Scottish Parliament e-Brief, Issue 241

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

Smart card technology makes life easier
Smart cards are modern, practical and an excellent way to make people's lives easier Public Services Reform Minister Tom McCabe said today.

He was speaking at an award ceremony in Aberdeen as he presented graduation certificates to 12 successful students who have completed a diploma in the use of smart card technology. The students were staff from councils across Scotland who will have the responsibility of putting smart card systems in place for a range of public services.

Mr McCabe said that the Executive was supporting the development of the National Entitlement Card scheme, through funding from the Modernising Government Fund. "The Fund has been a catalyst for finding new and improved ways of working in partnership, and ensuring that we deliver the most effective services and for the best value for money," he said.

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY morning is given over to the group of Independent MSPs, who have chosen to debate Meeting the Needs and Aspirations of people in Scotland.

Unusually for an opposition debate, a motion has been published at the time of writing. However, as the full text runs: "That the Parliament agrees that its members’ primary function is to reflect and address the needs and aspirations of people in Scotland," it is of limited use in determining at precisely what they are driving.

In the afternoon, there is an Executive debate on Women in Prison.

The Scottish Executive has been committed for some time to improving the way the criminal justice system deals with women who offend. One of its key aims is to help women offenders address the problems that make them offend in the first place. This will help prevent the offending/punishment cycle before it even begins.

The Executive has expressed its concern that: many women in prison have committed only minor offences and pose very little risk to their communities; imprisoning a woman can have a disastrous effect on her family as well as herself; and the large number of women being sentenced to short term prison sentences for minor offences has led to a general over-crowding problem in Scotland's only women only prison at Cornton Vale.

A number of studies have reported on the background of women offenders. They found that most women offenders:

Are mothers;
Have no work outside the home;
Have had problems at school and few qualifications;
Were on state benefits and in debt;
Have accommodation problems;
Have experienced some form of abuse;
Have suffered psychological distress; and
Have serious problems with alcohol and drug misuse.

It was also found that a good proportion had been in local authority care as children and some have lost the care of their own children.

Three problem areas have been identified which have contributed to the increasing number of women offenders:

the number of short sentences
the numbers in prison for fine default
the numbers on remand.

The Executive has therefore taken forward a number of initiatives to address these problem areas. Some - for example the 218 Time Out Centre in Glasgow - have been specifically set up to cater for the needs of female offenders. Others are designed to reduce custodial sentences across all offender groups but are expected to most significantly impact on female custody figures.

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on the Quality of Fife’s Train Services from Scott Barrie (LAB).

Most of the first new-look THURSDAY morning is allocated to the SNP, who have chosen to debate Nuclear Power and Council Tax.

While, as is normal with opposition debates, no motions have yet been published, it is likely that the former will focus on the debate which surrounded the publication of a report by Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee. The report called for an audit of the country's energy resources and suggested a renewed role for nuclear power and coal.

As always, however, the motions will be published in Section F of the Business Bulletin in due course and a full transcript of the debates will be available in the Official Report from 08:00 on Friday.

This is followed by the first General Question Time in its new Thursday morning slot. While the arrangements for tabling questions have been revised, the Question Time itself will be exactly the same as when it formed the third part of the weekly Executive Question Time.

This is followed by First Minister’s Question Time.

The afternoon begins with the first stand-alone Themed Question Time. Again, the arrangements for tabling questions have been revised, but the Question Time itself will be exactly the same as before. For the departments featured, see Section 1 above.

This is followed by an Executive debate on Skills.

Recognised as a key priority for the Scottish economy, the end of last year saw the launch of the new Individual Learning Account (ILA) Scotland scheme. This has been funded until at least 2008 and will help remove cost as a barrier to adult education for thousands of people.

At the end of last year, it was announced that Scottish learners are to receive up to £200 a year to pay for courses that will help them get back into work, improve their career opportunities and fulfil their potential, it was announced today. It builds on the strengths of the previous ILA scheme, which was popular with learners. The new ILA Scotland, however, has been extensively tested and incorporates new, robust measures to prevent fraud.

Initially, ILA Scotland is available to people whose income is £15,000 or less, who can use the funds towards a wide range of courses. An additional offer, to be launched in 2005, will have no income restrictions and will provide funding of up to £100 per year. It will be available for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) learning up to and including Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Level 5 or equivalent.

For both offers, learners will be asked to provide a minimum contribution of £10 for each course they undertake.

In addition, at the turn of the year, there were 20 of the new Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) with either a full licence or recommended for a licence and a further five skills councils set to be established early in the New Year.

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on Hannah Research Institute - Loss of Home Based Scientists from Phil Gallie (CON).

Wednesday 13^th April 2005
09:35 - 12:30	Independents’ Group Debate: Meeting the Needs and Aspirations of people in Scotland
14:30 – 17:00	Executive Debate: Women in Prison
17:00 - 17:30	Member’s Business: Quality of Fife’s Train Services (Scott Barrie (LAB))

Thursday 14^th April 2005
09:15 – 10:25 (exact timings tbc)	SNP Debate: Nuclear Power
10:25 – 11:40 (exact timings tbc)	SNP Debate: Council Tax
11:40 - 12:00	General Question Time
12:00 – 12:30	First Minister's Question Time
14:15 – 14:55	Themed Question Time: * Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Transport; * Justice and Law Officers
15:00 – 17:00	Executive Debate: Skills
17:00 – 17:30	Member’s Business: Hannah Research Institute - Loss of Home Based Scientists (Phil Gallie (CON))

Tuesday 12th April 2005
AM	Communities	Members take Stage 1 evidence on the Housing (Scotland) Bill.
	Equal Opportunities	The Committee considers a petition on behalf of the Gypsy/Traveller Community Development Project and the Scottish Human Rights Centre which calls for the Scottish Parliament to investigate the provision and cost of electricity for Gypsy/Traveller sites and accessibility to the Central Heating and Warm Deal programme for people in mobile homes.
	Finance	Executive officials give evidence on the Financial Memorandum of the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Bill.
	Procedures	Members take evidence from other MSPs on the Sewel Convention.
PM	Enterprise and Culture	Evidence for the inquiry into business growth is followed by consideration of an interim report on Scottish football.
	Justice 1 & Justice 2 (JOINT)	Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, gives evidence on justice and home affairs in Europe.
	Local Government and Transport	The Scottish Licensed Trade Association; British Retail Consortium; Portman Group; and others give evidence on the Licensing (Scotland) Bill.
	Justice 2	Two panels of witnesses give evidence on the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Bill.
	Justice 1	Deputy Minister for Justice, Hugh Henry MSP and officials give evidence on the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill.