Chamber and committees

There has been no assessment made of the education for mutual understanding programme in Northern Ireland, and there are no plans at present to introduce a similar programme in Scotland. Tackling sectarianism in Scottish schools falls under our overarching efforts to promote equal opportunities in schools. One of the five National Priorities for school education set by Scottish ministers, focuses specifically on teaching pupils respect for self and others, and the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society.

The available information on police officer numbers in each year since 1997 is given in the following table:Number of Police Officers

As at:	No. of Male Officers		No. of Female Officers		Total
31/3/97	12,752		2,037		14,789
31/3/98	12,753		2,227		14,980
	Full-Time	Part-Time	Full-Time	Part-Time
31/3/99	12,540	5	2,128	137	14,810
31/3/00	12,363	11	2,150	175	14,699
31/3/01	12,531	16	2,372	230	15,149
31/3/02	12,490	23	2,451	287	15,251

Notes: 1. This information is taken from Quarterly Strength Returns from forces.2. Although part-time working and job-sharing was introduced for police officers on 13 December 1995, detailed figures were not collected until 31 March 1999.

The Enterprise Network works with other key partners to increase the number of Modern Apprenticeships in manufacturing industries and in a broad range of service sector industries. The Make it in Scotland roadshow campaign aims to promote the image of the manufacturing sector to S2 pupils and to raise awareness of career opportunities, including Modern Apprenticeships. The roadshows will be rolled out nationally in 2002-03.

The Executive supports the work of the Scottish Social Services Council in promoting social work as a career and promoting social work training. As part of the action plan launched on 18 April, the Executive will establish an awareness and recruitment campaign which will include encouraging people to apply for social work training courses.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Executive does not hold detailed information that would allow any accurate conclusion to be drawn as to whether additional costs are associated with the provision of separate infrastructures for non-denominational and Roman Catholic schools. A wide range of factors influences the cost of education provision in each local authority area.

There are no plans to introduce anti-sectarian courses into the curriculum in Scottish schools.Guidance to education authorities and schools and the framework of national qualifications provide relevant opportunities for raising awareness of matters such as sectarianism, through education for citizenship within the subject areas of personal and social development, religious and moral education, and under social subjects within Environmental Studies. The Scottish Executive also funds the Scottish School Ethos Network, which shares good practice in promoting positive ethos in schools, and the Anti-Bullying Network which provides advice and consultancy to schools and shares good practice.

Fair for All and Patient Focus and Public Involvement, published in December of last year, reported on steps taken to develop the commitments in the Involving People section of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change. They also indicated that NHS boards are expected to take a pro-active and positive approach to delivering health services that respect the individual beliefs and cultural backgrounds of all the people of Scotland. They make it clear that there is no place for discrimination whether on religious belief or any other issue in the way the NHS deals with patients, acts as an employer, or communicates with the public. Staff in the UK Health Departments are in regular contact about matters of mutual interest. Best practice from Northern Ireland experience was used in developing this guidance.

A cross party working group has been established to consider possible legislation to tackle religious hatred. As part of its work the group is considering issues relating to the recording and monitoring of crime motivated by sectarianism.

The cross party working group on possible legislation to tackle religious hatred is chaired by Dr Richard Simpson MSP, Deputy Minister for Justice, and comprises Ms Margaret Curran MSP, Deputy Minister for Social Justice, Ms Pauline McNeill MSP, Ms Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton MSP and Mr Donald Gorrie MSP. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Crown Office are also represented.The group has the following remit:To consider the need for legislation to combat religious hatred (in particular the creation of a new category of statutory aggravations; and the creation of a new offence of incitement to religious hatred) and if appropriate develop effective and workable proposals for legislation to increase the protection to religious groups in Scotland.To consider whether non-legislative action could be taken as an alternative. The group held its first meeting on 6 February and is due to meet again on 8 May. The group intends to report on its findings in late summer and will consult with interested parties at that time.