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Last Updated: Sunday, 2 March 2008, 13:41 GMT
Scots Lib Dems on conference call
Lib Dem agenda
The conference featured motions, debates and fringe meetings
The Scottish Liberal Democrat Party's MPs, MSPs and members came together for their three-day spring conference in Aviemore.

The gathering listened, debated and voted on seven policy motions and three commissions.

It featured speeches from key party figures, including UK leader Nick Clegg and Scots leader Nicol Stephen.

Away from the conference hall, there was a full programme of fringe meetings and exhibits.

Danny Alexander is MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenock and Strathspey and the Aviemore conference centre, which was the venue for the event, is in his constituency.

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In the introduction to the agenda, he said: "As ever our challenge at every level is to energise debate and connect with the people of Scotland, but particularly those young people who will shape Scotland's future."

More than 17 exhibitors from a range of organisations have displayed stands at the conference.

Representatives from YouthLink Scotland, the Electoral Commission, RSPB Scotland, Pharmacy in Scotland, WWF Scotland, RNIB, SPT and Barnardos Scotland were also present.

Conference-goers also found out about the Scottish Women Liberal Democrats and the Gender Balance Task Force.

The group, which promotes itself as an "organisation working with and for women at all levels of the party", invited members to try out their "fun competitions".

Back in the conference hall, the gathering heard calls for the Scottish Government to ensure colleges and universities continue to be funded in order to "remain competitive".

CONFERENCE FACTS
fringe page
More than 38 fringe meetings
More than 17 exhibitors
Four key speakers
Seven policy motions
Three commissions

The issue of victim support was raised as a conference motion with discussions centring on justice reforms; compensation schemes for victims and improving facilities for community mediation over neighbour, housing and antisocial disputes.

The conference deplored the trafficking of human beings into Scotland for sexual exploitation, forced labour and domestic servitude.

Other matters, including Scotland's housing needs and action to cut down on excess packaging, were discussed.

Outside the conference hall, a variety of fringe meetings were on offer.

Friday included a discussion about higher education in Scotland, how to work towards ensuring a healthy population and how to build Scotland's rural economy.

Panel of guests

A variety of speakers took part in a debate entitled Elections in Scotland: The way forward.

At the centre of those discussions were the events surrounding the Scottish Elections of 3 May.

At teatime on Saturday, Willie Rennie MP, Paddy Hill, one of the Birmingham Six, and John McManus, co-founder of the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation, led a debate about aftercare for victims of miscarriages of justice.

On Saturday evening there was a panel of guests discussing who should get Lottery funding and a debate about what can be done to improve the lives of children in the 21st Century.



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