IOG: Parliament News, issue 53/january 2006

Scottish Affairs web site

Events

9 January: the new public agency for road and rail, Transport Scotland, took charge of major infrastructure projects across the country. The agency will be responsible for delivering road and rail improvements and will be directing the Executive's £3 billon programme of investment.

5 January: Sir Robert McAlpine Construction Management Ltd and the Parliament agreed a settlement of McAlpine's Court of Session action against the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) for alleged breaches of procurement requirements in the tendering process for the construction of the Parliament Building. The parties agreed to settle without any admission of liability on either side.

9 January: Scotland's Futures Forum (SFF) agreed that their first major issue to be examined will be to identify a 'highly positive role' for Scotland's senior citizens in the future. The forum will identify strategic partners from academia, business and the voluntary sector to carry out the investigative work, followed by a report to MSPs in September.

10 January: the first meeting of the Strategic Science Advisory Panel (SSAP) took place. The remit of the Panel will be to act as a source of independent advice to Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) on the research it funds and the underlying scientific issues.

12 January: Tavish Scott, Minister for Transport, announced the launch of new air routes between Prestwick and three Polish cities with the support of the Executive's Route Development Fund. Gdansk and Warsaw routes begin in March and Katowice in July.

12 January: Nicol Stephen, Minister for Enterprise, officially opened The Black Law windfarm in Lanarkshire, the largest operating wind farm in the UK with 42 turbines. This project regenerated an old open-cast coal-mine into a development providing clean, renewable energy.

24 January: George Reid, the Presiding Officer, welcomed representatives for 20 countries with a Consular presence in Scotland to brief them on activities undertaken by and planned for the Parliament. The briefing was followed by a Burns Night supper.

25 January: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Health, announced a consultation on the current system of NHS prescription charging over the next three months.

30 January: Jack McConnell, First Minister, launched the Executive's Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland. The Plan comprises 18 key actions that include:

reviewing the range of legal options available to the authorities to crack down on abusive behaviour that surrounds marches and parades
new approaches through the school, youth and university sectors, including twinning schemes between denominational and non-denominational schools
provisions relating to Football Banning Orders
performances of an anti-sectarian play to a least 700 school pupils by summer 2006
funding the Scottish Trades Union Congress to carry out comprehensive research into the effects of sectarianism in Scotland's workplaces.

31 January: George Reid, Presiding Officer, attended the Microsoft Government Leaders' Forum in Lisbon to outline how innovations such as the parliament's e-petitions have helped to make the Parliament more accessible to the people.

Appointments

12 January: Philip Rycroft was appointed as Head of Executive's Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department to replace Eddie Frizzell who retires in May 2006.

12 January: Kenny MacAskill, MSP, was elected as the new member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB).

Bills

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

19 January: the Joint Inspection of Children's Services and Inspection of Social Work Services (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 was passed by Parliament. The aim of this Bill is to enable access, sharing, discussion and holding of information between education, social work, justice and health professionals in support of joint inspection of children's and social work services.

Committees

11 January: the Health Committee published its report on the Abolition of NHS Prescription Charges Bill. The majority of the members of the Committee recommended that the Parliament approve the general principles of the Bill. The Member's Bill is promoted by Colin Fox and seeks to remove the need to pay a prescription charge from those who currently do.

17 January: the Equal Opportunities Committee launched a call for evidence on age issues.

23/24 January: the Health Committee undertook three fact-finding visits looking at how the free personal care legislation is working as part of the Committee's inquiry into the care legislation passed by the first Parliament.

23 January: the Justice 2 published its Stage 1 Report supporting the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill which proposes to increase the available sentences for knife crime.

24 January: the Local Government and Transport Committee recommended rejection of the Council Tax Abolition and Service Charge Introduction (Scotland) Bill that proposes to replace the Council Tax with a local income tax.

26 January: Her Excellency Dr Gabriele Matzner-Holzer, the Austrian Ambassador to the UK, visited the Parliament to discuss the Austrian Presidency of the EU. The Parliament's European and External Relations Committee had invited the Ambassador to address a public meeting at Holyrood entitled 'Plans and Priorities of Austrian Presidency of the EU'. Austria has assumed the Presidency of the European Union from January 1 to June 30.

31 January: the Environment and Rural Development Committee launched an inquiry into how the Executive can encourage relationships in the food supply chain that will sustain Scotland's rural industries.

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 January 2006 include:

17 January: Making the difference: New technology in learning.

19 January: Scotland's Culture: Scottish Executive Response to the Cultural Review.

26 January: Sectarianism: Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland.

30 January: Scotland's Budget Documents: The 2005-6 Spring Budget Revision to the Budget (Scotland) Act for the Year Ending 31 March 2006.

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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