Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office
The Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office (SCPO) was created in 1999, at the same time as the devolved Scottish Parliament was established. The office is an ecumenical one, including all the member churches of Action of Churches Together in Scotland plus some others.
The office represents the interests and concerns of the Scottish churches to the Scottish Parliament, and also helps keep churches informed of developments in Parliament. When first established the SCPO was based at St Columba's by the Castle Episcopal Church in Edinburgh and later at The Netherbow (the Scottish Storytelling Centre) on Edinburgh's Royal Mile; it now shares offices with Scottish Churches Housing Action in Hanover Street, Edinburgh.
Many of the churches in Scotland were strongly supportive of devolution. Before the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood was completed in 2004 the Scottish Parliament met in the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland.
The first Scottish Churches Parliamentary Officer (1999–2008) was the Revd Dr Graham Blount, who was formerly joint minister at Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church. The present holder of the post (since 2009) is Ms Chloe Clemmons.