European and External Relations Committee, 28 Sep 2004
Meeting date: Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Official Report
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Convener
I am pleased to say that item 2 is the selection of a new convener for the committee. The Parliamentary Bureau has agreed that the convener of the European and External Relations Committee will be a Scottish National Party nominee, and I understand that the nominee is Mr Swinney.
Mr John Swinney was chosen as convener.
I congratulate Mr Swinney and hand the chair over to him.
Thank you very much, Irene. I thank committee members for their support. I understand that the subject of my nomination was discussed a fortnight ago, when Mr Canavan and others had a great deal to say about it.
I am pleased to be here and look forward to enjoying the experience of convening the Parliament's European and External Relations Committee. It will be a formidable change from the terrain that I have occupied for the past four years of my life, but I look forward to convening the committee in a fashion that will bring together the strengths that I see within its membership in respect of subjects of importance to Scotland and a wider community.
I noticed that, at the conclusion of the committee's previous meeting, there was what was described as a bit of mutual back-slapping to congratulate Richard Lochhead on his term as convener, and I echo the remarks that were made by paying tribute to the work that he undertook as convener of the committee. My objective will be to ensure that that work is continued by drawing on the strengths of all members of the committee and ensuring that we make a substantial contribution to the debate about the roles of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government in the world, particularly in the European sphere that interests so many of us.