Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 61, 9th April 2001
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
Parliament begins its Easter Recess this week. Chamber business will return on Wednesday 25th April with a debate on "Scotland's Skills for tomorrow."
SECTION 2 - NEWS
A senior Scottish civil servant is to be posted to the US to help boost investment and tourism links between the two countries.
The official will be based at the British Embassy in Washington and will work alongside the UK's diplomatic staff in the US capital.
The remit of whoever fills the post will be to develop contacts between Scotland and the US to foster tourism and inward investment. The representative will also work to develop the Tartan Week celebrations, which have just finished in Washington.
Agreement for a Scottish representative was reached between First Minister Henry McLeish and Sir Christopher in Washington last week. The appointment has received the backing of the British Foreign Office.
Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, Malcolm Chisholm, has announced that £530,000 is to be allocated over the next two years to promote direct payments to people with disabilities.
The money will be used to support a development project for direct payments, in preparation for the introduction of the legislative changes which will be brought about by the Regulation of Care Bill.
Direct payments enable disabled people to receive cash from local authorities to buy their own services. They are currently available to certain people aged 18 and over, who have been assessed as needing community care services. However, the Regulation of Care Bill, which is currently going through the Parliament, will include an extension of the scheme to disabled 16 and 17 year olds.
This, the minister said, will help young people who are leaving home or care.
In addition, there is a move towards a rights-based system of payments, which would allow anyone who wishes to receive direct payments to be able to do so.
The Scottish Executive has also recently relaxed the guidance about employing close relatives. It is now possible to employ a close relative living in a different household if this is the most appropriate way of providing the service.
SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS
Parliament is in recess.
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