Hansard

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

21 Dec 2004

Convener's Report

It is always good to have a back-up from the clerks.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

21 Dec 2004

Convener's Report

Perhaps the clerks can clarify the brief point that I want to make about inward visits. Like other members, I sometimes hear about such visits after they have taken place. The process that seems to occur at the moment is that we hear about inward visits only through the party ...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

21 Dec 2004

Convener's Report

I want to ask about inward visits.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

21 Dec 2004

Convener's Report

Perhaps we could ask the minister's office to clarify what he means by"the possible creation of an EU Agency for linguistic diversity and language learning",given that he then goes on to refer to it as"an agency for minority languages."I would like to know whether the proposed...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

21 Dec 2004

Sift

I have an issue to raise, but I can mention it later.

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Committee

21 Dec 2004

Sift

As that document will be published on 11 January and our away day will be held on 14 January, it will be useful to receive a copy of that material as soon as possible. That would allow us to read the material in advance.Will we discuss our away day today?

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Chamber

16 Dec 2004

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · Forth Estuary (Travel)

Will the minister join me in congratulating bridgemaster Alastair Andrew and his team on the efficient way in which they are managing traffic on the Forth road bridge? They cannot be expected to do that indefinitely. What does the most recent structural report that the ministe...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

16 Dec 2004

Reoffending

Does the minister agree that the Conservatives have shown time and again their failure to understand the complexity of drug misuse? The whole point of DTTOs and drugs courts is to get drug addicts into treatment and recovery and so break the cycle of reoffending. That is how w...

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Chamber

16 Dec 2004

Reoffending

I listened carefully to what Miss Goldie said, but what is absent from her speech is any indication of how the Conservatives would try to break the cycle of reoffending through rehabilitation, training or educational opportunities in prisons. All that they see is punishment.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

16 Dec 2004

Defence Reviews

No.My second main point is to counter the argument that the move to larger regiments will increase recruitment and retention. I will give the 2003-04 recruitment target and actual recruitment figure for the Black Watch: the annual target was 112 and the actual recruitment was ...

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Chamber

16 Dec 2004

Defence Reviews

I join members from all parties in welcoming the Black Watch home and expressing condolences to the families of those brave five who lost their lives in the deserts of Iraq."I … believe that a super-regiment would submerge and eventually extinguish all the individual loyalties...

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Health and Community Care · European and External Relations

Does the minister agree that important sections of the constitutional treaty would give increased power to sub-state national Parliaments in their say on European legislation? Will he kill the myth from the Tories and will he endorse the work of that noted member of the Scotti...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Never.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Does the member agree that the invasion of Iraq has made it much more difficult to deal with countries such as Iran and North Korea that have weapons of mass destruction?

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

The report of the Iraq survey group said:"The former regime had no formal written strategy or plan for the revival of W.M.D. after sanctions. Neither was there an identifiable group of W.M.D. policy makers or planners separate from Saddam."How does Lord James respond to that s...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Will the member take an intervention?

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

No.The invasion of Iraq has led to huge loss of life and has alienated moderate Muslims. The Labour Government has caused havoc not only in Iraq, but worldwide. It has seriously undermined the United Nations and seriously damaged relations with European Union partners. Last ni...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

It was appalling under Saddam Hussein and it is now completely chaotic and anarchic. The worst thing that we could do would be to withdraw troops, as the Scottish socialists absurdly suggest, which would lead to a trebling or quadrupling—if not more—of civilian deaths. That wa...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Patrick Harvie should sit down, as he is a waste of time.Sir Menzies Campbell has shown consistent, strong opposition to the war and has presented a very reasoned policy on how we should go forward from here. Obviously, Green members are buried in their internet websites, but ...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

In winding up for the Liberal Democrats, I do not need to waste much time responding to the Greens. Just now I was outside the chamber speaking to a senior journalist—no particular friend of the Liberal Democrats—who said, "You can say many things about the Liberal Democrats, ...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Our federal leader Charles Kennedy was very prominent in leading and speaking at the demonstrations in London. My colleague Menzies Campbell has a seat on "Newsnight" that Jeremy Paxman describes as the Menzies Campbell chair, because he is on the programme so often opposing t...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

That is complete nonsense, as Mr Harvie knows. My colleague Robert Brown was very prominent in speaking at rallies in Glasgow.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Will the member take an intervention?

