Scottish Parliament News
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Cathy Peattie MSP
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Foot and MouthUndoubtedly the main national news story of the last month has been the Foot and Mouth outbreak. For over a week, farms in Falkirk East fell under suspicion, potentially becoming the northern frontier of the epidemic. Thankfully the farms, one near Bo’ness, the other between Kinneil and Polmont, were eventually declared clear of the disease. Hundreds of other farms have not been so lucky. Not only those farms where foot and mouth has been identified, but also others where livestock may have been in contact with contaminated animals, all are having their animals killed in a desperate attempt to stop the spread of the disease. There is an alternative. Vaccines are available. They are used in areas where foot and mouth is endemic, including many parts of Asia, Africa and South America. The argument that use of the vaccine masks the disease no longer holds true. Modern tests can tell the difference. The reluctance to use the vaccines is based on economic rather than animal welfare considerations. Most adult animals recover from foot and mouth, albeit with weight loss and lower milk yields. More significantly perhaps, our export markets would be restricted if we were not completely foot and mouth free. EC Agriculture Ministers have now agreed that vaccination could be used as a last resort. This would probably be in a buffer zones around affected areas. The economic justification for using mass slaughter rather than vaccination requires there to be long disease free periods between outbreaks. Yet many people feel we have been lucky to go so long without a major epidemic. Globalisation of world markets means that we are more and more vulnerable to transmission through trade, in animal feedstuffs, livestock, and animal products. Animals are moved more often and further than in the past. Just look how quickly and widely the disease has dispersed from a single source. If we continue down this road - and the World Trade Organisation is designed
to make sure that we do - then we will be increasingly at risk from foot
and mouth and other forms of plague and pestilence. Is it not about time
we took a serious look at where we are going? FisheriesThe other big issue in the Scottish Parliament this month has been the looming disaster in the North Sea. Rather than focus on the best measures to take to ensure sustainable fisheries, the media attention was largely devoted to whether the Scottish Executive would obey the will of parliament, following the narrowest of opposition victories for those calling for the fleet to be paid to stay in port, rather than getting on with the decommissioning that environmental experts agree is essential if stocks are to recover. The Scottish Executive found itself in a pickle due to a combination of absent Ministers, ill backbenchers, unreliable Liberal Democrats, and the casting vote against the status quo by Presiding Officer David Steel. Not a combination that ought to be repeated too often, but nevertheless there followed a week where the Scottish Executive stuck to its guns in support of its original plan. I don’t believe that the Executive should go against the will of parliament, and I’m glad to say they didn’t. They brought the issue back for further discussion - and this time the vote went their way. Just announced are the new guidelines on Sex Education in Scottish Schools. Among the documents available are “A Guide for Parents and Carers”; “Effective Consultation with Parents and Carers”; and “A Summary of National Advice”. Also available, from the Scottish Executive web site or through my office, is the circular 2/2001 to Directors of Education. Recent visitors to the constituency have included Health Minister Susan Deacon (seen overleaf making an impromptu visit to the Dundas Resource Centre with Cathy and Michael); and Iain Gray, the Deputy Minister for Justice, who launched the HOPE drug project in Bo’ness. “I’m very glad that the importance of this project has been recognised by the presence of Iain Gray” said Cathy. “I have been working with the HOPE project group and others for some time now, with a view to improving provision in this area. This is a significant step forward, and I hope that the project will now be able to go from strength to strength.” Trade Unions and the Scottish ParliamentLast year when the TUC was held in Glasgow, I wrote an article for their programme about Trade Unions and the Scottish Parliament. Pondering what to write for this year’s STUC programme, I looked back to my earlier comments. Towards the end of the article I had written: “While some trade unionists have discovered that the doors of parliament are open to them, it would also be fair to say that they have not all rushed to cross the threshold. I believe that there is still great potential for the expansion of trade union participation in the parliamentary process. The danger is that, having played a major role in the creation of the institution, trade unionists may feel that their work is done. If so, think again!” I’m pleased to say that the signs are good. I won’t personally take all the credit - I’m sure many others have been saying the same thing – but there have been many instances in the last few months to show that trade unions are engaging effectively with the parliament. Meetings between Labour MSPs and the STUC are now well established. Every month we sit down to discuss issues of mutual concern, and to update each other on what is happening in our respective spheres. Even when the issues are difficult or controversial, the meetings are good-humoured and matters are dealt with efficiently. Regular meetings between the STUC and Ministers have now extended the partnership. To these can be added a plethora of meetings and lobbies, where trade unionists have tackled MSPs on particular issues – from the core trade union concerns such as pay and conditions and health and safety to the “community trade unionism” of campaigns on housing, education and social welfare. Further evidence for the substantial role of the unions within Scotland’s democracy may be found within the parliamentary structure. Trade Unions have regularly been called upon to give evidence to committees, and are involved in a number of cross party groups. And, of course, all Labour’s MSPs are trade unionists – many having been very active in their pre-election career (and to be fair there are one or two among other parties too!). Although much has been achieved, there is still more to do. I know this sounds like the election theme, but it is true in both cases. The links between the political and the “industrial” sides of the labour movement remain strong – but could be stronger. Trade unions, as the largest membership based democratic organisations within our society, have a right and a duty to be involved with the democratic process. Speaking of elections, we can’t discuss what might be in the Scottish Parliament without addressing the importance of a labour government at Westminster to the continued well being of our Scottish democracy. Not just because of the threat of constitutional niggling by a Tory government, but more importantly because Tory control of the reins of economic power would disastrously undermine the ability of the Scottish Parliament to carry out its agreed programme. We can all think of things that we hoped to get from a Labour government, but let us not forget how much has been achieved for working people – the introduction of a minimum wage, the rights for part time workers, union recognition, and a raft of tax and benefit measures to support households and help people out of the poverty trap. Further improvements – such as the commitments to full employment and the elimination of child poverty – depend upon the return of a Labour government for a second term of office. Personally, I’m disappointed that the forthcoming election is not likely to see a significant increase in the number of women MPs. Indeed, since many of the women who did get elected last time around were in marginal seats, we need to ensure a good victory in order to maintain female representation at Westminster. The large contingent of women at Holyrood shows that once the proportion of women gets beyond a third, they start to make a real difference to the way in which the institution functions. If we are to make progress at Westminster, we need to reform our selection procedures. The trade union movement is the key to doing this, in Westminster as it was in Holyrood. |
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