On this page:

Warning

Warning

WARNING: This page has been archived.

.

Extra

Executive's legislative programme 2003-2004

First Minister Jack McConnellPARLIAMENTARY STATEMENT BY THE FIRST MINISTER ON THE EXECUTIVE'S PROGAMME FOR 2003 - 2004

WEDNESDAY MAY 28, 2003

Presiding Officer

I would like to make a statement outlining the Executive's Programme for the coming year. I will set out the major elements of our programme and announce our legislative plans for the first year of the Parliament. Together these make up the package of action we will take in the first stage of our four year programme to deliver on the commitments we made to the people of Scotland.

We want to build a Scotland, that delivers social justice and creates opportunities for all of its citizens to live and prosper. A country whose institutions are open and accountable and reflect the people's priorities. And a Scotland which rejoices and celebrate the diversity of its peoples and cultures and is confident of its place in Britain, Europe and the wider international community.

Summary and briefing notes on Bills

Our policies over the next four years will help us deliver on that vision.

We are at the start of the second term of our young Parliament. There are four years ahead of us and we have a lot to do.

But we do not start with a blank sheet of paper. We will work to build on the progress we've already made for the people of Scotland.

In our first four years, we made a start but there is much more for us to do. And in the next four years of this young Parliament, we will bring forward legislation which together with other action by Ministers, will drive forward our agenda to change Scotland for the better.

Scotland needs the stability of a strong and determined government and a vibrant Parliament to deliver the change and the improvement people deserve.

The Partnership Agreement between Labour and the Liberal Democrats provides a clear, ambitious and radical agenda for the second Parliament. Growing our economy, modernising public services and building stronger communities. Three critical building blocks to create an ambitious and prosperous Scotland.

In the second four years of our Parliament, there is a great deal of work to do. I am determined that we will build on what has been achieved. But I am also determined that we will work with urgency on delivering the change and progress we have committed ourselves to and which the people of Scotland expect from us.

GROWING SCOTLAND'S ECONOMY

Before I go any further, I want to restate the top priority of this new devolved government.

There is nothing more important to us than growing the Scottish economy. Scotland must generate more wealth to fund and resource excellence in our public services.

And there are more jobs in Scotland today than at any time in my adult life. But yet there are still almost 100,000 people out of work. We need economic growth to create good jobs - putting Scotland on a path to full, and fulfilling employment.

Governments can't legislate for economic growth. But, with the powers of devolution, we can create the conditions for economic growth.

We will invest in skills by increasing the apprenticeship programme to 30,000 places and providing substantial resources for higher and further education. We will support businesses to grasp the opportunities of the new economy, investing in research and development, supporting new entrepreneurs and sustaining the vital link between them that transforms the ideas of the laboratory into new product manufacture.

And above all, we will value enterprise, promote an entrepreneurial culture and recognise the need to support risk-taking.

We will deliver education for enterprise in every school and we will legislate to provide support for the enterprising too.

So in this Parliamentary year, we will consult and bring forward legislation to modernise the laws of personal bankruptcy and diligence , to strike a better balance between supporting business risk and protecting the rights of creditors.

Transport

An effective and reliable transport system is also central to a thriving economy and strong communities. Modern Scotland needs an up-to-date, efficient and integrated transport system. By the end of 2006, our expenditure on transport will reach £1billion per year, and over two thirds will be targeted to public transport.

We have an extensive programme of infrastructure development - from Aberdeen to Airdrie, both road and rail - that will fundamentally improve the transport choices for hundreds of thousands of travelling Scots.

The plan is agreed, the money is there and the work is underway. And in these investments as elsewhere, we will evaluate spending commitments for their economic and social impact and value for money.

But building new roads and laying new track is not enough. We want to make public transport easier to use and more accessible to those who need it most.

So we will consult over the summer on our proposals for a new Strategic Transport Authority, and publish a White Paper before the end of the year.

