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Briefing Document No 1 - May 1999 - Page 4 of 4
Singing the Lord's Song in a New Scotland - Continued.
Civic Forum
The Civic Forum launched in March 1999 and largely emerging from the Scottish Civic Assembly (with ecumenical church involvement in both) may have a key role in the consultation processes, as a vehicle for many groups to express their views. "It will be a space where churches, trades unions, business and voluntary organisations, community groups and professional associations can come together and debate the subjects which concern us all. The Scottish Civic Forum will work with the Parliament to help people get consulted and involved". However it evolves, it is not intended to become the sole channel of communication for civil society; it will enable dialogue and consultation (in some ways like the SCPO intends to do for the churches). It must be a gateway rather than a gatekeeper.
In all of the above, there are clearly opportunities and challenges for the churches in the new political process. It is important that the role of the churches in public life (often alongside such groups as SCVO, the STUC, COSLA, etc) should not be seen as displaced by the Parliament. We should "claim the space" now for wide and effective public participation in building the new Scotland.
Further Information:
Further Information can be obtained from the Scottish Parliament web-site and from the following documents:
 Scotland's Parliament - The July 1997 White Paper setting out the Government's Scottish Devolution Policy (Cm 3658)
Scotland Act 1998 - The main Act of the UK Parliament establishing the devolution scheme, passed in November 1998 (1998 chapter 46)
Shaping Scotland's Parliament - The main report of the Consultative Steering Group, published in January 1999
A Guide to the Scottish Parliament - edited by Gerry Hassan for the Centre for Scottish Public Policy and published by the Stationery Office
Some other web - sites which provide links to other sites you might find relevant:
BBC Scotland State of the Nation:
The Scotsman:
The Herald:
The Scottish Office:
UK Parliament:
UK Government departments and other public bodies:
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