IOG: Parliament News, issue 51/november 2005

Scottish Affairs web site

Events

1 November: Cathy Jamieson, Minister for Justice, announced structure details of Scotland's proposed new Community Justice Authorities (CJAs). Following a consultation the Executive confirmed that eight Community Justice Authorities will be created under the Management of Offenders (Scotland) etc Bill. The CJAs will be responsible for distributing funding for criminal justice social work and monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of joint working between local agencies to tackle re-offending.

2 November: Dr Michael Shackleton, Project Manager in the Secretariat of the European Parliament, visited the Parliament to learn about the online service, including how it is managed and supervised and how www.holyrood.tv will develop in the future. Mr Shackleton said that he had looked at the web TV channel set up at Holyrood and recognised it as an extremely cost-effective way to respond to the right of citizens to understand the work of their elected representatives.

2 November: Rhona Brankin, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, announced the creation of a new group to act as an expert independent source of strategic scientific advice. The Strategic Science Advisory Panel will assist Ms Brankin in ensuring the Department continues to fund strategic, high quality research relevant to the challenges faced in the environment and land use in Scotland.

2 November: the President of Malawi, His Excellency Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, arrived in Scotland for a five-day visit. The President visited the Parliament for three consecutive days and took part in the two-day Scotland-Malawi Partnership Conference to discuss how charities and aid organisations can best help Malawi.

2 November: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Health, announced that Scottish biomedical science students are to get bursaries to encourage them to work in the NHS when they graduate.

3 November: Jack McConnell, First Minister, and President Bingu wa Murharika of Malawi signed a co-operation agreement offering practical help to Malawi in areas such as health, education and economic development.

3 November: Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, announced that discussions were starting on the role of community councils to ensure they are as effective as possible. Views are sought on issues relating to community councils, including:

electoral process
whether a code of conduct is required for community councillors
how to harness the views of the people they represent
their role in the decision-making process at a local level
the role, remit and operation of the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC).

4 November: Andy Kerr, Minister for Health, announced that local authorities have been allocated just over £6 million over three years to enforce the smoke-free legislation in Scotland. The funding will provide two enforcement officers per council. Scotland will be the first part of the UK to become completely smoke-free in enclosed public places from March 26, 2006.

8 November: Annabel Goldie, MSP, was elected as leader of the Scottish Conservative Party to replace David McLetchie who resigned on 31 October.

8 November: Brian Monteith, MSP, resigned from the Scottish Conservative Party following his revelation that he had briefed against David McLetchie. Mr Monteith stated that he would remain at Holyrood as an independent until the next election.

10 November: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Communities, announced an immediate programme of action following the Executive's Race Equality Review. The key measures include:

a new £2m Race Integration and Community Support Fund for locally based projects;
£2.3 funding to strengthen the work of the Minority Ethnic (ME) voluntary sector;
establish a National Coalition on race equality;
creating Strategic Working Groups on minority ethnic communities living in rural areas;
work with Non-Governmental Public Bodies, Communities Scotland and Community Planning Partnerships to enhance performance on race equality.

10 November: George Reid, Presiding Officer, spoke at a conference in Bilbao, Spain, to examine how developing 'electronic solidarity' around the world can provide new social and economic advantages. Mr Reid said that the Scottish Parliament had taken the initiative in promoting the use of e-Democracy.

21 November: a debate 'Current Developments Within the EU; The Role of Civic Society in an Enlarged Europe' took place in the Parliament with MSPs, members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the public to discuss public engagement with European processes.

21 November: George Reid, Presiding Officer, addressed the 10th session of the Africa Caribbean Pacific - European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Edinburgh. Among the topics discussed were the causes and consequences of natural disasters, the situation in West Africa and the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemical substances.

22 November, Jack McConnell, First Minister, spoke at the annual conference of RegLeg (the network for Europe's devolved nations and regions) in Munich, urging the European Commission to give the Scottish government early warning of any European legislative proposals which may impact on Scotland.

25 November: publication of the Scottish Economic Statistics 2005 providing a comprehensive range of official information on the Scottish economy.

28 November: a seminar took place at the Parliament titled 'Re-localisation of European Enterprises: Challenges for European cities and regions'. Members of the Commission for Economic and Social Policy (ECOS) participated in the seminar as well as MSPs and representatives of Scottish groups. The seminar covered topics including the work of local and regional agencies in Scotland in providing support to redundant workers; restructuring case studies from around Europe, and detailed examinations of globalisation, relocation and outsourcing.

28 November: Jack McConnell, First Minister, gave a speech at the 'Values of Britishness' conference in London, stating that most Scots do not have a problem with Britain and Britishness and that a problem only arises when British institutions - government, politics, media - fail to distinguish between England and Britain, or patronise Scots through self conceit or ignorance.

