IOG: Parliament News, issue 21/october 2002

Scottish Affairs web site

Events

2 October: Andy Kerr, Minister for Finance and Public Services, commented on the report of the first major inquiry into Public Private Partnerships, saying that the Finance Committee shares a number of points with the Executive and that the Executive are planning action on how to further refine PPP. They are already working with the STUC to end the two-tier workforce.

4 October: the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) wrote to Parliament's Finance Committee with its Budget Submission for 2003-04. The SPCB also includes its quarterly report on the Scottish Parliament building project with a projected total cost of £294.6m. This is an increase of £28.2m as compared to the £266.4m identified in March.

4 October: Jack McConnell, First Minister, was in Brussels to present his opinion on democracy, transparency and efficiency in the EU to the Commission for Constitutional Affairs and European Governance of the Committee of Regions. This body is preparing proposals to be put to the Future of Europe Convention for running an enlarged Europe of 27 Member States. The Committee of the Regions supported the First Minister's view that all tiers of government must be rigorously consulted on legislation and policy and will put his views, along with three other regional opinions, to the Convention.

7 October: Peter Peacock, Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services, participated in a European Ministerial meeting convened by Commissioner Barnier in Brussels. Mr Peacock underlined Executive support to European Commission proposals for reform of the funding process. Among the priorities for constructive action were: simplification of grant application procedures; greater flexibility in delivering funds; removing delays in implementation; ensuring the system is more responsive to applicants' needs.

7 October: Jim Wallace, Justice Minister, made a statement on sectarianism in Scotland, saying the Executive will do everything they can to remove sectarianism from Scottish society. There is already a Working Group examining the need for legislation to combat religious hatred and they will have a report out shortly.

7 October: the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service held its first consultation seminar on policy issues. The seminar focused on a number of key policy areas that included: racist crime; interpreting and translation; children as victims and witnesses; other victims and witnesses; domestic abuse.

8 October: Margaret Curran, Social Justice Minister, stated that the Executive is working to close gaps between the most disadvantaged people and places in Scotland as detailed in the Executive's 'Closing the Opportunity Gap'. This document sets out the effort and resources the Executive is making to close the opportunity gap and to ensure everybody in Scotland has the chance to fulfil their potential.

9 October: a report on findings from an independent analysis of responses to the National Debate on Education was published. The analysis was carried out by a team of researchers from Edinburgh University led by Prof Pamela Munn. Cathy Jamieson, Minister for Education, commented on the report stating that comprehensive schools and a broad curriculum are seen as key strengths of the Scottish education system, but concerns were raised about the pace of change, the level of resources for schools and the effects of indiscipline. The report can be accessed at www.scotland.gov.uk/nationaldebate.

16 October: Mike Watson, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, opened a four-day 'Scotland in Sweden' programme organised in conjunction with the British Embassy in Stockholm to help promote Scotland in Sweden. Part of the programme were two major conferences on Scotland's constitutional settlement and the new parliament, with contributions from Jack McConnell, First Minister, Jim Wallace, Deputy First Minister, Sir David Steel, Presiding Officer and from Prof David McCrone of the University of Edinburgh, as well as representatives of Scotland's media.

16 October: Jack McConnell, First Minister, met representatives of Rangers and Celtic football clubs to discuss ways of working together to tackle football-related sectarianism.

18 October: at a meeting in Stockholm with the Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson, Jack McConnell, First Minister, said that Scotland can learn from initiatives introduced by Sweden's Government to increase the country's population which included support for new parents and affordable childcare.

18 October: Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development, published a letter to the Sunday Times clarifying the implications of test results which suggested that honey from a hive in North East Fife may have been contaminated with pollen from a nearby GM crop. Mr Finnie said that independent scientific advice from the Food Standards Agency, the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency and the Advisory Committee of Releases to the Environment, concluded that "miniscule amounts of pollen from a GM source did not pose a risk to consumers".

21 October: the Strategic Rail Authority announced it would be inviting expressions of interest for the passenger rail franchise in Scotland.

22 October: the annual meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee of the UK government and the devolved administrations reviewed progress over the past year and reaffirmed its continuing support for devolution. The meeting was chaired by Tony Blair, Prime Minister, and included Jack McConnell, First Minister, Jim Wallace, Deputy First Minister, and Helen Liddell, Secretary of State. The Welsh First and Deputy First Ministers were also present.

22 October: Peter Peacock, Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services, announced that more than £24.2 million of European Funds have been made available for projects aimed at tackling unemployment and social exclusion.

25 October: Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development, met with representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation to discuss the scientific advice on fish stock publication by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The ICES Advisory Committee on Fisheries Management told the European Commission that stocks of cod in the North Sea and off the West of Scotland are now so depleted that they are on the brink of collapse. It is recommending severe restrictions on the amount of fish that can be caught.

28 October: Iain Gray, Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, speaking at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands in Oban, said that the University for the Highlands and Islands has the potential to become a world recognised University. Mr Gray announced that he has asked the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council to set up an advisory group to help the Institute plan its progress towards achieving degree awarding powers. This advisory group will report back to Mr Gray in six months' time.

29 October: the 'Respect' project, which aims to bring together young people of different faiths and cultures, was launched by Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

30 October: the Parliament launched its annual report. The 48-page report contains details of the time spent by MSPs in committees and the chamber, as well as the number of Bills introduced. The report can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/spcb/parlar02-00.htm

31 October: Jack McConnell, First Minister, officially opened Edinburgh's first new secondary school in more than a decade. The old building of St Thomas of Aquin's High School was closed in 1998. The new school is the first completed under Edinburgh's £133 million 'Smart School' initiative, which will lead to over half of its pupils learning in fully refurbished or completely rebuilt schools within 10 years.

