Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 93, 3^rd December 2001

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

IN COMMITTEE

Due to Friday being St Andrew's day, and hence a holiday for Scottish Parliament staff, the summary of this week's Committee Business is not yet available. Full details will be contained in tomorrow's Committee News. Apologies for the inconvenience in the meantime.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

KEEPING UP THE STANDARD
The Executive is to forge ahead with its drive to strengthen leadership and raise levels of achievement in schools, The Educational Institute of Scotland's Education Conference has been told.

In her first speech as Minister for Education and Young People, Cathy Jamieson announced that the Standard for Headship qualification would become mandatory for teachers seeking a first appointment as a headteacher from August 2005.

Introduced in 1998, the Standard for Headship sets out the key elements underpinning the professional practice of school leadership and management. The Standard states that the key purpose of headship is "to provide the leadership and management which enables a school to give every pupil high quality education and which promotes the highest possible standards of achievement".

The Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH) is currently the only recognised route to achieving the Standard for Headship. It is a module-based qualification, involving 60 - 70% school-based learning.

The requirement to meet the Standard for Headship will not be retrospective, but local authorities will be encouraged to assess existing headteachers against the Standard through the annual Professional Review Process from August 2002.

Full Story

CHILDREN AT HEART OF EXECUTIVE AGENDA
A special Ministerial Committee is to be set up and dedicated to improving the lives of Scotland’s young people, the launch of the Church of Scotland’s Year of the Child in Glasgow has been told.

First Minister Jack McConnell said:

"Every year is vital in the life of a child. We want every child and young person to be healthy, happy, safe and achieving their potential. As First Minister I intend to make sure that children continue to be our number one priority.

"That is why I have decided to personally chair a new Ministerial Committee on Children, dedicated to achieving the best for children and young people."

The new Ministerial Committee for Children and Young People will subsume and enhance the role of the Ministerial Taskforce on Better Integrated Services for Children announced on 30^th October.

The Church of Scotland Year of the Child runs from the first Sunday of Advent 2001 to Advent 2002. It is an opportunity for local parishes to revisit their children's ministry and consider whether it could be improved, or built upon. In May 2001 the General Assembly for the Church of Scotland adopted 'A Vision Statement for Children in the Church of Scotland' as part of the Year of the Child Initiative. The First Minister officially launched the Church of Scotland Year of the Child at Renfield St. Stephen’s Church, Bath Street, Glasgow.

Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

The main business on WEDNESDAY afternoon a debate from the Equal Opportunities Committee on its report into Gypsy Travellers and Public Services.

As was reported at the time, the report, published on 27^th June 2001, calls on public bodies in Scotland to treat Gypsy Travellers as a distinct ethnic group until such time as a legal test case provides official recognition under the Race Relations Act 1976.

The report was a result of the Committee's inquiry into the issue, which took evidence of institutional discrimination, racism and harassment. Concern was also expressed by MSPs that Scotland's community of Gypsy Travellers is becoming marginalised.

The inquiry findings, however, are not entirely negative and existing examples of good practice are highlighted. Some local authorities and health boards, for example, are already working with Gypsy Travellers to provide innovative solutions to the problems highlighted in the report such as:

• Hand-held health records are being piloted in Forth Valley and Dumfries & Galloway.
• Falkirk Council has an integrated Bi-lingual and Traveller Education resource.
• North Lanarkshire already has a dedicated Gypsy Traveller Liaison Officer.

As regular readers of the Committee News will be aware, the key issue in this debate will be the Executive's response to the report and how it intends to take the issues raised forward.

Click here to read the full report

Member's Business comes from the SNP's Sandra White and discusses the European Year of Languages 2001 & BSL.

THURSDAY begins with Stage 1 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Bill. The subject of much pre-legislative scrutiny at the Transport and Environment Committee, which approved the general principles at the end of last month, the bill has three principal objectives:

• Creating Scottish Water as a single all-Scotland public water authority that will improve services to its customers, realise substantial efficiency savings and act in a more commercial manner within a framework of accountability to the Scottish Ministers and the Parliament;
• Ensuring that the views of customers are properly represented by establishing Water Customer Consultation Panels under an independent Convener; and
• Safeguarding public health by creating the post of Drinking Water Quality Regulator.

The Bill is the result of a detailed review of how the water industry is positioned to respond to the need for the biggest capital investment programme in recent history. This investment programme is the result of European and national legislation requiring higher standards in drinking water quality and in the treatment of waste water. Additionally, there is the prospect of increased competition for business customers and competition in the domestic market.

In its stage 1 report on the bill, the Transport and Environment Committee welcomes the single water authority, but seeks reassurances over the accountability of the proposed Scottish Water Board.

Click here to read the Committee's Stage 1 report in full

This is followed by a Ministerial Statement, the subject of which is to be announced.

After Question Time and First Minister's Question Time, there will be an Executive debate on Improving Scotland's Youth Justice System to Build Safer Communities.

At the time of writing, unfortunately, the motion has not been published. The focus of the debate, therefore, is unclear. Full details will be published in the Business Bulletin shortly and a full transcript will be available in the Official Report at 08:00 on Friday.

The day concludes with a Member's Business debate on 2002 Autism Awareness Year from Ken Macintosh (LAB).

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