W/B Monday 6th
December 2004
Drove through to
Edinburgh early Monday morning to attend an all-day event organised by
the Presiding Officer – Futures Forum; a gathering of around 150 folk to
discuss in full sessions and in breakaway groups how Scotland should
move forward. I hadn’t heard of the International Futures Forum, but it
has been around for some time and works all over the world encouraging
politicians, business people, voluntary sector, writers, people from all
sections of society to come together, share ideas and think ‘out of the
box’. It was a first event for us, and it will be interesting to see
what happens from here. I thoroughly enjoyed the day actually – had some
interesting discussions with people coming from varying perspectives;
agreed with some, disagreed with others, but then that’s what
democracy’s about. As we left we were given a box of cards, each with a
slogan/statement on them and meant to encourage a different way of
thinking and a basis for discussion. So, I’m just going to select one
right now and pass that thought on to you.
“Economic
activity takes place within a moral framework”
There you go – get
thinking/get discussing!
Back on the road to
Edinburgh from Strathaven early on Tuesday morning – 2.5 hours it took
me, even leaving at 7.15 am. Busy, bitty day. Fred Macauley Show first
thing to talk about the Queensberry House ghost. This is the ghost of a
servant boy who was roasted over the spit by the Duke of Queensberry’s
son, Lord Drumlanrig, whilst the Duke was away witnessing the signing of
the Treaty of Union of the Parliaments in 1707. The kitchen and actual
fireplace are still there and there’s been reports that the poor wee
laddie’s ghost is stalking the parliament complex! Anyway I told Fred
that when independence is declared the wee soul will be at rest.
From the Beeb to a
meeting at Just World Partners to discuss our projects in Guatemala –
community forestry, run by a local organisation on our behalf and
employing local people. Small international charities and agencies are a
bit worried about European Union funding at the moment, because it seems
that the funding has been transferred from Brussels to their local
offices worldwide. Seems fine and reasonable in theory, but I have heard
some issues raised about local offices not meeting funding deadlines
etc. This is problematic for small organisations which don’t have big
reserves, and this must be investigated further. There are lots of very
small charities doing small projects which are really worthwhile and
giving work to locals – we should be encouraging this approach as far as
possible.
Had a meeting in the
afternoon with the representatives of the affordable housing groups –
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, Shelter, Scottish Council
for Single Homeless, Chartered Institute of Housing – to talk about the
real concerns that people have about the lack of housing for rent which
is likely to be available over the forthcoming years. The Executive’s
programme doesn’t specify just how much of the new housing they are
promising is for rent rather than for sale, and then there is the effect
of the Right to Buy – in 2012 this extends to Housing Association
tenants too. Councils are worried that all their allocations will go to
homeless people – whilst there is a general will to eradicate
homelessness this means that unless more houses for rent are available
then folk on mainstream waiting lists won’t get an offer. One of my
worries is that it seems so easy now for people to get mortgages at
levels which are barely affordable from their income and in the absence
of rented housing they are forced to step onto the home ownership ladder
just to have a roof over their heads which they can call their own.
Through to Hamilton in
the evening to the SNP Council Group’s Christmas Party – again the main
topic of discussion was housing and the lack of public rented houses in
particular pockets of South Lanarkshire, East Kilbride for example.
Back on the road again
from Strathaven at 6.30 am to get to the Communities Committee for 9.15
am. Just made it! Edinburgh really is awful for driving during the rush
hours. Still, staying over in Edinburgh tonight and looking forward to a
good dinner with pals.
Communities Committee was
taking evidence on the Charity Law Reform Bill – more evidence-taking
next week before the committee deliberates further. Straight after
Communities Committee on to Public Petitions Committee where the
petition submitted previously by a Group in East Kilbride – Murray Owen
Group, comprising parents of adult children with learning difficulties –
was up for discussion again. Madge and Jeanette were in attendance to
hear the deliberations of the Committee and even though I’m no longer a
member of that Committee I was there to chip in my tuppence worth. The
issue is basically that the Group feel that since the hospital closure
programme started and people with learning difficulties are now rightly
moving back into communities, the housing needs of those who live with
their parents are being put on the back-burner in some local
authorities. I didn’t have to say much at the Committee because,
thankfully, all of the Committee Members wanted to make further
investigation of the issue. It is a real worry for elderly parents who
want to make sure their adult children are settled before they are
unable to look after them and crisis-management takes over.
Had a lovely lunchtime
with a couple of constituents from Kilmarnock. We had the obligatory
tour of the Parliament and again, John and Jim were fair taken with it
despite their scepticism at the start.
