SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

Parliament is in recess.

SECTION 2 – NEWS

FM begins five-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai
First Minister Jack McConnell today met with State Councillor Mr Tang Jiaxuan, a senior member of the Chinese government, to discuss joint areas of interest, including education, trade and tourism.

During the meeting, Mr McConnell expressed his support for a tourist agreement between China and Britain, which would allow Chinese tourists to travel to the United Kingdom for leisure.

Mr McConnell said:

"I hope the UK government and the Chinese government will finalise this agreement soon. There is a huge potential Chinese market for Scottish tourism and I want us to capture it."

Earlier, Mr McConnell met with Mr Zhang Yesui, the Foreign Affairs Minister responsible for relationships with Europe. During this meeting, Mr McConnell raised the issue of human rights when he told Mr Yesui that the Scottish people shared the UK government's concerns about human rights in China.

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Holyrood opening ceremony
The new Scottish Parliament is coming of age in a country whose time has come, First Minister Jack McConnell told guests at the official opening ceremony on Saturday.

"This is the permanent home for the nation's final discussion on matters that affect the way we live, and the way we shape the lives of future generations, " he said.

"This magnificent building can inspire admiration but it cannot by its mere existence influence opinions or judgements on public policy.

"It is we who are elected to serve who form the human institution that is the Scottish Parliament.

"In Scotland, in this Parliament, we must imagine what the future will hold. The pace of progress is quickening and the possibilities for us are limitless.

"This Parliament should dare to open minds to the opportunities that change brings, and seize those opportunities for the people of Scotland."

The Parliament at Holyrood was opened by the Queen after MSPs and their guests had walked down the Royal Mile from Parliament Hall, the site of the original Scottish Parliament, in a procession known as a 'riding'.

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SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

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