Images from events including the Festival of Politics, the World Youth Congress Closing Ceremony, and the Business in the Parliament conference

Eighteen bills were passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2005. By the end of the year, 15 had received Royal Assent, including the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act, the Transport (Scotland) Act and the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act.

A research briefing (pdf) is available listing legislation in progress and passed during Session 2.

The Parliament's committees continued to engage with the public during 2005. In April health professionals, campaign groups, members of the public and MSPs gathered in the Chamber for a Health Committee event on the future of Scotland's National Health Service.

In October the Communities Committee hosted a Chamber discussion on Modernising the Planning System in Scotland, ahead of the introduction of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill on 20 December.

Committees also got out and about around Scotland, with visits including:

• The Education Committee going to Perth as part of its Pupil Motivation Inquiry
• The Equal Opportunities Committee holding eight consultation events across Scotland to discuss the barriers to participation faced by disabled people
• The Public Petitions Committee visiting Ayr
• The Justice 2 Committee holding a meeting in Glasgow as part of its scrutiny of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice Bill
• The Enterprise and Culture Committee heading to Thurso for its Business Growth Inquiry
• The Environment and Rural Development Committee holding meetings for its Inquiry into Securing a Future for Rural Communities

Africa and Aid

In May Holyrood hosted a conference, organised by the Scottish Executive, which examined a report published by the Commission for Africa on tackling poverty in the continent. Sir Bob Geldof was among those who attended the event - one of nine this year with a focus on Africa.

On June 6, the G8 International Parliamentarians' Conference on Development in Africa provided a platform for G8, African and European Parliamentarians to put forward their views on some of Africa's greatest challenges.

Hopes for Malawi were outlined at the Scotland-Malawi Partnership Conference in November. The country's president, His Excellency Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, made history when he became the first foreign Head of State to address the Parliament in its new setting at Holyrood.

Hundreds of young people from around the world came to the Parliament on Sunday 7 August for the closing ceremony of the World Youth Congress, where they summed up a week of discussion on ways to achieve UN goals on sustainability, poverty, education, equality, community and wealth. A group of Red Cross delegates from across Europe also visited Holyrood this year.

Festivals and Futures

August saw the first Festival of Politics take place, with speakers including Neil Kinnock, Shirley Williams, Andrew Marr and Vanessa Redgrave, pictured.

Nearly 3000 people attended 22 events in the Parliament during the three-day festival. Watch highlights again on Holyrood.tv.

Also in August, the Presiding Officer George Reid gave the Donald Dewar Lecture at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Full text of speech.

Setting out his aims before stepping down from the post in 2007, he said: "In the next 20 months, I shall concentrate on Engagement and Enlightenment. I hope to add some extra value, stimulate discussion, encourage ideas, involve people and help create a climate of change."

George Reid won the Scottish Politician of the Year award for the second time in November.

The Board of Directors for Scotland's Futures Forum was announced in August, and more than 100 leading scientists met at Holyrood the following month, to discuss attracting, retaining and recognising Scotland's research talent. The event was organised in partnership with the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

In December Population, Pensions and Wealth Creation were on the agenda for the Futures Forum, as policymakers, academics and business people gathered to assess the impact of Scotland's projected ageing workforce and population. More Futures events are planned for 2006.

From Heritage to eDemocracy

History and technological innovation sat side by side at the Scottish Parliament this year.

In September historians, scientists and politicians came together to celebrate a rare public exhibition of the Declaration of Arbroath, housed in a special casing built by Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University. An estimated 40,000 people visited the Parliament during the For Freedom Alone exhibition.

Holyrood's use of information technology as a tool for democratic engagement continued to win praise, with the e-petitions system being shortlisted for an award for eGovernment.

The Public Petitions Committee produced a DVD, aimed at people working in the community, which highlights how the petitioning system has been an instrument for change.

European Parliament officials visited to see both the petitions system and the webcasting service Holyrood.tv in operation, and the Presiding Officer spoke of the Parliament's commitment to e-democracy at international conferences in Paris and Bilbao.

Business and Philanthropy

In a major Chamber event in October, six of the world's leading philanthropists were presented with the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.

Recipients included Scots business tycoon Sir Tom Farmer, His Highness the Aga Khan and the arts benefactor Agnes Gund, and the associated Symposium looked at how strategic philanthropy can play a role in tackling global problems.

Business minds from across Scotland attended the Business in the Parliament conference in September to discuss challenges facing the business sector. The conference was run jointly with the Scottish Executive, and Deputy Presiding Officer Murray Tosh described it as "a major opportunity for MSPs to exchange views with business people."

Education and Information

This year the MSPs in Schools project took politicians into the classroom, with MSPs visiting schools including Alloa Academy and the Royal Blind School.

Among the new publications produced by the Parliament were booklets aimed at schoolchildren, as well as information guides entitled How the Scottish Parliament Works and MSPs and Their Work.

The Annual Report was published in September, and in December MSP allowances information for 2004/2005 was published in a new format, as part of Holyrood's commitment to fuller disclosure of Members' expenditure.

Looking to the wider world

In April a cross-party delegation represented the Parliament at Tartan Week celebrations in the US and Canada, going to New York, Boston, Washington DC, Québec and Alabama.

Several events relating to Europe and the EU took place in 2005.

The President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell Fontelles, pictured, came to Holyrood to speak about building links between people and politics, and the European Parliament's role in tackling global poverty. Deputy Presiding Officer Trish Godman visited Brussels for a European Parliament event celebrating Scottish culture.

In September, the Minister for Europe, Douglas Alexander MP, discussed the UK's Presidency of the EU at a meeting arranged by the European and External Relations Committee.

A meeting of the European Economic and Social Committee took place in the Chamber, and the Joint UK Delegation of the Committee of the Regions visited in December.

The British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body came to see Holyrood during their Edinburgh plenary meeting - the first time the BIIPB had met in Scotland - and Scotland's long-standing links with Estonia were celebrated at a Holyrood event featuring a performance by the Estonian National Male Choir.

Working in Partnership

In November Presiding Officer George Reid addressed the Africa Caribbean Pacific - European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. He spoke about the importance of working in partnership for a fairer world, and the role Scotland is playing in achieving that aim.

Representatives of Scotland's faith communities gathered at Holyrood on St Andrew's Day to mark Scottish Inter Faith Week. The Scottish Inter Faith Council presented the Parliament with a framed compilation of quotations from their respective scriptures which support the values engraved on the Scottish Mace - justice, wisdom, integrity, and compassion.

The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Professor Rajmohan Gandhi, came to the Parliament in November. During his Scottish visit Professor Gandhi also met Muslim leaders from Glasgow and made a speech at Edinburgh University on 'The War on Terror and the Gandhian ethic'.

A former Senator in the Indian Parliament, he was one of more than 600,000 people who have visited Holyrood since it opened to the public.

The Parliament looks forward to welcoming many more visitors from Scotland and further afield in 2006, who will be able to explore a building that has won eight major architectural awards, including - in October 2005 - the RIBA Stirling Prize.

View a list of reports on events in 2005

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