Kilmarnock takes over the Chamber.
Wednesday afternoon’s
debate was the Caledonian Macbrayne one in which the Executive was
beaten by Parliament – only the third time this has happened! Some of
the Labour Group abstained – interesting that in the three times that
Parliament has overruled the Executive it has been a LibDem Minister
responsible, no doubt payback will come! Happy coalition!
Member’s Debate Wednesday
evening was about the contribution that retired and senior volunteers
make to Society. I only had a small contribution because I just wanted
it noted that it’s not only in Scotland that retired Scots volunteer.
There are many programmes in Africa and elsewhere that retired teachers
and business people volunteer their services, sometimes on short visits
and sometimes on longer stretches through the likes of the VSO
(Voluntary Services Overseas). I mentioned earlier about Pat in
Strathaven who went off to Nicaragua, and Sandy, retired teacher, is
arranging an African sabbatical through the VSO.
After that debate,
hot-footed to the Committee Rooms for two Cross Party Group meetings,
the first on Palestine and the second on Affordable Housing. The
Palestine meeting was really interesting – David Martin MEP who I
understand has been an activist on behalf of Palestine for many years,
gave a really interesting presentation on how the European Union
interacts with both Israel and Palestine, and how difficult it is for
Palestinians to market their products – sometimes they are marketed as
Israeli by necessity. David Martin was really knowledgeable, but
unfortunately I had to leave just after his speech and before the
ensuing discussion.
Straight into the
Affordable Housing Cross Party Group to hear Professor Glen Bramley
explain his recent study into affordable housing which was commissioned
by the Executive. Interesting, but I’m not entirely convinced that in
every aspect the base-lines used give a true picture. For example, it’s
all very well to say that that there are enough houses available to meet
needs, but that figure does not take into account house condition or any
planned demolitions. Also, it may be the case that a particular Local
Authority has enough houses on paper, but if you live in Arran for
instance, then its immaterial to you whether your Council has empty
houses in Irvine. Of course, Professor Bramley has carried out the
research as requested, the next step will be to see what use the
Executive makes of it in their forward planning.
At last to dinner with
Rob Gibson and Roseanna Cunningham – really good Thai restaurant near
the Parliament – and joined by Murray Tosh and David Mundell from the
Tory Group when they turned up for dinner shortly after us. A good time
was had by all – putting the world to rights! If only it were that easy.
I didn’t have to be in
the Chamber on Thursday apart from at First Ministers Questions and
Question Time in the afternoon, so managed to do a bit of deskwork.
Haven’t been able to work late at my desk this week, so that was really
useful. Also had a visit in the afternoon from some old friends who
wanted to view the building, so that was a real pleasure.
Friday was the Scottish
Refugee Council Annual General Meeting and they had asked me to give one
of the keynote speeches in my role as Convener of the Cross Party Group
on Refugees and Asylum Seekers. It was an extremely well attended
meeting and the level of work carried out by the SRC is immense. During
the Director’s presentation she told us that on average the Council
deals with one unaccompanied child asylum seeker a week, that is someone
under the age of eighteen. She told us of one young African 14 year old
who was directed to their office, having just arrived in the country
with no idea where he was or where to go. He had been put on the plane
by a relative who was worried for his safety following persecution of
his parents. Thankfully this lad is now settling and being well looked
after, but its an aspect of asylum that we don’t often hear about.
The company was very
moved by the contribution from Henriette Koubakienda, asylum seeker from
Congo Brazzaville. Henriette is now very active in Sighthill, Glasgow,
giving support to African woman and they have recently launched their
Group – Karibu, which means ‘welcome’ in Swahili. When asked from the
floor, Henriette gave a brief outline of her own background and her
story, and no-one could fail to be impressed at her fortitude and her
spirit of reaching out to help others. I visited Henriette in her home
earlier this year and met with her two young sons, both studying hard at
school and feeling perfectly at home in Glasgow. When I meet people like
this in Sighthill and elsewhere, and read about the Executive’s ‘Fresh
Talent Initiative’, I get so frustrated. What better talent could
Scotland embrace than that of the likes of Henriette and her boys? Yet,
we can’t make these decisions for ourselves, and because of Home Office
diktat, Henriette and others like her, sometimes qualified up to their
ears, aren’t even allowed to work. All we can do is keep applying the
pressure – even though you feel you’re getting nowhere fast, we’ve got
to keep trying, or they’ve won.
Back in Grangemouth,
by-electioneering on Saturday, and family day on Sunday. Weeks just fly
by.
