Chamber and committees

So far as our input to the European Council’s contribution to G8 is concerned, we continue to reflect Scottish views to UK and European colleagues on both reserved and devolved matters through the normal channels. The appropriate conduit for Scottish input here is the Joint Ministerial Committee on Europe whichis held in London each month and is chaired by the Foreign Secretary,Jack Straw. The Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, Tom McCabe isthe Scottish representative at that meeting.

You will already have seen First Minister’s work to give schools the opportunity to combine learning with real support for development in Africa, through the Scottish Schools Africa Challenge. The winners of that competition, four to six young people and two teachers from a Scottish secondary school, will visit Malawi, meet young people of their own age in that country, see their schools and learn about their education system. Their involvement in this visit is an important opportunity to signal commitment by Scotland’s youth to communities in Malawi and Africa as a whole.

In addition, on Commonwealth Day, 14 March, Euan Robson, the Deputy Minister for Education and Young People hosted a showcase of primary school links with schools in Commonwealth countries.

A key focus is thedevelopment of new agreements for the identification and release by publicbodies of sites suitable for affordable housing. The Executive has alreadyagreed a land release policy with Forestry Commission Scotland. The commission nowprovides a preferential opportunity for registered social landlords, supportedby Communities Scotland, to acquire its surplus land for affordable housing.