European Committee, 10 Sep 2002

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 10, 2002

Official Report 249KB pdf

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Scottish Parliament Convention on the Future of Europe

The next item is discussion of the plans for the Scottish Parliament convention on the future of Europe. Members will recall that we agreed to organise the event for next Monday. Paper EU/02/10/2 sets out the programme for the convention. I would like to approve the paper and endorse the arrangements that the clerks have made.

Do members have comments to make on the paper, bearing in mind that there is not much time to change things, as the conference is on Monday? The committee clerks have had an onerous task over the recess and we thank them for their work.

A variety of organisations and many young people will attend and, as the programme shows, we have tried to make the day interesting so that people leave having enjoyed the event. There will be coffee breaks and lunch, so there will be many opportunities for people to engage with members of the public and for members of the public to engage with the speakers. The message that we want to send out is that we are here to welcome people to the Parliament and to hear what they have to say about the future of Europe.

We have tried to take on board what Dennis Canavan said about having a variety of venues and not expecting everyone to contribute in the chamber. We will break up into working parties and I am looking for volunteers to convene those groups. Dennis, would you be willing to convene a working party, as it was your suggestion?

Gotcha!

I will not be able to escape. Where are the titles of the working parties?

They are on page 8 of the paper. We have called them "breakout seminars" and the subjects are: first, "What should the European Union do and what should nation states or regions do?"; secondly, "How should the European Union be reformed?"; and thirdly, "Where does Scotland fit in and how should our institutions work with the European Union?"

If possible, I would like to attend the second seminar.

I thought that it would be good if you and Helen Eadie attended the third seminar.

I would like to attend the second seminar, because that is about the future of Europe.

Okay, perhaps Helen Eadie will go to the third seminar. Lloyd, do you want to do the first seminar?

Yes.

Dennis, do you have a preference?

The third seminar is my preference.

Perhaps the clerks could work out the options for the other members. Nora, do you want to choose a seminar now or would you prefer to speak to the clerks later?

If you would like to settle the issue now, I would be happy to attend the first or second seminar.

I am relaxed about which one I attend.

We will let the clerks work it out.

Do you want to do the first, Sarah, and I will do the second?

Yes, that is fine.

Okay. It would also be helpful if members would volunteer to convene the workshops. I will convene the morning session—the full plenary session—and John Home Robertson will do the afternoon session, so we are excused from convening the workshops. We will leave that to committee members. The clerks will work that out with members.

We are finalising the list of participants—the list in the paper is a draft. I am pleased about the number of young people who will attend, which is encouraging. Do members have any other comments? Do members agree to the paper?

Members indicated agreement.