Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 62, 17th April 2001
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
Parliament is in recess. Business returns on Wednesday 25th April with a debate on "Scotland's Skills for tomorrow."
SECTION 2 - NEWS
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Wendy Alexander, has announced the allocation of over £24 million to help ensure all Scots are ready for tomorrow’s jobs.
The Executive plans to make Scotland the first part of Britain with an "all age" careers service and aims to help some of Scotland’s most vulnerable young people move from school into work.
The Minister said:
"We have created over 100,000 jobs in Scotland – but a further 100,000 remain unemployed and there are an estimated 100,000 vacancies. We need to match those without work to the jobs without workers. Scotland will lead Britain in having a careers service for everyone – not just for school-leavers.
"Next week I will publish the way forward for careers guidance in Scotland with the development of Careers Scotland. It is vital that we help those moving into work for the first time, those already in work, as well as those out of work, to know where the future opportunities will be and how to exploit them.
The 2000 spending review (SR2000) provided an additional £9 million over 3-years to develop all-age careers guidance and £22.6 million to take forward the recommendations in the Beattie Report, Implementing Inclusiveness - Realising Potential.
Proposals to improve the lives of Scotland’s carers were announced today by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, Malcolm Chisholm.
The Scottish Executive is seeking the public’s views on the recommendations of an independent working group, set up to consider how changes in the law could help Scotland’s many carers.
Launching the consultation, Mr Chisholm said:
"We want carers, the people they care for, carers’ organisations and agencies and other bodies who provide support services to consider what changes should be introduced - including new legislation if necessary - to ensure we can make a positive difference to carers’ lives."
"I welcome the work of the Carers Legislation Working Group and would like to thank its members for their commitment during the last year. It has considered a wide range of complex issues affecting carers and the people they care for, and I would like to encourage all interested individuals and organisations to consider the Group’s recommendations and let us have their views on the key issues to be addressed.
"Once we have heard those views, we will take forward any changes which are needed as soon as possible."
The Scottish Executive’s Strategy for Carers in Scotland was launched in November 1999. It has five main aims - to improve information on help and support for carers; to add to and improve the local services available to carers; to introduce plans for new laws to help carers; to ensure there are consistent, national standards for short breaks / respite services; and to monitor services to carers.
Copies of the consultation can be accessed from the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/health/carerslaw
SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS
Parliament is in recess.
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