Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 17, 2nd May 2000
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
THE CHAMBER
Wednesday 2nd May
Thursday 3rd May
For short briefings on the main debates, see section 3. Detailed briefings are available on request.
COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Education, Culture & Sport
European
Health and Community Care
Justice and Home Affairs
Rural Affairs
Social Inclusion
Standards
Transport and Environment
Also Meeting: Audit; Local Government; Subordinate Legislation;
*To be held in private
SECTION 2 - NEWS
HENRY MCLEISH WELCOMES RISE IN SCOTTISH MANUFACTURING EXPORTS
The rise in manufacturing exports in Quarter 4 of 1999 is further evidence of the strength of the Scottish economy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Henry McLeish said on 26th April 2000.
Commenting on figures, published by the Scottish Executive, for manufacturing exports in the last quarter of 1999, Mr McLeish said:
"In the year to December 1999, Scottish exports grew by 6.6 per cent in real terms.
"Significant growth was achieved in sectors like chemicals & man-made fibres, mechanical engineering and metals and metal products.
"These figures demonstrate the confidence and strength of the Scottish economy and highlight the international performance of our exporting firms.
"But despite this, we must not take future levels of growth for granted.
"The Scottish Executive is working closely with employers and workers to ensure future developments are based on enterprise, knowledge and skills.
"Last month we launched a Manufacturing Strategy for Scotland that set out our vision for the 21st century.
"This adds to our present 5-year Export Development Strategy for Scotland which has focused on diversifying our export base through developing opportunities in a number of key industry sectors.
"We are now in the process of developing a new International Business Strategy to ensure that Scottish companies continue to receive the support they need to operate effectively in world markets.
"Scottish Trade International is leading an extensive consultation exercise on the strategy and comments are welcomed in writing or by e-mail to www.sti.org.uk.
"These efforts are being matched to develop learning opportunities that will also boost manufacturing.
"The Scottish Executive is actively encouraging closer links between business and the further and higher education sectors.
"Earlier this month I announced that the headquarters of the Scottish University for Industry would be located in Glasgow.
"This new institution will give individuals and companies flexible learning opportunities at home, at work or at one of the many learning centres around the country.
"I am sure that all of these initiatives will play a major role in sustaining the strong performance of Scottish manufacturing exports in future quarters".
Created in Scotland : the way forward for Scottish manufacturing in the 21st century commits the Scottish Executive to accelerate the use of knowledge and technology, improve links between our research institutions and companies, enhance skills and training to help workers and promote a campaign to raise the image of, and attitudes towards the manufacturing sector.
Total manufactured exports (in current prices) were £4.695 billion in 1999 Q4, compared with £4.367 billion in the previous quarter. Within this total, the Electrical and Instrument Engineering sector accounted for £2.582 billion, or 55 per cent.
In current prices, the sectors with the largest increases in the year to 1999 Q4, compared with the previous 4 quarters (to 1998 Q4), were Chemicals & Man-Made Fibres (15 per cent), Mechanical Engineering (11 per cent) and Metals & Metal Products (10 per cent). The largest decrease was in Transport Equipment (18 per cent).
The level of export sales by the manufacturing sector increased by 6.6 per cent in real terms in the year to 1999 Q4, compared with the previous 4 quarters. In current prices, the increase was 2.1 per cent.
Compared with the previous quarter, export sales fell by 0.8 per cent in real terms in 1999 Q4.
Additional resources are to be made available to "significantly" increase police numbers in Scotland, Justice Minister Jim Wallace announced last Wednesday at the Scottish Police Federation's annual conference in Peebles.
The Minister said that he would make full details available within the next couple of weeks once he had concluded discussions with his Cabinet colleagues.
In a wide-ranging speech, Mr Wallace also announced that he was providing an immediate £1.7 million for DNA detection work. This will allow an extra 5000 crime scene stains to be taken and an extra 15,500 offenders to be sampled.
Jim Wallace said:
"The Scottish Cabinet will within the next week or two be discussing the disbursement of the additional funding which will come to Scotland as a result of the Chancellor's Budget announcement. I am confident that we will be able to offer additional resources to significantly increase police numbers. All I can say is watch this space.
"Policing is about people, but it is also about methodology and best practice. It is about directed deployment based on intelligence. It is about management information to inform and guide effectiveness. It is about outcomes as well as inputs.
"One of the outcomes that has been a revolution to policing in recent years has been the use of DNA as a means to track down criminals. I understand that today, the police forensic laboratory in Dundee will record its 1,000th "hit". That is identified criminal profiles matching crime scene stains. These hits extend from crimes of murder and serious sexual offences to house-breaking and car crime. Individuals detected in this way at an early stage also prevent the committing of further crime.
"I believe that further investment in DNA sampling, profiling and expansion of the DNA database will increase the ability of the police service to secure further detections and consequent convictions in court. The more samples collected and held on the database, the greater the possibility of a "match".
