One year on: the highs and lows of the Scottish Parliament
High points
May 6 1999 - Parliamentary Elections held under form of PR. Labour largest party, no overall majority. Tommy Sheridan SSP, Ross Harper, Greens and Dennis Canavan, Independent, elected.
May 13 1999 - Parliament reconvened after gap since 1707. Picture of Tommy's clenched fist affirmation to "Her Majesty's Heirs and Accessories" printed worldwide.
Tuition Fees and Student Grants. Commission of Enquiry set up and recommended abolition of college fees, and introduction of type of Graduate Tax, also reintroduction limited form of Grants. Government decided to abolish fees for students but set level at which ex students pay Graduate tax at £10,000 per annum not £25,000 as recommended. This is still a matter of political divide and figure could be revised.
Warrant Sales. The Parliament allows each member to raise two Bills each session. The first member's bill to be presented, to complete committee and be voted on by the Parliament was Tommy Sheridan's Act to abolish warrant sales and poindings.
This is of enormous significance as 28,000 poindings were carried out on the poor last year in Scotland. It has long been seen as a form of intimidation of the poor and gives rise to loan sharks and racketeering. The executive opposed abolition but a back bench revolt by Labour MSPs forced a climbdown. It was widely reported as the day the Parliament found its own voice.
Section 28 (2A). Labour attempted to carry out its manifesto commitment to repeal Section 2A preventing local Authorities "promoting" Homosexuality.
The Bill to repeal met opposition from some reactionaries on its back bench as well as the Catholic church. Most serious opposition came from Brian Souter of Stagecoach who organised a referendum on the issue. Souter who was a major funder of the SNP, forced wobbles in the SNP leadership and a few amendments in the statutory guidance. The measure to repeal however, went ahead, and on June 21 2000 the reactionary legislation - Section 2A was repealed in Scotland.
Parliamentary Committees. Every MSP is on at least one parliamentary committee (Sheridan is on the Equal Opportunities committee).
Although their effectiveness varies, these committees are the biggest extension of democracy instigated by the parliament. Any organisation can make representations to the Parliament and on the key issues under discussion, the campaign organisations are directly questioned by the committee and their responses recorded in the parliamentary record available on the Internet.
During evidence taking, each of the 3 or 4 committees has interviewed 3 or 4 organisations a week - sometimes for 12 to 15 weeks. Committees are not part of the executive and are designed to call it to account. they can initiate legislation themselves. (see Stock transfer)
Low Points of Parliament
May 19 1999 - Lib Dems included in coalition executive. Accused of sell out over Tuition Fees in return for Government limos.
PR - wrangles between Labour first past post MSPs and list MSPs over level of expenses. This was part of an on-going reaction against PR.
First past post MPs in Labour had fought internal election and public election, and resent the top up list candidates. It was eventually agreed all MSPs got same expenses and salaries. Westminster MPs are now complaining about MSPs poaching constituency complaints - they feel undervalued.
Site of Parliament. There was a clash between the executive and parliament over the site of Parliament and the cost of proposed new building. The traditional site of the Royal High School which had temporarily housed the parliament to 1707 was rejected by Donald Dewar as a Nationalist shibboleth.
The new site at Holyrood is running years late with costs spiralling. Executive members complain they didn't enter politics to run building contracts!