Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-19481 answered on 24 October 2005 which isavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-19481 answered on 24 October 2005 which isavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Work has already begun. Meetings have already taken place between officials from the Executive and the Home Office and further work on the protocol is being taken forward as a matter of urgency.

The United Kingdom is bound, as a matter of international law, by the terms of the Convention. The Convention has not been incorporated into Scots or English law so it does not have direct effect in domestic law. However, the Executive seeks to reflect the aims of the Convention in our policies and legislation wherever possible.

There is no international court to enforce the Convention but, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, the UK submits periodic reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child which are the subject of formal examination. These reports include Scotland.

When the UK Government ratified the Convention, it entered a number of reservations, including one on immigration and citizenship in which it reserved the right to apply relevant domestic legislation to ensure effective immigration controls.

The Minister for Education and Young People is taking the lead, with support from the Minister for Communities and from me.

Discussions with the Home Office are at an early stage. Work will be completed as quickly as possible.

The Scottish ParliamentaryCorporate Body hold the copyright to the video material on the www.holyrood.tvwebsite. The one restriction on use is that the materials are only for viewingonline; none of the contents of the site are downloadable. This restriction isapplicable to all people who access and use the website.

Specific extracts ofParliamentary proceedings which take place in the Main Chamber and committeerooms can however be ordered, (in DVD or VHS video format), at a small cost,from the Parliament’s Broadcasting Office.

Scottish ministers are keen toencourage people to engage positively with the National Planning Framework. Thepublic will have the opportunity to make representations on a consultative draftof the second National Planning Framework.

Scottish ministers are committedto extensive engagement with stakeholders during the preparation of the second NationalPlanning Framework. The Executive will ensure that all those with an interest aregiven opportunities to express their views on its scope and content. Consultativemechanisms will include regional and thematic seminars, meetings with representativeorganisations and the issue of a consultative draft. We will bring forward our proposalsfor stakeholder engagement on the second National Planning Framework before theintroduction of the Planning Bill.

Scottish ministers are committedto ensuring that Parliament has the opportunity to contribute to the developmentof the second National Planning Framework. We will bring forward proposals forparliamentary involvement in the process before the introduction of the PlanningBill.