Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 2, 17^th January 2000

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

Wednesday 19^th January

• Ministerial Statement on Air Quality
• Debate on the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill
• Members Business - Motion on Flooding in Inverclyde (Duncan McNeil)

Thursday 20^th January

• Tackling Drug Abuse in Scotland

For a brief outline of the key points on these debates, please see Section 3.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

European Committee

• ESF Programme Management Executives and the relationship with the Scottish Executive.

Local Government (2 meetings)

• Abolition of Poindings & Warrant Sales
• Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Bill - evidence from Frank McAveety

Finance

• Inquiry into the finance functions of the Scottish Executive

Equal Opportunities

• The Census (Scotland) Order 2000
• Scottish Refugee Council
• Adults with Incapacity Bill
• Proposed Education Bill

Transport and Environment Committee

• National Waste Strategy and evidence from Sarah Boyack.

Please note that the Procedures, Subordinate Legislation, Public Petitions, Rural Affairs, Health & Community Care, Justice & Home Affairs, Social Inclusion and Education, Culture & Sport committees are also meeting this week.

SECTION 2 - CURRENT ISSUES

FLU UPDATE

Despite exceptional pressures, the NHS is well-prepared and managing to cope. Through contingency planning:

• £2 million has been invested by the Scottish Executive in flu vaccination for vulnerable groups provided free of charge through GPs.
• Additional wards and more beds have been laid on.
• There are more nursing home places and increased intensive care and high dependency capacity.

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON DEBATES THIS WEEK

AIR QUALITY STRATEGY

The principle sources of air pollution are industry, traffic and domestic heating, although poor air quality is in towns and cities is dominated by pollution from transport emissions.

The National Air Quality Strategy was published in 1997 and contains air quality standards and objectives for 8 pollutants of most concern to human health. It also set the framework for a nation-wide system of local air quality management. Local authorities are obliged to assess the air quality in their areas. It is expected that the current reviews and assessments in Scottish local authorities will be completed by summer 2000.

While Scotland generally enjoys good air quality, it is possible that the review of Local Air Quality Management will show that our urban areas share many of the characteristics of air pollution common in the towns and cities throughout the UK.

SEXUAL OFFENCES BILL

The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill would introduce three changes:

• Lower the age of consent from 18 to 16 years of age for homosexuals.
• Ensure that in cases of underage sex it is the adult and not the child that is committing an offence, by equalising the law for homosexuals.
• Introduce a new offence of ‘abuse of trust’ to protect all young people.

TACKLING DRUG ABUSE

This Executive debate on drugs is about more than just enforcement. It is also about treatment and prevention initiatives, as well and cracking down on dealers.

The Drug Enforcement Agency

The Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency represents a new and innovative approach to tackling drug crime. Its creation will mean that for the first time Scotland has an organisation dedicated to tackling drug crime. It will build on the excellent work already done by the enforcement agencies located together in Paisley and will help police forces to catch those who profit from human misery.

The SDEA will bring in a strategic and tactical capability for tackling drug crime at all levels. It will be backed by additional funding of £10m over the next 2 years earmarked for the enforcement effort. This will strengthen both the centre and local forces, by a total of up to 200 additional officers. These funds, being additional, do not represent a diversion of money already intended for policing.

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