 | Scottish Parliament NewsLast updated at 26 Aug 2008 11:43:00 BST |
| Spotlight on rural housing as parliamentary inquiry comes to Melrose Rural housing will be the focus when the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee holds its first-ever meeting in Melrose, at the Corn Exchange on Tuesday, 2 September. Committee members will be in the town on an evidence-gathering visit as part of an ongoing inquiry into rural housing in Scotland. The day will be split into two separate information-gathering sessions. |
| Festival of Politics closes following sell-out events The Festival of Politics ended on Saturday, following a successful four days of debate, discussion and deliberation about the human impact of policy and how people can bring about change. |
| Politics, media and youth come together for Festival finale What brings together an award-winning photojournalist, a political comedian and Scotland's young people in the Scottish Parliament today? All will be sharing their thoughts on such global issues as poverty, human rights and climate change on the final day of the Parliament's award-winning Festival of Politics. |
| Peter Oborne discusses the situation in Iraq Fresh from covering the political and military situation in Iraq for Channel 4's Dispatches series, leading author and journalist Peter Oborne is attending the Festival of Politics today to give his views on one of the most controversial and internationally contested conflicts of recent times. His session starts at 1pm in Holyrood's Debating Chamber. |
| Political heavyweights put under Festival spotlight Denis Healey and Douglas Hurd, two heavyweights from different sides of the political divide, will headline Thursday’s Festival of Politics. One time left-wing firebrand Healey, who turns 91 this month, will talk about his political life and give his take on Labour’s highs and lows during an hour-long discussion with Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson. Deputy Presiding Officer Alasdair Morgan will later host an interview with Douglas Hurd, who will give an insight into his time as a minister during the Thatcher-Major years. |
| Parliament opens Festival of Politics 2008 The Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics opens today, playing host to a selection of inspiring presentations, speeches and debates from a cast of famous faces including political icons, peace campaigners and journalists. |
| Annie Lennox's appearance at Festival of Politics is cancelled The Scottish Parliament regrets to announce that Annie Lennox will not be appearing at the Festival of Politics. The star was scheduled to talk about her SING campaign at a high-profile event on Wednesday 23 August. Despite this disappointment, the award-winning festival, now in its fourth year, will feature many famous faces from the world of politics, the arts and the media. Speakers include Denis Healey and Douglas Hurd discussing their political careers, comedian and political activist Mark Thomas, and Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee. |
| Presiding Officer honoured by Agricultural College Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to rural affairs in Scotland. He was awarded a Fellowship of the Scottish Agricultural College in recognition of his contributions to agriculture. Mr Fergusson, a former student of the college, received the honour at an award ceremony at Glasgow University’s Bute Hall on Friday July 4. |
| Economy Committee calls For lessons to be learned from failed Energy Technologies Institute bid Economy Committee Calls For Lessons To Be Learned From Failed Energy Technologies Institute BidFindings from a parliamentary inquiry published today have called for the Scottish Government to learn lessons from the failed bid to bring the headquarters of a new £1 billion energy technologies institute to Scotland. The investigation by the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee followed the decision in 2007 to locate the new institute in the Midlands at Loughborough University at the expense of Aberdeen, Glasgow or Edinburgh under a Scottish consortium bid. |
| Committee Calls For Strategy To Develop A Modern, Efficient And Responsive Ferry Network A long-term strategy to deliver a modern, efficient and responsive ferry network must be drawn up by the Scottish Government, according to a report published today by the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee. The recommendations contained in the 'Ferry Services in Scotland' report also identify a series of short term improvements to ferry services which should be taken forward immediately. |
| Improved Access, Participation And Scrutiny Is At The Heart Of Public Petitions Inquiry Almost a decade and 1,100 petitions since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee, an inquiry into the public petitions process has been launched with a call for evidence today. The committee aims to improve awareness, access and participation as well as examining how an increasing volume of petitions can be processed and scrutinised as effectively as possible. |