"As a detection tool, DNA is even better than fingerprints. That is why I am delighted to announce today that the Scottish Executive will provide additional funding of £1.7 million to police forces in Scotland in this financial year to further develop this important area of detection work. This new funding will provide for the profiling of an additional 5,000 crime scene stains and for taking an additional 15,500 offender samples. it is an investment for the future and will increase the number of DNA samples held on the database in Scotland to 75,000."
SECTION 3 - DEBATES THIS WEEK
ABOLITION OF FEUDAL TENURE
The Executive is committed to abolishing feudalism once and for all.
However, it is important to distinguish between two bills in this year’s legislative programme. There is one on abolition of feudal tenure and another on land reform. All this bill does is abolish the feudal system of holding land in a chain of superiors and vassals. Whoever owns the land on the ground will also be the ultimate owner. Many aspects of land rights and perceived injustices will be dealt with in the subsequent land reform legislation, including community buy-out and the so-called ‘Raiders of the Lost Titles’. Reform of crofting tenure will also be dealt with at a later date.
Crown superiority
The Bill makes various provisions concerning Crown rights, but on the fundamental issue of the Crown as a feudal superior, that is abolished just as for other feudal overlords. A number of conservation bodies wish the Crown to retain ultimate superiority ‘in the public interest’ – in other words so that the state would have powers to overrule a landowner for the public good.
There is a lack of clarity to which the Executive proposes to respond by an amendment at stage 3. However, the Executive remains committed to a simple system of land ownership and it would be inappropriate to abolish feudalism but retain the feudal rights of the Crown. Wider issues of public interest in land come within the scope of the land reform legislation.
SPORT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
Sport can be a major player in the fight against social disadvantage. It can tackle many social problems and provide social cohesion.
We are committed to working towards full participation in the sports. Everyone, regardless of income, age, ability, or gender, should have access to sport.
The benefits are clear:
Sport can play a crucial part in promoting public health. It can be a healthy and enjoyable pursuit for people of all ages, and can foster social development and a sense of personal achievement.
The Executive has made a clear commitment to widening participation in sport and ensuring that there are no barriers to access. All Scots, regardless of their level of ability, income, gender or age, should have access to good quality sports facilities and opportunities. We are committed to removing barriers to participation.
We are determined to increase sports opportunities for all our young people. Over the years too many children have been denied the chance to participate in sport and develop their talents. Sports co-ordinators will be appointed in all secondary schools and Top Play Top Sport will continue to develop sport in primary schools. We are working to reverse the trend of inactivity by encouraging children to enjoy sport for life.
We are encouraging the use of Social Inclusion Partnerships to combat social exclusion through sport projects.
This is a challenging and exiting time for Scottish sport and everyone involved in it. Through the programmes we are putting in place in schools and communities, we are building an infrastructure that will encourage a massive increase in the participation in sport.
A £20 million project was launched in May 1998 to establish a new Scottish Institute of Sport to provide opportunities for everyone under the age of 18 to get involved and stay involved in sporting activity.
We need to ensure that everyone has access to sporting opportunities. The Government is committed to widening access. The package currently being put together already includes:
There will also be an extra £1.5 million for the Scottish Sports Council targeted at youth sport from the Government’s review of spending priorities to fund the following projects:
There are also a number of new initiatives:
In addition, £450,000 will be invested in Infrastructure to strengthen local co-ordination of youth sport activity in Scotland by examining potential to appoint and fund a network of Youth Sport Managers across the country.
There will also be an additional £6.6 million from the Lottery Sports Fund administered by the Scottish Sports Council, funding:
The Key Role of Social Inclusion Partnerships
SIPs have a key role in developing the valuable role played by sport in social inclusion. In an address to the Sport Development Conference in November, Rhona Brankin outlined their relevance:
‘However the area presenting the most challenge to Scottish sport is participation. I am fully committed to providing opportunities in sport for everyone, regardless of age, background, income and ability.
‘I urge sports development officer to connect with Social Inclusion Partnerships across Scotland to ensure that sport’s contribution to this agenda is not overlooked. New partnerships need to be formed if we are to create a socially inclusive and cohesive Scotland. Sport is part of the solution.’
Lottery Sports Fund
Scottish Institute of Sport
Progress has made on establishing the Scottish Institute of Sport network:
National Cultural Strategy
The National Cultural Strategy will be formally launched in July. Rhona Brankin has outlined the focus as:
"The cultural strategy will aim to achieve a number of objectives. It will realise the potential contribution of culture to the quality of life of all Scotland's people. It will support and promote creativity, the arts and other cultural activity. It will celebrate and reinvigorate Scotland's diverse cultural heritage. And it will provide an appropriate infrastructure to support provision and to evaluate progress.
"We must ensure that this money can make the greatest difference, in the areas of greatest need in Scotland, to achieve the maximum benefit possible."
The consultation on the development of a National Cultural Strategy considered whether sport should be included. For a report of the consultation click on: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/nationalculturalstrategy/docs/keenlyside-00.asp
Academy of Football
A Football Partnership has been established to take forward proposals for Football Academies. The aim is to have the academies in place within three years.
The Scottish Executive is fully committed to developing youth football in Scotland and will contribute £1m to the costs of establishing the academies.
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