Visiting time

November 21st, 2009

The Queen might have visited Westminster last week but we certainly weren’t short of interesting guests of our own at the Scottish Parliament.

With the smoke clearing from the Springburn by-election, Scotland’s newest MP Willie Bain was in the gallery for First Minister Questions.

Having campaigned with Willie, I am sure he will be a strong advocate for Scotland and his visit will help improve links between the two Parliaments.

Among all these politicians, the pupils from Dyce Academy more than held their own when they stormed the Parliament with a petition to save their tuck shop.

The Aberdeen teenagers had set up a fair-trade stall in their school but it had to be closed down because it was ruled selling chocolate, cereal bars, nuts and even fruit juice contravened Scottish Government guidelines on healthy eating.

Two third-year pupils and a sixth-year girl eloquently put forward a case for healthy lifestyles not to be ‘forced on’ youngsters and charmed the parliament in the process.

I also got to meet with colleagues from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, who were in town for a major seminar and their experiences of life in the Commonwealth’s other Parliament, from Uganda to St Lucia, made interesting listening.

In my own committee, we had the RSPCA giving evidence on the Control of Dogs Bill and brought a seasonal reminder of the old message ‘a dog isn’t just for Christmas’.

We were told that £50,000 a year is spent by Strathclyde Police on dealing with stray dogs, surely an unnecessary expenditure caused by uncaring owners.

It was certainly a colourful week but my own personal highlight of the week came from a more familiar face.

I haven’t always seen eye to eye with Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop but her tacit backing for a new supported needs school to replace Glenburn and Lilybank was music to my ears.

But if she doesn't follow this through, she can expect a visit from me.