The Commonwealth
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-3449, in the name of Karen Gillon, on the Commonwealth at 60. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament commends the theme of Commonwealth Day 2009, the Commonwealth @ 60 serving a new generation, which highlights the importance to every nation of the understanding of and contribution to making improvements to lives, particularly those of young people, across the Commonwealth; notes that this also marks the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth and recognises the valuable role of the Commonwealth in strengthening relationships between nations across the world; welcomes the continued contribution of Scotland and its people to those relationships; reaffirms its support for the work of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and commends the CPA for its work to raise awareness on energy and climate change, human trafficking and all initiatives targeted at improving parliamentary democracy; also notes that, during the third session of the Parliament, the CPA Scotland branch continues to develop relationships with Malawi and other CPA branches; commends the Scottish Government for its continuing commitment to Malawi and other Commonwealth countries, and further notes Scotland's longstanding work throughout the Commonwealth.
It is my pleasure to open this evening's debate and, in doing so, to welcome the various visitors from many of our sister countries in the Commonwealth who are in the gallery. Particular mention should be made of the high commissioner of Sri Lanka, who I hope will convey the message that the thoughts and best wishes of all members of the Parliament are with the people of Sri Lanka and the members of its cricket team. We support them and their colleagues in Pakistan as they work together to catch those responsible for what can only be described as a terrible act of terrorism. Sport is something that brings people together, and I am confident that, in the long run, that will prevail.
There has been much debate this week about whether the Commonwealth is still relevant 60 years after its inception. I, for one, firmly believe that it is. In an increasingly interconnected world, the actions of one nation can have a profound effect for good or ill on another. Through the Commonwealth, we have an opportunity to share experiences, culture and values that enable us all to respond better to the issues that we face as parliamentarians.
When I visit countries in the Commonwealth, both officially and with my family, I am struck not only by the diversity of culture, language, climate and food, but, importantly, by our shared values. On our mace are inscribed the words used by my late colleague Donald Dewar when we opened our Parliament in 1999: wisdom, compassion, justice and integrity. Those were the values that he wanted this place to be about—values that I hope we have lived up to, but also values that are common with countries throughout the Commonwealth. In our relationships with each other, those values shine through.
As members know, we have a special relationship with Malawi. As they also know, it is a country that is close to my heart. Those values of wisdom, compassion, justice and integrity are self-evident in that partnership. Through our joint working, we are working through issues such as poverty, health care, education—particularly for girls—and sustainable development.
The partnership does not just exist between our two Parliaments. Throughout Scotland, schools such as Glengowan primary and Carnwath primary in my constituency have forged links with schools in Malawi, allowing both sets of pupils to become better global citizens. Churches, too, are involved, and sometimes whole villages. Stonehouse is twinned with Mulanje, which encourages businesses and individuals to do their bit to support sustainable development in Malawi. Every year, my home town of Jedburgh raises more than £1,500 to support different projects in Malawi. The partnership has caught the imagination of Scots and Malawians. We have made progress, on which our Parliament, Governments and civic society should be congratulated.
Malawians are soon to go to the polls. Malawi is a relatively new democracy, and through the Commonwealth and our partnership, we are working together to strengthen the role of parliamentary democracy in Malawi and, indeed, here in Scotland.
My comments apply not just to our relationship with Malawi. Next week, colleagues from Canada will be our guests here in the Parliament. Canadians have a history of minority Government, which is something that we in Scotland are still getting to grips with. That visit will enable us to learn from our colleagues. I will certainly be looking for some tips on effective opposition.
We have had the pleasure of meeting many other parliamentarians from throughout the Commonwealth in our first 10 years, and we have gained a great deal from their knowledge and experience. It would be fair to say that many of our practices have been of benefit to them, too.
Scotland is not afraid to play its full part in the Commonwealth. We are looking forward with great anticipation to the Commonwealth games in 2014. On Friday, I was at my local sports council's awards evening. I know from speaking to the many talented young people who were there that they, too, are excited by the prospect of the Commonwealth games coming to Scotland and of meeting others from countries throughout the Commonwealth. That is another element of the Commonwealth that we rightly celebrate tonight. We can assure all of our friends from throughout the globe of a very warm welcome when they come to our games.
