Chamber and committees

I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-2202.

A UK inter-departmental working group is currently examining this question in the light of the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of A v UK. The Scottish Executive is represented on the working group and will consider its recommendations when it reports next year.

I would like to congratulate the team representing Dunfermline on their win.

All agencies associated with the fixture are already in close contact in the lead up to the matches. These include representatives from the respective Football Associations, the Metropolitan Police, Strathclyde Police, British Transport Police Forces, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and, of course, the Scottish Executive and the Home Office. The aim throughout will be to ensure that spectators can enjoy both matches in a safe and secure environment as they did when the two teams met at Wembley during Euro 96.

All agencies associated with the fixture are already in close contact in the lead up to the matches. These include representatives from the respective Football Associations, the Metropolitan Police, Strathclyde Police, British Transport Police Forces, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and, of course, the Scottish Executive and the Home Office. The aim throughout will be to ensure that spectators can enjoy both matches in a safe and secure environment as they did when the two teams met at Wembley during Euro 96.

There are no plans to establish a national young offenders strategy. However, the Executive has signalled the importance it attaches to addressing the behaviour of young offenders in supporting a number of innovative projects to identify what works in tackling persistent offending and preventing future offending. Young offenders have been identified as a priority group within the National Planning Statement for Criminal Justice Social Work Services for the period 1999-2002 and in July this year new funding bids worth a total of £183,000 from local authorities were approved.The Scottish Prison Service is reviewing its policy for the management of young offenders and hopes to consult on its proposals around the turn of the year.

The number of young people under the age of 16 years old who have been accommodated in adult prisons on unruly certificates in each of the past three years is as follows:

1996 (April to December)	23
1997 (January to December)	15
1998 (January to December)	11 (Provisional figure)

Detention Of Children In Police Cells

1996-97	1997-98	1998-99
583*	704*	620*

*Figures do not include those for Grampian Police, who do not separately record the number of children detained in police cells. In addition, the figure for 1996-97 does not include the number of children detained in police cells by Lothian & Border Police as this information was not available.

The Scottish Executive is committed to improving the quality of provision for the throughcare and aftercare of children and young people looked after by local authorities.My Department is issuing today a consultation paper proposing the transfer of resources from DSS to local authorities. This would enhance the resources already available to authorities and allow a vulnerable group of young people to access advice, guidance and assistance on a one-stop basis. Comments on the proposals are sought by 29 October. A copy of the consultation paper has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Ministers have completed a programme of study tours covering all regions of Scotland and relating to all key aspects of their portfolios. These visits allowed Ministers to see at first hand many of the activities and places for which they are responsible and listen to the concerns and ideas of the Scottish people. Several significant announcements, including the launch of the Land Reform White Paper and the National Cultural Strategy, were made outwith the central belt. In addition I held public meetings in Dumfries, Selkirk, Orkney and the Western Isles. The programme of visits has ensured that Ministers are in a strong position to know and reflect people's views on key issues as Parliament reconvenes.

Further to the answer I gave on 22 July to question S1W-505 from Fiona Hyslop, I have today published a summary of responses to the Housing Green Paper "Investing in Modernisation" and made it available on the Internet. Copies of the summary are also available in The Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

I very much welcome the constructive and well-informed contributions that we received in response to the Green Paper. Tackling Scotland's housing problems and taking forward the wide-range of initiatives identified for action in A Partnership for Scotland is a major challenge.

We are already moving ahead. I have announced a homelessness review group chaired by Jackie Baillie and we have taken on board the ideas that came forward in the Green paper responses.

The Green Paper suggested that the goal for housing policy should be the provision of high quality, well-designed housing which is affordable for all, is energy efficient and which supports the integration and regeneration of communities. This proposed vision received widespread support and it is endorsed by the Scottish Executive. Wide-ranging action is needed to implement that vision and to build on the existing community ownership programme. This includes primary legislation, and I should make it clear that the Executive plans to publish a draft Bill in the first half of next year. Over the forthcoming months we will continue to work with interested parties in developing our proposals for legislation and non-legislative changes leading up to the opportunity for full pre-legislative scrutiny of the kind which I hope the Parliament will become known for.