SNP NORTH AMERICAN NETWORK NEWSLETTER
Issue 14, June 1999
NOTE-- due to regulations set by the Labour party in London
Only persons with the right to vote in the UK may contribute directly to the SNP. Supporters who have no vote in the UK are asked to contribute to our North America Fund, the income from which is retained in North America to support awareness-raising there about Scotland and the SNP.NETWORK UPDATE
David Young of the Advisory Committee has been busy over the past month organising events for a proposed lecture tour that was mentioned in last month's newsletter. David has already had contacts for Berkeley and Harvard and we would like to thank Kevin Ross of California and Rita Koeser of New Jersey. If anyone else would like to help with the lecture tour or research for the party please contact David on p1ct1sh@yahoo.com In addition we would also like to thank Jim Hoerricks, Director of Publications for theClan MacFarlane Society, Inc. who is to use parts of our newsletter in their own quarterly newsletter, the MacFarlane's Lantern. The Canadian Celtic Directory, which has been in touch with the SNP is now available. With over 100 pages it covers all provinces and territories listing names, addresses, telephone, fax, email, websites for Irish, Scottish, Welsh, businesses across Canada. It lists pubs, organisations, performers, artists, breweries, clans, festivals, folk clubs, galleries, gift shops, instrument makers, labels, student organisations, societies, and much more. It can be ordered or C$14.95 plus C$2.50 s&h through Porthole Press, 115-509 Commissioners Road West, London, Ontario Canada N6J 1Y5. Email port_hole@yahoo.com website athttp://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/9126 SNP ANNOUNCE SHADOW CABINET SNP leader Mr Alex Salmond MSP has announced the details of the SNP's shadow Scottish Cabinet - the SNP's 'First Fifteen' to scrutinise the Labour/Liberal administration in the Scottish Parliament. They are:
Leader of the Opposition, Constitution & External Affairs - Alex Salmond MSP Deputy Leader, and Enterprise & Lifelong Learning - John Swinney MSP Justice, Equality & Land Reform - Roseanna Cunningham MSP Children & Education - Nicola Sturgeon MSP Finance - Andrew Wilson MSP Health & Community Care - Kay Ullrich MSP Rural Affairs - Alasdair Morgan MSP Housing & Social Justice - Fiona Hyslop MSP Local Government - Kenneth Gibson MSP Transport & the Environment - Kenny MacAskill MSP Business Manager and Culture, Broadcasting & Gaelic - Michael Russell MSP Chief Whip - Bruce Crawford MSP Reserved matters Defence - Colin Campbell MSP Social Security - Alex Neil MSP Europe - Ian Hudghton MEP
The above team of 15 represents the members of the SNP's Shadow Cabinet, encompassing devolved and non-devolved functions.
SNP Group posts already elected Parliamentary Group Convener - Margaret Ewing MSP Parliamentary Group Secretary - Shona Robison MSP SNP MSPs elected to Scottish Parliament posts by the Parliament Deputy Presiding Officer - George Reid MSP Member of the Parliamentary Corporate Body - Andrew Welsh MSPCommenting on his shadow team Alex Salmond said: "The SNP's 'First Fifteen' is a team of parliamentary champions, who will stand up for the rights and authority of the Parliament, and hold the Executive to account on behalf of the people. "It is a team packed with experience and young talent, with an average age of just 43. "As the Independence party who will not let London Labour put the Scottish Parliament in a shortbread tin, the SNP's 'First Fifteen' covers both devolved and non-devolved areas. "The SNP's 'First Fifteen' will champion the rights of the Parliament, and offer a formidable Opposition. They will run rings round the London-led Executive announced by Donald Dewar, who will be dominated by John Rafferty's centralised group of advisers." Biographical details of the SNP's Shadow team can be accessed on the Election '99 website on http://www.snp.org.uk/ SNP DEMAND RETURN OF SCOTS FISHING WATERS Only days before the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament, an obscure piece of legislation was passed by an obscure committee in the Westminster Parliament. It was yet another blow to the Scottish fishing industry as the legislation moved 6000 square miles of Scottish fishing waters into England's jurisdiction. This means that Scottish fishermen will now be encumbered with having to change their nets every time they cross the new boundary. The SNP and the Scottish fishing industry are now campaigning for that order, the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999, to be reversed - particularly since they were not consulted. SNP regional member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland Mr Richard Lochhead MSP announced that the SNP Group had tabled a resolution in the Parliament supporting demands for the reinstatement to Scottish jurisdiction of the 6,000 square miles of Scottish waters. Mr Lochhead explained: "There is no possible excuse for the removal of 6,000 square miles of fishing waters from Scottish jurisdiction by moving England's fisheries boundary 60 miles north, and the SNP are demanding that this extraordinary and anti-Scottish decision is reversed. "The change was sneaked through by the House of Lords and the Commons Committee on Delegated Legislation on 23 March - where it was moved by Henry McLeish - and means that Scottish boats fishing east and south of Carnoustie outside the 12-mile inshore limit are subject to English legal jurisdiction.
