Chamber and committees

Information on contact ordersby non-resident fathers is located within the individual court records where theorders were sought. Easily accessible, in-depth national information on contactorders (and, more broadly, civil actions) is not available centrally. Only top-lineinformation is collated and published annually in the form of Civil Judicial Statistics.

However, the Executive is currentlysetting up a project to review the practical use of statistical data collected andpublished in the form of Civil Judicial Statistics. This is with a view to ensuringthat what is collected is of practical use in shaping and informing the performanceof the civil justice system in Scotland. This will include consideration of contact order data.

In the meantime, the Executiveis planning to conduct research to examine contact applications in a sample of Scottishcourts. This is primarily to address the recommendations of the National Group toAddress Violence Against Women. This research will focus upon fathers applying forcontact orders where there have been allegations of domestic violence. It will generatea “snapshot” of information at the time of research. Although the research willgenerate evidence to help assess how best to monitor contact orders, plans to collecton-going national data centrally will fall primarily within the remit of the CivilJudicial Statistics Review.

The Scottish Executive takes child protection very seriously and is committed to protectingchildren and young people from all forms of abuse. We have made firmcommitments to improving child protection services in Scotlandthrough a programme of reform over the next three years.

At the same time, we have aresponsibility to individuals who may be accused falsely and maliciously ofabuse. To remove wholly the threat of a defamation action – by giving youngpeople absolute privilege, for example – could raise issues under the EuropeanConvention on Human Rights since it would impact upon the rights of apotentially defamed person.

At present, a person whoreports concerns to an appropriate authority because they have a moral orsocial duty to do so will benefit from the protection of qualified privilege.Qualified privilege will protect a person from a claim of defamation unless itcan be proved that the person making the defamatory statement was motivated bymalice.

Our view is that anyunderlying concerns in this area are best addressed through guidelines on thehandling of situations in which young people allege abuse, rather than byattempting to reconcile the divergent interests of accused and accuser throughamendments to defamation law.

While I am aware that there have been a number of meetings between NHS Argyll and Clyde and NHS Greater Glasgow in relation the former’s review of maternity services, I have asked the Chief Executive of Argyll and Clyde NHS Board to write with the details. A copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

We expect NHS boards tofollow national guidance on public engagement and consultation. One of the keyprinciples of effective engagement with individuals and local communities overproposals for service change is that NHS boards are explicit about why changeis necessary and what the options and restrictions are for future change.Issues around patient safety are paramount.

The views of all localstakeholders should be taken into account in coming to a decision at the end ofa consultation process.

Yes. The health department issuedguidance to NHS boards on regional planning in March 2002. The guidanceincluded advice on planning and provision of services across NHS boardboundaries. A copy can be found at:http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2002_10.pdf.

Other recent guidance to theNHS has emphasised the importance of collaborative planning and provision ofservices – for example, guidance dated September 2002 on establishing ManagedClinical Networks (MCNs), which may offer services across more than one boardarea. The guidance on MCNs can be found at:

http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2002_69.pdf.

In June 2003 the Executivepublished a draft bill, the NHS Reform (Scotland) Bill, which proposes that NHS boards should begiven a new statutory duty to co-operate with each other, and with the SpecialHealth Boards, to secure and advance the health of the people of Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1614 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

This information is not available centrally.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1614 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

Scotland's Population 2002: the Registrar General's Annual Review of Demographic Trends is published today. The report focuses on one of the major issues affecting Scotland's population - declining fertility. A copy of the report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib No. 28557) or from the GROS website at: www.gro-scotland.gov.uk.

Following extensive consultation earlier in the year, we have published today an Outline of an animal health and welfare strategy for Great Britain. This document builds on the wide range of views which emerged from the consultation. It sets out a clear vision for animal health and welfare in Great Britain for 10 years ahead, and outlines principles for Government, industry and other stakeholders to work to in order to improve our performance in this area.We will be consulting stakeholders to develop the outline into a final strategy to be published next spring. My officials will also be working with stakeholders to produce a plan to implement the strategy specifically for Scotland's needs.