The new Authority will work within a framework of policy direction and budgets set by Ministers. It will be responsible for the co-ordination of the Scotland wide concessionary fare schemes we will introduce for the elderly, disabled and young people. It will deliver improvements in our transport infrastructure and a fully co-ordinated approach to Scotland's transport system.

IMPROVING PUBLIC SERVICES

People deserve and expect public services that are of the highest possible quality and offer the greatest possible choice. They expect investment to produce results. And we are determined that the record levels of investment which we are making will be matched with the reform and improvement necessary to meet the needs of individuals and communities across Scotland. We will go with grain of Scotland's best public service traditions and we will deliver the change that is needed.

We will continue to progress the reforms we introduced for Children's services, especially in child protection and the support available for looked after children. We will support mentoring programmes and introduce a national recognition scheme for our young volunteers.

We will work to tackle harassment from loan sharks and introduce fairer credit schemes.

We will increase the supply and quality of Scotland's social housing stock and develop the range of housing choices and investment opportunities to modernise social and public housing across the country.

Summary and briefing notes on Bills

But most of all, our Partnership Agreement outlines an ambitious and comprehensive programme of action to improve the effectiveness of our health, education, criminal justice, police and fire services over these next four years. And that programme will be supported by legislation.

Health

The next three years will see record investment in Scotland's health service. But patients must feel the benefits and see improvements in waiting times.

So as a next step, to devolve responsibility and cut through bureaucracy we will introduce an NHS Reform Bill before the summer recess. This will abolish NHS Trusts and establish Community Health Partnerships as the foundation for devolved delivery of healthcare. It will provide a new structure for public involvement, making sure that local health services match the needs of individuals and communities.

As part of a range of measures in the Bill we will place a specific duty on Health Boards to promote health improvement and ensure public involvement in health care to secure the step change we need in Scotland's national health.

These are the changes which patients, their families and clinicians will welcome. To provide them with the reassurance that they will be delivered locally, we have established a national framework to provide consistency and quality of care through standards, inspection and support.

But in this Bill we will provide the final step needed to ensure that our health service delivers quality to all of its patients. We will introduce new powers for Ministers to intervene, as a last resort, to secure quality of care. New powers which I hope will never be needed, but powers which we will not hesitate to use in the interest of patient care.

Reforming our health service means improving the conditions and practice of our health staff too. We are working to implement the changes agreed for health staff through the national Agenda for Change agreement and the introduction of the new consultants' contract.

Our GPs will very shortly be asked to decide on their support for the proposed new contract and should they agree, a Primary Medical Services Bill will also be introduced in June, to provide the necessary statutory framework for the new contract to be implemented with effect from 1 April 2004.

The Bills I have outlined will build on our work over the past four years to modernise the NHS in Scotland and secure improvements in public health. In the future years of this Parliament, we will continue our drive for improvement and quality healthcare with further reforms as laid out in the Partnership Agreement. In particular, we will systematically extend free eye and dental checks to all by 2007.

We will match investment with reform. Not for its own sake. But to rebuild the health service of Scotland, to drive down waiting times, increase choice and drive up standards.

Education

I have said before that the first four years of our Parliament has been characterised by the improvements we delivered for our older citizens. The Partnership Agreement allows us to make sure that the next four years will be remembered for the steps we have taken to protect our young people, increase their opportunities and give them the best start in life.

We will review and improve bursaries, student loans and other support for young Scots over 16.

But, our schools play a vital part in the lives of our young children and through them, in building the future of our country. Our Partnership Agreement sets out a comprehensive agenda to build on the foundations laid over the past four years.

We will increase our major building programme, continue our investment in teachers and educational professionals to raise standards and take the next vital steps to reduce class sizes and reform the curriculum to increase pupil choice.

In education, we will continue our drive to devolve decision making to those at the front line, increasing the headteacher's role in the school and rewarding excellence in the classroom. Increased recognition for professional skills and responsibilities, increased choice for pupils and increased information and accessibility for parents - all of these are part of our drive to increase standards, choice and specialisms within a modernised comprehensive Scottish education service.