One other issue that is relevant to the debate is climate change. The Parliament is deliberating on the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill. As we consider climate change and the Commonwealth, we realise that what we do here in Scotland can have a profound impact on our sister countries, such as Bangladesh and Malawi, which will be affected by a rise in sea levels and ground temperature. In learning from our colleagues in the Commonwealth, we, too, can make ourselves better as a country.
They say that 60 is the new 40, and we all know that life begins at 40. I am therefore confident that the Commonwealth at 60 will emerge stronger and more relevant to this Parliament, to the people of Scotland and to our brothers and sisters throughout the member nations. I have much pleasure in commending the motion in my name, as we move forward to the next 60 years of the Commonwealth. [Applause.]
Although our visitors are welcome, I should say that we do not encourage applause from the public gallery.
I congratulate Karen Gillon on her excellent speech and motion. I echo her sentiments in welcoming all who have joined us in the public gallery today.
As the modern Commonwealth moves towards its 60th anniversary, its continuing endurance and popularity is to be applauded. Almost 2 billion people all around the globe are now part of the Commonwealth. Half of them are under 25, so it is entirely fitting that the theme of this year's celebrations is "serving a new generation". I am sure that we all agree that the shared future of our societies lies in the hands of our young people. Through providing them with the opportunity to realise their aspirations, we will achieve a fair and more just society.
Earlier today, I had the pleasure of speaking to a number of young people who were representing their universities from throughout Scotland. Their questions were wide ranging and covered the workings of the Commonwealth, fair trade, health, equality, education and how the Scottish Parliament can strengthen the Commonwealth through its international aid programme, particularly in Malawi. I was impressed by their great knowledge and interest. The themes that ran through all their questions and observations were collective responsibility, mutual respect and the democracy that underpins the Commonwealth's great ideals.
The guiding principles of the Commonwealth, such as the promotion of democracy, human rights, liberty and world peace, are as relevant today as they were when the Commonwealth came into being. It is a tribute to those noble aspirations that many countries that fought for many years for their independence from colonial rule have remained part of the organisation, which has come to symbolise freedom and the hopes that, many years ago, people could only have dreamed of.
As we move towards a future that holds much uncertainty, I hope that the experience and strength of the Commonwealth will continue to help those people who are most in need. I hope, too, that the numerous programmes and worthy initiatives of which we are all undoubtedly aware—and which we will have the opportunity to highlight during the reception after this debate—will serve as examples for others to replicate.
I represent Glasgow in this Parliament, and it was with great pride and honour that we received the news that Glasgow was to host the 2014 Commonwealth games. To my mind, the Commonwealth games are an enduring symbol of the friendship and unity of the Commonwealth. The games also offer the host country and city a unique opportunity to welcome members of the Commonwealth from around the globe with pride, to extend the hand of friendship. The games offer us the opportunity to gain a better understanding of each other's cultures. Glasgow will also be able to use the games as a springboard to a lasting legacy—one that benefits ordinary citizens and furthers the overarching values of the Commonwealth.
I extend my hand in friendship to all who are here today and to all who will come to my home town of Glasgow for the Commonwealth games. I assure everyone that they will receive the warmest of welcomes.
Like other members, I welcome tonight's debate and congratulate my colleague Karen Gillon on bringing it to the chamber.
On being elected to Parliament, I was pleased to discover that I automatically became a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and it was as a member of the CPA that I travelled to Kuala Lumpur for the CPA annual general meeting in August last year, along with my colleague Tricia Marwick. There, we joined elected members from countries throughout the Commonwealth, including some from the other devolved Administrations in the United Kingdom—from Wales and Northern Ireland.
Like other members, I am delighted to welcome the friends from other Administrations who are here with us today. However, I hope that they do not get the wrong impression and think that members' business debates usually pack the galleries. I see a lot more faces in the public gallery tonight than I normally see.
It is interesting to compare notes with politicians from other countries. I met one from Canada who told me that he had an electorate of 6,000—we politicians are always comparing the size of our electorates—but his constituency was the size of the Highlands and he travelled to surgeries in his own light plane. I have not had cause to do that in Strathkelvin and Bearsden. I met another politician, from Pakistan, who had an electorate of 600,000—10 times the size of mine. The one thing that all three of us had in common was the type of constituent complaints that we had to deal with.
