Scottish Parliament e-Brief, Issue 315

Attitudes to knife crime
A new campaign designed to challenge attitudes towards knife carrying in Scotland - Knives - Let's Not Scar Another Generation - was launched today.

Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, and head of the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, set a roadshow in motion which will visit areas subject to violent crime. In addition to the roadshow, the eight-week £580,000 campaign includes radio, newspaper and bus adverts, outdoor posters and marketing.

The campaign is part of a range of work by the Executive, VRU, police and Crown Office in the past year to clamp down on the problem of knives in Scotland. This work includes new legislation to toughen the law on knife carrying, a national knives amnesty and two Safer Scotland enforcement campaigns, the second of which is still ongoing.

The campaign will highlight the enforcement, diversionary and preventative work which is under way to address this problem, while emphasising that everyone must challenge the notion that knife crime is normal or acceptable.

Climate change emissions continue to fall
Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 16% since 1990, according to figures announced today. Net emissions of the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, have fallen by 14% since 1990, more than any other part of the UK, and 14 of the 15 Member States which make up the EU Kyoto burden sharing agreement.

The greenhouse gas inventory for Scotland shows a steady decline in the emissions which contribute to climate change. During this period, the European Union had an overall increase in emissions.

The day concludes with a Member's Business debate on World Diabetes Day 2006 from David Davidson (CON).

The day closes with a Member's Business debate on National Bed Assessment from Jean Turner (IND).

Wednesday 15th November 2006
14:30 – 17:00	Stage 3 Proceedings: Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill
17:00 – 17:30	Member's Business: World Diabetes Day 2006 (David Davidson (CON))

Thursday 16th November 2006
09:15 – 11:40	Stage 3 Proceedings: Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill (cont.)
11:40 – 12:00	General Question Time
12:00 – 12:30	First Minister's Question Time
14:15 – 14:55	Themed Question Time * Environment and Rural Development; * Health and Community Care
14:55 – 17:00	Stage 3 Proceedings: Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill (to a finish)
17:00 – 17:30	Member's Business: National Bed Assessment (Jean Turner (IND))

Monday 13th November 2006
EVE	Justice 2 Sub Committee	The Sub-Committee will take evidence for its child-sex offenders inquiry via telephone conference from the Office of Career Offender & Sexual Offender / Predator Registration, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tallahassee, Florida, USA; and the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board, Salem, Massachusetts, USA.
Tuesday 14th November 2006
AM	Finance	Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Members, John Scott MSP and Nora Radcliffe MSP, and senior parliament officials give evidence on the budget. Scottish Prison Service and Executive officials then give evidence on the Financial Memorandum for the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill.
	Procedures	As part of its ongoing review of parliamentary time, the Committee will consider the implications of an earlier deadline for lodging Stage 3 amendments; the implications for SPICe of preparing briefings on all Bills amended at Stage 2; and the implications for topicality of an earlier deadline for lodging motions for debate.
	Subordinate Legislation	The Committee will consider a response from the Executive regarding points raised in relation to the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill.
	Justice 2 Sub-Committee	Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, and officials give evidence to the child-sex offenders inquiry.
PM	Health	After dealing with some pieces of subordinate legislation, the Committee will take evidence from Bill Butler MSP on his Health Board Elections (Scotland) Bill. The Committee also returns to the question of car parking at hospitals.
	Local Government and Transport	The Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform and officials give evidence on the Budget process 2007-08.
	Justice 2	Victim Support Scotland; the Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice; academics and the Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre give evidence on the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill.
Wednesday 15th November 2006
AM	Communities	UNISON and CoSLA give evidence on the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill.
	Environment and Rural Development	Stage 2 of the Crofting Reform etc. Bill begins.
	Justice 1	Stage 2 of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Bill continues.
	Education	Stage 1 evidence on the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill comes from representations of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland; the Association of Directors of Education; the Association of Directors of Social Work; CoSLA; the General Teaching Council; the General Medical Council; the Scottish Social Services Council; the Nursery and Midwifery Council; the Educational Institute of Scotland; and UNISON.
	Public Petitions	New petitions cover topics including Scottish veterans' right to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal; maintaining the Christian Sabbath as a day of rest; ownership of the national tourism website; and the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964. The Committee also returns to the petitions on trust law; far north rail line; skin cancer; the sale of swords; information literacy; fish farming; the display of judges' names and the recording of court proceedings; and the performance of Local Authorities in respect of road maintenance.