PARLIAMENT'S FIRST ANNUAL REPORT PUBLISHED TODAY

The fulfilment of the pledge to make the Scottish Parliament open and accessible is at the heart of the Parliament's first annual report, published today.

The 32-page document reviews the new body's first year, from the elections in May 1999 until mid-May this year.

An accompanying Statistical Volume contains a wide range of information about the work of the Parliament.

Presiding Officer, Sir David Steel said:

"We have achieved a lot in a very short period of time. As Presiding Officer and chair of the Corporate Body, I can confirm how big a task it has been to set up and manage a new Parliament.

"It has required dedication, creativity and hard work from all involved. But now, a year on from those exciting first days, there can be no doubt that the Parliament is well established as a legislature and in the role of scrutinising the work of the Executive and other public organisations.

"We have also fulfilled our pledge to be open and accessible. Our website is hugely popular, we have a lot of public interest in watching proceedings and our visitor and education centres are very busy.

"We are now making good progress in creating an appropriate Parliament building that is fit for purpose at Holyrood.

"We cannot and will not sit still. We still have a long way to go. But we are clear about the way ahead and are pleased to set out our approach to the future in this first annual report."

The Annual Report features six chapters:

• Effective Corporate Management
• A Working Parliament
• An Open Parliament
• Our Permanent Home
• What the Parliament has Spent
• Planning for the Future

The Statistical Volume contains a comprehensive package of information on all aspects of Parliamentary business, including election details, calendar of plenary business, division of plenary time, motions and PQs, separate reports for each committee, MSPs allowances, public access information and official visits.

Both publications can be accessed on the Parliament's website and are available for sale through The Stationery Office priced £8.50 for the Annual Report and £11.80 for the Statistical Volume.

• Annual Report
• Statistical Volume (pdf)