Chamber
Plenary, 15 Jan 2004
15 Jan 2004 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
European Commission<br />(Work Programme)
I welcome this opportunity to discuss the European Commission's planned work programme. Whatever concerns we might have about the unelected and undemocratic Commission, it is vital that the Parliament engage constructively with the European policy agenda. The EU has had a positive impact on pushing the environment up the political agenda. Indeed, the overwhelming bulk of environmental law that is currently in force in Scotland has originated in Europe.
I want to highlight one of the items on the European agenda that demands Parliament's attention—toxic chemicals. The registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals—or REACH—proposal is designed to replace about 40 existing regulations in order to bring consumer and environmental protection up to date. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to identify and deal with the risks that are posed by a wide range of chemicals, and the white paper that was adopted by the Commission in February 2001 promised that a strategy would be introduced to achieve that aim.
Scotland knows only too well about the widespread pollution of our environment by toxic chemicals. In recent weeks, we have seen worrying reports about toxins in farmed salmon, about dropping sperm counts in Scottish men and about exposure to a cocktail of dozens of artificial chemicals that every one of us has accumulated in our blood. That accumulation threatens everyone's health and Parliament must get a grip on the issue.
I want to highlight one of the items on the European agenda that demands Parliament's attention—toxic chemicals. The registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals—or REACH—proposal is designed to replace about 40 existing regulations in order to bring consumer and environmental protection up to date. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to identify and deal with the risks that are posed by a wide range of chemicals, and the white paper that was adopted by the Commission in February 2001 promised that a strategy would be introduced to achieve that aim.
Scotland knows only too well about the widespread pollution of our environment by toxic chemicals. In recent weeks, we have seen worrying reports about toxins in farmed salmon, about dropping sperm counts in Scottish men and about exposure to a cocktail of dozens of artificial chemicals that every one of us has accumulated in our blood. That accumulation threatens everyone's health and Parliament must get a grip on the issue.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S2M-771, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on behalf of the European and External Relations Com...
Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
As convener of the Scottish Parliament's European and External Relations Committee, it is a pleasure for me to open the debate on the European Commission's w...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
Does Mr Lochhead agree that although the SCDI is planning trade missions to seven of the 10 new member states within the next year, it is equally important t...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Yes. I am delighted to agree with a fellow member of the committee.The review of the 2004 work plan for Scottish Development International shows that it has ...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
This is an important debate in what will be a momentous year for the European Union. As Richard Lochhead said, it is the year of enlargement, European Parlia...
Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab):
Lab
Does the member accept that a crucial part of the work of the European and External Relations Committee is to do just that? The previous European Committee i...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
That is exactly what I was coming on to say. In this session of Parliament we have made important strides forward. It is good to see ministers and officials ...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Richard Lochhead on the way in which he led for the European and External Relations Committee. I agree with most of what he said.We welcome th...
The Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services (Tavish Scott):
LD
I was rather looking forward to Mr Gallie continuing that frame of analysis.I thank Richard Lochhead and the European and External Relations Committee for in...
Phil Gallie:
Con
I thank the minister for his comments. I recognise that the constitution would not be implemented until 2009, but its implications are so vast that it will t...
Tavish Scott:
LD
Those observations do not hang together with the reality of the Commission's work plan. As Mr Gallie said, the constitution might be considered to be too amb...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
In the context of communication between the Scottish Parliament and the European Parliament, has the minister given any consideration to the establishment of...
Tavish Scott:
LD
I hope that Mrs Ewing will accept that that is rather more a matter for Parliament than for me. I visited the Scottish Parliament office the last time I was ...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Enlargement of the EU has been a big issue in the debate and will continue to be so. Will the minister give examples of any analyses by his department of the...
Tavish Scott:
LD
Such analysis is going on, rightly, across all departments of the Executive, not just in finance and public services. Enterprise plays a particularly importa...
Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab):
Lab
The motion asks Parliament to note the European Commission's work programme in a year of massive transition, in which a new European Parliament will be elect...
Mrs Ewing:
SNP
Is Mr Home Robertson now saying that he believes that Ted Heath was right to say that Scottish fishermen were expendable?
Mr Home Robertson:
Lab
No. I think that he was right to understand that fisheries need to be managed internationally. Margaret Thatcher was very seldom right, but she was right to ...
Phil Gallie:
Con
Is Mr Home Robertson concerned that growth in the euro zone is less than growth in Europe as a whole?
Mr Home Robertson:
Lab
That is one of the current problems. It would be right for Britain to be in the euro zone, but the zone must stabilise and begin to grow. However, it is wort...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
It has been said with considerable understatement that 2004 will be a far from normal year for the EU. Indeed, phrases such as "a dramatic new phase in the E...
Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab):
Lab
It is indeed good to see Keith Raffan back in the chamber—I am enjoying his speech. However, I am interested in his comment about the need to reunify Cyprus,...
Mr Raffan:
LD
Obviously, the Commission's opinion on opening accession negotiations with Turkey continues to relate in some ways to the current pressure that the Turkish G...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I welcome this opportunity to discuss the European Commission's planned work programme. Whatever concerns we might have about the unelected and undemocratic ...
Phil Gallie:
Con
If all those toxic substances are getting into our blood, why on earth are we all living so much longer these days?
Mark Ballard:
Green
There is major public health concern about the impact on us of toxic chemicals in food, consumer and other products. For example, they might be involved in t...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab):
Lab
I am glad that, in this debate and in many others, the Scottish Parliament has, by and large, shown committed and enthusiastic support for engagement with th...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
Like others who have spoken in the debate, I welcome the opportunity to discuss the European Commission's work programme for 2004. I hope that we can do this...
Phil Gallie:
Con
In her earlier comments, the member referred to the mass of information and legislation that is generated in Europe. She has just referred to that again, as ...
Mrs Ewing:
SNP
People would be equally gobsmacked by the number of acronyms that we use when we discuss European legislation. That is part of the problem that we have to ov...