News
It may be a New Year, but the same old challenges will face the Scottish Government this parliamentary session as it aims to succeed with its Tobacco, Alcohol and Referendum Bills and indeed the most crucial of all in a recession; the Budget. As Holyrood returns Scottish Ministers would like to keep the attention firmly on the circumstances surrounding the failure of the FlyGlobespan airline, where arguably its remit is limited, and away from the perceived failings of the road gritting operations which the public seems to be keener to hold the Scottish Government to account for.
Westminster had not even begun its New Year sitting and the General Election gloves were off as Labour and the Conservatives traded blows on those perennial campaign favourites; the NHS and their opponent's spending plans. We even appeared to have the first gaffe of 2010 as media commentators speculated on whether the Tories policy on marriage tax breaks was undergoing a u-turn. Already it seems a challenge for the Liberal Democrats and other parties to be heard in this bipartite debate.
In Europe, The Spanish presidency of the European Union got off to an inauspicious start as its official website was hijacked by hackers who replaced Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero with images of Rowan Atkinson's comic character Mr Bean. All eyes will be scrutinising how the Spanish presidency will interact with the new European Council President and High Representative, especially since some of their duties will be shared with the hosting country, such as chairing international summits. President Van Rompuy began his new role yesterday in the spirit of cooperation and outlined that increasing economic growth was his key priority this coming year. There are also concerns towards the east as the Greek economy continues to falter. Could Athens provide a portent for London in terms of fiscal discipline?
A Guid New Year to ane and a' as the song says!
Scottish Government News
Brighter Financial prospects in 2010
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, has stated that there are early signs of a recovery, especially in the manufacturing and private sectors from the recession and greater financial stabilisation. However, he warns against complacency, encourages continuing investment and urges for cross party support of the draft budget being introduced mid-January.
Scottish Government (3 January)
Review of providing money advice systems
This focused on the current money advice giving methods and assessed the relative costs and effectiveness for different client groups. Although the study revealed clear benefits to money advice, there were several improvements that could be made regarding communication of advice, when it is provided, whether services are client centred, how to respond to specific needs, developing staff training, service delivery and meeting unmet demand.
Review of Money Advice Giving Methods (Scottish Government, 21 December)
Scottish Government Health Kick
The Scottish Government has recently issued several press releases encouraging Scots to eat healthier, exercise more, become more environmental friendly, support local produce and quit smoking as the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill draws closer to its final vote in the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Government (1-5 January)
Scottish Government consultations
Consultation on the Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland (Closing 05/01/10)
Contact Info for Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005: Consultation on the Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland: Strategic Environmental Assessment: Environmental Report [Consultation] Energy Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005: Consultation on the Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland: Strategic Environmental Assessment: Environmental Report [Consultation] (Closing 05/01/10)
Contact Info for The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 & 2009: consultation on changes to the secondary legislation and supporting children’s learning code of practice (Closing 08/01/10)
Consultation on public sector equality duty specific duties (Closing 15/01/10).
Proposal to modify the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Designation Order (Closing 18/01/2010)
The Scottish Parliament – The Week Ahead
Committees
Tuesday 5 January 2010
Justice - Legal Services (Scotland) Bill (Stage 1 evidence); Legal Services (Scotland) Bill (in private) (consideration of evidence); Inquiry into decision on Abdelbaset al-Megrahi (in private) (draft report).
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Health and Sport - Subordinate legislation.
Economy, Energy and Tourism - The way forward for Scotland’s banking, building society and financial services sector (evidence).
Thursday 7 January 2010
Rural Affairs and Environment - Subordinate legislation; Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill: The Committee will consider a paper to the Parliamentary Bureau for permission to appoint an adviser to assist the Committee during its scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1 and a shortlist of possible candidates.
In the Chamber
Wednesday 6 January 2010
2.30pm: Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Followed by Health and Sport Committee Debate: Inquiry into Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Well-being
Followed by Public Petitions Committee Debate: Petition PE1150 on Community Prisons
Followed by Business Motion
Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00pm: Decision Time
Followed by Members’ Business –Bausch & Lomb (Angela Constance, SNP)
Thursday 7 January 2010
9.15am: Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Followed by Stage 1 Debate: Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
11.40am: General Question Time
12 noon: First Minister’s Question Time
2.15pm: Themed Question Time - Education and Lifelong Learning and Europe, External Affairs and Culture
2.55pm: Continuation of Stage 1 Debate: Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
Followed by Financial Resolution: Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill
Followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm: Decision Time
Followed by Members’ Business – Scotland’s Role in National Research into Asbestos-related Diseases (John Park, Labour)
Westminster – The Week Ahead
House of Lords
Tuesday 5 January
2.30pm: Justice questions including topical questions.
