SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013 –14 Contents Foreword from the Presiding Officer 3 Parliamentary business 5 Committees 13 International engagement 20 Engagement with the public 22 Click on the links in the page headers to access more information about the areas covered in this report. This report covers the parliamentary year 11 May 2013 to 10 May 2014. Inside cover photographs (from top): Deputy Presiding Officer Elaine Smith MSP hosting the VisitScotland reception in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament, November 2013 A witness giving evidence to the Equal Opportunities Committee Pupils participating in the seventh St Andrew’s Day debate Deputy Presiding Officer John Scott MSP speaking at the Rowett Institute Centenary Lecture, September 2013 Produced and published in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP by APS Group Scotland, 21 Tennant Street, Edinburgh, EH6 5NA. © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 2014 Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website – www.scottish.parliament.uk/copyright or by contacting public information on 0131 348 5000. ISBN 978-1-78457-622-6 SP Paper Number 555 Web Only Session 4 (2014) www.scottish.parliament.uk/PresidingOfficer Foreword from the Presiding Officer Although past the half-way mark of this current parliamentary session, I am very happy to report that innovation remains a high priority throughout the Parliament. The reforms made to our sitting patterns are We introduced our Parliament Days last year, helping to make us more current and relevant, designed to get the Parliament out and about with Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and engage with local communities directly. now able to question Scottish ministers every We were delighted with the welcome we day that Parliament meets. Our new Topical received in Stirling, Arbroath and Dumbarton. Questions are covering key issues of public concern with immediacy, at the start of each We have also worked hard to bring exciting working week. major exhibitions to the Parliament building, in our quest to attract more and increasingly Our committees’ change programme is new visitors. The Great Tapestry of Scotland identifying fresh ideas for engagement through and Pop, Power and Politics, our highly committee evidence sessions, reports and acclaimed Andy Warhol exhibition, attracted social media. This year I was pleased to record numbers. Our recent Ryder Cup chair the first-ever session involving a First exhibition will build further on that. We are Minister, where he could be directly questioned working hard to ensure that visitors leave with by committee conveners about the Scottish a wider appreciation of what their Parliament is Government’s legislative programme. able to offer. So, whether you are an avid follower already or someone new to us, I hope you will enjoy this report on our activities. Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP 3 Scottish Parliament Annual Report 2012/13 2 1 1. Ruth Davidson MSP 2. Patrick Harvie MSP 3 3. Willie Rennie MSP 4. First Minister, the Rt Hon 4 5 Alex Salmond MSP 5. Johann Lamont MSP www.scottish.parliament.uk/Chamber Parliamentary business The Chamber is at the centre of parliamentary business, hosting meaningful and topical debates on a wide range of political issues, policy proposals and legislation. Weekly question time sessions, where members hold the First Minister and other Scottish ministers to account on current high-profile issues, tend to generate particularly lively debate. Introduction speed. Our current plans for reforms are not In late 2012, the Presiding Officer, the yet completed, with the Presiding Officer and Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP, launched a others now looking in more detail at how we package of reform measures that saw the might improve the work of the parliamentary Chamber sitting three afternoons a week – committees. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – with the committee meetings taking place in the The publication of the Scottish Government’s mornings of these days. The wide-reaching white paper Scotland’s Future has provided reforms also introduced more opportunities an added dimension to the debates in the for members to question and hold ministers Chamber in this reporting year. to account, with the introduction of Topical Questions on Tuesday afternoons. The Chamber Parliamentary debates, question times and These reforms have now bedded in and are the scrutiny of legislation are at the centre of beginning to bear fruit, with more scope for the Scottish Parliament’s work. Each week, in-depth scrutiny of Scottish ministers and MSPs take part in important and topical more possibilities for the Scottish Parliament debates on a