Scottish Parliament e-Brief, Issue 247

Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 247, 23rd May 2005

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

Wednesday 25th May 2005
14:35 – 15:20	Ministerial Statement: Building a Health Service Fit for the Future
15:20 – 17:00	Executive Debate: 3rd Meeting, World Youth Congress
17:00 – 17:30	Member’s Business: Action on Skin Disease (Kenneth Macintosh (LAB))

Thursday 26th May 2005
09:15 – 10:30	Scottish National Party Debate: Student and Graduate Debt
10:30 – 11:40	Scottish National Party Debate: Age Discrimination in the NHS
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
14:55 – 17:00	Stage 3: Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation ( Scotland ) Bill
17:00 – 17:30	Member’s Business: Proposed Closure of Rural and Special Needs Schools in Aberdeenshire (Richard Lochhead (SNP))

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

Tuesday 24th May 2005
AM	Equal Opportunities	In my capacity as a member of the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, yours truly gives evidence on the Scottish Parliament Equality Framework.
PM	Enterprise and Culture	Figures from the enterprise companies and the Scottish Executive give evidence for the inquiry into business growth.
	European and External Relations	The inquiry into the Scottish Executive's Fresh Talent initiative continues.
	Health	Stage 2 of the Smoking, Health and Social Care ( Scotland ) Bill continues.
	Local Government and Transport	2 academics give evidence on the tendering of ferry services in the Clyde and Hebrides .
Wednesday 25th May 2005
AM	Environment and Rural Development	Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, Lewis Macdonald, gives evidence on the Annual Report to the Scottish Parliament on the Water Environment and Water Services ( Scotland ) Act 2003.
	Justice 1	Witnesses from the legal world give evidence on the Family Law ( Scotland ) Bill.
	Public Petitions	New petitions cover topics including public holidays for Burns Day and St Andrew’s Day. The Committee also returns to the petition on an inquiry into past institutional child abuse.
	Communities	Communities Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, gives Stage 1 evidence on the Housing ( Scotland ) Bill.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

Pupil payments prove effective
Allowances which encourage young people to stay on at school improve participation and attainment, according to new research.

Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) provide pupils from low income backgrounds with up to £30 a week if they continue into post-compulsory education. They were rolled-out across Scotland last year after being piloted in four different areas - East Ayrshire, Glasgow , Dundee and West-Dunbartonshire.

In-depth research from the pilot areas, published for the first time today, shows that EMAs encourage more young people to stay at school and also helps them to improve their grades.

EMAs weekly payments are:

£30 to individuals from households of incomes up to £19,630 per annum
£20 for income levels £19,631 - £24,030
£10 for income levels £24,031 - £30,000

£108 million over three years has been committed to fund the staged national rollout of EMAs in Scotland from 2004/05 as well as the final year of the pilots. The money will be divided up as follows: 2005-06 £28 million (16+17 years olds); 2006-07 £37 million (16 to 18 year olds); 2007-08 £43 million (16 to 19 year olds).

Two bonuses of £150 are paid on satisfying targets in learning agreements. These will relate primarily to student's progression (completion of course work etc.) but also relate to overall attendance, retention and general conduct. The young person must sign an acceptable learning agreement.

Full Story

Confiscation of proceeds of crime
Two flats were included in an order granted by the Court of Session recently to recover the proceeds of crime. This was the first time the Civil Recovery Unit (CRU) in Edinburgh has recovered houses. Previous orders only applied to money in bank accounts.

The properties, in the Ibrox and Carmyle areas of Glasgow , are both now for sale. In addition, the Court of Session ordered that money in bank accounts - about £40,000 - and jewellery, including a diamond-encrusted Rolex watch valued at more than £4,000 new, be handed over to the Crown.

The property and bank accounts were in the name of Marcus Kelman (34), Waterside Street , Glasgow who, last summer was acquitted at the High Court in Glasgow on drug-related charges. The Court of Session heard that Kelman, who had limited legitimate income over a number of years, had been able to buy the properties, and make substantial savings, as a result of his involvement in crime.

The successful recovery followed a civil action taken by the CRU under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 introduced in early 2003. Prior to the introduction of the Act, only those convicted of a criminal offence could have assets confiscated. Mr Kelman did not defend the civil action.

Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY begins with a Ministerial Statement on Building a Health Service Fit for the Future.

While the contents of any Statement must be made first to parliament, it is likely that the Minister will report on the findings of Professor David Kerr’s group on the future shape of the health service.

This is followed by an Executive Debate on the 3rd Meeting of the World Youth Congress.

Scotland is hosting the third World Youth Congress this summer. It will be held in Stirling between 30th July and 8th August. Around 600 young people from 120 counties - including 100 from Scotland - are expected to attend the binennial congress.

The 2005 programme which will be on the theme of A Caring Society in a Sustainable World.

For full details, see - www.scotland2005.org

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on Action on Skin Disease from Ken Macintosh (LAB).

THURSDAY morning begins with two Scottish National Party debates: the first on Student and Graduate Debt and the second on Age Discrimination in the NHS.

As is normal with opposition debates, no motions have yet been published. 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 General Question Time and First Minister’s Question Time.

In the afternoon, after Themed Question Time (for the featured departments, see Section 1 above) Stage 3 of the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Bill takes place.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been unlawful in Scotland since 1985, by virtue of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. The Bill proposes to re-enact the existing offences in the 1985 Act and extend protection by giving those offences extra-territorial effect in order to protect those being sent abroad to have FGM carried out. The Bill also proposes an increase in the penalty on conviction from indictment from 5 to 14 years imprisonment. Following the passing of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, equivalent provisions are in force in the rest of the UK and the intention of the Bill is to ensure that equal legal protection is afforded in Scotland as in the rest of the UK .

The day concludes with a Member’s Business debate on the Proposed Closure of Rural and Special Needs Schools in Aberdeenshire from Richard Lochhead (SNP).

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