Followed by Second reading of the Fiscal Responsibility Bill.
Followed by Adjournment debate: Regeneration of Southend (David Amess).
Wednesday 6 January
11.30am: Wales questions.
12 noon: Prime minister’s questions.
Followed by All stages of the Video Recordings Bill.
Followed by Adjournment debate: Faith buildings (Sally Keeble).
Thursday 7 January
10.30am: Energy and climate change questions (topical questions at 11.15am).
Followed by General debate on the pre-Budget report.
Followed by Adjournment debate: Umbilical cord blood (David Burrowes).
Friday 8 January
The House is not sitting.
Westminster Hall Debates
Tuesday 5 January
9.30am: Independent Safeguarding Authority (Kelvin Hopkins).
11.00pm: Island transport services (Andrew George).
12.30pm: Treasury accounting in relation to natural capital (Barry Gardiner).
1.00pm: Government policy on non-domicile tax status (Norman Baker).
1.30pm: Mobility scooters and road safety (Jeff Ennis).
Wednesday 6 January
9.30am: RAF Lyneham and the future of air transport (James Gray).
11.00am: Rail services on Maidstone East Line (Sir John Stanley).
2.30pm: Immigration control (Philip Hollobone).
4.00pm: Funding for West Yorkshire Police (Paul Truswell).
4.30pm: Additional pressures on families with twins and other multiple births (Bob Russell).
Thursday 7 January
2.30pm: Debate on the public administration committee report on Lobbying: Access and influence in Whitehall.
House of Lords
Lords Chamber
Tuesday 5 January
2.30pm: Oral questions: Baroness Gardner of Parkes - what consideration they are giving to national funding of highly specialised research and treatment services, such as those provided at the Haemato-oncology Department at King’s College Hospital; Lord Howarth of Newport - whether they expect dedicated public funding to continue to be provided for university museums and galleries; Lord Naseby - what percentage of 15 to 19 year olds were in education in 2007; and how that compares with other European countries; Topical question.
Followed by Second reading of the Child Poverty Bill.
Followed by Debate on preparations for the hosting of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
Wednesday 6 January
3.00pm: Oral questions: Lord Dubs - what support they are giving to the Mountain Rescue Service; Baroness Knight of Collingtree - on what grounds decisions are made to forbid hospital staff and carers from helping patients to eat; Lord Corbett of Castle Vale - what recent review they have made of Iraqi moves to resettle 3,400 Iranian dissident refugees from Camp Ashraf to elsewhere in Iraq; Topical question.
Followed by Motion to agree the report from the Liaison Committee on a Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.
Followed by Motion on the consideration of the Pharmacy Order 2010.
Followed by Committee stage (day 1) of the Digital Economy Bill [HL].
Followed by Lord Dubs - Short debate to ask the government how they intend to respond to the recommendations in the report of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly on Climate Change and Renewable Energy.
Grand Committee
3.45pm: Committee stage (day 1) of the Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill [HL].
Thursday 7 January
11.00am: Oral questions: Baroness Boothroyd - whether they have proposals to enable Secretaries of State in the House of Lords to appear in the House of Commons chamber to answer questions from Members of the Commons; Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe – to ask the leader of the House what proposals she is considering for reforming the procedures of the House of Lords; Lord Taverne - whether, following their proposals to regulate practitioners of alternative medicine, they plan to regulate astrologers; Topical question.
Followed by Baroness Cox – Balloted debate, to call attending to recent developments in Sudan.
Followed by Lord Pendry – Balloted debate to call attention to the progress made in combating obesity among young people.
Followed by Committee stage of the Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Bill [HL].
Followed by Committee stage of the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill [HL].
Grand Committee
2.00pm: Committee stage (day 1) of the Bribery Bill [HL].
Friday 8 January
The House is not sitting. |
