Scottish Parliament e-Brief

Issue 99, 28^th January 2002

SECTION 1 - BUSINESS THIS WEEK

THE CHAMBER

IN COMMITTEE

The main items of business in the Committee Rooms this week are:

• Procedures takes evidence from members of the media for its CSG inquiry.
• Finance takes evidence from Finance and Local Government Minister, Andy Kerr on Scotland’s Budget Documents 2002/03.
• Education returns to subordinate legislation on children’s panels to consider concerns over ECHR and the drafting of the orders.
• Justice 1 takes evidence from, among others, Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers, as part of the Regulation of the Legal Profession Inquiry.
• European discusses a response from the Executive on its report into the single currency.
• Local Government takes evidence from Finance and Local Government Minister, Andy Kerr, concluding the evidence taking stage of its inquiry into Local Government Finance.
• Rural Development considers a draft stage 1 report on the Land Reform Bill.

SECTION 2 - NEWS

PROGRAMME TO TACKLE YOUTH CRIME
An Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime, designed to break the destructive cycle of re-offending, has been launched today.

There are five priority areas in the Action Programme:

• Increasing public confidence in Scotland's Youth Justice System;
• Giving victims an appropriate place in the youth justice process;
• Easing the transition between the youth justice and adult criminal justice systems;
• Encouraging all children and young people to thrive; and
• Effective early intervention.

Visiting the "Breaking the Cycle project" in Musselburgh, First Minister Jack McConnell said:

"Youth crime scars the lives of too many individuals and communities in Scotland. Not only does it bring misery to victims, it represents a waste and a lost opportunity to harness the talents of many young people.

"Wherever I go I hear of the problems that crime created by young people causes amongst the community. When I discussed concerns with police officers last week, they told me of the need for more action and a joined-up approach from all services.

"Projects like the one we are visiting today are crucial in turning around the destructive cycle of re-offending which many of our young people find themselves sucked in to.

"I am determined that all our young people are given the chance to achieve their best and play a valuable role in our society. Our Action Programme will help ensure that the talents of Scotland's young people are nurtured and not wasted by tackling offenders at a very early stage."

The Scottish Strategy for Victims of Crime was published in early 2001. Building on that, a multi-agency group reporting to the Youth Justice Steering Group will be asked to identify:

• Improvements to the information on the details of the offending and the impact on the victim provided to hearings. This will help ensure this is a factor in the consideration of the next steps in the individual's case.
• The information that can lawfully be disclosed to the victim, victims and / or community on the action taken by the reporter, local authority, police or children's hearing in response to the offence.
• Any proposals for legislation to give victims an appropriate place in the youth justice process.

The Executive will consult on this group's proposals, together with options for introducing the proposals to the hearings system. If legislation is required, Ministers will set out a timetable for this to be achieved.

Full Story

NEW ERI TAKES ITS FIRST PATIENTS
The first phase of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's move to its new site at Little France on the south side of the city has been completed. The first operations at the new £180 million hospital begin tomorrow with 11 orthopaedic patients scheduled to receive treatment after being admitted today.

The new hospital has 185 beds in the first phase, consisting of single and four-bed rooms, all with en-suite facilities. Around 1,400 staff are transferring in the first phase. Maternity and gynaecology services will move into the new hospital on the 2^nd of March.

Phase two will open in spring 2003. The completed hospital will have 869 beds, 25 operating theatres and will employ around 5,000 staff.

Full Story

SECTION 3 - NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S CHAMBER BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY afternoon begins with stage 1 of the Fur Farming (Prohibition) (Scotland) Bill.

This short Bill (it only runs to 6 clauses) does exactly as it says – prohibits the breeding of animals for the purposes of fur farming in Scotland.

It is being introduced on animal welfare grounds – not just on behalf of the farmed animals, but in the interests of local livestock and wildlife, who are affected when animals such as mink either escape or are deliberately freed from the farms.

Perhaps the main area of controversy will surround the issue of compensation. The bill makes provision for fur farm owners to be compensated for the loss of their businesses. No such measures, however, are proposed for those whose business depends on hunting in the private member’s Protection of Wild Mammals Bill. Pro-hunt MSPs are, therefore, likely to raise this.

Click here to read the Explanatory Notes
Click here to read the Policy Memorandum
Click here to read the Bill as introduced

This is followed by 2 Sewel motions - the device by which the Scottish Parliament allows Westminster to legislate on devolved issues. The first is on the UK Adoption and Children Bill, a major piece of legislation which reforms and restates the English law on adoption.

The vast majority of the bill clearly will not apply to Scotland. Some small amendments, however, are necessary to the Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978, mainly to ensure Scots law on restricting the bringing of children into Scotland for the purposes of adoption is in line with the provisions in the bill.

The topic of the second Sewel motion remains to be announced.

Member's Business is from Labour’s Dr Sylvia Jackson and is on the subject of the Introduction of a Pollution Inventory.

The majority of THURSDAY morning is devoted to the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman Bill.

Already the subject of much debate in Committee, this bill is the product of the consultation launched last summer by then Finance and Local Government Minister, Angus MacKay. Essentially, the Bill seeks to establish a new, modern public sector complaints system with openness, accountability and accessibility at its heart.

The main proposal is to set up a "one-stop shop" - a single office which would combine all the Scottish public sector Ombudsmen, including those for the Scottish Parliament, the Health Service, Local Government and Housing Associations - making it far simpler to register a complaint.

The system will also be made more open and accountable with the publication of all investigative reports. In addition, the Ombudsman will have a name and shame power to publicise cases where an injustice has not been remedied.

This is followed by two mouth-watering debates from the Procedures Committee on Changes to Standing Orders. The proposed minor, technical changes concern matters such as the timetabling of amendments, member’s bills and Committee procedure.

The changes are set out in detail in two reports - The Committee first report of 2002 and The Committee’s fifth report of 2001.

In the afternoon, after Question Time and First Minister's Question Time, there will be a debate on the Local Government Finance Order. This, essentially, is the opportunity for the Parliament to formally confirm the allocations being given to Local Authorities.

The day concludes with a Member's Business debate on Young Runaways from Kenneth Gibson (SNP).

[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Articles ] [ Calendar ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]

[ Copyright ] [ UK Online ] [ Scottish Parliament ]

Previous Page