Communicating

It's official - the government is our biggest advertiser! And I know where some of the Scottish Executive’s money is going.

I have just received a leaflet from our Enterprise Minister.

I’m not sure that I know who it is intended for. But it must be important as it is called – “Scotland’s Economic Future” - and that sure is important.

It is 18 inches wide and 9 inches tall. The outside is glossy – and I mean GLOSSY – a bright silver ink which almost requires sunspecs for reading safely.

Inside we have about 600 words – that’s only 100 more than this column. So what does it say? Well for example it says, “We are driving out broadband communications capability across Scotland”.

But I had a Parliamentary answer saying that even the pilot announced last year won’t deliver anything until late 2003. This technology will be obsolete before anything happens.

I will be talking to business people in Turriff shortly. I’ll ask them how much they think the leaflet is worth. I bet it will be different from what the government paid.

Fiscal Economy

The Procurator Fiscal Service is one which divides our community. One half hopes to never meet one. The other has never heard of them.

But without them, our system of justice would creak, groan and crack. And it does.

As part of the Parliament's Justice Committee, I've been learning much more about the people who work in this vital service. And the ones I have met on official visits and those who have contacted me have the same message - they are under pressure.

The police are the most visible part of our justice system. It is not uncommon for folk to say, "we need more police".

Our Procurator Fiscals form the vital link that brings the accused to court. But I don’t hear anyone saying we need more Fiscals. We do.

All the evidence is that they are the 'pressure point' in bringing criminals to justice. The decisions they make are probably much more important than those of our judges.

Perhaps it is because Fiscals are lawyers that we don't have a natural sympathy with them. But all the evidence is that we've been treating them disgracefully.

They are paid much less than lawyers employed elsewhere, perhaps only two thirds of what a local solicitor makes. Even further from a Sheriff's wages.

So I have tabled a series of questions to get more information about how the service is run. If we don't fix the Fiscal shortage, stress and overwork will overwhelm the justice system.

Double Talk

According to ‘Holyrood’ magazine, I have been a naughty boy. Apparently I told a joke in a September debate and told it again in December. Well good jokes are worth repeating. And it’s good to see that my words are so closely read.

But I will have to go some to beat the Scottish government who have re-announced some of their spending six times. That sure is no joke.