Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive has to be satisfied that its legislative proposals are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. It has been aware from the outset that the legislation on the Crofting Community Right to Buy would require to be formulated carefully to achieve compliance with the convention. Ministers have sought and been given legal advice on the provisions necessary to achieve that outcome.

The Child Health Support Group has made considerable progress in the year and a half since it was formed. It has produced a national Template for Child Health Services and is currently planning a conference on child health, to take place on 27 February.

This information is not held centrally. As independent corporate bodies, it is for local authorities to determine those officers that should be appointed for the proper discharge of their functions and, in doing so, act within the law.

We will publish today a White Paper, Making Scotland Safer: Improving the Criminal Justice System covering proposals across a broad range of criminal justice matters. These include provisions to strengthen the use of community-based disposals, including restriction of liberty orders, Drug Treatment and Testing Orders and Supervised Attendance Orders; proposals for clarifying the law on the physical punishment of children; new powers to improve the information available to courts in relation to the sentencing of sex offenders; proposals for the setting up of 16 to 17-year-old youth crime pilots and our intent to provide a legislative base to underpin key elements of the Scottish Strategy for Victims. Along with the new arrangements for the treatment of serious violent and sexual offenders announced in June 2001, the proposals in Making Scotland Safer will make up a Criminal Justice Bill which we intend to introduce in early 2002. Copies of the White Paper will be made available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18027).

This is a reserved matter entirely within the remit of the Department of Trade and Industry. The Scottish Executive is not a statutory consultee although we have been kept fully informed of the Commission's proposals by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 27 November. The Bill's timetable thereafter is a matter for the Parliamentary Bureau. Once the Bill receives Royal Assent, secondary legislation will need to be prepared and passed by Parliament.

I plan to publish a draft Agricultural Holdings Bill for consultation in spring 2002. The timetable for the Bill will depend on the outcome of consultation and the availability of parliamentary time.

The majority of consultation respondents favoured establishing a separate Scottish Human Rights body. The analysis of the consultation exercise can be found on the Scottish Executive website.I am pleased to announce that Scottish ministers have decided in principle to establish a Scottish Human Rights Commission. Its key functions will be promotion, education and awareness raising of human rights; providing guidance to public authorities; providing a source of advice, as required, to the Scottish Parliament on legislation after introduction; general monitoring and reporting in relation to law and practice, and investigating and reporting on generic or sectoral human rights issues in relation to public policy. More detailed proposals will be published in the course of next year.

Jack McConnell announced a multi-disciplinary Child Protection Review in March 2001 to promote the reduction of abuse or neglect of children and to improve services. The review is due to report next summer. The Action Plan on Better Integrated Children's Services which was published on 30 October sets out a range of ways in which local authorities, the NHS, the voluntary sector and others can provide better, more integrated services for vulnerable children.

A second pilot drug court will be established in Fife. The plans are for it to be in operation by summer of 2002. It will follow the Glasgow model building on the experience of establishing the Glasgow Drug Court.