{"id":755,"date":"2012-12-07T18:07:53","date_gmt":"2012-12-07T18:07:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/?p=755"},"modified":"2015-06-15T18:16:18","modified_gmt":"2015-06-15T18:16:18","slug":"from-the-scottish-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/?p=755","title":{"rendered":"From: The Scottish Government"},"content":{"rendered":"

4 December, 2012<\/strong>
\nFirst Minister invites cross-party suggestions on press group
\n<\/strong>
\nNecessary for Scottish Parliament to act on self-regulation criteria – FM
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Minister Alex Salmond today invited the main opposition parties to suggest suitable candidates to sit on the implementation group that he has proposed be set up to determine how self-regulation of the press can be recognised in Scots law following the Leveson report.<\/p>\n

Speaking at Holyrood, the First Minister said that whatever type of voluntary self-regulation model was devised by the press in the wake of Leveson, it was necessary for the Scottish Parliament to set the criteria by which any new body could be underpinned in Scots law.<\/p>\n

Mr Salmond called for political consensus on the way forward as he invited the main opposition party leaders to suggest non-politicians they believed should be invited to examine how Leveson\u2019s report could be best addressed in the Scottish context.<\/p>\n

In doing so he pointed out that, because press regulation is devolved, it is impossible to have a solution that would apply to the Scottish press without due consideration of the implications on the legal system in Scotland.<\/p>\n

First Minister Alex Salmond said:<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven that press regulation is the responsibility of this parliament; that there have been victims of press malpractice in Scotland; and that there is a separate legal framework which operates in Scotland, then Lord Justice Leveson\u2019s own view is surely unarguable – that we require to make in Scotland, using the expertise that we have in terms of Scots law, a significant response to his report and recommendations.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis recommendations require serious, expert and distinctive consideration within Scotland. They cannot just be left to Westminster.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeveson sets out clearly that there is a difference between statutory regulation and statutory underpinning of self-regulation. That principle \u2013 in my estimation which provides the essence of his report \u2013 seems to me logically sound. It also appears to have substantial public support.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a number of features of the Irish system which look to me very attractive. Does that mean that we in Scotland should follow the Irish model exactly? No it doesn\u2019t, it just means we should look seriously at whether it can be adapted sensibly in a Scottish context.\u201d<\/p>\n

The First Minister continued:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is up to the press, not the Government, to establish its own regulatory structure. Depending on what the press decides, that structure could apply to other parts of these islands of the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the statutory underpinning cannot simply be UK-wide, as perhaps as has been suggested elsewhere. That underpinning must adhere to Scots law. A Scottish solution is required for the underpinning – not necessarily for the organisation \u2013 but the underpinning of the self regulatory body.\u201d<\/p>\n

The First Minister added:<\/p>\n

\u201cI have written to my counterparts in this chamber to invite them to talks on Thursday. I welcome their indication that they will accept the invitation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am proposing the establishment of an independent implementation group, chaired by a recent Court of Session judge. I can confirm that all parties here at Holyrood are welcome to suggest non-practising political representatives as potential members of that implementation group.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of the group is to meet the challenge, set to us by Leveson, of how to adapt a proposal which was inevitably very much attached to the English legal system into a Scottish legal context.<\/p>\n

Mr Salmond concluded:<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sufficiently optimistic to believe we can seize an opportunity to take a serious, consensual, cross-party approach here at Holyrood to rise to the challenge laid down by Leveson.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we do that, we will do our duty in Scotland to those who suffered from the unacceptable practices of some media organisations. We will fit that balance between the expectations of the public and the essential freedom of the press.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we can ensure that in Scotland the seventh inquiry into press regulation secures more enduring results than any of its six predecessors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Such was the picture I always had of Autumn, a time for the leaves turning, but alas , all has changed \u2013 according to Westminster diktat.\u00a0 In this first week of December , with snow on the ground, the English Chancellor is ready to present the Autumn Statement, like all else he has touched, too late to benefit anyone .\u00a0 Sorry, the use of the word benefit will also bite the lexiconal dust \u2013 to coin a phrase!\u00a0 I suppose we should call it the Winter of our Discontent Statement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Southern Drift<\/h2>\n

I was somewhat surprised to hear the Labour MSP John Park is leaving the Scottish Parliament, and going to work in London in the Trade Union movement.\u00a0 I always had a reasonable opinion of Mr Park, so mild disappointment.<\/p>\n

