Chamber and committees

The school education needs of children of asylum seekers is a matter for consideration by the education authority for the area concerned.

Following representations received about different dates set in different areas, officials wrote to authorities in February last year to ask how holidays were currently co-ordinated between authorities and what could be done to improve liaison in the future. In response, most authorities indicated that they held discussions with their neighbours with a view to securing a consistent approach although complete consistency could not always be achieved because of local circumstances and local holidays. I am considering the detailed responses further.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Home Office about a wide range of criminal justice matters. Scottish Police forces also work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information which relates to trafficking of women for sexual exploitation should report this to the Police. While the action taken by the Police is an operational matter for individual forces, the Police first need grounds to act. Thereafter, a number of agencies might be involved in providing support for any victims.

The trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is a serious matter. The Police will rigorously investigate any information or complaints made to them about this. Scottish Police forces also work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information which relates to any suspected criminal activity in this area should therefore report it to the police.

The Scottish Executive deplores trafficking in people for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Responsibility for the laws on immigration and international trafficking of this kind is reserved to the United Kingdom Government.However, those involved in sexual exploitation could, under Scots law, be committing one or more of a variety of crimes, the most serious of which can attract up to life imprisonment.

Responsibility for contacts with international authorities and for the laws on immigration and international trafficking in persons is reserved to the United Kingdom Government, with which the Scottish Executive is in regular contact on a wide range of issues.There are already provisions in Scots law to protect individuals from exploitation and abuse. No specific further legislation is presently planned, but the position is kept under review.

The Drug Court Working Group, chaired by Sheriff Principal Bowen, submitted its report on 1 May. This set out its proposed model for a pilot Drug Court at Glasgow Sheriff Court and opens the way for the establishment of the first drug court in Scotland. The plans are for it to be in operation before the end of this year. I am placing a copy in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 13259).

Phasing in of water charges to all organisations affected by the decision to withdraw reliefs is being made over a period of 5 years. Additionally, the water authorities have offered to install water meters free where this will reduce costs. This should have the effect of reducing further any additional liability that these organisations have to face.However, the Scottish Executive recognises the concerns of a number of organisations about the immediate impact of the first phase of withdrawals this year, and we are in contact with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations on this.

The Scottish Executive's Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill Consultation Paper is published today. The paper is based upon, and contains a copy of, the draft Title Conditions Bill appended to the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Real Burdens (Scot Law Com 181), which was published on 26 October 2000. I would like to commend the Scottish Law Commission for their report, which covers a very complex and difficult area of law reform in a thorough and imaginative way.The Bill will mark the second stage in the Property Law Reform Programme commenced by the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. It will reform and clarify the law relating to non-feudal conditions and burdens on land which remain following the abolition of the feudal system.Copies of the consultation paper will be sent to the relevant parliamentary committees and be available in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Further copies will be available from Iain Hockenhull, Scottish Executive Justice Department: Branch 5, Spur V/1, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XD, telephone 0131 244 8228, or email [email protected].A 12-week consultation period will follow, with the closing date for responses being Monday, 23 July 2001.

It is primarily for Yorkhill NHS Trust and Greater Glasgow Health Board, as the local service providers, to put in place the necessary facilities to meet the needs of the local population.In addition, at a national level on 17 April I announced the creation of four mobile paediatric intensive care beds, each manned by a specially trained paediatric intensive care doctor and nurse, at a cost of £1.6 million. This new service will be Scotland-wide with the two teams making up the national service based in Edinburgh and Glasgow.This brings the total number of paediatric intensive care beds in Scotland to 24.5: 14 at Yorkhill, eight in Edinburgh and 2.5 at the Institute of Neurosciences in Glasgow. This underlines the Executive's commitment to the model of paediatric care advocated by the Scottish Paediatric Intensive Care Audit.