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

What a silly man.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

That is rubbish.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

I opposed the war right from the beginning. Mr Ballance should know that. Perhaps he should look at the Liberal Democrat website, as he seems to get all his information from websites.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

That is utter nonsense.

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

I disagree totally with Mr Neil. The forces that could be introduced into Iraq under the League of Arab States would not command any greater support among the Iraqi people than do the western troops. It is crucial that the Iraqi security forces are trained so that they can tak...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

It would lead to the companies that are working to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure—its hospitals, schools and roads—removing their employees from the country immediately.I thought that the SSP was a party of international socialists. I thought that they believed in the brotherho...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

It would consign the people of Iraq to a precipitous slide into total anarchy and bloody civil war. Interruption.

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

It is a comment on the sorry state of the Conservative party that it was so gullible and so easily misled by the Prime Minister. Another comment on its sorry state is the fact that its only solution to the situation in Iraq is to bring back George Bush senior, John Major and M...

Mr Raffan: LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

Will she address that point?

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD Chamber

09 Dec 2004

Iraq

We have heard many minutes of Frances Curran's speech. When is she going to come to the main point of the motion, on withdrawing troops by Christmas? How on earth will that help the situation and the suffering in Iraq?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

What will be the Scottish Executive's input to the congress?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

Will you give us an update on the events that will take place in Scotland during the UK presidency? Early in October you kindly sent us a list of such events, seven or eight of which, such as the fresh talent conference, were still to be confirmed. In particular, will you tell...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

And officials in Northern Ireland, because the Northern Ireland Assembly is not yet reconstituted.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

To what extent are ministers and officials working with colleagues in Wales on preparations for the UK presidency of the Council of the European Union?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

Those of us who sat through two days of Regleg meetings can perhaps feed back to you on them. One of the most important matters that arose was the need to safeguard and maximise an enhanced role for the regions in the constitution. I hope that you will pay close attention to t...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

I have a final point. I understand from the parliamentary external liaison unit that between 7,000 and 7,300 journalists will be coming to cover the G8 summit. Two hundred are coming from Japan alone. Many—probably most—of them will be based in accommodation in Edinburgh. Will...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

Could you look at that because—

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

When will it be up and running? Perth and Kinross Council's site was up and running about four or five months ago.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

You mentioned the reception for non-governmental organisations at the castle. At the tail end of our delegation's visit to the States, I was at a small conference in Washington, because I am on the board of the Global Aids Alliance. Representatives of 40 to 50 American NGOs we...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

United Kingdom Presidencies (Council of the European Union and G8)

I will follow on from my earlier point about international development. You rightly said that one of the two centrepieces of the G8 summit will be the Prime Minister's commission on Africa, which is potentially important and which could tie in with the kind of international de...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

We had a good debate on October 7, prior to the official opening of the Parliament, which revolved around a potential international development role for the Executive, which is touched on in the international strategy. How does the minister view that role and how does he envis...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

It is important. It was a great pity, given that we had such a focus on that first non-parliamentary event in the old chamber.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

Could you look into it?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

I have two brief points. First, we do not want to lengthen the minister's already long day, but will he examine how the Executive can work with the Parliament to improve and strengthen links with the National Conference of State Legislatures, with which a number of us have con...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

So surgeries might be held in Edinburgh, for example.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

It sounds as if people are working 19-and-a-half-hour days.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

I dread to use the phrase "waiting time", as it can be a little ominous for the Executive in other spheres. Nevertheless, what waiting time do the 650 applicants face before they receive a response? The waiting time must be quite considerable if there are six people dealing wi...

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

It would be helpful if that information were made available to all members. I know of one or two people who would like to contact the service.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

Can you ensure that the same information is available to us as is available to embassies, high commissions and so on?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

The six members of staff must be pretty overwhelmed, having received 650 inquiries. No wonder your marketing is low key. Will you increase the number of staff?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

How many staff are there and where is the service based?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

You said that the service has not been formally launched yet. When will it be formally launched and how are you marketing it?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

Has he reported back to you, so that you are informed in your co-ordinating role?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

The conference was over two days—the Monday and the Tuesday.

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

Minister, were you involved in any of the meetings or functions relating to the important Regleg conference at the beginning of last week?

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

I have a further point. In your opening statement, you mentioned the relocation advisory service—

Mr Raffan: LD Committee

07 Dec 2004

Promoting Scotland Worldwide Inquiry and Scottish Executive International Strategy

Are the fortnightly meetings sufficient?