One issue dominates this week’s Chamber Business, which begins on WEDNESDAY with a Ministerial Statement on the recent Tsunami Disaster.

This is followed by an Education Committee debate on its Report on Child Protection Issues.

Co-incidentally, the debate comes in the week that the Children (Scotland) Act 2003, which creates a list of people unsuitable to work with children, comes into force (see above).

It focuses, however, on the Committee’s report, published last July, which expresses concern over the performance of Disclosure Scotland in managing the reporting of criminal histories to employers and voluntary organisations where job applicants are seeking to work with children. The Committee is insistent that Ministers ensure that disclosure turnaround times decrease quickly to meet Disclosure Scotland’s target of 90% of properly completed applications being processed within 14 days.  Evidence to the Committee during its inquiry suggested that, in some cases, significant delays of up to 12 weeks were being experienced.

The Committee’s report also expresses concern that, while long term initiatives have been taken to address the national shortage of social workers, staffing difficulties remain in the short to medium term.  The report also notes that, although individual initiatives to increase the number of social workers may be useful, resources must not be diverted form the core work of protecting the most vulnerable children. The report also noted that short to medium term staffing difficulties would be compounded without a review of recruitment criteria, training, remuneration and career progression.

While the Committee commends the steady progress being made by the Scottish Executive in reforming Scotland ’s child protection system, it nevertheless cautions that it is too early to judge the success of the overall reform programme.

There is then a debate on a Sewel Motion on the Gambling Bill which is currently before the UK Parliament.

This is the Bill which has been the subject of much controversy and will reform the UK’s gambling laws.  It will introduce compulsory age checks on gambling websites, a new Gambling Commission to police the industry, a new offence of permitting child betting and, the proposal which has attracted most attention, the possibility of new “regional casinos.”

The vote on a Sewel motion will allow the Westminster Parliament to pass the Bill, parts of which will refer to devolved areas.  Deputy Finance Minister, Tavish Scott, however, has said that the Scottish Executive will still have to approve any plans to locate a casino north of the border.  Indeed, Scottish Ministers will have a wider range of controls under the new system than at present.

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on the Earthquake and Tsunami Which Hit the Coasts of South Asia on Boxing Day 2004 from Rosie Kane (SSP).

THURSDAY begins with an SNP debate on the Scottish Role in Asian Reconstruction.  While no motion has yet been published, this presumably also refers to the tsunami disaster.

As always, the motion will appear in the Business Bulletin in due course and a full transcript of the debate will be available from the Official Report from 08:00 on Friday.

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 Victims and Witnesses.

Reforming the way the justice system treats victims and witnesses has long been a priority for many MSPs and the Executive.  And, while steps have been taken over the past 5 years (such as the passing of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003, which introduced victim statements and new rights to information about an assailant’s  proposed release and to make representations to the Parole Board thereon) there is an acceptance that more needs to be done.

At the beginning of last month, therefore, the Executive published its Criminal Justice Plan.  This sets out new measures aimed at tackling Scotland's high re-offending rates, reducing crime and the fear of crime, and restoring public confidence in the country's criminal justice services. The plan covers crime prevention, the ongoing threat from illegal drugs, court reform, and the effectiveness of sentences - including extending the use of electronic monitoring to include a 'community curfew' scheme for selected prisoners nearing the end of their sentences.

However, the main focus is on high levels of re-offending. Currently 6 out of 10 prisoners are reconvicted within two years of their release from prison.  In 1999, 60% of offenders released from prison were convicted of another offence within two years. 58% of offenders on probation were reconvicted within the same period, as were 42% of those who received a community service order.

The legislative changes which the plan will require - to improve the way that SPS and councils' criminal justice social work services work together - will be included in a Bill to be introduced to Parliament early this year.  And, subject to the Parliamentary process, the new arrangements are expected to be fully in place in 2007-08. Proposals for Home Detention Curfews - a new option to Scotland - will also be included in the Bill.

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on Sustaining Agriculture and Sustaining Communities from Jamie Stone (LD).