Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 44, 27^th November 2000

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

Wednesday 29^th November

• Ministerial Statement: Subject TBC
• Executive Debate: Domestic Abuse
• Member’s Business: Mental Health Carers (Adam Ingram (SNP))

Thursday 30^th November

• Conservative Debate: District Courts
• Conservative Debate: Europe
• Executive Debate: Economic Development Framework
• Member’s Business: Access to NHS Dental Services in Grampian (Mike Rumbles (Lib Dem))

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

The highlights of this week’s committee business are:

• Enterprise & Lifelong Learning will publish the report on its inquiry into the governance of the SQA at 10.30am on Thursday.
• Subordinate Legislation hears from the Executive regarding delegated powers in the Abolition of Poindings & Warrant Sales Bill. Tommy Sheridan (SSP) is opposing transitional arrangements.
• Local Government considers holding an inquiry into the Kerley report.
• European considers the terms of reference for their inquiry into reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

For a fuller account on the work of the committees, please see tomorrow’s Committee Brief.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

MOVES TO PROTECT ALL VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE

MSPs have announced plans to give all victims of domestic abuse the right to have their violent partner arrested.

The Justice and Home Affairs Committee has published a report calling for the power of arrest to be attached to common law interdicts applied for by all victims of abuse, whatever their relationship with the abuser.

Under the current law anyone can apply for an interdict but police have no powers to arrest someone who breaches one.

The Executive has also put forward proposals to tie the power of arrest to interdicts which prohibit abusers from entering the victim's home.

Committee convenor Alasdair Morgan (SNP) said the proposals were "intended to pave the way to legislation which will genuinely improve the quality of people's lives in Scotland.

The "Bill would extend legal protection to many people who are vulnerable to domestic abuse, but whose rights are not currently recognised by existing legislation," he said.

The full Parliament is likely to debate the Committee's report early in the New Year.

SQA ACTION PLAN LAUNCHED

Education Minister, Jack McConnell, has unveiled an early warning system aimed at preventing a repeat of the summer exam chaos.

Part of a broader SQA Action plan, the system will give pupils, parents and teachers the chance to voice worries about the administration of Standard Grade and Higher exams and have them passed on to those in charge of the system.

Under the Plan, action is already being taken on the key issues relating to the SQA. Mr McConnell announced that plans were underway to:

• Increase fees for marking exam papers.
• Simplify internal assessment reporting for schools.
• Make certain exam certificates are easier to understand.

Regulations were also laid before Parliament today to ensure parents get full and accurate information about exam results in school handbooks.

SAM GALBRAITH PROPOSES TIGHTER CONTROLS ON MOBILE PHONE MASTS

Further expansion of the telecommunications industry in Scotland must take place in a way that keeps the effect on the environment to a minimum, according to Environment Minister, Sam Galbraith. But he also stressed that the economic and social benefits of such technology meant that a sensible balance had to be struck.

Mr Galbraith announced the new consultation exercise on planning controls over mobile phone masts at the Royal Town Planning Institute's annual conference in Aberdeen. Under the main proposal, all new ground based masts would be subject to full planning control. In addition, certain new installations of telecommunications apparatus on buildings will be subject to full planning control - effectively anything taller than four metres (the approximate height of a double-decker bus).

The other main proposals in the consultation paper are:

• No more than eight antennas will be allowed on tall buildings (over 15 metres) without planning permission, and no more than four on smaller buildings.
• All new installations of telecommunications apparatus in national scenic areas, national parks, conservation areas, historic gardens or deigned landscapes, sites of special scientific interest or European Sites will be subject to full planning control.
• Radio equipment housing on the ground will be subject to full planning control if it exceeds three metres in height or 90 cubic metres in volume.
• Radio equipment housing on a building will be subject to full planning control if it exceeds three metres in height or 30 cubic metres in volume.
• Alterations to existing masts that increase the height or width by more than two metres will require planning permission.

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY

Before getting down to business this week, the Parliament sees the swearing in of the newly elected MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Bill Butler. A Ministerial Statement, the subject of which remains to be announced, follows this.

The main business on Wednesday afternoon is an Executive debate on its strategy for tackling Domestic Abuse.

Tackling domestic abuse is a high priority of the Scottish Parliament. Domestic abuse is too common in Scotland - as many as 1 in 5 women experience it. The Scottish Executive is committed to working towards a Scotland where no one suffers from domestic abuse and has published a National Strategy for its elimination in Scotland.

The strategy, produced by the Scottish Partnership on Domestic Abuse, sets out steps to achieve this goal. It includes an Action Plan, Good Practice Guidelines and Service Standards and sets out what anyone approaching an agency about domestic abuse should expect.

This is followed by debate of Adam Ingram’s (SNP) private members motion on designations of Mental Health Carers.

THURSDAY

Thursday is an opposition day. This time, debates come from the Conservative Party, who have decided to debate District Courts and Europe.

As the Conservative’s have not yet published the text of the motions they wish to debate, no further information is available at present.

In the afternoon, after Question Time, there will be an Executive Debate on the Framework for Economic Development in Scotland.

The Framework for Economic Development, published in June 2000, is the outcome of a major review and extensive consultation on economic development in Scotland. The Framework looks at factors that can accelerate economic progress and examines the ways economic development impacts on the key issues of social justice and environmental sustainability.

The day closes with a Member’s Business debate on Access to NHS Dental Services in Grampian from Mike Rumbles (Lib Dem).

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