Rural Development Committee, 11 Sep 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Official Report 154KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Rural Development Committee Tuesday 11 September 2001 (Afternoon)

[The Convener opened the meeting at 14:01]

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first Rural Development Committee meeting of the new term. The more astute among you will realise that there has been a change or two since last we met. It is only right that I pay tribute to my predecessor as convener of the committee—Alex Johnstone—and, if I may, I will do so briefly. For two years, he convened the committee ably and in a politically neutral fashion. I hope that I will at least be able to emulate that political neutrality in my time as convener. I look forward to as much of the support of members of the committee as possible in conducting committee business in a businesslike and mature manner. I look forward to working with you.

We are also about to welcome a new member of the committee. It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the member who has left—Mrs Margaret Ewing. Her contributions to the committee were always full and useful. Although we welcome the new member, we will miss Mrs Ewing's contributions.

Hear, hear.

It is nice to know that that view is shared by Mrs Ewing's husband—there is relief all round.

I am missing her already.