Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 60, 2^nd April 2001

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

1. THE CHAMBER

Wednesday 4^th April

14:34 Executive Debate: Looked After Children and Adoption Services

17:00 Members' Business: Removal of Relief for Water and Sewerage Charges for Charitable Organisations (Richard Lochhead (SNP))

Thursday 5^th April

9:30 Executive Debate: Structural Funds

12:30 Ministerial Statement: Subject to be announced (Ends 12:30)

14:30 Question Time

15:10 First Minister's Question Time

15:30 Ministerial Statement: Subject to be announced

16:15 Ministerial Statement: Subject to be announced

17:00 Members' Business: Airdrie to Bathgate Rail Link (Karen Whitefield (LAB))

2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS

The likely highlights in the Committee Chambers this week are:

• Audit meets in Dundee to consider the financial issues around the NHS in Tayside, and the NHS more generally.
• Procedures has its usual heavy agenda. Worth noting are papers on the Parliament’s standing orders, and on Parliamentary questions. (Again from Lib Dem, Donald Gorrie.)
• Local Government prepares to consider the Tendering Bill, which will reduce the circumstances in which local authorities have to tender, and extend the CCT moratorium. There will be a private discussion on the Code of Conduct for councillors and members of public bodies: in evidence, the inclusion of the Enterprise network was raised as an issue.
• Rural Affairs returns to foot-&-mouth, Less Favoured Areas payments and land reform.
• Education will be updated on the topic of a Children’s Commissioner.
• Justice 1&2 have a joint meeting to consider the budget.
• Social Justice begins stage 2 of the Housing Bill, with amendments on part 1 of the Bill, dealing with homelessness.

For more detail, please see tomorrow's Committee News.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCES 375 MORE DOCTORS FOR NHS IN SCOTLAND

The Scottish Executive is to invest an additional £11.5 million by 2003 to employ 375 more junior doctors across the NHS in Scotland.

First Minister Henry McLeish and Health Minister Susan Deacon made the announcement as they toured the newly opened £68 million Hairmyres Hospital in Lanarkshire.

This increase in junior doctor numbers will support key NHS priorities in the Scottish Health Plan like reducing waiting, and lead to a significant improvement in the working hours and conditions of junior doctors in Scottish hospitals.

There are currently over 4,200 junior doctors working throughout the NHS in Scotland. Today’s announcement will grow that part of the NHS workforce by around 9% over the next 3 years, and support the long-term growth of the consultant workforce through increased opportunities here in Scotland.

The extra resources will be invested through the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education over the next 3 years.

Full Story

NEW £600,000 INTERNET FUND FOR LIBRARIES

Creating libraries for the 21^st Century in disadvantaged areas across Scotland is the aim behind a new £600,000 IT Fund launched by Social Justice, Minister Jackie Baillie.

The funding will widen access to the Internet by providing ICT learning in libraries in deprived communities in Scotland. As well as increasing the number of Internet groups for everyone from toddlers to silver surfers, it is expected to be used to:

• widen internet access by using wireless technology in mobile libraries;
• develop local community sites with links to government services, job opportunities, events etc.; and
• increase access to specialised software and hardware for people with special needs.

The Scottish Executive has provided match funding to the Gates Foundation Gift of £300,000 to establish the fund.

Scottish local authorities with a Social Inclusion Partnership will have the opportunity to bid for funding to encourage the use of ICT (Information Communication Technology) in their libraries.

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

The main business on WEDNESDAY is an Executive Debate on Looked After Children and Adoption Services.

The debate will focus on the adoption process in Scotland and the current UK and Scottish consultation, as well as discussing the work which is being done to improve the care of looked after children.

A recent report Learning with Care has been issued by HM Inspectors of Schools and Inspectors of Social Work, which highlights the educational disadvantage that many looked after children and young people experience. This is also likely to be featured in the debate.

The evening's Members Business is on a motion regarding Removal of Relief for Water and Sewerage Charges for Charitable Organisations from Richard Lochhead (SNP).

THURSDAY morning is devoted to an Executive debate on structural funds - the money given by the EU to regenerate areas of the continent in most need.

Currently areas such as the Highlands and former-mining communities such as Fife receive structural funds. However, as the UK becomes more prosperous, and other poorer countries seek to join the EU, the current round of structural funds is likely to be the last we receive.

This is immediately followed by the first of 3 Ministerial Statements of the day, the subject of which is yet to be announced.

The remaining 2 Ministerial Statements will be made after Question Time and First Minister's Question Time. Again, at the time of writing, the subjects remain to be confirmed.

The week's business in the chamber closes with a Member's Business debate from Karen Whitefield (LAB) on the Airdrie to Bathgate Rail Link.

[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Articles ] [ Calendar ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]

[ Copyright ] [ Open Government ] [ Scottish Parliament ]

Previous Page