothing more than a moving of political positions which moves across a comparatively of the furniture but the move to the Scottish Parliament’s new compact area of land between the left and the centre left. So Holyrood building feels like it could have the potential to be in a context in which the political parties think they have no some sort of fresh start.
    [Show full text]
  • Issue 3 Crime and Punishment Devolution Travel
    The Best of 25 Years of the Scottish Review Issue 3 Crime and Punishment Devolution Travel Edited by Islay McLeod ICS Books To Kenneth Roy, founder of the Scottish Review, mentor and friend, and to all the other contributors who are no longer with us. First published by ICS Books 216 Liberator House Prestwick Airport Prestwick KA9 2PT © Institute of Contemporary Scotland 2020 Cover design: James Hutcheson All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978-1-8382831-2-4 Contents Crime and Punishment 1 Dancing with a stranger Magnus Linklater (1996) 2 Insider George Chalmers (1999) 11 Alice's year Fiona MacDonald (1999) 16 Anne Frank and the prisoners Paula Cowan (2009) 23 She took her last breath handcuffed to a guard Kenneth Roy (2013) 26 The last man to be hanged in Scotland returns to haunt us Kenneth Roy (2014) 29 Inside the Vale Prisoner 65595 (2016) 32 The truth about knife crime Kenneth Roy (2016) 36 Crack central Maxwell MacLeod (2016) 39 Rape, and the men who get away with it Kenneth Roy (2017) 42 Polmont boys Kenneth Roy (2017) 44 Spouses who kill Kenneth Roy (2018) 47 Still banging them up Kenneth Roy (2018) 50 The death in prison of Katie Allan Kenneth Roy (2018) 53 Fear and loathing in the gym Kenneth Roy (2018) 55 In defence of 'not proven' verdicts Alistair R
    [Show full text]
  • Scottish Parliament Elections
    RESEARCH PAPER 99/50 Scottish Parliament 8 SEPTEMBER 1999 Elections: 6 May 1999 This paper presents a summary of the results of the first elections to the Scottish Parliament which took place on 6 May 1999. The paper gives information on voting patterns and turnout for Scotland as a whole and for constituencies and electoral regions. This revised edition of the paper includes figures on second votes by constituency. The data used are taken from returns made by returning officers rather than press reports. Readers may also be interested in Research Paper 99/51 which covers the elections to the Welsh Assembly and Research Paper 99/52 which looks at the local elections in Great Britain. Bryn Morgan SOCIAL AND GENERAL STATISTICS SECTION HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY Recent Library Research Papers include: 99/35 The Control of High Hedges 25.03.99 99/36 The Right to Buy 30.03.99 99/37 Economic Indicators 01.04.99 99/38 Genetically Modified Crops and Food 31.03.99 99/39 The Health Bill [HL] [Bill 77 of 1998-99] 08.04.99 99/40 The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill [HL] [Bill 74 of 1998-99] 14.04.99 99/41 The Football (Offences and Disorder) Bill [Bill 17 of 1998-99] 14.04.99 99/42 The Road Haulage Industry: costs and taxes 19.04.99 99/43 Disability Rights Commission Bill [HL] [Bill 73 of 1998-99] 20.04.99 99/44 Unemployment by Constituency - March 1999 21.04.99 99/45 Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Bill [Bill 18 of 1998-99] 22.04.99 99/46 Local Elections - Proposals for Reform 28.04.99 99/47 Economic Indicators 04.05.99 99/48 Kosovo: Operation "Allied Force" 29.04.99 99/49 The Northern Ireland (Location of Victims' Remains) Bill 07.05.99 [Bill 92 of 1998-99] Research Papers are available as PDF files: • to members of the general public on the Parliamentary web site, URL: http://www.parliament.uk • within Parliament to users of the Parliamentary Intranet, URL: http://hcl1.hclibrary.parliament.uk Library Research Papers are compiled for the benefit of Members of Parliament and their personal staff.