The annual meeting was interesting. We discussed issues of security and climate change, and we were able to share common experiences. It was interesting to compare notes on how different legislatures work. We worry about mobiles and BlackBerrys going off in the chamber, and in Australia one member was ejected from his Parliament for using his laptop. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that members are allowed to do that in Wales.
The motion mentions the long-standing links that Scotland has enjoyed with Malawi and the links between CPA Scotland and Malawi. While we were in Malaysia, Tricia Marwick and I met parliamentarians from Malawi, who expressed their gratitude for all that Scotland had done and is doing for their country.
Like Karen Gillon, I have primary and secondary schools in my constituency that have connections with Malawi—Lairdsland primary school in Kirkintilloch, which my children attended, and the primary school in Milton of Campsie, which played host to three headteachers from Malawi last summer. Those headteachers visited the Parliament and I was pleased to welcome them here.
It was clear from talking to those politicians how much influence Scotland has had in Malawi, and it was clear at the CPA AGM how much influence Scotland has had in the Commonwealth. On a number of occasions, I spoke to individuals who had attended university in Scotland. Those educational links were clearly strong and had led to increased trade links between our country and theirs. When I wore my kilt at social events, people instantly recognised my country of origin. The Presiding Officer is looking askance at me, but I assure him that I wore my kilt: Tricia Marwick can bear witness to that. It was a great way of starting conversation—and not on the perennial question of what a Scotsman does or does not wear underneath his kilt.
The Commonwealth and its organisations have been a worldwide force for good, and I congratulate it on reaching its 60th birthday. If 60 is the new 40, I have much to look forward to. I hope that I will be chosen again to represent the Scottish Parliament at a future annual meeting. I am pleased to welcome members of other legislatures from across the Commonwealth to Scotland and the Scottish Parliament.
I, too, congratulate my friend and colleague, Karen Gillon, on securing tonight's debate, and I welcome our guests from other Commonwealth countries. On 26 April this year, we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the London declaration, which signifies the founding of the modern Commonwealth. I have always believed that to know where you are going, it is important to know where you have come from.
Therefore, I will give members a brief history lesson on the origins of the Commonwealth. Those origins stretch back much further than 1949, but it was in that year that Britain's colonial legacy was consigned to the past and a partnership based on equality, choice and consensus began, which continues to this day. The declaration came at the behest of India, which wished to adopt a republican form of constitution while being able to retain its link to the Commonwealth and all the benefits that that provided. India still recognised King George VI as head of the Commonwealth but not as its head of state. The London declaration emphasised the freedom and equality of its members in their co-operative
"pursuit of peace, liberty and progress"—
qualities that are very much in evidence in all the valuable work that the Commonwealth continues to carry out today in strengthening relationships around the world.
The Commonwealth's success over the past 60 years is perhaps best measured in the growth in its membership from an initial association of eight states to a free association of independent states that now has 53 members that continue to consult and co-operate with each other on common interests and in the promotion of international understanding. The Commonwealth is also hugely diverse. It comprises countries rich, poor, large and small from all the major continents. Its importance in facilitating co-operation between diverse member states on common interests cannot be underestimated.
The Scottish branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was formed in May 2000, only a year after the Scottish Parliament came into being. Since then, thousands of delegates from Commonwealth nations have visited our new Parliament, and MSPs have had the opportunity to study at first hand how other Commonwealth Governments work.
This year is Scotland's year of homecoming, and we look forward to welcoming many visitors from the Commonwealth countries. I expect that visitors from those countries—such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand—who have strongly Scottish antecedents will be particularly interested in witnessing the gathering in July: Scotland's largest ever Highland games, to which I cordially invite everyone who is listening this evening.
