Trade union and business leaders to address British Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Glasgow 22-23 October

The 45th plenary of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly will take place in the Grosvenor Hilton Hotel, Glasgow, from Monday 22nd - Tuesday 23rd October 2012. The theme of the plenary will be "The Scottish Economy and Irish/Scottish Relations" and will include contributions from representatives of both the Scottish Trade Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry Scotland.

Other speakers at the plenary will include the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP, and representatives of the tourism sector.

There will also be a specific discussion on "Devolution and the West Lothian Question" including an address by Professor Sir William McKay KCB, Chair of the Commission on the Consequences of Devolution for the House of Commons.

The provisional agenda for the plenary is:

Monday 22nd October

• The Scottish Economy: the Trade Unions' Perspective - Mr Graham Smith, General Secretary, Scottish Trade Union Congress

• Tourism in Scotland - Mr Riddell Graham, Director of Prtnerships, VisitScotland (formerly the Scottish Tourist Board)

• Address by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP

• Devolution and the ‘West Lothian Question' - Professor Sir William McKay KCB, Chair of the Commission on the Consequences of Devolution for the House of Commons

Tuesday 23rd October

• The Scottish Economy: Employers' Perspective - Mr Iain McMillan CBE, Director of CBI Scotland

• The Food and Drinks Sector in Ireland and Scotland - Diageo Ireland and Diageo Scotland

• Address by the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Scottish Government, Mr Fergus Ewing MSP

ENDS