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Summer Cabinets here to stay
01/09/2008
The Scottish Cabinet is to hold meetings outside Edinburgh again next summer, First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed today.
A series of public meetings and engagements will be organised around each Cabinet meeting to allow Ministers to meet the public in locations across Scotland.
As Parliament prepared to return this week, the First Minister was reflecting on the ground-breaking programme of visits during this summer recess which saw Ministers host meetings in Dumfries, Inverness, Pitlochry and Skye.
Through a programme of 'Good Causes' receptions, National Conversation Q&A sessions, and a series of local visits, Ministers have met hundreds of members of the public in each location to discuss issues of local and national concern.
The First Minister said:
"The Ministerial team have been hugely impressed by the interest and enthusiasm that members of the public, civic groups, business people and representatives of local good causes have shown in taking part in our Summer Cabinets programme.
"Hundreds of people across Dumfries and Galloway, the east and west Highlands and Perthshire have taken advantage of the unique opportunity to bring issues of local and national concern to myself and the Ministerial team.
"This is a Government for all Scotland, and it is important for Ministers to get out and about around the country to hear first hand what are the big issues for communities and individuals.
"Having the entire Cabinet in one room to 'button-hole' them on this issues that matter most to individuals and the organisations they represent has been very much welcomed by those who attended and has been of tremendous value to the Ministerial team.
"This is an initiative which is not only being copied by other Governments, but which will now become a regular element of the Scottish Government's Cabinet process during the summer Parliamentary recess.
"We will take Cabinet out of Edinburgh on at least four occasions next year, and while venues will be agreed later, we will ensure as broad a geographic spread of venues as possible.
"And when we are out and about in summer 2009, we will also look forward to meeting many of the tourists who are being encouraged to make Scotland their holiday destination as part of the Homecoming 2009 initiative."
At each location, Ministers hosted a reception to recognise the many people and organisations who do a great deal of positive social, voluntary and charitable work in each region. The numbers who accepted invitations to each event were:
- Dumfries - 125
- Inverness - 81
- Pitlochry - 115
- Skye - 55
After the formal Cabinet meeting each Tuesday morning, Ministers then took part in a National Conversation Q&A session with members of the public and representatives of local civic institutions. The numbers taking part in each venue were:
- Dumfries - 120
- Inverness - 100
- Pitlochry - 100
- Skye - 100
The Cabinet answered over 50 questions in the four open sessions, and around 70 questions have also been received from members of the audience in writing. A large number of comments have been received from those attending the events, and the vast majority of them have been very positive. Reports and the comments on the events are available on the Scottish Government website.
Ministers attending each Cabinet also engaged in a series of visits and engagements in each locality, or the way to or from each Cabinet, giving them the opportunity to meet a wide number of people and organisations and to see a range of local initiatives.