Questions

A number of questions in the chamber on Thursday – on Council Tax, the Quango culture and the national planning framework – but I suspect the biggest impact from business will be the raising of the legal age for tobacco purchases to 18. I have some doubts – particularly given the problems enforcing the current age limit of 16 – but it is worth trying. The real question is whether it will have any impact on the number of young people smoking: I hope so, but only time will tell. I was genuinely surprised at the way in which the smoking ban in public places was accepted with (relatively) little fuss; will this be the same?

No excuse for illiteracy

Everyone it seems agrees that school leavers should have acquired basic skills – literacy, numeracy and the ability to deal with technology – but Scotland, like the rest of the UK has a relatively poor record in this regard. My contribution to the debate on the new Government’s skills strategy focussed on efforts in West Dunbartonshire to eliminate illiteracy.

The Crichton

The future of the Crichton campus in Dumfries has been a big issue for a while. Hopefully the announcement over the summer means that the future is secure. My contribution to the Parliamentary debate is here. The key point: there is much, much more potential for the campus.

Back…

Blogging has been light since Parliament resumed, so a few delayed posts follow…

A world apart

Yesterday Holyrood was buzzing (or at least as much as it does during recess) about the Independence White Paper. Today, Jack McConnell’s resignation as Labour leader in Scotland. While Jack, the Labour Party and the assorted media were the main story in Edinburgh (although the Euromillions win seemed to grab more headlines) I visited the Mersehead Reserve on the Solway, operated by the RSPB. I don’t think there could be a greater contrast with Holyrood on a busy day and the peaceful environment I spent this morning in.

It was a beautiful morning, and the scenery around the reserve was spectacular. What is impressive about this reserve, quite apart from the environment, is the potential for it to achieve even more as an educational resource and tourist attraction: and the enthusiasm of the staff and volunteers. It is well worth a visit.

Website back online

My official site is now back online here.

Official Website

The official website is being revamped, in the meantime the Scottish Parliament site has some details here.

On the wrong track

The Borders Railway has been much commented on since the election. The Lib Dems are appalled that the new SNP Government has no plans to go past Tweedbank (see here). That might carry more weight if it wasn’t for the fact that when in government, they themselves had no such plans – as an official Parliamentary answer to one of my questions reveals (for some reason not yet online – when it is I will link it here).

Thank you…

To everyone who has helped or supported the campaign, a very big thank you. Many people who haven’t been involved in an election campaign don’t realise how much effort goes in to it – behind the scenes, as well as on the ground. Volunteers do almost everything and give up a lot of time to help.

On Monday, we elect a new Presiding Officer, and a new First Minister probably on Wednesday. It will be a few weeks until the machinery of Parliament and Government is back up and running at full tilt, with Ministers, Committees etc.

My Parliamentary site has information about how to get in touch (and will be updated over the next few weeks).

The last time the Lib Dems said it was a two horse race, they came third

The Lib Dems are now up to their usual “It’s a two horse race” nonsense. They used that line in the General Election in Tweeddale. They finished third, behind the Conservatives and Labour. As The Times put it yesterday, “no one is taking bets” (the article doesn’t appear to be online).