IOG: Parliament News, issue 14/january 2002

Scottish Affairs web site

Events

11 January: the Executive published its response to the Scottish Parliament's European Committee Report on preparations for the Euro published in November 2001. In its report the Executive backs the principle of preparation for the arrival of the Euro, both as a retailing currency and for the possibility of UK entry in the future. The Executive supports the steps taken by Scotland Europa, in conjunction with the UK Treasury, to provide advice and raise awareness of the need by all businesses to be suitably prepared for the introduction of the currency. UK membership of the Euro is a reserved issue.

14 January: Wendy Alexander, Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning responded to the Parliament's European Committee's report on the proposed Information and Consultation Directive. As employment policy is a reserved issue Ms Alexander liaised with Alan Johnson, MP, DTI Minister of State for Employment Relations and the Regions. The UK Government fully support the common position text and does not wish to see any amendments to it. A process of conciliation is therefore now due to begin with a view to agreeing a joint text between the Council and the Parliament.

14 January: Jack McConnell, First Minister, had a meeting in Edinburgh with Sir Edward George, Governor of the Bank of England, to discuss the priorities of the Scottish Economy, UK monetary policy and the introduction of the Euro as a retailing currency in the Euro zone.

15 January: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Health, announced a three-month extension to the originally planned time of 1 April for implementation of the introduction of free nursing and personal care for the elderly in Scotland. He also announced that the full cost of this implementation will come from within Executive resources. The Executive has set aside £125 million in each of the next two financial years to fund this policy.

21 January: the Refugee Integration Forum, set up by the Executive, held its first meeting in Glasgow and was chaired by Iain Gray, the Minister for Social Justice. George Foulkes, the Minister of State for Scotland, also attended the meeting. The role of the Forum is to assist refugees integrating into life in Scotland, and to see how the UK Government strategy 'Full and Equal Citizens' can be developed and improved.

23 January: Jack McConnell, First Minister, announced that the Executive will back a joint bid by Scotland and Ireland to host the 2008 European football championships. Mr McConnell said the Executive ruled out bidding alone for the event because four new 30,000 seat stadiums would have to be built for which there is no foreseeable need in Scotland.

27 January: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Health, announced that the first phase of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's move to its new site at Little France in Edinburgh has been completed. Phase two will open in Spring 2003 and the completed hospital will have 869 beds, 25 operating theatres and will employ around 5,000 staff.

27 January: Jack McConnell, First Minister, Iain Gray, Minister for Social Justice, and George Foulkes, Minister of State for Scotland, attended the Holocaust Memorial ceremony in Glasgow.

Appointments

25 January: Andy Kerr, Minister for Finance, announced the Convener and Members of the Standards Commission for Scotland:

Prof Hugh MacKemmie Begg, Convener
Mr Stuart Allan, Chief Investigating Officer
Mrs Linda Costelloe Baker
Prof Lorne D Crerar
Mrs Wendy Goldstraw
Mrs Elinor Smith
Mr Albert Tait

These appointments are part of the implementation of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act.

System Three poll (for The Herald)

(1024 people in 40 constituencies between January 31-February 6, 2002)

The System Three poll carried at the beginning of February noted voting intentions for both the Scottish Parliament (two votes) and the House of Commons.

	Holyrood 1st vote	Holyrood 2nd vote	Westminster
Lab	40%	33%	47%
SNP	31%	30%	24%
LibDem	13%	17%	13%
Con	9%	9%	12%
SSP	4%	6%	3%
Green	1%	3%	} 1%
Others	1%	2%	} 1%

Bills

17 January: the general principles of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 were agreed in Parliament. The main aims of the Bill are to establish a legal right of access to information held by a broad range of Scottish public authorities; to balance this right with provisions protecting sensitive information; to establish a fully independent Scottish Information Commissioner to promote and enforce the Freedom of Information regime; to encourage the proactive disclosure of information by Scottish public authorities through a requirement to maintain a publication scheme; and to make provision for the application of the Freedom of Information regime to historical records.

17 January: the Marriage (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament and the general principles agreed. The main aim of the Bill is to permit civil marriages to be solemnised at locations other than a Registration Office and to authorise local authorities to license locations and to charge fees to meet related costs.

23 January: the Budget (Scotland) (N 3) Bill: Stage 1 was passed in Parliament. This Bill authorises expenditure through the departments of the Scottish Executive of resources that total just over £19 billion. It also authorises local authority capital consent up to a further £632 million.

