Futures Forum
The Futures Forum is a think tank set up by the Scottish Parliament. According to the Parliament:
- 'Scotland's Futures Forum, the Scottish Parliament's initiative to develop strategic thinking on the issues which will shape Scotland's future, moves forward today with the announcement of the eight individuals who will make up the Forum's board of directors. The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) has agreed to create a new company, with the SPCB as the sole member, which extends the Parliament's outreach and participation work to academia, the arts, blue chip companies, civic Scotland and entrepreneurs. Leading figures from the private and public sectors have volunteered their services on a two year initial basis.'[1]
When it was launched the Forum webpage on the Parliament website included links to two other corporate lobby groups, the International Futures Forum and the Global Business Network which had been influential in setting up the Forum.
Board of Directors
- Alex Fergusson MSP, Presiding Officer to the Scottish Parliament
- Rt Hon George Reid
- Sir John Elvidge, Permanent Secretary, The Scottish Executive
- Susan Rice, CEO, Lloyds TSB Scotland
- Tim O’Shea, Principal, Edinburgh University
- Campbell Christie, Former Secretary General, STUC
- Alex Neil MSP
- Sarah Boyack MSP
Three New Directors Appointed 2009
- Mary Grant, Acting Managing Director, UK Rail
- Christine Hallett, Principal and Vice Chancellor of Stirling University
- Stuart Cosgrove, Head of Channel 4 Regions and Nations
Projects
Scotland’s Futures Forum Alcohol and Drugs Project aims to find answers to the question "How can Scotland reduce the damage to its population through alcohol and drugs by half by the year 2025?" [2]. They have published several papers on the subject and in February 2008 they hosted a conference which they called "To what extent can the alcohol industry reduce alcohol damage?" The conference speakers, and perhaps delegates too, were only from the alcohol industry with the exception of Jack Law from Alcohol Focus Scotland and Sunday Times columnist and feature writer Gillian Bowditch who both chaired sessions.[3]
Board Members of Futures Forum Alcohol and Drugs Project
- Frank Pignatelli CBE, Chair
- Tom Wood, Scottish Association of Alcohol and Drugs Action Teams Chair and Project Vice Chair
- Professor Richard Sparks, Edinburgh University
- Barclay McBain, Managing Editor of the Herald Newspaper
- Louise MacDonald, Chief Executive Young Scot
- Gavin Hewitt, Chief Executive, Scotch Whisky Association
- Victor Everhardt, Trimbos Institute, Holland
- Iain Gordon, Chief Executive, Bethany Christian Trust
- Fiona Moriarty, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium
External Links
- Futures Forum website Home page
Notes
- ↑ Scottish Parliament Press Release, 18th August 2005 Parliament Announces Board of Directors for Scotland's Futures Forum Last Accessed 31st May 2007
- ↑ Future's Forum Website Forim's Alcohol & Drugs Space accessed 17th June 2008
- ↑ Scotland's Futures Forum Conference Agenda, February 2007 Fresh Perspectives on Alcohol & Drugs To what extent can the alcohol industry reduce alcohol damage? accessed 17th June 2008
- ↑ Scotland's Futures Forum Approaches to Alcohol and Drugs in Scotland A Question of Architecture accessed 19th June 2008
