Scottish Parliament e-Brief
Issue 75, 16th July 2001
SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK
Parliament is in recess.
SECTION 2 - NEWS
Minister for Finance and Local Government, Angus MacKay, has attended an Informal Council meeting of EU Ministers in Namur in Belgium.
The first meeting of Ministers to be held under the Belgian Presidency, it was convened to discuss the future of European regional policy. Enlargement of the EU will alter the balance between richer and poorer regions and lead to a re-distribution of Structural Funds in favour of the new entrants. The issue is how best to manage EU regional policy to accommodate this change successfully by ensuring that resources are well targeted in the future.
Accompanying Alan Johnson, Minister of State at the DTI, as part of the UK delegation, Angus MacKay commented:
"Scotland has a key interest in the future shape of European regional policy as we have benefited considerably from Structural Funds. We recognise the challenges that lie ahead with enlargement of the EU, and will contribute effectively to every stage of the debate that will run over the next few years to ensure that resources go where they are needed.
"Working with my UK colleagues, I will reflect particular issues for Scotland, such as the role for Structural Funds in areas that have natural obstacles to markets like mountainous terrain and islands, and in Scotland’s disadvantaged urban areas."
The European Commission will develop plans to reform the Structural Funds over 2003/4. Negotiations on the new EU budgets, and the Structural Funds budget within that, will start in 2005 with the budget being in to be in place in 2006.
The membership of the strengthened Scottish Cancer Group, the body charged with taking forward and implementing Scotland’s cancer strategy, has been announced by Deputy Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm.
The revamped group, with greater staff and patient representation than ever before, will be responsible for deciding the priorities for the £40m of extra resources for cancer announced on 3rd July.
Announcing the names of those who will sit on the Group, the Deputy Minister said:
"Last week we made available £40m, on top of the £100m already announced, to tackle cancer and the causes of cancer in Scotland. This week I am announcing the names of the people who will help decide how the extra money is spent – with frontline staff and patients having an unprecedented role in that process.
"For the first time patients as well as staff working at the forefront of cancer services in Scotland will have a direct voice in determining the priorities for investment and change.
"Over the next few months the Group will work to produce a detailed plan to implement Scotland’s cancer strategy – ensuring that funds are directed where they are most needed.
"Three Regional Cancer Advisory Groups will report to the Scottish Cancer Group, working closely with it to identify local gaps in provision. These groups will also have significant staff and patient representation."
SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS
Parliament is in recess.
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