Chamber and committees

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has funded Members on the following foreign trips:

Mr Michael Russell - India - Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference on "Parliament and the Media: Building and effective partnerships"

Mr George Reid - France - Academic Conference on "Europe United, the Kingdom Divided?"Rt. Hon Sir David Steel - Australia - 15th Annual Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding OfficersMr George Reid - Canada - International Conference on FederalismMr George Reid - Belgium - Opening of Scotland HouseRt. Hon Sir David Steel, Mr Andrew Welsh, Mr Robert Brown - Netherlands & Belgium - as members of the Corporate Body on an information gathering exercise on comparative parliament buildings.

The costs of these individual trips are not available, as this information is not held in this format.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has put in place mechanisms to record the costs of Committees travelling and for delegations, but not for individual trips. However, the total cost of trips, both national and international, that have been approved by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will be available at the financial year-end.There are no plans to place copies of the breakdown of trips in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Part V of the Police Act 1997 provides for extended access to criminal record checks. New certificates, which will be available next year, will be phased in. Our first priority is to improve child protection and the highest level of check, the Enhanced Criminal Record Certificate (ECRC), will initially be for those regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children. We intend to extend these checks to those caring for vulnerable adults. Applications for ECRCs will have to be countersigned by a registered body, so it will not be possible for an individual to obtain this level of check for care assistants or others. Registration is essential to protect the use of sensitive information. Under Part V, individuals will be able to apply for Criminal Conviction Certificates (CCC) which will contain details of any unspent convictions. Those employing care assistants will be able to ask to see a copy of their CCC although the information will not be as comprehensive as that on the ECRCs.

I have discussed local government finance with the leadership of East Ayrshire Council, including revenue support grant for 2000-2001.

It is not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases. Under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, local authorities have a duty to safeguard the welfare of children in need. This is especially the case when children are under the supervision of local authorities. Extensive guidance has already been issued to local authorities to help them discharge their duties under the Act.Proposals for legislation to regulate the social services workforce are contained in the consultation paper Regulating Care and the Social Services Workforce which issued in December 1999. The legislation will establish the Scottish Social Services Council which will register key groups of social work staff as a prerequisite before they can be employed or continue in employment. In developing this body, the Scottish Executive is seeking to ensure that users of social services have confidence in those who provide the services.

In December 1999 the UK-wide Disability Rights Task Force (DRTF) reported on a comprehensive review of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). The Executive is considering the DRTF recommendations although any new legislation would be reserved to the UK Parliament. Meanwhile, the remaining provisions of the DDA on access to goods and services are being implemented between now and 2004. For example, from 1 October 1999 service providers are required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way they provide services. From 2004 it is intended that service providers will have to make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of their premises to overcome physical barriers to access.

As I made clear in my announcement on the outcome of the Strategic Roads Review, the upgrading of the A77 between Malletsheugh and Fenwick will be undertaken as a single project and to the fastest timetable possible.

The Scottish Executive does not have a preferred location for Motorway Service Areas on the M77.

I refer Mr Neil to my answer to question S1W-2395.

Provided there are no objections to the Compulsory Purchase Orders which were published on 29 December, officials expect to conclude vesting for the land currently identified for the M77 later this year. The vesting date for the Glasgow Southern Orbital Road project will be a matter for East Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council, the 2 local authorities promoting that project.

The Executive keeps in regular contact with Treasury on a range of reserved issues which affect Scottish interests.