The Rt Rev Alan McDonald, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has begun the traditional annual visit to the Scottish Parliament this week where he is meeting with the principals of the main political parties in Scotland.

During his February 6 to 8 visit to the Scottish Parliament the Moderator will meet individually with First Minister Jack McConnell, leader of the Scottish Conservatives Annabel Goldie, the Green Party's Robin Harper, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish Socialist Party leader Colin Fox, former SSP leader and the Solidarity Group's Tommy Sheridan and Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm.

A major part of the discussions will focus on poverty both in Scotland and on an international level. Rev McDonald will discuss the work of the Church in the most deprived areas of Scotland and will also draw on experience from his recent visit to Ghana.

He will also highlight the problems of debt and cover other topics including human trafficking and alternatives to custody for offenders.

All these issues will be highlighted in Time For Reflection when the Moderator will address the whole of the Scottish Parliament in what is an eagerly awaited annual event.