Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 49, 16th January 2001
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
1. THE CHAMBER
Wednesday 17th January
Thursday 18th January
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Likely highlights in the Committee Chambers this week are:
For a fuller account on the work of the committees, please see the Committee Brief.
SECTION 2 - NEWS
£90 MILLION BOOST FOR BETTER NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES
A £90 million bid to improve services on offer in Scotland's most deprived neighbourhoods has been announced by Ministers.
The Better Neighbourhood Services Fund will aim to distribute cash to services shaped by people to make a difference to their community.
It was launched in Glasgow by social justice minister, Jackie Baillie, and finance minister, Angus MacKay.
Inverclyde is one of 12 councils to receive money under the scheme, being awarded £2 million in 2001-02, £3 million in 2002-03 and £4 million in 2003-04 - a total of £9 million over 3 years.
The Social Justice Minister has also launched a £7 million Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Project, which will provide better information on a series of key areas including health and housing.
SCHEME LAUNCHED TO TACKLE TOBACCO PROBLEMS
Scottish Health Minister Susan Deacon has given her backing to a new initiative aimed at combating Scotland's smoking problems.
The Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance aims to co-ordinate a national strategy to tackle smoking and related ill health.
It is backed by the World Health Organisation and the newly-established Public Health Institute for Scotland.
The PHI was set up by the Executive to tackle Scotland's appalling record on a series of killer diseases. The STCA is being founded by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) Scotland.
The health minister said the new initiative will help Scotland tackle the so-called "big three" diseases - cancer, heart disease and strokes.
"Smoking is the greatest single cause of preventable disease and ill health in Scotland and we welcome today's launch of the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance, which has the potential to play a major role in tackling smoking," said Ms Deacon.
She said smoking caused 13,500 deaths in Scotland - one in five of all in the nation - and 33,500 hospital admissions.
The new alliance has been backed by the World Health Organisation, whose executive director of non-communicable diseases and mental health, Derek Yach, described it as "the right step in the right direction at the right time".
SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS
The week in the chamber begins on Wednesday with Stage 1 of the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Bill.
This bill is a Member’s Bill put forward by Cathie Craigie MSP. The Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 3 July 2000.
Its two main policy objectives are:
This is followed by 2 short debates on Sewel motions (where the Parliament invites Westminster to legislate on devolved matters) on the Health and Community Care Bill and the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill.
The latter was postponed from Thursday 14th December 2000 and, in recognition of the fact that much printed media is UK-wide, will allow Scotland to be covered by the bill currently going through Westminster.
The Health & Social Care Bill is largely concerned with implementing the NHS plan for England. There are just two provisions where the Scottish Executive believes that it makes sense to use this opportunity to make necessary changes on a national basis:
Preserved Rights in Residential Care.
When the Community Care Act came into force in 1993, people already in residential care who received a higher rate of income support to pay for that care were given ‘preserved rights.’ Instead of moving to the new system of the local authority making an assessment and then providing a care package, these people continued to receive support from the DSS.
However, as time has gone on the gap between the Income Support level and the actual fee charged has widened, and the time has now come to give the remaining people with preserved rights a proper care assessment and package. The appropriate powers will be transferred from the DSS to local authorities by this bill.
The Power to Prescribe Medication
The bill amends the reserved Medicines Act 1968 to allow a wider range of health professionals (for example, pharmacists, osteopaths, chiropractors and dental auxiliaries) to prescribe. Ministers, including Scottish Ministers, will be able to stipulate that this will only apply to medicines within their particular field of expertise. Clause 44 of this bill amends the NHS (Scotland) Act so that pharmacists are allowed to dispense prescriptions so prescribed.
The final item of business is a debate on a private member’s motion from Janis Hughes (LAB) on the Acute Health Service Review in South Glasgow.
Being an opposition day, Thursday begins with 2 debates from the Conservative Party. These are on Fisheries and Route Actions Plans.
Although details of exactly what they will raise in the fisheries debate are not yet available, it is likely that matters covered will include fish stocks in Scottish waters, (particularly cod stocks which are perilously low) and recent discussions at the EU Fisheries Council.
The same applies to the debate on Route Action Plans (a scheme, chiefly, for improving safety on trunk roads). It is probable, though, that some of the discussion will focus on the A75 and links to Stranraer.
There is then a Ministerial Statement, the subject of which is to be announced.
Before question time in the afternoon, there is another very short debate on a Sewel motion on the International Criminal Court Bill which authorises UK participation in the new ICC when it is set up.
After Question Time, there will be a debate on an Executive Motion on the Scottish Strategy for Victims.
There is a feeling that those who have suffered at the hands of criminals have been neglected in the past and the Scottish Executive is keen to minimise the distress often experienced through the justice system by victims of crime.
The Scottish Executive has today announced a package of measures which are designed to help victims of crime. Under the changes, the police, courts and prosecution service all have a central part to play. The focus will be shifted in favour of the victim.
Click here for further information.
The day closes with a debate on a private member’s motion from Alex Neil (SNP) on Hepatitis C.
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