Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, 06 Dec 2000

Meeting date: Wednesday, December 6, 2000

Official Report 224KB pdf

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Europe Familiarisation Programme

The next item is the European Parliament familiarisation programme. I thank Simon Watkins for his work on this. The programme has been drawn together by the conveners group and by European Parliament people.

A detailed paper has been circulated on the programme. What it boils down to is this: the Scottish Parliament clearly has a role in establishing relationships with all European institutions, including the European Parliament. There is a need for continuing dialogue between the Scottish Parliament and its committees and the European Parliament. As has been clear from earlier discussions, a number of issues concern both institutions, and there is a need to exchange views and information.

The initial stage is a proposed familiarisation trip—in January, I believe—that will involve a representative of each committee. The visit will be paid for by the European Parliament, rather than by the Scottish Parliament, which makes the visit doubly attractive. We need to advise the conveners group whether we agree to send a representative, and if so, we must decide who that representative will be.

It was suggested previously that the representative might be you, Alex.

That is fine.

Margo MacDonald and I have already had the benefit of some European familiarisation.

Oh! She went to a brown cafe.

So did she.

Do members agree that I should be the committee's representative on the visit?

Members indicated agreement.

I have one point to make on the proposal. I looked through the itinerary of the visit and I note that two full days are planned for the European Parliament. Without being disrespectful to the European Parliament, after spending three years lobbying there, I think that it would be of interest to colleagues to concentrate more on the Commission and on UKRep, the Permanent Representation of the United Kingdom to the European Union. That is where the power is. With all due respect to the European Parliament, it is—

A waste of space.

John Home Robertson may well say that. Certainly, I did not accord a high priority to the European Parliament when it came to lobbying. The relationship between UKRep and Scotland House is the fundamental issue, and we must find out how ithat relationship is working—or, indeed, whether it is working.

Members indicated agreement.

Time for that is being set aside for all representatives. Given that the European Parliament is paying for the visit, it must find some time to—

I understand that, but it is so important to—

You are absolutely right, George. Time has been set aside.

Instead of going to the plenary session, you could go to one of the European Parliament's committees, convener. It is they who do the business with the other crowd—that is not for the Official Report.

Elaine Thomson and you can tell me which brown cafe is the best one to go to.

Margo is the expert on that.

Alex, when you are at it—

Could you rephrase that?

No, I will leave it like that. There is a lot to be said for making contact with equivalent committees of other devolved Parliaments—the Länder and the Spanish regions, for example. They will establish similar liaison. It is important to do that when the opportunity arises.

That is a useful suggestion. As agreed, the next item will be taken in private, which means that this is the end of the public session.

Meeting continued in private until 12:51.