31 October: Margaret Curran, Minister for Social Justice, commented on the police figures which show a rise in reporting of domestic abuse incidents, stating that the Executive has committed £23 million over the four years 200-2004 to build new refuges, develop services and to implement the National Strategy on domestic abuse

Appointments

11 October: Duncan Ferguson, Rector of Plockton High School, was appointed the first Chair of Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-alba, the new Gaelic Development Agency.

14 October: Ian Smith, a former Chief Executive of Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council, was appointed as the first Convenor of the Water Customer Consultation Panels (set up to represent the views and interests of the customers of services delivered by the water authority).

15 October: Angus MacDonald was appointed member of the Scottish Land Court with effect from 4 November 2002. Angus MacDonald will succeed Donald Macdonald who has retired.

25 October: Brian McGhee was appointed Deputy Chair of the Accounts Commission for Scotland.

System Three poll (for The Herald)

(881 people in 41 constituencies surveyed between Oct 24 and Nov 3, 2002)

The System Three poll, carried out at the end of October, noted voting intentions for both the Scottish Parliament (two votes) and the House of Commons.

	Holyrood 1st vote	Holyrood 2nd vote	Westminster
Lab	37%	29%	45%
SNP	30%	30%	22%
LibDem	15%	19%	16%
Con	12%	10%	13%
SSP	4%	5%	3%
Green	2%	4%	} 2%
Others	1%	3%	} 2%

Bills

2 October: the principles of the Local Government in Scotland Bill: Stage 1 were agreed in Parliament. The aim of the Bill is to provide a framework to enable the delivery of better, more responsive public services.

30 October: the principles of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 were agreed in Parliament. The Bill seeks to promote the sustainable management and protection of the water environment in Scotland and to change the arrangements for funding new connections to the public water and sewerage infrastructure.

Committees

2 October: the Finance Committee published a report showing that Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Scotland have made a valuable contribution in bringing forward the number of major capital projects within the public sector such as hospitals and schools. The Committee made various recommendations, including that employees and trade unions should be consulted at an early stage, given the potential impact PPP has on staff. They also made recommendations intended to ensure that good procurement practices developed from PPPs are extended into the public sector procurement process more generally.

4 October: the Rural Development Committee issued a call for evidence, seeking views from all interested parties on the general principles of the Organic Farming Targets (Scotland) Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to require Scottish Ministers to set targets for the amount of agricultural land that is to be farmed organically, subdivided by categories.

4 October: the Local Government Committee endorsed the general principles of the Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Bill but called for greater consultation of the Parliament throughout the process. If passed, the Bill will abolish certain bodies and set up a Commissioner in Scotland to produce a code of practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies.

4 October: the Justice 2 Committee visited the Reliance Monitoring Services to observe the systems used in electronic monitoring. The aim of the visit was to help inform the Committee's stage 2 consideration of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill.

8 October: the Health and Community Care Committee agreed to carry out an inquiry into the health impact of GM crops and issued a call for written evidence. The inquiry will consider whether the Executive's decision to approve the testing of genetically modified crops at a number of specified sites in Scotland will have negative consequence on public health.

8 October: the Transport and the Environment Committee welcomed the Executive's proposal for tendering Clyde and Hebrides Lifeline Ferry Services but expressed concern over the European competition rules that govern the tendering process and made recommendations on how the ferry services can be developed.

10 October: The Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (Navigation and Fishing) (Scotland) Bill Committee held a media briefing to answer questions from the media about the Private Bill process and the purpose of the Bill being considered. This specially convened Committee will be responsible for scrutinising the first ever Private Bill to be introduced.

11 October: the Local Government Committee issued a call for evidence, seeking views from all interested parties on the general principles of the Proportional Representation (Local Government Elections) (Scotland) Bill. The Member's Bill seeks to introduce proportional representation in local government elections by means of the single transferable vote.

15 October: The Rural Development Committee wrote to the Executive setting out their views on the draft designation order for the Cairngorms National Park, recommending that the Executive adopt the boundary originally proposed by Scottish Natural Heritage, with one exception. A petition was heard from the Laggan Farmers Action Group which called for the additional inclusion of the whole Parish of Laggan, and this was endorsed by the Committee.

15 October: The Transport and the Environment Committee published a report on their enquiry into the rail industry in Scotland. One of the many recommendations made by the Committee is that a new, robust concordat be established between the Executive and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). This concordat should: establish a substantial SRA office in Scotland; set out funding levels for rail spending to 2007-08 through the Executive and the SRA; publish a list of Executive and SRA projects, with timeframes, for delivery over the next five years.

17 October: The Transport and Environment Committee recommended agreement of the general principles of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Bill, but expressed concern about the lack of certainty surrounding its financial ramifications.

22 October: The Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee published a report which sets out a framework for giving every citizen access to a range of learning opportunities throughout their lifetime. The report also highlights areas that require further investigation, including the opportunities available for young people leaving school and better workforce development.

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:

Chief Statistician's Annual Report 2001-02: a report on progress on The Scottish Executive Statistical Plan 2001-02. 2.10.02

A Modern Complaints System: The new Scottish Public Services Ombudsman: circular guidance on the statutory framework for complaints handling established by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002. 7.10.02

"Under the Skin" of Community Planning: research commissioned by the Community Planning Task Force to help it gain a better understanding of Community Planning at a local level. 14.10.02

Improving Our Environment - Scottish Executive's Environmental Performance 2001/2002 - Second Annual Report. 16.10.02

Social Inclusion in Rural Areas: Innovative Project for Young People - Research Findings: a comparative study of innovative youth projects in rural communities. 22.10.02

The Scottish Executive Draft Budget 2003-04: the draft Budget Detail for the Budget (Scotland) Act (No 4). 31.10.02

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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