Over the past four years, Scotland has strengthened its strong relationship with Malawi, which dates back to the work of missionaries and Dr David Livingstone. For 150 years, Scots have worked with the people of Malawi, helping them to develop basic education and health systems. In late 2005, a co-operation agreement between Scotland and Malawi was signed with the aim of both Governments working together to build a civic coalition—a partnership of skills and expertise that is intended to help fight extreme poverty and assist Malawi in meeting its millennium development goals. I had the pleasure of visiting that beautiful but struggling country three years ago, as a member of a CPA delegation from this Parliament, so I am delighted that a recent independent review of projects that are run by Scottish organisations in Malawi shows that the Scottish Government's international development fund is having a direct and positive impact. I am particularly glad that an extra £1 million is to be made available to Scottish non-governmental organisations that are working in Malawi on projects that deal with the priority areas for action, as agreed between the Scottish and Malawian Governments.
As we have heard, the Commonwealth's theme for 2009 is that of serving a new generation. It could not be more appropriate. There are more than 2 billion people in the Commonwealth, half of whom are under 25 years of age. It is vital that we do our utmost to tackle the problems that will have the greatest bearing on the next generation—climate change, sustainable development and poverty eradication. Already, those key issues are being addressed, and I am sure that we will be able to further strengthen relationships across member states, which will enable even greater co-operation and consultation in tackling the issues that bear most heavily on the new generation that the Commonwealth seeks to serve.
I congratulate Karen Gillon on securing this important debate. I extend a warm welcome to our honoured guests and to the students in the public gallery, whom I, Sandra White and Ted Brocklebank met immediately before this debate.
For a variety of reasons—some sad, some to do with electoral misfortune, some to do with people retiring—I am the member of the Scottish Parliament who has served for the longest time on the executive committee of the Scottish branch of the CPA. It is appropriate, as we are almost 10 years into the life of the Parliament, to refer to four individuals who contributed greatly to the workings of the CPA.
The first of those people is Keith Raffan—a member of my party, whose inimitable style brought to mind a cross between Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond books, and Kenneth Williams. He had a huge amount of enthusiasm and barbed wit. When I became involved in the CPA, I learned that he was remembered fondly by parliamentarians across the Commonwealth.
I would also like to pay tribute to the late Margaret Ewing. Perhaps the greatest honour that any MSP can have is to be dearly loved by members of all parties in Parliament, as she was. She is much missed, far beyond the walls of this fine building.
Sylvia Jackson and Lord James Douglas-Hamilton are no longer members. Sylvia Jackson brought a remarkable degree of diligence to the job—there was nothing that she did not get into and swot up on. She, too, was very well liked.
What can I say about Lord James Douglas-Hamilton? He had a slightly unworldly air but, particularly in his relationship with Canada, he contributed a great deal. Although Lord James was possibly the grandest and most blue-blooded member of this place—he was, after all, a lord—he was also one of Jock Tamson's bairns and was, in the extremely effective way in which he worked with the Commonwealth, an example to us all.
It would be wrong of me not to congratulate the minister on what will be his maiden speech as a minister. Earlier, I noted that he had two whips in attendance—one beside him and one behind him—so I wondered whether they thought he was in danger of saying something that he should not. However, I see that they have left us, so we look forward to his speech.
Before the debate, Stuart Ritchie of the University of Glasgow talked about what the point of the CPA is. As others have said, the point of the CPA is to provide a stable structure in a changing world. The CPA has a role to play in promoting parliamentary democracy, tackling human trafficking and working on issues such as HIV/AIDS. Its value is obvious.
Close to home, in the light of the unfortunate and tragic events in Northern Ireland, the fact that Northern Ireland has spread its wings and become part of the CPA helps the process there. Working together, we can achieve a great deal.
Ted Brocklebank said that almost 2 billion people live in the 53 states in the Commonwealth. The students asked us what the point of the CPA is. If almost 2 billion people, which is a significant proportion of the population of the globe, are working together, that must surely be for the betterment of mankind.
We see the Commonwealth at 60, and 60 is the new 40. Nothing has ever been truer than to say that it is "serving a new generation", because, as Ted Brocklebank said, approximately a billion people in the Commonwealth are under 25 years of age.
The Commonwealth is an enormous success and I am proud of my colleagues' role in it. I thank Margaret Neal and her colleagues for their contribution over the years to making the CPA in Scotland work.
