November 2008
November 28, 2008 12:00 AM
November has been an interesting month for parliamentary business, with issues such as cormorants and whaling, on which there are differing opinions, coming up in the Fisheries Committee and further discussions on the idea of territorial cohesion in the Regional Development one. It is too soon to say exactly what the latter will mean for Scotland but it is clear that the Commission makes special note of the situation of the mountainous areas, islands and remote and sparsely populated regions.
Strasbourg, too, generated some lively debate, covering topics such as the campaign to ban cluster bombs, EU funding for free fruit in schools, the euro currency after ten years, a 'blue card' for non-EU workers (similar to the green card in the US) and the spread of the Varroa parasite, which is devastating bee populations all across the EU.
As usual, too, there were various less formal meetings, including some very welcome visitors from Shetland, whom I was able to join in a discussion with a Commission representative on matters agricultural.
But, I have also been able to spend a fair amount of time in the constituency. This meant I could meet with Bishopbriggs Academy students involved in the Cape Farewell project. One of these had taken part in a British Council sponsored voyage from Iceland, past Greenland and up the Canadian coast to observe the effects of climate change on the polar ice.
Then I visited various housing associations in Kinross-shire and the recently opened Heritage Trail around Loch Leven, the Pavilions development at Alloa Business Park (it was good to see the railway functioning again there, too).
Aberdeen was the next port of call, chairing a session of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions working group on energy and meeting with the Executive Secretary of the North Sea Regional Advisory Committee on fisheries.
From there it was down to Edinburgh, where I spent a very enjoyable evening as a guest at the Scottish Politician of the Year awards and at the same time made some useful contacts with people engaged in the fight against HIV/Aids.
I have been occupied with writing speeches, too, as over and above a couple of party AGMs, I have spoken to civil servants in Edinburgh about the role of an MEP, to a separate conference on Scottish Governance there and at the Milngavie Civic Trust about engaging with citizens.
Add to that attending a lecture organised by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations on freedom of information and a visit to Grangemouth to discuss port security, and you will see that the life of an MEP remains a busy and varied one.
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