Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03727 on 15 November 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I met Supporters Direct Scotland (SDS) with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport on 12 September to discuss unacceptable supporter conduct including the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill.

In recognition of the importance we place on ensuring the views of football supporters are heard, the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport recently announced a funding package of £70,000 to SDS. This investment will allow SDS to restructure themselves so they can broaden their reach and membership to football supporters groups and organisations along with individual fans themselves to help develop their role as a representative voice for all Scottish football fans.

There are no plans at present to review arrangements for marches and parades.

I met with Strathclyde Police and Glasgow City Council on 15 November to discuss their experience of operating the Council’s new guidelines over the 2011 marching season.

(a) There have been 29,545 charges reported to the Procurator Fiscal under section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 between the time this section of the act came into force (6 October, 2010) and 30 September 2011.

Source – Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Services.

(b) Information on convictions for 2010-11 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2010-11 Statistical Bulletin. This is due to be published in December 2011.

Source – Justice Analytical Service.

I met with the Sense Over Sectarianism on 22 June to discuss issues relating to sectarianism including the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill.

On 23 November I announced the formation of a Ministerial Group on Tackling Sectarianism to coordinate the Scottish Government’s long term work to tackle sectarianism. This group will work across all portfolio areas to ensure that our approach to tackling sectarianism is joined up, cross cutting and covers all policy areas.

On 7 June and 26 October, I invited Nil by Mouth to meet with me, and met with them on 24 November, to discuss issues relating to sectarianism including the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill.

The Scottish Government announced a package of £527,000 of funding to organisations working to tackle sectarianism in 2011-12 on 8 March 2011, information on this is provided in the document Funding to Tackle Sectarianism 2010-11: Scottish Government Press Release: a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 53302). http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/03/08152206. No funding decisions have been taken beyond the current financial year.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03235 on 25 November 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I have held meetings with 28 third sector organisations to discuss issues relating to sectarianism including the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill. In addition I addressed a stakeholder engagement event on the Bill on 17 June which included many representatives from third sector organisations.

Curriculum for Excellence, the national curriculum for Scottish schools, aims to provide the right environment to enable young people to develop as informed and responsible citizens. Curriculum for Excellence challenges schools to develop children and young people as responsible citizens who show respect for others; who can understand different beliefs and cultures; and who are developing informed, ethical views of complex issues.

Curriculum for Excellence also challenges schools to support the health and wellbeing of their pupils. Learning through health and wellbeing promotes confidence, independent thinking and positive attitudes. It supports children and young people to develop respect for others, to acknowledge diversity and to understand that it is everyone’s responsibility to challenge discrimination.

Anti-sectarian education plays a really important role in all of this. Many different curriculum areas can be involved.

Since 2007, the Scottish Government has provided funding to a wide range of organisations to delivered projects to tackle sectarianism and all forms of religious intolerance across all aspects of Scottish society. A number of these organisations have offered support to schools and local authorities.

Education Scotland, a Scottish Government agency, is the national body responsible for supporting quality and improvement in learning and teaching from early years to adult and community learning in Scotland.

In 2007 Education Scotland, the then HMIE, published a report: Count us in Promoting Understanding and Combating Sectarianism Practical Examples from Primary, Secondary and Special Schools which aims to promote inclusive practices. The booklet brings together some examples of successful practice in promoting mutual understanding and combating sectarianism. It offers guidance on good practice and examples of resources to combat sectarianism. The report can be found at http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/cuipepss.html.

Education Scotland, and previously HMIE, will comment and publish reports on schools which are of good practice or where areas for improvement are identified in regard to sectarianism and twinning approaches where appropriate.

The Education Scotland website also offers lesson plans, resources and aspects of good practice in teaching and learning with regards to tackling sectarianism.

As part of the work being taken forward in Scotland to tackle sectarianism we will work with partners to support use of sectarianism as a context for learning which inspires and engages young people.