"It is outrageous that the Government failed to consult the fishing industry on this change - which would remove these waters from the jurisdiction of the Scottish Parliament, and render the area subject to Westminster fishing law and English courts.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ON THE WEB Proceedings in the Scottish Parliament are now available on the web through http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/. This site can keep you up to date on debates, questions and motions as well as background on MSPs. A Public Information Service offers a public enquiry service, information resources and an education service. Their facilities include a visitor centre with information accessible onhttp://www.scottish.parliament.uk/welcoming_you/visitors.html
and the Scottish Parliament shop on
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/welcoming_you/shop.html.
The Visitor Centre presents information about the Scottish Parliament and its work through displays and interactive presentations. It features information on how the Parliament came about, its composition and how it affects the public. It also includes information about the development of the Holyrood project and the history of Scotland's previous governmental systems. The Visitor Centre is open Monday to Friday from 09.30 to 17.00.
The Scottish Parliament Shop, adjoining the Visitor Centre, offers a selection of distinctive and exclusive Scottish Parliament gifts. The Shop is open Monday to Friday from 09.30 to 17.00. If your ever visiting Edinburgh you may want to take advantage of these attractions. SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT TO SERVE ALL OF SCOTLAND A motion in the Scottish Parliament has been passed in which a call was made for committees of the Parliament to meet around Scotland on a roving basis and, where appropriate, to meet permanently at locations outwith Edinburgh. That motion has been signed by members of all six parties represented in the Parliament. The motion called on the Parliament to resolve that it must extend the reach of its democratic work around Scotland and that it could provide living and breathing evidence of our new democracy across all the communities of Scotland. Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, said: "It woulod be to the Parliament's credit, in bringing a new democracy to Scotland to start the new century, if we were to assert the fact that the Parliament is not just Edinburgh's, but Scotland's. "Indeed, our work should go around the country, both on a roving basis and, where possible, on a permanent basis." SCOTS WANT DIRECT LINKS TO EUROPE According to a new MORI poll for the Sunday Herald Scotland should be allowed to bypass Westminster and have a direct say in talks with Europe. Scottish voters - by a margin of two-to-one - no longer want London to carry out key talks on Scotland's behalf. SNP leader Alex Salmond said: "This shows the strong support among the Scottish people for promoting their own identity in Europe. They do not want to dial Brussels via the London operator." The findings come as civil service documents are being drawn up in secret to determine how power is carved up between the Mound and Westminster. One of these so-called "concordats" covers Europe. The concordat on Europe was meant to allow Scottish ministers to be involved in negotiations in Brussels with government ministers from other states. How ever, they would not be allowed to depart from a UK-agreed line on negotiations even though the subject under discussion had been devolved to the Scottish parliament. Mr Salmond called the agreement "ridiculous". AND FINALLY A diary piece reaches us telling us about the behaviour of Scotland's First Minister as a student leader. We refer to the dirtiest rectorial battle ever as our esteemed First Minister led the campaign to have jailed freedom fighter Albert Lutuli installed as Glasgow University Rector in 1962, against the campaign of Lord Rosebery. The Glasgow University Guardian wrote: "Friday witnessed one of the most incredible scenes the Byres Road has ever known. Donald C Dewar, president of the Union, on hearing that the Rosebery Committee were holding a party in their headquarters, collected about 30 of his supporters from the Union spirits bar, where he had spent the evening, and led them down to the Byres Road. "When Dewar and his mob came flooding down the road, the Rosebery doors were shut. Thus when Dewar and Co arrived there was little indeed that could be done. Milling about on the pavement the group began to throw stink bombs at the door. Meanwhile, Union president Dewar kept up a steady flow of advice and comfort to his motley collection of supporters, but after the appearance of one policeman the crowd melted away, after a brief but characteristic altercation between the policeman and Mr Dewar." SNP