IOG: Parliament News, issue 44/mar 2005

Scottish Affairs web site

Events

1 March: Rhona Brankin, Deputy Health and Community Care Minister, announced that an additional £94m will be made available for free personal care to local authorities in 2006-07 and the following year.

2 March: Tom McCabe, Minister for Public Service Reform, announced the publication of a report which compares Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling to the eight English 'Core Cities' and a number of successful continental European cities on a range of urban competitiveness measures. The report is available on line at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/europe/csc-00.asp.

3 March: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for the Environment, announced that a new co-ordinating group, a partnership between the Executive, Welsh Assembly and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will seek out and advise on the best methods of controlling the least wanted non-native invasive plant and animal species spreading through our countryside.

7 March: Jack McConnell, First Minister, launched the new UK Framework for Sustainable Development which has been agreed by Scotland's devolved government, the Welsh Assembly government, the Northern Ireland administration and the UK government. Scotland's sustainable development strategy will be published in the autumn and will focus on six area in particular:

sustainable consumption and production
climate change and energy
protecting and enhancing our natural resources
creating sustainable communities
encouraging people to live differently
the best ways to deliver and track lasting change.

7 March: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, announced 11 proposed additions to the network of Special Protection Areas in Scotland to safeguard Scotland's most vulnerable bird species.

8 March: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Communities, announced a comprehensive package of measures to improve the quality and quantity of Scotland's housing which included:

details of the new 'Homesake' shared equity scheme, which will help first time buyers get a foot on the property ladder.
publication of the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which will raise the quality of housing in the private sector and tackle the backlog of disrepair.
a 23% increase in Communities Scotland's Affordable Housing Investment Programme to £404 million in 2005/06.

10 March: Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, gave details of the Executive's Infrasructure Investment Plan: Investing in the Future of Scotland (available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/iipifs-00.asp). The Executive will increase capital spending by more than 5%, in real terms each year, from 2005 to 2008. The Plan will be implemented through conventional public sector capital spending, partnership arrangements, PPPs and a prudential regime.

11 March: Andy Kerr, Minister for Health, announced details of a scheme to introduce healthier food ranges to local convenience stores across Scotland. Almost £500,000 will be available to stores to help promote healthy food choice through initiatives such as meal deals, price promotions for fruit and vegetables and displaying fruit at checkouts instead of confectionery and snacks.

11 March: publication of new guidelines to help farmers minimise pollution of the environment. The Code of Good Practice for the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity (PEPFAA) covers an extensive range of agricultural activity including waste management, the control of emissions into the air and the disposal of animal carcasses.

14 March: Andy Kerr, Minister for Health, announced a major campaign, backed by a £15 million investment, to protect patients from hospital infection and ensure clean wards. One of the measures in the campaign is to put Sisters/Charge Nurses back in charge of wards and they will be responsible for ensuring ward cleanliness and will have more powers to support this.

14 March: Cathy Jamieson, Minister for Justice, announced Executive financial support worth £50,000 a year to fund the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (Scotland) which will provide a freephone helpline, advice and assistance plus longer term training and counselling.

14 March: Ross Finnie, Minister for Fisheries, welcomed agreement on proposals for the creation of a Europe-wide Fisheries Control Agency. The Agency will co-ordinate fisheries enforcement activity across member States, in particular the monitoring of and compliance with regulations on threatened stocks.

15 March: start of a three-day Commonwealth Local Government conference in Aberdeen where Jack McConnell, First Minister, launched a new International Development policy for Scotland which sets out the contribution the devolved Scottish government can make and the responsibilities towards developing countries. Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa attended the conference.

17 March: Jim Wallace, Minister for Enterprise, launched an implementation plan for A Strategy for the Financial Services Industry in Scotland. The strategy recognises the fundamental importance to the Scottish economy of an industry that generates £5 billion, almost 6%, of GDP and aims to build on the strengths that have made Scotland the most important UK financial centre outside London.

17 March: a group of six MSPs who spent two weeks in some of the most impoverished areas of South Africa and Malawi published a comprehensive report which makes positive recommendations to help to develop sustainable links with South Africa and Malawi.

18 March: the Rt. Hon. George Reid MSP, Presiding Officer, was appointed President of the Royal Commonwealth Society Scotland in recognition of his extensive experience with voluntary organisations and his role within Scotland's political community.

18 March: Ross Finnie, Minister for Fisheries, announced the publication of the Executive's Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries, available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/fisheries/sfifs-00.asp, which will lead to the establishment of a network of inshore fisheries groups responsible for planning the management of local fisheries. Scottish objectives will be set by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) in liaison with Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) with inshore fisheries groups developing these into local management plans with area specific objectives.