    [Show full text]
  • Europe Matters Issue 6 Dec-00
    Europe Matters Issue 6 Dec-00 Welcome Editorial Welcome to the 6th issue of Europe Matters – the electronic newsletter of the Scottish Parliament’s European Committee. Since I last wrote, the Committee has been extremely busy. As well as carrying out our usual role of carefully scrutinising European documentation, we have among other things: • Produced reports on subjects as diverse as Structural Funds, Scottish Aquaculture and Football Transfers • Met Commissioners Franz Fischler, Michel Barnier and Anna Diamantopoulou on their visits to Scotland • Met the Ambassadors of Sweden and Germany • Forged links with the Committees responsible for European issues in Westminster, Wales and Northern Ireland • Attended the inaugural meeting of the Scottish Executive’s European Structural Funds Forum • Began laying the groundwork for two major Committee Inquiries. Firstly on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and secondly on what the EU means to the people of Scotland • Called for evidence on the issue of Structural Funds applications There have also been changes in the make up of the Committee. We say goodbye to Allan Wilson and Tavish Scott - who have been promoted to positions in the Scottish Executive. Also, Bruce Crawford, who will now be the SNP’s Transport Spokesperson and Dr Winnie Ewing who is taking up a position on the important Public Petitions Committee. I thank them for all their hard work on the committee and wish them well. As a consequence, we also welcome two new members from the SNP, Lloyd Quinan and Richard Lochhead. Finally, on behalf of the Committee and myself, have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Hugh Henry MSP All the news Funds, Football, Fish-farming - Committee issues 3 major reports We have recently published three major reports demonstrating the unique diversity of our remit.
    [Show full text]
  • Information to Users
    INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 UMI UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE QUESTIONS TO THE HRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND A Dissertation SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy BY JEFFERY J. GENTRY Norman, Oklahoma 2003 UMI Number: 3082962 UMI UMI Microform 3082962 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 © Copyright by Jeffery J.
    [Show full text]
  • Official Report to Be Forwarded to Them Should Give Notice at the Document Supply Centre
    EUROPEAN COMMITTEE Tuesday 26 March 2002 (Afternoon) Session 1 £5.00 Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 2002. Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to the Copyright Unit, Her Majesty‟s Stationery Office, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ Fax 01603 723000, which is administering the copyright on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. Produced and published in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by The Stationery Office Ltd. Her Majesty‟s Stationery Office is independent of and separate from the company now trading as The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body publications. CONTENTS Tuesday 26 March 2002 Col. ITEM IN PRIVATE .................................................................................................................................. 1405 EXECUTIVE BRIEFINGS ......................................................................................................................... 1406 WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE............................................................................................................ 1413 CONVENER’S REPORT .......................................................................................................................... 1416 EC/EU LEGISLATION (IMPLEMENTATION) ................................................................................................ 1420 SCRUTINY..........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Europe Matters Issue 10
    Issue 10 Europe Matters Jan-03 Welcome Editorial Welcome to Issue 10 of Europe Matters, the electronic newsletter of the Scottish Parliament’s European Committee. Since our previous edition, the Committee has organised two significant events – a major civic participation event, the Scottish Parliament Convention on the Future of Europe, and an important meeting with our sister committees from the Parliaments of Catalonia and Flanders, where NORPEC, the Network of Regional Parliamentary European Committees, was created. The Convention allowed people the length and breadth of Scotland – and across all age groups – the chance to debate in the Parliament’s Chamber their thoughts about the direction the European Union is heading and the challenges it faces as it moves towards enlargement. Far from being a “talking shop” the views expressed fed directly into the Committee’s follow up to its earlier Report on the Future of Europe. NORPEC, is a first step towards the various “European Committees” in ‘regional’ parliaments throughout the EU working more closely together. Our excellent links with our parliamentary colleagues in Catalonia and Flanders meant they were ideal partners to make these first more formal links with. Towards the close of the year, the Committee also finalised one inquiry and began work on another. Following work by my colleagues Helen Eadie and Ben Wallace who acted as Reporters for the Committee, we published a Report into Scotland's representation in the European Union –this will be of value to everyone who has an interest in Scotland and the EU and I hope it will lead to a distinct presence for the Scottish Parliament in Brussels.
    [Show full text]