Believe it or not, states outwith the 53 are expressing an interest in joining us; they see this as an organisation of which they would like to be part. I might be so bold as to mention Eire—the Republic of Ireland—but who knows what might happen? There were some unfortunate events in Boston involving tea, and 1776 was a date that George III never forgot or, some might say, ever got over, so who knows which states may queue up to join us in the future? It is a happy birthday for the Commonwealth and the CPA and it has been my pleasure to take part in the debate.
Before I decided to speak in the debate, I reflected briefly earlier today on when I first became aware of the Commonwealth. I suspect, because of my interest in athletics as a youngster, that it was through watching or hearing about the Commonwealth games. Although I remember very little about it, I also had the pleasure of living in Jamaica for some of my early years. The Queen visited Jamaica in 1953 when I was there—I know that members will find it hard to believe that I could have been there in 1953. I do not remember anything about the Queen's visit, but I vividly remember being shown photographs of it in a family album when I could appreciate such things and was told that the Queen was there as the head of state and the head of the Commonwealth.
I remember from my school days the legacy map of the world that hung on the wall. There were huge areas of pink on it, which represented what was then the British Empire. I am glad that it came to an end in the way that Ted Brocklebank described and that, for the reasons that Ted Brocklebank mentioned, a far better form of relationship between many nations developed through the Commonwealth.
Three or four years ago, that general awareness of the Commonwealth turned into my being fully awakened to it, when I had the great privilege of chairing in Edinburgh the Commonwealth conference of education ministers. It was only when all those delegates—education ministers from other nations—were there sharing common cause that the sheer scale of the Commonwealth became apparent to me, in respect not only of the geographic area to which it extends and the hundreds of millions of people who make up its population, but also of the diversity, from north to south and east to west, of the cultures that exist in the Commonwealth.
I also became aware of the different challenges. One moment from that conference will stick with me for ever. We were discussing the difficult issue of the damage that was being done by countries effectively poaching each other's teachers, particularly in the African continent, and also the rate of attrition among the teaching population as a result of AIDS, which was horrific.
We also discussed the access that young people had to education. Millions of young people in the African subcontinent still do not have access to basic education. During the debate, my pager was buzzing—my private secretary was telling me that I was running an hour late for a meeting in St Andrew's house and that I had to get there quick. For obvious reasons, I could not leave the Commonwealth meeting until it was concluded, but I got to the meeting in St Andrew's house to discuss one of my ministerial responsibilities—I had to decide whether to put 2Mbps or 8Mbps of broadband connection into every single school in Scotland. I was struck by the contrast between the debate that I had come from on the fundamentals of providing basic education to millions of people and the discussion of the further sophistication that we were trying to add to an already sophisticated education system.
Despite those differences and contrasts, there were still common bonds between the countries and there was still a desire to learn from each other, to share experiences and to help develop those who need it, but there was still the opportunity for us to learn lessons about things that we have forgotten within our learning system.
In discussions that I had during the conference in Edinburgh, I was made very much aware of the great similarities in the government and administrative systems of Commonwealth countries.
Following that conference, I have had the pleasure to be welcomed in, and to build contacts with, a number of Commonwealth countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore. Last summer, during a trip to British Columbia, I was able through the CPA to visit the Parliament there and to meet people who are involved in education. One of the strengths of the association is that one can, almost at the drop of a hat, make connections in countries all over the world to everyone's mutual benefit. I commend it for that.
After 60 years, the Commonwealth is still relevant and should remain so. It is a force for good, but there is much more to be done over the coming years, so I certainly wish it well in its task.
After listening to members, I am heartened by the chamber's support for the Commonwealth's work and assure the representatives of other Commonwealth countries in the gallery that, even though they have not been able to attend the debate, colleagues from all parties share that position.
I, too, congratulate Karen Gillon not only on securing the debate but on her work in Malawi, which she mentioned at length. Like other members, I welcome representatives from the different parts of the Commonwealth to the Parliament.
Karen Gillon said that we might be able to learn something about minority Government from Canadians. All three of my children are Canadian citizens and although I have not learned much from them about minority Government I have certainly learned a lot about being a minority in my own family.
I, like other members, have visited a number of Commonwealth countries, particularly Canada, where I was involved in one of the university-level education exchanges mentioned earlier. Perhaps unusually, I have also visited the Falkland Islands, which I would very much like to return to. I hear that it is much quieter now than it was when I was there. I believe that a former member of the Parliament, David Davidson, also visited the islands.
