Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 109, 8th April 2002
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
Parliament is in recess. Normal business resumes next week.
SECTION 2 - NEWS
NEW YORK STREETS FILLED WITH
SOUND OF SCOTLAND
The streets of New York were filled with the sound of 10,000
pipers and drummers on Saturday as they marched down 6th
Avenue and into Central Park to celebrate National Tartan Day.
First Minister, Jack McConnell, lent his support to the VisitScotland and Scottish Power sponsored Tunes of Glory march, as he spearheaded a dual drive to boost Scotland’s tourism industry and raise the country’s international profile.
Mr McConnell said:
"We are here in America to boost tourism, promote Scottish business and build partnerships. … New Yorkers cannot fail to have been impressed by the sight and sound of 10,000 pipers marching though Manhattan’s streets. Tunes of Glory has put Scotland firmly on the map…
"But this event is about more than raising Scotland’s profile. Thanks to Tunes of Glory, two major cancer charities – Marie Curie Cancer Care in Scotland and Gilda’s Club in the US – will benefit by around $1 million."
National Tartan Day is held on April 6th in the USA each year. The date has been designated by the US Senate in recognition of the contribution made by generations of Scots-Americans to the foundation and prosperity of modern America.
Scotland's representation in New York has included a showcase of contemporary Scottish culture, including live performances and visual art, and an exhibition currently running on Ellis Island of immigration from the Highlands and Islands.
The First Minister was accompanied by Tourism Minister, Mike Watson and Minister for Parliamentary Business, Patricia Ferguson. A delegation from the Scottish Parliament was led by Presiding Officer, Sir David Steel.
Enterprise Minister, Wendy Alexander, who launched the first meeting of the GlobalScot network in California last week will be attending related events in Washington later this week.
EQUALITY FOR CHILDREN IN
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
New measures to improve education provision for children with
special educational needs have been announced.
Guidance to education authorities to bring the length of the school week in special schools into line with mainstream schools is to be issued, as will further guidance on the rights of children with special educational needs to be included in mainstream schools.
To support these changes, Minister for Education and Young People, Cathy Jamieson, announced increased resources for education authorities under the Executive’s Inclusion Programme, which is being increased from £14.3 million in 2001-02 to £20 million in both 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Ms Jamieson said:
"At present, many children in special schools receive up to five hours per week less educational provision than their friends in mainstream schools. That is up to five hours per week less to benefit from provision that can help their development. It does not make sense that these children receive less support, and I am determined to change that.
"We are also issuing guidance to local authorities on supporting children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. This follows from the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act which established a presumption in favour of mainstreaming for children with special educational needs."
The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Inclusion Programme has been part of the Executive's Excellence Fund. Funding will rise from £14.3 million in 2001-02 to £20 million in both 2002-03 and 2003-04. This funding is provided mainly to assist local authorities with the additional costs of supporting children with SEN in mainstream schools. It can now also be used by education authorities to increase the number of hours educational provision offered to children in special schools.
In the majority of special schools, the length of the school week is 22.5 hours or less. There is a widely accepted norm of 25 hours and 27.5 hours for primary and secondary mainstream schools respectively. The Executive will be issuing guidance to education authorities aimed at equalising the hours between special and mainstream schools by August 2003.
The Executive will also be issuing guidance advising education authorities on their duty to provide education in a mainstream school, subject to certain circumstances. This new duty was set out in section 15 of the Standards in Scotland's Schools Act 2000. The new duty will take effect from August 2003.
SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS
Parliament is in recess.
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