| 04 July 2009 |
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| Birds of prey to tackle pigeon problem |
Hawks and falcons will be seen swooping over Holyrood – in a bid to battle the Parliament's pigeon problem.
The birds of prey – including Archie the Harris Hawk, who is named after Scotland football hero Archie Gemmill – will fly around the building to deter pigeons from roosting.
A Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said: "We have had some success with our anti-roosting measures, including spikes and nets, and we are now in a position to look for a longer-term solution to deter pigeons.
"As with our successful month-long trial last year, we will operate a no-kill policy. The birds of prey have been brought in with the main aim of displacing pigeons from the Parliament building and deterring them from returning."
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| Queen addresses Parliament on landmark occasion |
The Parliament's 10th anniversary activities on Wednesday were marked with an address by Her Majesty The Queen and a special party for more than 140 ten-year-old children from across Scotland.
Exactly 10 years after the Parliament received its legislative powers, the Queen entered the Debating Chamber to address MSPs to the sound of an anniversary fanfare specially commissioned by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
In his words of welcome, Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP acknowledged that this was the sixth occasion the Queen had addressed the Scottish Parliament and said it was ‘entirely fitting’ that she was present to mark this milestone in Holyrood’s history.
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| Committees call for evidence on reform of Scotland's public sector |
 Calls for evidence have been issued by four parliamentary committees seeking views on new legislation designed to simplify and streamline public bodies in Scotland.
The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill aims to simplify and improve the landscape of Scottish public bodies to enable the Scottish Government to deliver its core functions more effectively.
The Finance Committee has lead responsibility for scrutiny of the bill, while specific sections of the document will be scrutinised by the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, the Health and Sport Committee and the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee.
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| World Press Photo exhibition returns to Holyrood |
 The World Press Photo exhibition will return to the Parliament this summer. The event, which has been hosted at Holyrood for the past three years, showcases the work of prize-winning photojournalists from across the world. This year's gallery includes a black-and-white picture (right) by American photographer Anthony Suau which was chosen as Photo of the Year by an international jury. The picture shows an armed police officer moving through a home in Cleveland, Ohio, after its residents were evicted due to a mortgage foreclosure. For more details on WPP 09 and other events, please visit our Exhibitions pages. |
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