IOG: Parliament News, issue 36/april 2004

Scottish Affairs web site

Events

1 April: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Health, signed the Transfer Order winding up the 16 remaining NHS Trusts. Their responsibilities have been transferred to NHS Boards.

1 April: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Environment & Rural Development, welcomed the introduction of tightened regulations on the handling and monitoring of hazardous waste. The Special Waste Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 amend the Special Waste Regulations 1996 in accordance with recent developments in European law. The majority of the provisions come into effect on 1 July 2004.

2 April: Frank McAveety, Minister for Tourism, launched myvisitscotland.com in Glasgow. The new websiste is a contemporary, insider guide to all that is happening in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling which will be backed up by a full marketing campaign and city guide book.

2 April: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Environment, launched a twelve week consultation into proposals for bringing regulations governing the release of environmental information into line with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2003.

2 April: start of the Tartan Day programme in America and Canada. The delegation was led by the Presiding Officer George Reid and the cross party representatives were David McLetchie, Donald Gorrie, Kenny MacAskill and Michael McMahon.

6 April: Colin Boyd QC, the Lord Advocate, travelled to Paris to represent Scottish Ministers at the ongoing Entente Cordiale centenary celebration. Jack McConnell, First Minister, launched a programme of events to mark the centenary in January at an event in Edinburgh.

6 April: publication of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) Equal Opportunities Report 2003 informing that all the information and services provided by the SPCB to the public are delivered in an inclusive and non-discriminatory way. The report also indicates what improvements they wish to make in future years.

8 April: Frank McAveety, Minsiter for Tourism, launched a new website www.ententecordialescotland.org.uk to celebrate the bond of friendship between France and Scotland. The website provides details of all events in the Scottish programme of cordiale celebrations in Scotland and in France.

19 April: launch of the consultation paper Developing a Strategic Framework for Scotland's Marine Environment. The paper is asking views and opinions on the best ways to develop and protect Scotland's waters and coasts. The consultation closes on 9 July and copies are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations.

19 April: George Reid, Presiding Officer, informed the Parliament's Finance Committee that the overall estimated final cost of the Holyrood project is unchanged at £425m-£431m and the timetable will allow occupation over the summer and parliamentary business to begin in September 2004.

21 April: Andy Kerr, Minister for Finance and Public Services, speaking at a debate on EU enlargement said that Scotland welcomes the enlargement of the EU, stating that it will provide increased stability in Europe, as well as major economic, social and cultural benefits. Mr Kerr also announced that the Executive will host a trade mission to the Czech Republic and Slovenia following enlargement.

22 April: George Reid, Presiding Officer, announced that the Holyrood building will be officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen on Saturday 9 October. The cost to Parliament for the whole day will be £210,000.

22 April: Frank McAveety, Minister for Culture, announced that an independent commission will review all existing cultural provisions in Scotland over the next 12 months. The Commission will make recommendations on the development of arts and culture and will aim to promote wider access and excellence. The Commission will be chaired by James Boyle, presently chair of the Scottish Arts Council, who will resign that post to undertake the review. The Commission will sit for 12 months, starting on June 1, 2004 and will make recommendations to Scottish Ministers.

23 April: speaking to an audience of MSPs and members of the business community at the Business in Parliament Conference in Edinburgh, Jack McConnell, First Minister, said that economic growth must be their main priority, as a devolved government and as a Parliament. The conference was a day-long event, organised jointly by the Parliament and the Executive to engage business in the political process and to listen to the views of business.

26 April: it was announced that Sarah Davidson, Project Director of the Holyrood Building Project, will leave her post at the end of June 2004.

27 April: three sets of guidance on the Local Government in Scotland Act were issued to local authorities. The guidance provides support to those taking forward the provisions in the Act and gives more detail about how the duties can be taken forward. The guidance covers:

The power to advance well-being. This new discretionary power enables local authorities to do anything they consider likely to promote or improve the well-being of communities.
Best Value. This means delivering the best possible services at the best possible cost and replaces CCT.
Community Planning, which aims to ensure services are built around the needs of the people who use them.

27 April: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Health, announced that an expert group, the Advisory Group on Service Change in NHSScotland, has been appointed to take a look at how the NHS can plan and deliver better health care services in Scotland for the longer term. The Advisory Group will be chaired by David Kerr, Rhodes Professor of Cancer Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology at Oxford University.

28 April: Nicol Stephen, Minister for Transport, announced that SESTRAN, the regional transport partnership for the South East of Scotland, has been awarded £4.9 million to make public transport more attractive to use.

Appointments

5 April: Mr Andrew Laing has been appointed by the Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd QC as Area Procurator Fiscal for the Highlands and Islands. Mr Laing succeeds Graeme Napier, who has recently been appointed as a sheriff.

Bills

1 April: the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3, was passed by Parliament. The purpose of the Bill is to modernise and strengthen the system for supporting children's and young persons' additional support needs to enable them to draw benefit from school education.

28 April: the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 was passed by Parliament. The provisions of the Bill will assist victims and witnesses by creating greater certainty about when trials will proceed and prevent unnecessary adjournments.

A summary of the Bills passed by the Parliament in the 1999-2003 session can be found on the Parliament website at www.scottish.parliament.uk/parl_bus/bills/bill%20summaries.pdf

Committees

23 April: publication of the Finance Committee's report into Scottish Water. The Committee's investigation was prompted by concerns about a lack of transparency, poor consultation and the impact of sudden substantial increases in water charges for small business users. The report states that a great deal needs to be done to improve current arrangements and practices and makes several important recommendations.

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/contracts/contract02-01.htm

Scottish Executive Publications

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

Some of those published in the last month include:

Access to Environmental Information: A Consultation: Consultation on access to Environmental Information Regulations, Guidance and Code of Practice. 2.4.04

Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter Explanatory Booklet. 2.4.04

Taking it On - Developing UK Sustainable Development Strategy Together: Consultation on a new sustainable development strategy for the UK. 21.4.04

Consultation on the Implementation of EC Regulations on Traceability and Labelling of Genetically Modified Organisms and on Genetically Modified Food and Feed. 24.4.04

Merger of Funding Councils: Consultation Paper and draft Bill. 24.4.04

Best Value Guidance: the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 - Best Value Guidance. 27.4.04

Scotland's Budget Documents: The 2004-05 Summer Budget Revision to the Budget (Scotland) Act 2004 for the year ending 31 March 2005. 28.4.04

Forthcoming Publications: Publications Schedule for the coming year. 29.4.04

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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