30 January: the general principles of the Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 were agreed in Parliament. The aim of the Bill is to prohibit the practice of fur farming and to prevent fur farmers in England and Wales from using the absence of a prohibition in Scotland as a loophole and so relocate to Scotland. At present there are no known fur farms in Scotland.

30 January: it was agreed in Parliament that the UK legislation Adoption and Children Bill accepts the need for Scotland, along with England and Wales, to participate in the Adoption and Children Act Register to be established by the Adoption and Children Bill, and that the relevant provisions to achieve this end in the Bill should be considered by the UK Parliament.

30 January: it was agreed in Parliament that the provisions within the UK legislation Police Reform Bill which relate to devolved matters should be considered by the UK Parliament. These provisions relate to the terms and conditions of service of constables seconded to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the inspection of the Ministry of Defence Police in Scotland, the removal of the nationality bar for police officers, extending the liabilities of chief constables in relation to foreign officials from other member states carrying out investigations in Scotland and extending offence provisions in relation to such foreign officials.

31 January: the general principles of the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman Bill: Stage 1 were agreed in Parliament. The main object of the Bill is to establish a one-stop shop headed by a new Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman to deal with complaints currently dealt with by the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, the Health Service Ombudsman, the Local Government Ombudsman and the Housing Association Ombudsman for Scotland.

Committees

10 January: the Justice 2 Committee met in Inverness to take evidence on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. The purpose of this Bill is to confer and regulate public rights of access to land and to allow bodies representing rural and crofting communities to buy their land.

11 January: the Justice 1 Committee published its Stage 1 report on the general principles of the Freedom of Information Bill. The committee welcomed the general intention of the Bill but some members voiced concern at the breadth of some of the exemption,s and some are opposed to the inclusion of an ultimate ministerial veto.

17 January: the Audit Committee published a report on Further Education colleges which expresses concern about the state of the financial situation of further education colleges in Scotland. The Committee made recommendations to improve the situation including asking the Executive to discuss with the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) ways in which available resources can be matched to the need for improvement.

21 January: the Rural Development Committee held a meeting in Gartocharn to hear evidence on the part of the Land Reform Bill relating to public access rights.

21-22 January: the Justice 2 Committee visited Ghiga and Stornoway to take evidence on the part of the Land Reform Bill relating to community right to buy.

31 January: the European Committee published a report backing further enlargement of the European Union to include countries from Central and Eastern Europe with the recommendations that Scottish Industry and Agriculture prepare themselves to meet the challenges this enlargement will bring, and that reform of the Common Agricultural Policy is now vital.

Research opportunities

The Scottish Parliament has a budget for commissioning research for Parliamentary committees and holds a database of researchers interested in tendering for committee research. Anyone wishing to be included in the database should complete the on-line form on the Parliament website at

www.scottish.parliament.uk/whats_happening/research/ext-res-form.html

Publications

Scottish Executive publications can be accessed on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/recent.asp

Some of those published in the last month include:

Local Government Bill: outline of proposals: paper which is part of an on-going consultation process outlining the Executive's proposal for the Local Government Bill to be introduced to Parliament in Spring 2002. 9.1.02

A survey of local authority provision for arts and culture: findings from research interviews carried out in April and May 2000 with 32 local authorities. 10.01.02

European Committee: 8th report: The preparation for, and policy implications of, the single currency: A contribution to the Euro debate in Scotland: paper giving the Executive's response to the European Committee's report. 11.1.02

Consultation on Regulations under Section 67 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001: letter from the Executive asking for comments on draft regulations of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 providing an interpretation of 'classes of vehicles' in relation to any road user charging schemes in Scotland. 11.01.02

Plan for Action on alcohol problems: summary: document setting out the Executive's measures to reduce alcohol-related harm in Scotland. 18.1.02

Scotland's Budget Documents 2002-3: publication setting out the detail of expenditure in Scotland for the financial year 2002-2003. 23.1.02

The Impact of the Terrorists Attacks on the Scottish Economy: An Update. 24.01.02

Scottish Economic Report January 2002: report giving a review of the progress and prospects for the Scottish Economy. 24.01.02.

Researching Women in Rural Scotland: report giving details of a conference in Inverness on 1.6.01 to promote research on women and gender issues in rural Scotland. 25.1.02

Links to other issues of Parliament News

Contact

Should you have any comments or enquiries please do not hesitate to contact Margaret MacPherson at the Institute of Governance.

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