Chamber and committees

The Bologna Process was initiated by a small group of European Education Ministers in Paris in 1998 and taken forward by a larger group of ministers in Bologna in 1999 and is not a formal EU process. It is an inter-ministerial process of agreed action between 33 signatory countries, including the UK, with the aim of creating a European higher education area by 2010. This will mean having readily comparable higher education systems across Europe. With its existing Bachelor/Masters structure and the development of SCOTCAT and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, the Scottish higher education system already fits well with the Bologna model.

The UK Government signed up in 1997 to the Council of Europe/UNESCO Lisbon Convention on promoting transparency in mutual recognition of academic qualifications. The conference in April 2002 was held to mark five years since that convention was drawn up and to recognise the progress that has been made. The National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC) provides information and advice to UK higher and further education institutions on all issues relating to the mutual recognition of UK and international qualifications.

The Berlin conference will take place in September 2003 and the agenda has not yet been set. Discussions between the UK Government and the devolved administrations on which ministers will attend for the UK will take place nearer the time.

The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Executive continues to be in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry and other UK Government Departments on trade issues and how these may impact on the Executive's responsibilities.The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) applies to measures affecting trade in services taken by central, regional or local governments and authorities, and by non-governmental bodies in the exercise of powers delegated by such governments and authorities. Progressive liberalisation under the GATS concerns the reduction or elimination of the adverse effects on trade in services of such measures as a means of providing effective market access for foreign service suppliers. The GATS makes clear that liberalisation shall take place, if at all, with due respect for national policy objectives. The agreement recognises the right of World Trade Organisation member governments to regulate, and to introduce new regulations, on the supply of services within their territories in order to meet these objectives.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29668. 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.

Details of neighbourhood warden schemes are still to be developed.

We intend that neighbourhood wardens operate across Scotland but the shape of the schemes will vary depending on the needs and priorities of individual communities.

By developing more effective responses to crime, vandalism and other anti-social behaviour and by promoting environmental justice, we will make neighbourhoods safer and more attractive places to live.

Neighbourhood wardens have been discussed at meetings between the Scottish Executive and representative bodies of police officers.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29654 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.