SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

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

SECTION 2 – NEWS

Concorde lands at Museum of Flight
Concorde's arrival at the Museum of Flight is a landmark in the development of an inspiring visitor attraction, Tourism Minister Frank McAveety said today. Welcoming the iconic aircraft as it arrived at East Fortune airfield in East Lothian, the Minister said the Concorde exhibit would enhance the national and international cultural reputation of Scotland.

A special exhibition featuring the supersonic airliner will contribute to visitor and tourist numbers as well as education programmes.

Scottish Ministers have fully supported the bid by NMS to bring a Concorde to Scotland and have pledged up to £2 million from the existing culture budget for the development plans for the museum. The costs of transporting Concorde to East Fortune are being met from this money. This support allowed NMS to fight off stiff competition from 60 bidders around the world to secure the aircraft.

The aircraft G-BOAA is one of two Concordes not modified following the Air France tragedy. NMS consider it to be perhaps the most historically significant Concorde in the fleet, flying the first scheduled flight (to Bahrain) on 21 January 1976. In addition, it was the first aircraft to make the journey to New York, minutes before an Air France plane touched down.

Visitor numbers are expected to increase from 60,000 p.a. to 100,000 or 120,000, including 15,000 for the annual air show.

Full story

Nurses to take lead in cancer care
Proposals to give nurses a leading role in developing cancer care services have been unveiled.

The Executive's Framework for Nursing People with Cancer in Scotland looks at ways to strengthen the role of nurses working in cancer care by:

·         Giving nurses more opportunities to lead cancer care, including expanding the number of consultant nurses;

·         Encouraging more research into caring for people with cancer and their carers;

·         Ensuring all nurses have access to education on cancer as part of pre-registration nursing programmes; and

·         Providing adequate support for nurses caring for people with cancer in recognition of the significant emotional and physical  toll it can have on practitioners.

The Executive has made available £25 million annually until 2005-06 to implement the cancer strategy Cancer in Scotland.

Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

Business in the Chamber on WEDNESDAY begins with a statement from the Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, on the Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Services Contract – in other words, the recent controversy surrounding security company, Reliance.

As any announcements such as this must be made first to the Parliament, details of the content are not available.

This is followed by a European and External Relations Committee debate on the Enlargement of the European Union.

With today’s news on the possibility of a referendum on any changes which are finally agreed on how the EU will work, the timing is prescient.

With the 10 accession states set to joint the EU on May 1^st, the European Commission’s work programme for 2004 is dominated by a drive to ensure their smooth accession and integration.  In addition to the necessary internal administrative preparations, this involves adapting existing programmes to the new members and ensuring the application of all existing Community legislation (known as the acquis) in the new member states.  Key areas will include agriculture, food safety, the environment, maritime and nuclear safety, justice and home affairs (notably the Schengen space and external border control) and of course the internal market. Furthermore, the Commission will have to prepare a new financial perspective for beyond 2006 as the current proposals for major spending programmes are only valid until then. The Commission is already looking beyond the present “wave” of enlargement and negotiations, monitoring and analysis of further candidates for accession will proceed throughout 2004: Accession negotiations will continue with Romania and Bulgaria, while Turkey and Croatia’s membership bids will be further analysed.

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on the Loss of Green Space and Leisure Facilities in Glasgow from Robert Brown (LIB DEM).

THURSDAY morning is largely taken up with an Executive debate, the subject of which is to be announced.

This is followed by First Minister’s Question Time.

In the afternoon, after Question Time (for the departments featured in the themed section this week, see Section 1 above), there is an Executive debate on Developing Scotland’s Renewable Energy.

The Executive has set a target of producing 40% of all Scotland’s electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020. It has also set up the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) which considers how best to exploit Scotland’s renewable energy potential.

The Renewables Supply Chain Gap Analysis, published by groups including government and industry at the beginning of the year, predicts that between 17,000 and 35,000 jobs could be sustained in the renewable sector by 2020.  The study looked at the opportunities to develop a viable, long-term renewable energy industry.

Around 8,000 jobs are currently sustained by the industry across the UK, with Scotland having 1940 of these. The study found that, on average, 10 full-time jobs can be sustained per new Megawatt of renewable energy produced.

Last month, the Department for Trade & Industry announced further details on proposed changes to the UK Energy Bill which would allow the UK Secretary of State to cap or discount charges for renewable energy generators. This move could help the development of renewable energy in Scotland by ensuring that energy producers here are not charged more for the use of the UK electricity network.

In addition, the current controversies surrounding on shore windfarms in certain areas are likely to be raised by members.

The day is rounded off with a Member’s Debate on MS Awareness Week from Tricia Marwick (SNP).

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