Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 84, 17^th September 2001

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER
Last week's tragic events in America lead to all Chamber business on Wednesday being replaced with a Motion of Condolence. This had a knock-on effect on Thursday's business, with the Conservative debates being replaced with Stage 3 of the International Criminal Court (Scotland) Bill. Also, Paul Martin's Member's Business debate on Community Issues in Sighthill was postponed to allow Mary Scanlon's debate on Men's Health Week (which was originally scheduled for debate on Wednesday) to be taken during Men's Health Week itself. All of these debates will now be held this week.

IN COMMITTEE
This week's likely highlights are:

• Equal Opportunities. Amongst a number of issues, the Committee will appoint reporters for sexual orientation and disability issues and consider a paper on the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
• Audit has two of its big issues on the agenda: the NHS in Tayside and financial arrangements at Moray College.
• Local Government is taking evidence on its allotments inquiry, and considers its report on the Police and Fire Services (Finance) Bill.

More detail will follow in tomorrow's Committee News.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

THREE MINUTE SILENCE MOURNS AMERICAN DEAD
Scotland joined with the rest of Europe on Friday to stand silently for three minutes in memory of those killed in the terrorist attacks on America on Tuesday.

In a gesture of solidarity emphasising Scotland's historic links with America, First Minister Henry McLeish observed the silence at the Rosyth premises of US company Lexmark International, who employ hundreds of workers at their Fife inkjet cartridge production facility.

Other Executive Ministers also observed the silence in different parts of the country, as did civil servants, local authority staff, and members of the public.

The First Minister said:

"The world has already condemned those who committed these awful deeds, those who planned them and those who offer support or concealment to anyone involved in them. In due course they will be held to account.

"Meanwhile, let us all value even more that which they sought to destroy. Our freedom as citizens to travel, to work and to trade. Our democratic rights and our freedom under the law. Our traditions of tolerance and humanity. Our respect for beliefs and for differences. Our continuing faith in our national and international institutions and in the democratic principles that we share with America, that so much of the world embraces, and so much of the rest of the world still aspires to.

"In our sorrow today for America and its people, in our indignation at this outrage, this violation of law and of civilisation itself, let us remember quietly and proudly the values that the perpetrators of these atrocities can never overcome."

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SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY sees the first stage of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill - the Private Member's Bill sponsored by backbenchers Mike Watson (LAB) and Tricia Marwick (SNP) to outlaw hunting with dogs.

The Bill as introduced is intended to stop the hunting of wild mammals with dogs, making it a criminal offence. That is all. But this simple objective raises a number of controversies, and it has become clear that significant amendments will be required to ensure that the appropriate use of dogs in the management of the fox population is not criminalised.

Given the strong passions this issue arouses on both sides, there will be a free vote.

Member's Business comes from the SNP's Fiona McLeod and raises the subject of the UN Children's Summit: 19^th to 21^st September 2001.

The Conservative motions on Juvenile Justice and Improving Patient Care, which were postponed from last week, will be debated on THURSAY morning. Since last week's e-Brief was written, both motions have been published and the issues to be raised are (in the former's case at least) clearer.

As regards the debate on Juvenile Justice, the Conservatives' motion focuses solely on the criminal aspect of the children's hearings system, asserting that it is "manifestly failing" to deal with offending behaviour.

The Executive is expected to robustly reject this, arguing that the children’s hearings system - a system which deals with the needs of young people in a setting of support - has been effective and well regarded since its introduction in Scotland in April 1971. It remains the case that, while dealing with persistent young offenders is difficult, the children’s hearings system is not a soft option. Rather, it is a means of dealing with young offenders in an appropriate setting. The system seeks to return the young offender to the community as a constructive participant rather than as a destructive element and often aims to support reintegration to mainstream education or resumption of family life.

The Executive could also argue that the issues raised in this motion are being addressed. For example, there has already been a review of juvenile justice carried out by the Advisory Group on Youth Crime on behalf of the Scottish Executive. This endorsed the importance of a well-resourced children's hearings system in tackling the problem of repeat young offenders. Also, a discussion paper from the Scottish Law Commission is currently out for consultation.

The second part of the Conservative motion calls on the Executive to consider giving Children’s Hearings "an increased range of disposals." Exactly what this means, however, is unclear. The Conservative 2001 Scottish General Election manifesto committed the party to providing more places in secure units, but made no mention of alternatives to custody or challenging the behaviour of young offenders.

The motion on Improving Patient Care is fairly broad, covering a wide variety of issues relating to the NHS in Scotland - from greater use of the private sector, to the Executive's hospital building programme. The debate, therefore, is likely to be a very wide-ranging discussion of how the Executive is delivering on its programme for the NHS and the other parties' alternative plans.

After Question Time and First Minister's Question Time, there will be an Executive debate on Effective Assessment in Scotland's Schools.

While at the time of writing, the text of the motion has not been published, this debate may well focus on reforms of the SQA announced to Parliament in a Statement from Education Minister, Jack McConnell, last Thursday.

The main points of the plans, which aim to simplify the exam system, are:

• Reforming of the SQA board – it will be reduced to between seven and nine members
• Setting up an Advisory Board to provide advice on qualifications and education matters. It will also ensure that stakeholders play an active role in SQA issues, while allowing the Board to focus on governance and management.
• Revising the management document to clarify the roles and responsibilities between the SQA and the Executive.
• Introducing mechanisms to ensure the Board operates effectively, meets regularly and often, communicates properly with Ministers and listens to stakeholders.
• Streamlining assessment – a consultation document on radical changes to assessment models within the new National Qualifications will be published soon.

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The day concludes with the Member's Business debate originally scheduled for this time last week on Community Issues in Sighthill, Glasgow from Labour's Paul Martin.

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