Dr Alison Elliot, Hon Fellow School of Divinity, Edinburgh University and Moderator of the General Assembly in 2004 to 2005.
“Recently, Eurodiaconia held its AGM in Edinburgh, bringing together people from right across Europe who run the care homes, homelessness projects and drug abuse services that the churches provide for people in need.
“As part of their programme, they held a reception in the Scottish Parliament, hosted by MSPs and attended by a range of guests. This kind of hospitality happens most evenings in the Parliament and provides the background buzz against which our politicians do their work, reminding them of the causes, the good work and the questions that people care about who are not, themselves, politicians. “Embedding the Parliament’s work in these wider concerns of society was one of the hopes people had for the Scottish Parliament and in this it has been successful. Along with that has gone better access to MSPs and Government, partly because they are on our doorstep but also because of a better culture of listening than had been the case with Westminster. MSPs often pop up at events across the country too. Less successful have been attempts to change the culture of the chamber. Aping Westminster, First Minister’s Questions is an opportunity for MSPs to play to the gallery and to act up for the attention of journalists who prefer to report game-playing than good debate.