SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

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

SECTION 2 – NEWS

Foreign language teaching
An additional £4 million to improve foreign language teaching in primary schools was announced today as a new report highlighting best practice in language teaching was distributed to all Scottish schools.

Education Minister, Peter Peacock, said learning a foreign language offers Scottish pupils a passport to a world of future opportunities. “Learning a foreign language has many benefits - from communicating with the locals on holiday to playing a full part in today's global economy,” he said.

In Scotland, all pupils are entitled to learn a modern European language – French, German, Italian or Spanish – from P6 to S4.

The Executive's current foreign languages policy came into effect in 2001, following the report of the Action Group on Languages - Citizens of a Multilingual World.  Local authorities are responsible for implementing the group's recommendations. Since 2001, around £10.5 million has been made available to help them with this work.

The report from the national conferences on Good Practice in Language Learning and Teaching, held in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh, is being distributed to all schools to spread best practice and share innovative ideas.

Full story

Do a Little - Change a Lot
The latest phase of the Executive's “Do a Little, Change a Lot” (DALCAL) environmental awareness campaign begins today.

The DALCAL campaign, now in its fourth year, is aimed at raising the public's awareness of the environment by pointing out the small changes which we can all make to our daily routine which can lead to environmental benefits.

The poster campaign, which will run throughout Scotland for two weeks, will focus on the issues of energy efficiency and waste. It will deal with important environmental issues such as recycling and climate change.  Research carried out for the Executive in 2002 shows that 67% of Scots surveyed were worried about global warming. The “Do a Little: Change a Lot campaign” seeks to translate this concern into practical, positive changes in behaviour.

The ultimate driving force for energy, industrial and transport emissions is human consumption.  However, relatively small lifestyle changes by everyone can add up to a big difference for the environment.

For example, filling your kettle with only the water needed; using a lower temperature washing machine setting; and ensuring that heating is set to the recommended 18-21 degrees centigrade (23 degrees centigrade for elderly and infirm households) are actions that help to reduce energy demand and the associated climate-changing emissions. Doing so will also reduce the estimated £5 billion of household energy wasted in the UK every year.

Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

Business in the Chamber on WEDNESDAY begins with Stage 1 of the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Bill.

The Bill takes forward the proposals in the White Paper Partnership for Care and fulfils the commitments in the Partnership Agreement to bring forward legislation to reform the National Health Service.  It proposes to do this by:

·         The dissolution of NHS Trusts;

·         Establishing community health partnerships;

·         Placing a duty on Health Boards to co-operate with each other, with Special Health Boards and with the Common Services Agency, in the interests of developing more effective regional planning of health services;

·         Extending Ministerial powers to intervene to secure the quality of healthcare services;

·         Placing a duty on Health Boards and Special Health Boards to involve the public in the planning, development and operation of health services; and

·         Placing a duty on the Scottish Ministers and Health Boards to take action to promote health improvement.

Click here to read the Bill as introduced
Click here to read the Health Committee’s Stage 1 Report in full
Click here to read the Explanatory Notes
Click here to read the Policy Memorandum

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on The Institute of Science Education in Scotland from Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (CON).

THURSDAY is largely taken up with Stage 3 of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Bill.

Introduced in last June, the Bill’s purpose is to give better protection and assistance to vulnerable witnesses, such as children and people with mental disorders, when giving evidence in court.

In particular, the Bill encourages greater use of special measures in court for these witnesses. Such measures will include the use of screens, giving evidence by television link, the use of a supporter in the courtroom and the ability to give evidence on commission.

Click here to read the Bill as amended at Stage 2
Click here to read the Explanatory Notes
Click here to read the Policy Memorandum

This is followed by First Minister’s Question Time.

In the afternoon, after Question Time, Stage 3 of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Bill concludes.

The day is rounded off with a Member’s Debate on the Achievement of Deaf Pupils in Scotland Project from Cathie Craigie (LAB).

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