Issue 35 - March 2004

Events

1 March: Peter Peacock, Minister for Education, announced an additional £4 million of funding to improve foreign language teaching in primary schools.

1 March: the Executive published its first Race Equality Annual Report. The report highlights achievements to date and planned future action to promote race equality and eliminate unlawful discrimination across the work of the Executive and its agencies.

1 March: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, launched a consultation exercise seeking the views of interested parties on the future operation of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund (SRPF), including the introduction of a small projects fund, increased levels of support for applicants and the introduction of two application rounds each year.

1 March: the latest phase began of the Executive's Do a Little, Change a Lot environmental awareness campaign. The poster campaign focuses on the issues of energy efficiency and waste.

2 March: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Enterprise, welcomed progress in implementing proposals to benefit Scottish renewables developers. The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) announced details on proposed changes to the UK Energy Bill that would allow the UK Secretary of State to cap or discount charges of renewable energy generators.

2 March: launch of a consultation on reducing reoffending in Scotland. The discussion - Reduce, Rehabilitate, Reform: a consultation on reducing reoffending in Scotland - will last for 90 days. The outcome of the consultation will inform Ministers on actions that require to be taken to improve criminal justice services in Scotland.

4 March: publication of the Phase 3 Review into higher education, a collaborative venture involving all the main participants in the sector. Jim Wallace, Minister for Lifelong Learning, said it made "a very considered and persuasive case for investment in Scottish higher education". The Review will help inform the Executive's forthcoming Spending Review.

5 March: publication of the latest edition of the Scottish Economic Report. The report presents a review of recent trends in the global, European, UK and Scottish economies. There are also five shorter articles focusing on selected economic issues.

8 March: the Executive has arranged for the development of training material to help public authorities prepare for implementation of Freedom of Information which is less than a year away.

8 March: Margaret Curran, Minister for Communities, announced the allocation of an additional £30 million to local authorities to tackle antisocial behaviour (ASB). She added that she expected some of the money to be used for setting up services that will encourage people to report incidents of ASB, support them when they do and help resolve neighbourhood disputes before they get out of hand.

8 March: Margaret Curran, Minister for Communities, announced that funding of around £5 million will be allocated to support services for women who have been trafficked into Scotland or made homeless because of sex abuse.

9 March: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Rural Development, announced that communities within an extra 117 settlements throughout Scotland will benefit from the Community Right to Buy.

9 March: the Executive announced that it will take account of public concern over the cultivation of GM crops in Scotland. Although European legislation rules out any outright ban, the Executive will consult with farmers in framing guidance for the creation of voluntary GM free zones.

9 March: Mary Mulligan, Deputy Minister for Communities, announced initial allocations of £8 million from a special £10 million fund for affordable housing in rural communities.

9 March: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Fisheries, announced funding of £6.8 million to improve and modernise fisheries and aquaculture projects across Scotland.

10 March: the Parliament commemorated Commonwealth Day 2004 with a debate and reception with the theme 'Building a Commonwealth of Freedom'. The reception was addressed by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, the Rt Hon Don McKinnon.

11 March: Frank McAveety, Minister for Tourism, announced that the Executive has put together a £20 million investment package aimed at increasing tourism revenue. Mr McAveety promised more marketing activity, with a strong brand identity and integrated support for tourism.

11 March: Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Health, announced that nearly £350 million are being made available this year for medical equipment, hospitals and health centres.

11 March: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Fisheries, welcomed the finding of an independent think tank into the situation facing the fishing industry. The inquiry, launched last May by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), recognises that there is a need for reform but contends that the best approach is to press for change from within.

15 March: an engraving was completed on the threshold of the Donald Dewar Room at Holyrood with a quote by John P Mackintosh, the late Berwick and East Lothian MP: "People in Scotland want a degree of government for themselves. It is not beyond the wit of man to devise the institutions to meet these demands."

16 March: Cathy Jamieson, Minister for Justice, launched a four-month open consultation on the recommendations of the McInnes Review of Summary Justice. The McInnes report contains radical proposals on the reform of how the justice system in Scotland deals with less serious offences.

16 March: launch in Scotland of SkillsActive, the new UK Sector Skills Council for the active leisure and learning sector. The aim of the representative body is to develop a competent and qualified workforce in the sport and recreation sector.

17 March: funding worth £212 million was allocated for research in universities for 2004-05, a rise of 11.6% compared with the previous year. This is part of the £800 million funding being invested by the Executive in higher education for 2004-05.

17 March: launch of the PLUSBUS initiative scheme that allows travellers to buy a single ticket for use on both trains and buses. This initiative is run by all major bus and rail companies in Scotland and was developed by the Journey Solutions partnership with support form the Executive.

18 March: Margaret Curran, Minister for Communities, announced funding of £512,581 to be spread over three years, from financial year 2004-05 to 2006-07, for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Scotland. Some of the money will pay for an updated Equality Network website to provide comprehensive information on laws and policies and for assessing Executive Bills and policies, ensuring they deliver fairly for LGBT equality.

