Plenary, 24 Nov 1999

Meeting date: Wednesday, November 24, 1999

Official Report 687KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

I invite the Reverend David Beckett, the minister of Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk, Edinburgh, to lead us in our time for reflection.

Thank you, Sir David. It has given pleasure to all of us who worship—both in English and in Gaelic—at Greyfriars, that Scotland's Parliament is meeting in our parish, even though it is not to be its long-term home.

The very existence of this Parliament is the fulfilment of a long-expressed wish of the Kirk's general assembly. Even at this early stage, it is interesting how often the concerns of Church and Parliament converge—as they do in the issues that the Parliament will discuss today. Social justice is perennially on the Church's agenda. If it ever disappeared from that agenda, the Church would no longer deserve to exist. Land reform has been a major concern of our Church and Nation Committee for the past few years. We must all be concerned by the different forms of drug dependence in which so many of our young people become trapped.

This next week brings us to two significant dates. For Christians, Advent—which begins on Sunday—reminds us of our ultimate accountability. That accountability gathers us all in, whether we are in a position of power or whether we simply share the responsibility to one another and for one another that is common to every member of the community. The other date is St Andrew's day, which I am sure will strike a less nostalgic and more forward-looking note this year than it did before the Parliament was here.

Perhaps it is good that there is so little in the gospel about Andrew and that there is even less sure historical foundation for his legendary connection with our country. That makes it impossible to argue about him which, almost certainly, we would if we knew more—even in the Church we find it difficult to argue much about St Andrew. It also allows us all to project on to our patron saint and on to our national day our different visions of the caring, hospitable, community-spirited Scotland that we all want to see from our different perspectives.

Let us pray.

Let us thank God for Scotland—for its beauty, its variety and for its heritage. Let us ask his guidance for the business of this day and pray that all of us together— Parliament and people—might build up a nation of sound values, of just laws and respect by all for all.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the leading of his Holy Spirit be with you in all your discussions. Amen.

Before we begin this afternoon's business, I remind members that because of the two heavy debates that we have today, decision time will be at half-past 5 instead of 5 o'clock, as normal.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The Executive launched its social justice targets on Monday and trailed the news on Sunday. On Thursday 4 November, you said that it is up to

"the Executive which statements are of sufficient policy significance to be made in Parliament."—[Official Report, 4 November 1999; Vol 3, c 356.]

Do you agree that a launch with so many ministers and with such a turnout today shows that, in such a matter, we must ensure that the Executive does not treat the Parliament with disrespect? What can you do to restore people's confidence that measures will be announced in this Parliament and to this chamber?

I am grateful to the two Opposition spokespeople, Ms Hyslop and Mr Aitken, for raising the issue with me. I have given the matter some careful thought. A written question on this subject was lodged on Friday and was properly answered on Monday, indicating that the document was going to be published that day. Unfortunately, our own procedures meant that the answer was not available on the web until today and will not be published until next Monday. We need to re-examine our procedures for written answers if that practice is to be followed. I will raise the matter at my next meeting with the First Minister, whom I meet occasionally to discuss matters of mutual concern. However, I understand that substantial issues have not been announced in advance and are being announced to the Parliament today. We should begin the debate and listen to what the minister has to say.