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7 APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT: DIRECTION, CONSENSUS AND VISION
As a minority government, we recognise the importance of working with others, both within the Parliament and elsewhere to seek consensus as far as possible on how we can work together to make Scotland more successful.
We recognise the complexities of government, and the need to lead and to bring others with us.
During our first 100 days, we and the country demonstrated competence and composure in meeting the challenges of the terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport and in protecting Scotland from the Foot and Mouth outbreak in Surrey.
Challenges of this nature can come into the day to day business of government at any time and we will continue to respond to such challenges as they occur, and do so calmly and with authority.
At the same time, we will also continue to provide the vision for Scotland to flourish.
It is government's job - and, indeed, the challenge of leadership - to identify some of the long-term opportunities and challenges that face us and propose how Scotland might react.
It is in this spirit that we have recently begun our national conversation on our constitutional future and we have asked every Scot to pause and reflect on the kind of country we are and to look forward to the kind of country we could be and should be.
Elsewhere, it has been the approach of this government to build consensus wherever we can and we will continue to do so over the year ahead.
The May 2007 election campaign demonstrated that there was broad agreement on many ideas and approaches. Indeed, this document contains a number of ideas which appeared to have some element of such support from at least some other parties. We hope that such a position remains.
In government, we fully recognise that many of our legislative proposals will be subject to debate and the initial ideas may be altered somewhat through such a process. However, such openness to persuasion needs to be reflected throughout the Parliament, not just from the government side.
It is in much the same spirit that we have signalled that we will consult directly with the public and organisations throughout Scotland on a number of pressing issues on which there is broad consensus for change:
- Replacement Forth Crossing - As part of the ongoing consideration of options we want to have the views of the public who will actually use the crossing - and, therefore, we will hold exhibitions, with a variety of options for the new crossing, in different venues in the area;
- Health Care - As part of our objective to build a healthier Scotland, we have launched a nationwide discussion document Better Health, Better Care. This will give the people of Scotland a say in the kind of health care they want to receive and will inform our new health and wellbeing action plan, that will be published by the end of this year;
- Rural Issues - As part of our objective to build a greener Scotland, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has undertaken a 'listening tour' throughout Scotland, gathering and discussing the views and concerns affecting communities in rural areas. This marks an important first stage in this government's approach to work with, and create a better future for, rural Scotland. The new suite of grants under the Scotland Rural Development Programme will not be delivered by central government alone, but through a series of new regional partnerships involving local government and other stakeholders, so that grants increasingly reflect local as well as national priorities; and
- Scotland's Futures Forum - As part of the objective to build consensus and a shared understanding of issues, we will explore how government and the Scottish Parliament's Futures Forum might work more closely together. By developing much closer links, we will be able to look beyond immediate horizons to investigate and recommend long-term goals for our nation.
Over the year ahead, we will continue to hold consultations on significant issues which will impact upon the people of Scotland.
Scotland has so much potential. And with this approach to government - an approach based on competent government; on working in partnership and building consensus; and on setting a vision for our future - the nation can begin to achieve so much more.
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