18 March: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, designated 238 sites covering 963,000 hectares throughout Scotland as Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive. These sites give legal protection to 18 species including the bottle nosed dolphin, Atlantic salmon and otters, as well as 53 habitat types such as the endangered Caledonian Pine Forest.

20 March: start of a five-visit to Scotland of a delegation of senior politicians from the US including Congressmen John Duncan and Mike McIntyre, who co-sponsored the House of Representatives Tartan Day resolution, Michael Oxley, co-author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which set higher standards for corporate governance in response to business scandals, and David Scott, co-chairman of the Democratic Group on National Security. The Congressmen met Jack McConnell, First Minister, Jim Wallace, Deputy First Minister and Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform.

21 March: George Reid, Presiding Officer, announced that during the Edinburgh Festival in August Holyrood will host a Festival of Politics. This will comprise a varied series of events featuring national and international figures and celebrities from the world of politics, media and the arts.

21 March: Jim Wallace, Deputy First Minister, announced the publication of a report on promoting better links between business and universities to be supported by increased funding. The report, available online at http://www.Scotland.gov.uk/library5/lifelong/bucis-00.asp, is the Executive's response to the UK-wide Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration. One of the actions identified in the report is increased funding for knowledge transfer activity in universities, which helps researchers at Scottish universities turn their projects into commercial realities.

21 March: the Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC informed the Scottish Parliament that he accepted all 12 recommendations in the first ever report, available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/ipis-00.asp, by the independent Inspectorate of Prosecution, published on this date. The report examines the responses of the Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service on race issues.

21 March: publication of the Draft Crofting Reform Bill, available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/rural/dcrsb-01.asp. The Bill proposes schemes which will allow croft land to be developed, for example to provide renewable energy sources, whilst maintaining protection for crofters, delivery community benefits and ensuring all individual crofters are treated fairly.

22 March: Jack McConnell, First Minister, announced that every school in Scotland will receive an anti-sectarian education package. The package includes a web-based resource, (http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/antisectarian/ and a series of training seminars for teachers.

22 March: the Edinburgh Architectural Association presented architects EMBT/RMJM with the Centenary Medal award for the design of Holyrood. This award is the highest accolade that the association can give to any project.

30 March: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, launched the first service to enforce new antisocial behaviour legislation. If noise levels are breached on measurement after a Warning Notice has been issued this can lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 issued to the person responsible. The Executive has provided £2.8 million this year to local authorities to tackle domestic noise complaints.

Appointments

15 March: Professor Gerry Maher and Professor Joe Thomson were reappointed as members of the Scottish Law Commission. The function of the Scottish Law Commission is to recommend reforms to improve, simplify and update the law of Scotland.

Bills

1 March: publication of the Licensing (Scotland) Bill which will reform outdated licensing laws, tackle under-age drinking, crack down on binge drinking, and involve communities.

2 March: the general principles of the Transport (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1, were agreed by Parliament. The overall objective of the Bill is in line with that set out by the White paper for transport as a whole: "to promote economic growth, social inclusion, health and protection of our environment through a safe, integrated, effective and efficient transport system".

3 March: the general principles of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 were agreed by Parliament. The objective of the Bill is to set up a new charity regulator and public register of charities.

8 March: the Housing (Scotland) Bill was published. The Bill has the aim of promoting a culture change in the private sector so that owners take more responsibility for the upkeep of their properties.

10 March: publication of draft regulations that will govern the Bill seeking to introduce legislation to control smoking in public places. Premises to be classed as 'no smoking' are to include restaurants, pubs, clubs, public transport, hospitals, offices, shopping centres, cinemas and bingo halls.

17 March: the general principles of the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 were agreed by Parliament. The Bill introduces an offence of sexual grooming of a person under 16 by an adult aged 18 or over. The Bill also introduces risk of sexual harm orders that are designed to protect children from those who display inappropriate behaviour towards them.

21 March: publication of the Draft Crofting Reform Bill which contains measures to allow the creation of new crofts, streamline the regulation of crofting, allow renewable energy projects on croft land and better balance the rights of crofters and landlords.

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

2 March: the Communities Committee endorsed the general principles of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill. The Bill seeks to introduce a regulatory framework for charities in Scotland and would establish the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, which will be responsible for maintaining a Scottish Charity Register.

3 March: the Enterprise and Culture Committee published its report on 'Arts in the Community'. The report calls for greater recognition of the benefits that community-based art projects can bring and sets out a series of recommendations to increase public participation in and exposure to the arts.

