Scottish Parliament e-Brief 

Issue 169, 8^th September 2003

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

IN COMMITTEE
This week’s likely highlights in the Committee Corridors include:

SECTION 2 - NEWS

Action plan for mental health and well-being
Details were announced today of a three-year action plan for the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being in Scotland.

The Action Plan for 2003-06 will further direct the work of the National Programme in supporting national and local efforts to raise the profile of mental health, to support action in mental health improvement (promotion and prevention), to address the stigma of mental ill health and to prevent suicide in Scotland.

The four key aims for National Programme action during 2003-2006 are to:

·         Raise awareness and promoting mental health and well-being;

·         Eliminate stigma and discrimination;

·         Prevent suicide; and

·         Promote and support recovery.

Resources, such as the Action Plan, will be made available on a new website also launched by the Deputy Minister today. wellontheweb is the central e-library for the National Programme and will host documents, strategies, research, and articles associated with and supported by the National Programme.

Full story

Football tackles racism
Scotland is all the richer for embracing and fostering the talents and skills of players and coaches from all communities, according to Sports Minister, Frank McAveety.

The Minister was speaking ahead of the UK Asian Football Championship final which is being held at Celtic Park this Sunday, an event which the Executive, through its Equality Unit, has contributed £4,000 to promote the “One Scotland Many Cultures” campaign. This campaign is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all and to raising public awareness of racist attitudes and behaviour and the negative impact this has on individuals and society more generally.  The campaign also aims to celebrate the positive aspects of multi-cultural society in Scotland.

The Executive also recently announced funding of £75,000 over the next 3 years to enable “Show Racism the Red Card” to further develop their work in Scotland. Show Racism the Red Card is a GB-wide anti-racist charity which aims to combat racism through using footballers as anti racist role models.  It specialises in producing educational resources including videos, CD ROM, and posters.

Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY begins with an Executive Debate on the Strategic Framework for Aquaculture (in other words, fish farming).

This is an activity which began in Scotland in the 1970s and is now a £500 million a year business, directly employing around 2,000 people, with a further 4,000 to 5,000 employed in the supporting sectors.

However, the growth in salmon farming has seen a decline in wild salmon and sea trout in the West of Scotland.  One factor contributing to the decline is thought to be the spread of sea lice from the farmed fish to the wild fish as they swim past the cages.  In the last Parliament, the Transport & Environment Committee recommended that aquaculture should be brought within a planning system. This was achieved with amendments to the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Bill. There is now a consensus in the industry that there must be action taken to minimise the impact of salmon farming on wild fish stocks.  With the introduction of new finfish species like halibut and cod into the aquaculture sector, there are claims that pollution from cod farms could further endanger Atlantic salmon and sea trout stocks.

The Strategic Framework for Aquaculture, therefore, is committed to:

·         Establishing a Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum, with the remit to explore the sustainability of industrial fisheries for fishmeal/oil;

·         Review location and relocation policy to progress the relocation of farms from inappropriate areas;

·         Introduce an industry environmental code of practice;

·         Review measures to minimise escapees; and

·         Transfer planning controls to local authorities with further development of Locational Guidance.

The day is rounded off with a member’s business debate on Scotland’s European Pollutant Emission Register from Labour’s Sylvia Jackson.

THURSDAY begins with an SNP debate on Asylum.

While the motion has not yet been published, it is likely that this debate will concentrate on the issues around the Dungavel detention centre and the associated constitutional matters.  The full text of the motion, however, will be published in the Business Bulletin in due course.

This is followed by the first extended First Minister’s Question Time, in it’s new slot of 12:00 to 12:30.

In the afternoon, after Question Time (which stays at its regular time of 14:30 – 15:10), there is a Ministerial Statement and debate on Funding the Partnership Agreement.  Although the motion has not yet been published, the title is fairly self explanatory: The Minister will set out how the Executive will fund the commitments outlined in the Partnership Agreement.  Of interest may be how the recently reported under-spend is allocated.

The full text of the Minister’s announcement will be available from the Parliament’s Official Report after 08:00 on Friday.

The week in the Chamber concludes with a Member’s Business debate on Obesity Amongst the Scottish Population from the Labour’s Elaine Smith.

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