28 November: the 31st plenary of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body (BIIPB) met in Edinburgh for the first time. MSPs, parliamentarians from Irish, Westminster and other UK legislatures discussed items of common concern.

28 November: Trish Godman, Deputy Presiding Officer, attended an event in the European Parliament in Brussels to celebrate the beginning of Best of Scotland week.

28 November: the start of this year's international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. The 16 Days campaign is supported by the Executive whose own Domestic Abuse campaign continues to raise awareness of this issue in Scotland.

29 November: Jack McConnell, First Minister, delivered a St Andrew's Message for 2005 that was circulated to embassies and consulates around the world. The full text of Mr McConnell's message is available on line at www.scotland.gov.uk/News/News-Extras/satadrw.

30 November: Jack McConnell, First Minister, welcomed to Edinburgh Mr Han Huqun, Governor of Shandong Province in China, for a series of meeting with Ministers. Governor Han said that they are particularly keen to establish a relationship with Scotland.

Appointments

4 November: Alison McRae was appointed project director to oversee celebrations surrounding Scotland's Year of Homecoming in 2009. The events will be aimed at attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors, particularly those with direct Scottish ancestry and links.

7 November: Professor Maggie Gill was appointed to the new post of Chief Scientific Adviser and will take up appointment in early 2006.

8 November: Ms Jane Saren was appointed as a new member to the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission). The Care Commission carries out inspections of services to ensure that the National Care standards are being met and has powers to take enforcement action where this is not the case.

24 November: the Rt Hon Lord Hamilton was appointed Scotland's new Lord President by HM the Queen, replacing the Rt Hon the Lord Cullen of Whitekirk who has retired. The Lord President is the ead of the Court of Session, and as Lord Justice General, Head of the High Court of Justiciary.

Bills

3 November: the Management of Offenders Etc (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 was passed by Parliament. The main objective of the Bill is to improve the management of offenders through greater integration of the activities of criminal justice agencies with the ultimate aim of reducing levels of re-offending in Scotland.

9 November: the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 was passed by Parliament. The aim of the Bill is to improve protection of the environment, to improve public decision making, and in particular to implement the commitment in 'a Partnership for a Better Scotland'.

16 November: the Licensing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 was passed by Parliament. The Bill has four key uses that underline the approach the Executive has taken in proposing the new licensing system for Scotland. They are: reducing underage drinking, reducing binge drinking, providing a voice for communities, and modernisation.

24 November: the Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 was passed by Parliament. The main purpose of the Bill is to address problems of condition and quality in private sector housing (although some provisions also relate to the social rented sector).

30 November: the general principles of the Human Tissue (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1 were agreed by Parliament. The Bill covers three main issues: organ and tissue donation and transplantation; hospital post-mortem examinations; and the Anatomy Act 1984.

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/business/bills/billsPassed/billsum-s1.htm

Committees

10 November: the Education Committee called for evidence from all interested parties on the general principles of the Joint Inspections of Children's Services and Inspection of Social Work Services (Scotland) Bill, The purpose of Part 1 of the Bill is to provide inspectorates and agencies with the legal powers to inspect jointly children's services. Part 2 of the Bill provides the Social Work Inspection Agency with explicit powers to inspect all social work services.

17 November: publication of a report by the European and External Relations Committee recommending that the Executive consider issues that could help asylum seekers gain work and integrate into communities as part of its Fresh Talent initiative.

22 November: the Health Committee recommended that the Parliament support the Executive's Human Tissue (Scotland) Bill but made a number of recommendations about action required for effective implementation of the Bill, particularly for the promotion of public and professional awareness of the Bill's provisions. The Human Tissue (Scotland) Bill proposes a new framework for organ donation and transplantation; for post-mortem examination and associated retention of body parts; and for anatomical examination and the public display of dead bodies.

23 November: the European and External Relations Committee launched an Inquiry to investigate the potential for a programme of co-operation projects between Scotland and Ireland and the resultant social and economic benefits of any such projects.

25 November: the European and External Relations Committee launched an inquiry into the 'Transposition and Implementation of European Directives in Scotland'. The inquiry will establish if there are aspects of the EU obligations that put business in Scotland at a comparative disadvantage.

30 November: the Public Petitions Committee launched a DVD explaining the Parliament's petitioning process. The DVD includes interviews with MSPs, Parliament staff and petitioners and uses real-life examples of how the Public Petitions Committee has been an instrument for change.

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
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/recruitment/extResearcher/index.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 November 2005 include:

2 November: What Can We Do to Help Community Councils Fulfil Their Role? - A Discussion Paper.

2 November: Delivering for Health: document describing Executive action to improve the health service.

16 November: Scottish Executive Expertise, Knowledge & Innovation Transfer Programme Grant Application Form.

18 November: Scottish Executive Review of Race Equality Work in Scotland: A Summary of the Review and the Way Forward.

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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