Scotland's historical links with Commonwealth countries are well known. I am pleased that, although the nature of the relationship with our partners has changed, the spirit of working together for peace, democracy, equality and good governance continues as a theme for the Commonwealth today. For her part, Scotland continues to look beyond her borders with a strong sense of social responsibility for those around us, regardless of their place in the world.
I believe that that is reflected in our international development policy, which was launched last May and which builds on the historical and contemporary relationships between Scotland and many Commonwealth countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa. As Karen Gillon and others pointed out, our long-standing engagement with Malawi continues to go from strength to strength. Through the sub-Saharan Africa development programme we are developing programmes in two other Commonwealth countries—Zambia and Tanzania—and the international development fund has enabled us to support work in developing countries with vulnerable children who are at risk of abuse and exploitation.
In looking beyond our borders, we must also keep an eye on what others can teach us. The Scottish Government is determined to increase opportunities for all young people to experience international education in schools and we are working in partnership with organisations to ensure that international education is embedded in the school curriculum. As Peter Peacock made clear, international education presents an exciting range of opportunities for teachers to deliver many of the outcomes and experiences set out in the curriculum for excellence, the programme of change that we are introducing in our schools. If our young people are to participate actively in a global society, they will require a range of knowledge and skills, which international education will develop, to ensure that they not only grow up with knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland's place in it, but are tolerant, understanding and respectful individuals. Teacher exchanges, such as those organised by the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers, and study visits have a positive impact on learning and teaching in schools and provide an opportunity for teachers to reflect on their practice.
With regard to higher education, we want to continue to attract the brightest and best overseas academic talent to help us build a smarter, wealthier and fairer Scotland. Our funding of both Commonwealth and Chevening scholarships will enable our universities to attract overseas students and therefore build on their links with developed countries such as Australia and Canada as well as to further relationships with developing countries, such as Malawi. I confirm from my own experience that the year in which I did an exchange course at university was by far the most fruitful year that I had there. It was certainly the most memorable year.
The Scottish Government is committed to building on the strong historic and modern relationship between Scotland and India, as outlined by Ted Brocklebank. We are developing a new programme for the Indian sub-continent that will not only recognise our historical links with it, but reflect modern patterns of migration and cultural diversity in Scotland. The Scottish Government is working to develop those links. Last week, two Scottish ministers—Jim Mather and Mike Russell—met stakeholders to discuss where the Government could add value to the on-going activity and the forthcoming opportunities for strengthening our relationships with India.
The Glasgow Commonwealth games in 2014 have been mentioned. The Commonwealth has put its trust in Glasgow and Scotland to deliver those games, and we take that enormous vote of confidence from the international community very seriously. Scotland has been given a mandate to deliver the best games that it can, and I am confident that we will do just that. We are building a legacy plan with health as a unifying theme across a range of areas: health, sport, education, culture, volunteering, the environment, business, skills and employment, and tourism and international profile. The games can help to change people's attitudes by providing opportunities for young people to embody the Commonwealth Games Federation's values of humanity, equality and destiny.
The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament have cultural links across the Commonwealth that are too numerous to list in this speech. Many will have celebrated those links in Burns suppers in the past few weeks. Last month, a contribution of £200,000 from the Scottish Government enabled the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to become the first western orchestra to make a multidate tour of India. "Black Watch", which has recently received a number of honours, played across Australia to critical and popular acclaim.
Alongside culture, trade bonds the Commonwealth together. Scottish Development International has offices in India, Singapore, Canada and Australia. Next month, my colleague Mike Russell, who is an enthusiastic member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, will attend two Scotland week events in Toronto and Vancouver. We look forward to strengthening those particular links.
In conclusion, the world has changed and the Commonwealth has changed with it. The Commonwealth is now more than ever a partnership of equals, as it must be. We live in a world in which we depend on one another for peace and prosperity. The peoples of the Commonwealth will continue to face their challenges. I commend the motion and Commonwealth day in general for recognising that those challenges are better met by independent states co-operating and consulting in the common interest.
Meeting closed at 17:38.