Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office, Edinburgh - Briefing Document Seven

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Parliamentary Officer:Rev Graham Blount
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Briefing Document No 7 - Page 4 of 4

"So Far, So Good?" - Continued.

Media

Was Sir David Steel justified in taking the media to task for cheap jibes about "holidays" and allowances? The regime on allowances is said to be stricter than Westminster and certainly, if we want politicians who listen, we must give them time to do so and not create an impression that their only work is when they are talking to each other (any more than the churches' ministers only work on Sundays).

Despite Sir David's predictably bad press on this, there are signs that the media may be learning a more mature attitude. Their job (and the churches, at times) is effective scrutiny and helping to hold Ministers and Parliament accountable. Some do that well; others may prefer the easier stories of "yah boo" politics and thereby encourage politicians to perpetuate that; others talk of "better presentation" when they mean keeping in with the press. Yet there are encouraging signs that breaking the "lobby" system has brought good specialist journalists from different fields (like education) into Parliament.

Civic Forum

One of the most frustrating signs so far has been the lack of progress on setting up a Civic Forum to bring together voices from civil society. Over 600 groups have registered an interest, but there is still no agreement on funding this (from Parliament or Executive) in a way that will secure its independence. The CSG saw this as a vital ingredient of a transformed policy-making process, and there is a real danger of slipping into ways that become established before the Forum is up and properly running.

However, work is under way in drafting a Concordat to govern the Forum's relationship with the Parliament, Executive and Committees (suggestions to the Civic Forum office at SCVO by 24 September), and a constitution has been prepared (see the website www.civicforum.org.uk). A plenary session of the Forum will be held in Glasgow on 30 October (details to come later).

"Time for Reflection"

Following the early decision in principle by Parliament in May, and a consultation with representatives of churches and other faith communities in July, the Parliamentary Bureau brought forward a motion that "the provision for a time for reflection should be outlined as follows:

Time for Reflection will be held in the Chamber in a meeting of Parliament normally as the first item of business each week

Time for Reflection will be held in public and will be addressed both to members and to the Scottish people

Time for Reflection will last a maximum of four minutes

Time for Reflection will follow a pattern based on the balance of beliefs in Scotland; invitations to address the Parliament in leading Time for Reflection will be issued by the Presiding Officer on advice from the Parliamentary Bureau

Time for Reflection will be recorded in the Official Report"

It was made clear that this would be "mostly Christian prayer" but would also include contributions from other faith communities and from humanists - showing, it was said, a desire not only to tolerate and include but to celebrate the range of faiths in Scotland. The Bureau had taken into account views expressed at the consultation and in many letters written to them (and to other MSPs).

Phil Gallie moved an amendment to restrict this Time to reflecting "the traditional Christian culture and faith of Scotland", but this was heavily defeated after a debate in which several MSPs indicated their support, some speaking quite specifically as Christians, for the Bureau proposal. The Bureau's motion was agreed by 91 votes to 7, with 13 abstentions.