Chamber and committees

On 30 June 2005, the Minister forEducation and Young People announced the appointment of Mr Tom Shaw to lead theindependent historical abuse systemic review. It was hoped that the review wouldconclude its work by February 2007. Mr Tom Shaw has requested an extension of thistimescale until September 2007. This will enable the review team to ensure the productionof a thorough and robust report. I have therefore agreed to extend the deadlinefor the review to be completed by September 2007.

In the answer to questionS1W-24583 on 28 March 2002, I undertook to continue to report quarterly on the numbersof letters received by ministers and our performance in answering them.

In the quarter July to September2006, 5,378 letters were received by ministers, of which 84% received a reply withinour target of 20 working days.

In the quarter October to December2006, 11,157 letters were received for ministerial reply, of which 93% receiveda reply within our target of 20 working days.

The Executive has separate responsesto four recommendations of the Arbuthnott Report, which are set out as follows:

The majority of the other recommendationsof the Arbuthnott Report relate to reserved matters, and the Scotland Office istoday responding to these separately on behalf of the UK Government. Other recommendationsin the report fall to be considered by the Electoral Commission and the Scottish Parliament.

Recommendation 2. The boundariesfor Scottish Parliamentary constituencies should be within and respect local authorityareas rather than Westminster constituencies.

Recommendation 4. The functionsof the Boundary Commission for Scotland and the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland shouldbe combined to enable the constituencies and regions for the Scottish Parliamentand local authorities to be reviewed together. Consideration should also be givento integrating the review of Westminster constituencies in Scotland into this process.

The approach advocated in thereport is consistent with the aims of the Scottish Executive’s public service reformagenda and there could be benefits from aligning boundaries as proposed. The ScottishExecutive is currently looking at the long-term options for reform across a rangeof public bodies in Scotland, including local authorities. Any action which mightneed to be taken by the UK Government, including consideration of possible new structuresfor the regions for Scottish Parliament elections or any future review of constituencyboundaries, would only be after the question of any need for changes had been consideredby the new Scottish administration.

Recommendation 12. The Scottish Parliament and local government elections should not be held on the same day.

The Executive has noted the ArbuthnottCommission’s conclusion and recommendation, but remains of the view that it is inthe best interests of the voters and turnout that these elections should continueto be combined.

Recommendation 21. No pupil shouldleave school without having had an introduction to the voting systems and the workof the parliaments, in the context of Education for Citizenship.

The Scottish Executive has endorsedthe recommendation that young people leaving school should have a good understandingof voting and parliamentary democracy. The current review of the curriculum in Scotland, ACurriculum for Excellence, aims to prioritise and simplify existing curricularguidance.

The aspiration is that all youngpeople should be given the opportunity to develop as responsible citizens with acapacity to participate fully in political, economic, social and cultural life.It is envisaged that there will be a range of areas through which an understandingof voting and parliamentary democracy could be developed.

All Executive funding forsport is routed through sportscotland who operate a number of fundingprogrammes specifically for local community organisations. Decisions on whichapplications are successful are a matter for the board of sportscotland.

I am pleased to announce today,19 December, the publication of the Draft Children’s Services (Scotland) Billconsultation, copies of which are available in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 41238). The draft bill is intended to support theimplementation of Getting it right for every child and it sets out Scottish ministers’commitment to reforming the delivery of children’s services to place a greater focuson improving outcomes for children and to create a Scotland in which every childmatters, where every child, regardless of their family background, has the bestpossible start in life. The draft bill is also available on the internet at:www.scotland.gov.uk/childrensservicesbill.

Under the Sewel Convention,the UK Government does not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters inScotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.This is an important part of the devolution settlement, signifying respect for therole of the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Parliamenthas recently indicated the value of legislating under the Sewel Convention by establishingprocedures in its Standing Orders for the Parliament to scrutinise proposed LegislativeConsent Motions. These procedures ensure that the Parliament plays a full role inlegislation in areas entrusted to this Parliament in the devolution settlement.

Within the UK Government’snew legislative programme announced today, the Executive has identified and agreeda number of specific opportunities to legislate for the benefit of Scotland on matters that are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and on matters which relate to the executive competence of the Scottish ministers.

The bills are:

Consumers, EstateAgents and Redress – to give Scottish consumers the benefit of a new statutoryNational Consumers Council, including food safety matters.

Education and Training– to allow Scottish students the benefit of UK-wide schemes on informationsharing and career development loans, and to modernise industrial training levylegislation.

Statistics and RegistrationServices – to include Scotland in national standards and scrutiny for governmentstatistics.

Tribunals, Courtsand Enforcement – to establish a UK-wide reserved Tribunal Service modernising thestructure and process of decisions made by such tribunals and to make provisionto safeguard from seizure cultural artefacts on loan to Scottish museums and galleries.

The Executive willbe bringing forward memorandums and Legislative Consent Motions for these billsover the next few weeks, in line with the requirements of Standing Orders. It will be for the Scottish Parliament then to determinewhether to give or withhold consent.

Further opportunities to legislatefor the benefit of Scotland may well develop in other bills announced today as theircontent is finalised. We will continue to work with the UK Government and will bringto the attention of the Parliament any such opportunities as soon as they are identified.

The Scottish Executive’s Visionfor the Voluntary Sector, published in December 2005, sets out our clear recognitionof the importance of the voluntary sector. We work closely with the sector and providea wide range of support for voluntary organisations across all portfolios.

Government funding to the voluntary sector is at an alltime high, with £656 million in grants provided in 2006-07.

I plan to launch the consultationon the National Fostering Strategy in December 2006. This will be a standard publicconsultation, open for all to respond. In addition, a reference group has been setup to ensure that key stakeholders have an early input to the consultation process.

Theconsultation on the strategy will seek views on how we can achieve the goal of creatinga safe, stable and secure home and environment for children and young people whoneed to live in foster care or kinship care and prepare them for independent, adultliving. Similarly, it will address the issues identified by foster carers and kinshipcarers as crucial in improving recruitment and retention, such as financial allowances,other forms of support and training and development. More widely, it will seek viewson ensuring fostering services and kinship care arrangements are able to meet thechallenges to be faced over the next 20 years.

I also plan to involve the EducationCommittee of Parliament in the consideration of the strategy.

In the answer to question S1W-24583,I undertook to continue to report quarterly on the numbers of letters received byministers and our performance in answering them.

In the quarter January to March2006, 8,144 letters were received by ministers of which 83% received a reply withinour target of 20 working days.

In the quarter April to June2006, 6,968 letters were received by ministers of which 83% received a reply withinour target of 20 working days.

The Scottish House ConditionSurvey (SCHS) estimates that, in 2002, there were around 168,000 pensioner householdsin fuel poverty. This is the most recent figure available for this group. More upto date estimates will be sought from the SHCS 2004-05 data which is due to be publishedearly 2007.