wide range of political issues, as to respond to issues with greater flexibility and well as scrutinising the Scottish Government A meeting of the Parliament in the Chamber 5 www.scottish.parliament.uk/Chamber Debates Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP, chairing a The allocation of time in the Chamber is meeting of the Parliament shared between political parties on the basis of their respective share of seats. Each party decides on the subject matter for their debates. As the largest party, the Scottish National Party (SNP)-led Scottish Government has held the largest proportion of debates on a range of different subjects, including: ■ electricity market reform ■ Scotland’s railways ■ underemployment ■ reform of the Common Fisheries Policy ■ rehabilitation of offenders ■ the Commonwealth Games and their legacy ■ child poverty In addition to Government-led debates, opposition through questions to the First Minister and parties and members are entitled to a share of other Scottish ministers. Members also raise debating time in the Chamber, with 16 half-day their own issues through members’ business debates set aside each parliamentary year, debates, as do parliamentary committees shared proportionally depending on the through committee-initiated debates. number of seats held. Debates on a range of topics have taken place, including the following: The business of the Parliament is proposed ■ by the Parliamentary Bureau on a business ferry services ■ motion which, once approved, forms a rolling student support ■ programme of business for the coming cost of living ■ fortnight. Membership of the Bureau comprises the NHS in Scotland ■ the Presiding Officer, who chairs the meetings, living wage ■ along with one representative from each party Scotland’s finances ■ or grouping with five or more MSPs. corroboration ■ stop and search powers During this year, the Presiding Officer announced the sad deaths of David McLetchie Committee debates MSP, Helen Eadie MSP and Margo MacDonald Parliamentary committees can request time MSP. The Parliament also saw the resignation to hold a debate in the Chamber to highlight of Bill Walker MSP. Joining the Parliament, as issues and hold the Scottish Government to new members, were Christian Allard, Cameron account. Such debates need not take place Buchanan, Alex Rowley and Cara Hilton. solely at the conclusion of an inquiry and, The seat held by Margo MacDonald, as an recently, parliamentary committees have been independent MSP, remains vacant until the using their time in the Chamber to debate next Scottish election. subjects at different stages in their inquiries, 6 www.scottish.parliament.uk/Chamber for example, at the outset, rather than after ■ oncology at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary the publication of a final report. Committee ■ fan ownership of football clubs debates this year have included: Time for Reflection ■ Gypsy Travellers (Equal Opportunities The first item of business in the Chamber Committee) each week is Time for Reflection, which ■ access to new medicines (Health and gives people of different faiths and beliefs Sport Committee) the chance to share their thoughts with the ■ child exploitation (Public Petitions Committee) Parliament. Representatives from a range of ■ welfare reform (Welfare Reform Committee) religious groups and faiths, and individuals of no faith, who have taken part this year, include: Ministerial statements Scottish ministers can use the means of a ■ the Most Reverend Leo Cushley, Archbishop statement to the Parliament as one of the ways of St Andrews and Edinburgh of informing members about urgent matters or ■ Rt Rev Lorna Hood, Moderator of the to make announcements on policy. In the past General Assembly of the Church of Scotland year, ministerial statements have been made ■ Mrs Manjit Kaur Jheeta, Gurdwara Guru on a number of topics, including: Granth Sahib, Glasgow ■ Peter Kelly, Director, The Poverty Alliance ■ Independence white paper ■ Rabbi David Rose, Rabbi of the East (Scotland’s Future) of Scotland, executive member of ■ helicopter tragedies in the North Sea Interfaith Scotland and Glasgow ■ Trishna Singh, Director, Sikh Sanjog and ■ Grangemouth refinery Punjabi Junction Social Enterprise Project ■ Scottish Coal Industry Task Force ■ Vann Smith and Ciara Bradley, pupils of ■ climate change and annual emissions targets St Ambrose High School, Coatbridge, ■ Glasgow Prestwick Airport Scotland Malawi Project – Healthy Lifestyle ■ severe weather and planning for winter ■ Safa Yousaf, Schools Development Officer, Amina Muslim Women’s Resource Centre Members’ business Three times per week, individual MSPs can highlight issues that would not necessarily be given prominence during the main proceedings through members’ business debates.