Keith Raffan: Is the First Minister aware that, despite the arrests and seizures that he welcomed earlier, the street price of class A drugs in this country is plummeting? The price has come down, according to the United Kingdom Government's own figures, by between 20 and 50 per cent in the past two years. Does that not underline Miss Maclean's point that reclassification of cannabis must lead to the...
Keith Raffan: Will the minister take action to get a more accurate estimate of the number of people suffering from hepatitis C in Scotland, especially as the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health says that its figures may be a several-fold underestimate? What assurance can he give that interferon alpha and ribavirin combination therapy is available for all hepatitis C sufferers in Scotland...
Keith Raffan: It has been said with considerable understatement that 2004 will be a far from normal year for the EU. Indeed, phrases such as "a dramatic new phase in the European Union's development", "a defining moment in the history of Europe" and so on have been rolling off many tongues. As members have pointed out, the enlargement of the EU from 15 to 25 members marks the historic end of the post-war...
Keith Raffan: Obviously, the Commission's opinion on opening accession negotiations with Turkey continues to relate in some ways to the current pressure that the Turkish Government is applying to the parties that have been involved in the recent elections in northern Cyprus. I will not say that the Turkish Government is knocking their heads together, but it is trying to get them to work together. The...
Keith Raffan: Does Mr Lochhead agree that although the SCDI is planning trade missions to seven of the 10 new member states within the next year, it is equally important that the Executive concentrate on the huge opportunity that he mentioned in relation to infrastructure, transport and construction projects in eastern Europe, which I believe are worth €3 billion in Lithuania alone?
Keith Raffan: I welcome this debate. The only thing with which I disagreed in Ms Hyslop's speech was her opening sentence, in which she said that the debate ought to have been relegated to members' business. To use the word "relegated" is perhaps unfair, but I am glad that the debate is taking place during Executive time, because the issue is very important. I congratulate the minister on the breadth of...
Keith Raffan: Does the minister agree that it is disappointing and regrettable that the Scottish Parliament is barely involved in what will be the most significant conference to be held in this country since the Parliament opened? Originally, it was planned that the Parliament would be more involved and would entertain the delegates. Will the minister revisit the matter and make efforts to ensure that we...
Keith Raffan: To ask the Scottish Executive what market analysis has been undertaken of potential opportunities for Scottish business in the 10 accession states to the EU, particularly the three Baltic states and Poland, and what trade missions to those countries are planned over the next 12 months.
Keith Raffan: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement the recommendations in the report of the Nicholson Committee in full.
Keith Raffan: I had not intended to contribute to the debate but, like others, I have had constituents contact me about these masts. As Mr Brocklebank said, this is a wide issue that causes concern regionally and, beyond that, nationally. It is incumbent on MSPs and on the Parliament to treat such an issue not only seriously—as my colleague Iain Smith rightly said—but responsibly. We have a...
Keith Raffan: I am glad that Mr Ruskell is nodding at that juncture. I am reassured by that, given the somewhat vague phrases that he used in his speech, not least among which was the phrase "evidence was building"; he did not say what that evidence was. He also mentioned "scientists" without saying who those scientists were.
Keith Raffan: No. I will not give way to Mr Ruskell. I am sure that he will learn the habits of the chamber in due course, but he did not have the courtesy to give way to me when I wanted to raise precisely these points. I do not want to detain members any longer than is necessary, but perhaps in a minute, once I have covered my main points, I will show Mr Ruskell the courtesy that he failed to show me. As...
Keith Raffan: Oh well, why not? It is always jolly to give way to Mr Johnstone.
Keith Raffan: I understand that masts on hilltops will require greater power, although I share Alex Johnstone's concerns about masts being in urban areas. Indeed, it was Liberal Democrat councillors who got the mast in Kinross removed, and I am sure that all parties will pay tribute to us for succeeding there where the SNP failed. I repeat that we are at the interim stage of what is an important and...
Keith Raffan: Will the member give way?
Keith Raffan: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the east and west of Scotland European consortia meet the conditions of the N+2 rule in respect of the payment of European structural funds. (S2O-466)
Keith Raffan: Does the Minister for Finance and Public Services agree that that is one of the main challenges that confronts the Executive during the Italian presidency, as the N+2 rule obliges the European Commission to take back any structural fund budget allocation for 2001 that remains unspent by the end of this year? I invite him to indicate what sums are involved for the east of Scotland programme...
Keith Raffan: I congratulate the minister on his statement and the additional spending announcements that he has made. I am glad to see that he is a friend of prudence, even though the relationship between prudence and the Chancellor of the Exchequer is somewhat rocky at the moment. However, Mr Kerr is keeping up that firm relationship with that very important person in the management of our finances. I...
Keith Raffan: I will not give way to Mr Ewing, because I am about to give him a seminar on what end-year flexibility means. We know that he is new to his brief, but we are trying to be helpful. I suggest that he moves from Latin to English. It is difficult enough understanding him in English without his speaking classical languages. I agree with what Professor Arthur Midwinter said yesterday. Of course we...
Keith Raffan: Mr Sheridan never gives way to me, and I will not give way to him. Sit down. The Scottish Socialist Party's spending commitments are totally out of control, but even it is restrained compared with Green party. I am glad that at least one of the Greens is here. I am able to announce to the chamber that their additional spending commitments currently amount to a total of £22.64 billion, which...
