Moray Makes Waves

Next door to my constituency is that of my colleague Margaret Ewing. Moray constituency is of course famous for whisky above all else.

But like Banff and Buchan it is affected by the EU-created fishing crisis. And like us they now have fiesty women fighting their corner.

So with our magificent trio of Carol, Morag and Caroline – the Cod Crusaders – now well known to us all, we now have Moray Making Waves.

And my first meeting with them was at our Rural Development Committee’s meeting in Aberdeen’s Town House. They are a fine addition to community campaigning for our industry across Scotland.

Less welcome were the gaps on Labour benches. We have four of their members on our Committee. But only two, and those with furthest to travel, could be bothered to come and meet community representatives.

And the tradition whereby local members give us the courtesy of their presence didn’t help either as Labour’s two Aberdeen members were nowhere to be seen.

Tories, Liberal Democrats and my own party, the SNP, had all made sure we were up to full strength to hear of the pain caused by Commissioner Fischler.

With the introduction of a system of substitutes in Committees last year, there really is no excuse for any party being understrength on such important occasions.

But the real passion of the speakers in Aberdeen who came to give us evidence – Gary Masson from Fraserburgh’s Northern Producers used his time most effectively for example – is fuel for our examination of the UK fisheries minister’s action.

Eliott Morley won’t know what’s hit him when he appears before our Committee in the Parliament Chamber in Edinburgh at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 18th February.

The architect of many of our woes, the EU’s Franz Fischler, said ‘no’, so I guess the man who chose to sign-off the plans on behalf of the UK will just have to carry the brunt on his behalf.

And Elsewhere

With Parliament now sitting an extra half day each week we are sweating to get through outstanding legislation. Shortly we shall be spending two days on the new Criminal Justice Bill.

That’s the one that, thanks to my intervention, will not make criminals of parents who lightly smack children when talking to them fails. And which also bans the use of implements to hit and makes illegal blows to the head.

Useful advances in the protection of our kids.

It will also allow video links between court and jail. I well understood the value of that when I visited Tain Sheriff Court last year as part of the Justice Committee’s Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service investigation.

A prisoner was brought from Inverness’s Porterfield Prison all the way up to Tain for two minutes in court. His trial would come later. It was simply a procedural hearing.

To achieve that two policemen had to drive between Tain and Inverness and hang around at court for the hearing. They said nothing and the prisoner said less than 10 words. But it took these bobbies away from more useful tasks for about three hours!

So TV is not just about entertainment.

We shall also see email being allowed for the issuing of search warrants. And that will save a lot of time and effort too.

Worryingly though, the Minister did not seem very clued up when I asked about safeguards. After all the criminal justice system would be held up to ridicule if a hacker could mischieviously get warrants to search, say, the Chief Constable’s private house.

But the officials have come to the rescue and sent me a large briefing document that shows that they are ‘on the case’. More useful changes to bring the operation of our law up to date.

The week past also saw debates on two smaller but important Bills before Parliament. And to the shame of the Liberals in particular we saw them voted down.

For at least fifty years proportional representation has been a key manifesto commitment for Joe Grimond and his successors’ party. But Wednesday saw them vote against a Bill which would have empower ministers to introduce a system of proportional voting for local government elections.

And then they went further. Their green credentials took a severe knock when they voted against a Bill promoting production of organic food.

Now organics is a hot topic. Liberal minister Ross Finnie has been in hot water with his own party’s conference over his support for GM crops. And now his Parliamentary Party has voted to kill the Organic Targets Bill. So what is going on here?

It is part of the price the Liberals are having to pay for being in office with Labour. Large numbers of Labour Councillors would lose out if the voting system were made fairer.

Rock Challenge

Occasionally a constitiency engagement on a Thursday evening means that I can convince our Chief Whip to let me off Parliamentary duties early. And it was some occasion and no duty at all that dragged me north last week.

At Aberdeen’s Exhibition Centre the Global Rock Challenge was taking place. And I was invited.

After Peterhead Academy’s success there last year I sat up and took an interest. Youngsters dancing for 8 minutes and making an anti-drug statement is well worth watching.

But it is even better than that. About five hundred performers and several thousand spectators don’t just turn out for any old amateur production.

The Fraserburgh Junior Arts have a long tradition which shows the talent available in the town. And if the Academy’s “Dreamz” crew are anything to go by the Junior Arts will have a rich seem of talent to draw on in years to come.

A fine performance and one to build on for next year.

Let us hope that when I am presenting a prize then it is Fraserburgh hands reaching out to receive it.