Scottish Parliament e-Brief, Issue 227

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

New phase for domestic abuse campaign
New radio adverts which highlight the emotional impact of domestic abuse were unveiled today.

One depicts the personal trauma of a woman's abusive relationship and the other is from the perspective of a domestic abuse helpline worker waiting to answer a call. These new adverts will complement the “Behind Closed Doors” television adverts which will re-run from Boxing Day until February. Adverts will also appear in national and local press.

The main message of the campaign remains the same: help and support is available if you are suffering domestic abuse.

Last year, over 15,000 calls were made to the domestic abuse helpline (0800 027 1234) which operates 24 hours, seven days a week. Calls increase dramatically when the campaign is running.

Survey 'justifies' Executive stand against antisocial behaviour
An increase in people's experience of petty offending in a new crime survey demonstrates that Ministers were right to listen to communities and take up the fight against antisocial behaviour, it was claimed today.

Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, was commenting on publication of the Scottish Crime Survey - a survey of some 5,000 ordinary people's experience of crime carried out during 2002. It shows an increase in crime experience compared with the previous survey in 1999.

This survey indicates more significant increases in vandalism, bicycle theft and “other household theft” - theft from a home, garage or garden which didn't require a forced entry - than those recorded by the police.

“This Executive was criticised in some quarters for making antisocial behaviour a priority - but the large increase in estimated incidents of vandalism between 1999 and 2002 show that we were absolutely right to take action. We listened to real people's views and, with the new Antisocial Behaviour Act, we have now given more powers to local authorities and the police to deal with it.

“Today's survey also highlights the continuing problem of opportunistic theft - in many cases we would expect these to have been committed by drug addicts desperate for their next fix. We now have in place a range of disposals and interventions that address drug misuse - for example Drug Treatment and Testing Orders.”

WEDNESDAY begins with a Ministerial Statement on Concessionary Fares.

While all details of any statement must, of course, be made first to Parliament, it is a matter of record that the Partnership Agreement commits the Executive to “extending concessionary fare schemes on public transport, including a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities.”

In addition, Part 3 of the Transport (Scotland) Bill, currently making its way through the legislative process, provides for the introduction of national travel concession schemes.

This is followed by Stage 3 of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill.

The Bill as introduced made it an offence to assault, obstruct or hinder an emergency worker whilst they are responding to emergency circumstances and an offence to assault, obstruct or hinder someone assisting an emergency worker whilst they are responding to emergency circumstances. The Bill will also make special provision for health workers in hospital accident and emergency premises, with the effect that a state of emergency would be considered to exist at all times in such places.

The bill will increase the maximum penalty available to 9 months imprisonment, and scale 5 on the fine scale.

Emergency workers were listed as: police, fire brigade, ambulance service, prison officer, coastguard, RNLI, medical practioner, nurses and midwives.

At Stage 2, Social workers - when taking action required by a child protection order - and mental health officers were added to the bill at this stage.

Other amendments accepted by at Stage 2 now give 3 levels of protection:

Police, fire and ambulance are covered all the time whilst on duty.
Prison officers, coastguard, RNLI (or similar vessel), medical practitioner, nurses, midwives, social workers when taking action required or permitted by a child protection order, and mental health officers, are covered when responding to emergency circumstances.
People assisting those responding to an emergency circumstance. This would cover for example, hospital workers assisting with an emergency.

Circumstances are defined as “emergency” if they are present and imminent and causing or likely to cause:

Serious injury or serious illness (including mental illness)
Serious harm to the environment
Worsening of any such injury, illness or harm
The death of a person.

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on Congestion Charging Scheme Referenda from David McLetchie (CON).

THURSDAY begins with a Finance Committee Debate on Stage 2 of the 2005-06 Budget Process.

The Scottish Draft Budget for 2005-06 was published on 15^th October 2004, following the announcement of the Executive’s spending plans for the next three years as contained in Building a Better Scotland: Spending proposals 2005-08: Enterprise, Opportunity, Fairness. Nine parliamentary Committees considered the expenditure plans of the Executive departments and reported their findings to the Finance Committee.

In addition, the Executive announced that it was launching an Efficient Government initiative in June 2004. This was followed by the publication of Building a Better Scotland: Efficient Government – Securing Efficiency, Effectiveness and Productivity (29^th November 2004). The Committee has agreed that it wishes to carry out further work on scrutinising the Executive’s Efficient Government initiative.

As the committee anticipated that the publication of the Draft Budget would be delayed because of the Spending Review process, it agreed that it would not discuss separately the reports of the Parliament’s subject Committees, but would consider them at the same time as considering its draft report. This allowed some extra time for subject Committees to complete their budget scrutiny.

The committee made suggestions for improvements to the format and presentation of information contained in the budget documents and the need for making clear the areas which are priorities for new resources. The Executive has taken these suggestions on board and will consider how improvements can be made in this area.

To access the Finance Committee reports in full, see: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/finance/reports.htm

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), the Parliament proceeds directly to Decision Time.

Chamber business for 2004 concludes with a Member’s Business debate on the Closure of Craigneuk Development and Support Unit from Alex Neil (SNP).

Wednesday 22nd December 2004
14:35 – 15:05	Ministerial Statement: Concessionary Fares
15:05 - 17:00	Stage 3 Debate: Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill
17:00 - 17:30	Member’s Business: Congestion Charging Scheme Referenda (David McLetchie (CON))

Thursday 23rd December 2004
09:30 – 12:00	Finance Committee Debate: Stage 2 of the 2005-06 Budget Process
12:00 – 12:30	First Minister's Question Time
14:00 – 15:00	Question Time: · Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport · Finance and Public Services and Communities · General Questions
15:00 – 15:30	Member’s Business: Closure of Craigneuk Development and Support Unit (Alex Neil (SNP))

Tuesday 21st December 2004
AM	Audit	The main business will be evidence from NHS Argyll and Clyde Chief Executive, Neil Campbell; Director of Finance, James Hobson; and Divisional Director, David Meikle on an Auditor General for Scotland Section 22 Report on its accounts.
	Finance	Members take evidence on the Financial Memorandum of the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Bill.
PM	European and External Relations	The Committee will discuss the agendas and information received from the Scottish Executive on the a number of meetings of the Council of the EU.
	Local Government and Transport	The Convener will update the Committee on the timetable for the Committee’s consideration of a Sewel Motion on the UK Railways Bill, before moving on to take Stage 1 evidence on the Transport (Scotland) Bill.
Wednesday 22nd December 2004
AM	Education	The Committee will discuss the arrangements proposed by the Scottish Executive for the implementation of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003.
	Justice 1	Evidence on the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill is followed by consideration of what action to take in relation to the security of tenure and stability of rents for those who occupy properties built on leased land.
	Public Petitions	New petitions cover topics including a trial of a "No Take Zone and Marine Protected Area" in Lamlash Bay and the introduction of a pedestrian crossing and speed cameras on the A78 Trunk Road at Fairlie. In addition, members consider further PE535, calling for an inquiry into past institutional child abuse.