This of course follows the drift south of\u00a0 Margaret Curran and Cathie Jamieson for Labour, and David Mundell for the\u00a0 Tories, who preferred the green leather benches to Edinburgh\u2019s chairs \u2013 with desks.\u00a0 One need not waste much sympathy on Mr Mundell, the lonely Tory, who may have had hopes of some Ministerial advance in a future Tory administration which will emerge south of the border.\u00a0 His first preference has been taken by a Liberal, as the Tories sought to legitimise the ruling of Scotland by appointing a coalition member.\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s his gas at a wee peep.<\/p>\n

Other southern refugees that spring to mind, Liberal Jim Wallace, now Baron Wallace of Tankerness, (can\u2019t figure out the difference between Lords and Barons) appointed as something or other in the House of Lords, enabling him to pontificate on Scottish affairs at our expense.\u00a0 We also have Lord Jack McConnell and Lord George Foulkes in that retirement chamber, joining Baroness Helen Liddell \u2013 and Lord Mike Watson \u2013 the man who didn\u2019t like the curtains at Prestonfield House.\u00a0 There are many others, too numerous to mention.<\/p>\n

When I consider this merry band of willing ex pats, the following lines from The Lairdie\u2019s Prayer\u00a0 spring to mind:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd should the Gaels return, and I am forced to flee,<\/p>\n

Let me be down in London town, nearer my God to Thee,<\/p>\n

Nearer my God to Thee.<\/p>\n

Oh Lord Thou kens me well,<\/p>\n

Though my name\u2019s MacPhee, I\u2019ll try to be<\/p>\n

As English as yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

I suppose you could say they are all keeping their options open; those in the House of Commons will either have to stand in an English seat, or return to a political life in Scotland, no doubt finding that politics has moved on from their day.\u00a0 The English can pick up the tab for the miscellaneous members of their House of Lords;\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t lose any sleep over it.\u00a0 To quote another well known Scottish phrase: \u201cIf ye maun flee wi\u2019 the craws, ye maun be shot wi\u2019 the craws.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Idle thoughts<\/h2>\n

Revealing to see a BBC Scotland\u00a0 News report of Nicola Sturgeon\u2019s speech on independence this week;\u00a0 rather baffled to hear the commentator reporting a Tory MSP\u2019s comments on it, rather than what Nicola was actually saying.\u00a0\u00a0 Or perhaps not baffled at all.<\/p>\n

Virgin keeps sending me invitations to use their system rather than Sky\u2019s, even quoting how much I can save \u2013 up to \u00a3129.75 in the first year!\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 Not having Sky saves even more.<\/p>\n

The term Ministry of Defence is a misnomer;\u00a0 what is the purpose of two massive aircraft carriers costing billions, when we still have airfields enough to defend the country?\u00a0 The cutting up on the tarmac of the replacements for Nimrod was an assault on the defence of the realm.<\/p>\n

Ministry of Offence is a more appropriate expression.<\/p>\n

The Westminster Government has appointed 13 committees to look at all the aspects of Scottish independence in the two years up to the Referendum.\u00a0 Despite having a very expensive Scotland Office, encompassing Michael Moore, a Liberal, Baron Wallace of Tankerness and David Mundell, there is no role for the aforesaid Office.\u00a0\u00a0 They must think that they are too busy to be involved, but it would be quite nice to know what they are doing;\u00a0 we do remember when Jim Murphy was in that sinecure he spent his time campaigning against the SNP \u2013 at our expense.<\/p>\n

I was puzzled, and still am, by Johann Lament\u2019s claim that we spent \u00a3800 million on Chinese steel for the new Forth Crossing \u2013 never retracted or corrected \u2013 the\u00a0 true figure is\u00a0 \u00a380 million.\u00a0 As far as I knew there were no steel factories in Scotland, but perhaps I am mistaken;\u00a0 Ms Lamont must think they exist\u00a0 –\u00a0 do they?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

4 December, 2012 First Minister invites cross-party suggestions on press group Necessary for Scottish Parliament to act on self-regulation criteria – FM First Minister Alex Salmond today invited the main opposition parties to suggest suitable candidates to sit on the implementation group that he has proposed be set up to determine how self-regulation of the press can be recognised in Scots law following the Leveson report. Speaking at Holyrood, the First Minister said that whatever type of voluntary self-regulation model was devised by the press in the wake of Leveson, it was necessary for the Scottish Parliament to set the criteria by which any newRead More →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=755"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":756,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755\/revisions\/756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}