A Devolution Checkpoint

Forest owners everywhere will celebrate this New Year. If my Parliamentary in-tray is anything to go by that is.

It’s interesting how the different devolved bodies vary. And how they all vary from London.

The Welsh Assembly uses computers even in the debating chamber. The Scottish Parliament’s chamber only has computers for the Presiding Officer and clerks. Members vote electronically. Northern Ireland is similar. In each, every member receives more correspondence by email than on paper.

Westminster is a combination of 1950s and 1750s. Each member has a place to hang their sword. Voting is done by walking through a door. Computer use is slight.

In Scotland, we need paper when we attend debates or committees. Today I carried papers weighing about a kilo, about 10 cms high and comprising nearly 300 separate items to this morning’s meeting. Roll on a fully computerised parliament!

But it’s Northern Ireland that may be most interesting. Their technology is very similar to Scotland. But in how they relate to London, very different.

I’ve taken an interest in the Aggregates Tax issue. You might recall that this is a tax on stone and might cost a Peterhead harbour project about £2 million if it goes through.

But the real point is that Northern Ireland has said they don’t want it and London has said a (partial) OK. So they’ve changed UK tax policy even without any power having been given to them. And they benefited.

So why doesn’t the Labour-Liberal government in Scotland get us similar deals? Because they don’t want offend their patrons in government in London.

Maybe it would be worth chopping down just one more tree to make paper to send a letter to London.

Land Reform

And what was all that paper I was carrying around? It’s on the government’s Land Reform Bill.

Firstly it seeks to put into law the belief that everyone has that we have no law of trespass in Scotland. And that would mean walkers could roam (responsibly) over most of the country. But not at night. But not if they’re being paid to guide a party of walkers. But not if the local authority decides otherwise.

It also creates a framework for communities and crofters to buy the land on which they live and work. Interestingly it seems that to be a farm tenant you must operate it in person or live on it. But the bill does nothing to place the same requirement on owners.

So the, admittedly minority of, large landowners who abuse their rights and prevent locals from developing their own businesses will be untouched by this timid Bill.

The 100 years of debate about changing the face of land ownership have produced something that won’t much change it. We’ll still have less than 5,000 people owning more than half of Scotland.

But then maybe we’ll be able to beef it up a bit over the next few months.

At the expense of even more trees, even more paper.

New Year

A New Year, new opportunities for Scotland, a new look at the world.

2002 will be the hundredth anniversary of Enrico Caruso's first record. Will we also see a follow-up CD from local teenagers Empathy who sang so movingly of the plight of our fishermen in 2001?

2002 will be the hundredth anniversary of Cuba's independence. They have one of the best health services in the world. Will 2002 be the year when the New Labour-Liberal Democrat Executive finally starts to move our health service forward?

For our area 2001 was more interesting than we wanted. Farming suffered through foot and mouth. Fishing became even more challenging. Uncertainty still hangs over the Prison. And the long review of our local health service continues. Job losses continue.

And yet we should go into 2002 with optimism and a determination that we shall take control.

The argument for the Prison is won. Now we need government commitment. RAF Buchan wins new business. Now we need support to win more elsewhere.

I'm enjoying my new role as MSP. And looking forward to selling our area when Parliament comes to Aberdeen in May.

Let's all work together and deliver a happy and prosperous 2002.