23 March: the Executive launched two new online systems:

• New consultation pages on the Executive website will provide improved listings of consultation exercises, current and closed. They will also include upcoming consultations for the first time.

• SEConsult which will allow people to receive a weekly e-mail with details of all newly-launched and forthcoming consultations.

24 March: Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, promised that changes will be made to improve the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme following new research. A study carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University's Centre for Research and Lifelong Learning recommended:

• changes to the contracting arrangements with training providers

• improving recruitment and induction procedures

• engaging better with employers

29 March: Glasgow's Partick Library was launched as a Parliamentary 'Linked Library' for the city's Gaelic community which means it will receive up-to-date reports and support services on Parliamentary business, giving local Gaelic speakers and learners first-hand access to the Parliament information in both Gaelic and English.

26 March: launch of a special website Sort It, available on www.wascot.org.uk, which will give householders access to a range of advice on how to minimise and recycle waste. Sort It is an initiative of the Executive and the Scottish Waste Awareness Group (SWAG).

30 March: Allan Wilson, Deputy Minister for Rural Development, published the first annual report on delivery of the Organic Action Plan which promises to make further resources available to farmers wishing to convert to organic farming.

30 March: Jim Wallace, Minister for Lifelong Learning, announced that 40,000 young people across Scotland are to benefit from a £49 million programme. The Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) programme allocates up to £30 a week to students to allow them to stay on at school or college.

31 March: Fife emergency services briefed MSPs and parliamentary staff on the success of a road safety initiative aimed at informing young people of the effects of road traffic accidents. The initiative entailed showing Years 5 and 6 a presentation highlighting the personal experiences of accident victims, relatives and emergency service personnel through video footage and live personal appearances.

Appointments

29 March: Maureen Child, an existing Commissioner of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, was promoted to the new post of Vice Chair (Scotland), and Hugh Raven was appointed as an additional Scottish Commissioner.

29 March: Linda Jean Graham was appointed to the post of part-time Commissioner to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland.

31 March: Peter Donaldson was appointed as the new Member of the Standards Commission for Scotland.

31 March: Peter Lederer was re-appointed as Chair of VisitScotland.

 

Bills

3 March: the Parliament agreed the general principles of the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1. The objectives of the Bill are for improving public services as set out in the Partnership Agreement and include commitments to legislate to abolish NHT Trusts, establish community health partnerships, ensure co-operation in delivering regional service, increase public involvement and promote health improvement.

4 March: the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3, was passed by Parliament. The aim of the Bill is to enable better protection and assistance to vulnerable witnesses, particularly children.

10 March: the Parliament agreed the general principles of the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1. The Bill focuses on four themes:

• protecting and empowering communities;

• preventing antisocial behaviour by working with children and families;

• building safe, secure and attractive communities; and

• effective enforcement.

24 March: the Parliament agreed the general principles of the Local Governance (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1. The Bill makes changes to the way councillors are elected through the introduction of the Single Transferable Vote (STV) with wards of either three or four councillors. The Bill also proposes changes to remuneration of councillors, changes to the rules concerning political restrictions on council staff and introduces other measures aimed at widening access to council membership.

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

5 March: the Communities Committee endorsed the general principles of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill. In considering the Bill the Committee received over 60 written submissions and took oral evidence from 32 organisations and individuals.

18 March: publication of the Audit Committee's report on its inquiry into the Auditor General for Scotland's report "Scottish Further Education Funding Council - performance management of the further education sector in Scotland". The Committee's report criticised the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) for slow progress in delivering a range of key initiatives. The report also outlines disappointment at the slow rate of progress in relation to refining and utilising Unit Costs, demonstrating that the sector is matching provision with need, and enabling useful benchmarking within the sector.

19 March: the Local Government and Transport Committee endorsed the general principles of the Local Governance (Scotland) Bill.

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:

Phase 3 Higher Education Review - The Competitiveness of Higher Education in Scotland: Summary. 4.3.04

Scottish Economic Report: March 2004: twice yearly publication. 5.3.04

Partnership Working Research Report: Social and Economic Partnership Project: research report on partnership working between the Executive and business, trade unions, and other sectors. 8.3.04

Consultation on the Review of the Area Tourist Boards: summary of contributions to the review. 11.3.04

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002: a Consultation on Charging Fees: invitation for comments on draft fees regulations. 112.3.04

Forthcoming Publications: publications schedule for the coming year. 16.3.04

Consultation on the Report of the Summary Justice Review Committee. 16.3.04

Co-operative Development Agency Consultation Paper: consultation document for the Partnership Agreement to establish a Co-operative Development Agency. 22.3.04

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Should you have any comments or enquiries please do not hesitate to contact Margaret MacPherson at the Institute of Governance.