8 March: MSPs on the Environment and Rural Development Committee issued an invitation to people to come and speak to them at a public meeting in Durness Community Hall on 21 March. The Committee is conducting an Inquiry entitled 'Securing a Future for Rural Communities'.

10 March: the Parliament's Justice 1 Committee published a report which urges the Executive to tighten up the terms of its Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill, but which backs the general principles behind the legislation. The Bill aims to create a new offence of sexual grooming of a child under 16 by an adult aged 18 or over.

11 March: the Enterprise and Culture Committee wrote to the President of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), Gordon Dixon, supporting plans for a single unified body to take on overall responsibility for the strategic development of rugby.

11 March: the Environment and Rural Development Committee issued a call for evidence. The Committee is seeking views from all interested parties on the general principles of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure the assessment of the likely effects on the environment of certain plans and programmes (including strategies), before they may be finalised and implemented.

16 March: the Parliament's Audit Committee published a report stating there is a serious risk that mounting financial problems facing NHS Argyll and Clyde will affect is ability to maintain services. The report concludes that the risks facing the NHS Board are closely linked with the failure to agree a financial plan with the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) and the lack of a fully costed clinical strategy for the area.

16 March: the Parliament's Education Committee visited young people in Perth to see how the SMART Young People project is working with young people to change the attitudes to formal education.

18 March: the Finance Committee published its review of the Executive's spending on activities linked to economic development across the Scottish budget. The report states that the Executive has not given clear reasons why its spending decisions help to promote economic development. The report also states that spending decisions are not systematically assessed or prioritised in those areas of the budget that the Executive claims play a vital role in the promotion of economic development.

21 March: the Audit Committee published a report which states that cash for the provision of free personal care for older people could be greater than originally estimated. The Committee recommends that the Department should review the cost of the policy to ensure that future cost projections are based on accurate information, and that budget allocations for free personal care match the demand.

22 March: the Health Committee published a report stating that NHS staff and GPs should receive more specialist training on eating disorders. The report made eleven recommendations for change.

22 March: the Local Government and Transport Committee published a report with the findings of its inquiry into the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001. The report states that in many areas the de-regulated market resulting from the Act has led to increased frequency of service, reduced fares, better vehicles and improved infrastructure but noted that in some parts of Scotland there are problems which remain to be solved. Marginal services have been withdrawn both in rural and urban areas and there is inefficient competition on key corridors in some urban routes, particularly in Glasgow.

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:

Confidence in Scotland Discussion Paper 2004. 1/03/2005

Parents' Views on Improving Parental Involvement in Children's Education - Executive Summary and Conclusions: summary of research on improving parental involvement in children's education. 1/03/2005

Making the Difference - Improving Parents' Involvement in Schools: A Consultation on a Draft Bill - Leaflet: summary of Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Bill which will strengthen parents' rights and improve parental representation in schools. 1/03/2005

'Declaration of Intent for Cooperation in Education and Training' between Scotland and France. 2/03/2005

CONCORDAT BETWEEN HM TREASURY AND THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE: details of concordat between SE and HM Treasury. 7/03/2005

Tourism Culture & Sport Research Strategy 2004-2007: a Research Strategy for culture, sport and cultural tourism drawn up by the Tourism Culture and Sport Analytical Services Unit. 7/03/2005

Cities Growth Fund 2006-08 - guidance on the preparation of investment plans for the second funding round: guidance for 2006-2008. 7/03/2005

Homes for Scotland's People: A Scottish Housing Policy Statement: a statement of the Scottish Executive's housing policies. 8/03/2005

The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 (Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises) Regulations 2005: Draft: consultation on draft smoking regulations made under powers contained in the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill and on the draft Regulatory Impact Assessment. 10/03/2005

Scottish Executive International Development Policy. 15/03/2005

A Strategic Framework for Inshore Fisheries in Scotland. 18/03/2005

Skills for work: National Consultation Seminars: report summarising responses received at the November consultation seminars. 21/03/2005

Business - University Collaboration in Scotland: The Scottish Executive's Response to the Lambert Review: document providing SE response to UK report Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration and a summary of current and planned activity in Scotland in relation to these issues. 21/03/2005

Draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill Consultation Paper. 21/03/2005

Smarter Justice, Safer Communities Summary Justice Reform Next Steps - Summary Leaflet. 22/03/2005

What support is available for young Scottish students in higher education in 2005-06? updated February '05: document with details of funding for young students in higher education. 23/03/2005

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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