Public Petitions Committee, 21 Sep 2009
Meeting date: Monday, September 21, 2009
Official Report
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Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee Monday 21 September 2009
[The Convener opened the meeting at 09:48]
Good morning. I thank everyone for coming along to what is scarily titled our 13th meeting of the year. Hopefully, it will be of benefit to us all.
I am Frank McAveety, the convener of the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee. To my right is John Farquhar Munro, the deputy convener, who kindly invited the committee to come to his constituency this morning.
Good morning. The idea of bringing the Public Petitions Committee to Alness grew from the fact that everyone considers the Public Petitions Committee to be the A team of the Parliament. This is it; you have got us here.
I am glad to see such a good turnout, and I hope that we will have a series of useful and constructive debates on the documents that are before us. For my part, I am proud that the Public Petitions Committee agreed to come and hold this meeting in Alness. This is historic—we are making history today. It is not often that something like this happens. You do not hear of Westminster taking its committees around the country to meet the public. We are delighted to do so, and we are glad to be here.
I think that John Farquhar Munro is deliberately trying to ensure that we get a warm welcome, just in case things get a bit more heated during the discussions.
For the benefit of members of the public, the committee members will now introduce themselves. As I said, I am Frank McAveety. I am a member of the Labour Party and I represent Glasgow Shettleston. My deputy convener is a member of the Liberal Democrats and represents this parliamentary constituency.
I am the Labour and Co-operative Party member for Glasgow Anniesland.
I am a member for North East Scotland, and I am also a member of the Labour Party.
I am a member of the Conservative party. Like Marlyn Glen, I represent North East Scotland.
I should say that I really appreciated getting the Highland welcome, with the pipes and everything, this morning. If we got that everywhere, we would develop delusions of grandeur.
I am a Scottish National Party member for Central Scotland.
Beside John Wilson is Mary Scanlon, an MSP who is not a member of the committee but is interested in some of the issues that the committee will deal with today.
I am a Highlands and Islands MSP. I am on the Health and Sport Committee, but the Public Petitions Committee has kindly allowed me to sit in on today's meeting—anonymously, of course.
I never say anonymously where you are concerned, Mary.
I want to put on record our thanks for the support that we have received from the academy. I particularly acknowledge the work of the headmaster, Mr MacIver, and the principal teacher of modern studies, Alex Ferrie, who have been keenly involved in some of the petitions that are before us today.
Later today, a number of pupils from other high schools will join us. With us already are representatives from schools in Dornoch, Dingwall, Tain and Invergordon. We welcome all the young people who have expressed an interest, as well as other residents of the areas around Alness who are keenly interested in the committee's business.
After a short lunch break, there will be a question-and-answer session. All of the members of the committee—as well as Mary Scanlon, if she is available—will be present for that.
All mobile phones and electronic devices should be switched off in case they interfere with the electronics and the broadcasting. I remind everyone that this meeting is being formally recorded by the Parliament. All contributions during the meeting will be published in the Official Report, and the question-and-answer session will also be recorded for the benefit of future years.