But with these increased opportunities come increased responsibilities. Our goal is excellence in education for every child. And our framework is national standards, independent professional inspection and a clear focus for that expertise on those schools which need most support to meet the best standards across the country.

In the first year of the Parliament, we will be bring forward two full Education Bills.

To complete our national improvement and support framework, we will introduce legislation to provide new Powers for Ministers to Intervene, on the recommendation of the HM Inspectorate of Education, to ensure that action identified by the Inspectors is taken by the local authority. No child should suffer as a result of inaction or ineffectiveness by any local authority.

And to support our commitment of quality and excellence for all children, the Bill on Additional Support for Learning will end bureaucratic hurdles; introduce a new mediation and tribunal service; give parents and carers a greater say; and provide the necessary flexibility to make sure children's education best meets their needs.

The Education (School Meals) Bill is also being introduced today. It is a technical measure to allow us to respond fully to the recent changes in the UK Benefits system and ensure that all those who are currently entitled to free school meals do not lose that entitlement.

Fire Service

Last year we published a consultation paper on the 'Scottish Fire Service of the Future', which set out proposals for modernising and updating the current Fire Service legislation, which dates from 1947. We are committed to introducing reforms that will lead to a safer and more efficient service and following further consideration after the current dispute is over, we will publish a Bill in this first year to meet those objectives. We will increase local decision making, enhance public protection and give Fire Authorities and Fire Brigades a statutory responsibility for fire prevention and community fire service work.

Environmental Justice

Scotland's growth and development in the 21 st century must have a greater regard for our environment than it did in the past.

I am determined that our environmental record will improve significantly in the next four years. And our commitment to the environment and to environmental justice runs throughout the Partnership Agreement.

As a start, the next 12 months will see the introduction of three new pieces of environmental legislation.

First and foremost, we must keep our own house in order. Protecting Scotland's environment can no longer just be the responsibility of our Environment Minister. The decisions, actions and initiatives of each Minister must be sustainable.

We will properly consider the environmental impacts of all new strategies, programmes and plans developed by the public sector.

To do that we will legislate to introduce Strategic Environmental Assessment. An important tool that will help prevent the repetition of past, unsustainable actions.

Secondly. in March we published a consultation paper and draft Bill on Nature Conservation which has been widely welcomed. We will now bring forward legislation later this year to give effect to these proposals. This substantial piece of legislation will introduce a new general duty for public authorities to further the conservation of bio-diversity; thoroughly overhaul the 'Sites of Special Scientific Interest' system and introduce further reforms of the law on wildlife crime.

Summary and briefing notes on Bills

And thirdly, Ross Finnie will publish a consultation paper on Water Services in June, and introduce a Bill later in the year to establish a regulatory framework for water and sewerage services that will safeguard public health, environment protection and fairness to customers.

In addition to this legislation, we will continue our initiatives to support sustainable rural communities and in particular, to promote Scotland's interests when reform of the Common Agricultural and the Common Fisheries Policies are discussed in Europe.

Gaelic

We will govern well for all of Scotland, town and country, island and mainland. And the Partnership Agreement will deliver for both urban and rural communities.

As a very special part of rural communities, we believe that the Gaelic language is important to all of Scotland and is a unique part of our culture and heritage.

To underpin the support we give to the language we will legislate to give Gaelic secure status. For the first time, enshrining the Gaelic language into Scots law.

And as promised, the draft Gaelic Language Bill will be published in time for the historic 100 th anniversary of the Mod, this autumn.

This legislation will be one part of our plan to introduce a national language strategy to guide the development and support of Scotland's languages, including British Sign Language and ethnic community languages.

Local Government

A forward-looking, successful country needs a democratic framework that works well for its people. An essential part of that framework is local government.

Our actions to date show that we believe in elected local government and recognise its crucial importance in the delivery of quality public services and increased opportunity for young and old across Scotland.

We will take steps to increase democratic participation, modernising voting arrangements, removing unnecessary restrictions on those who want to become involved in local government and properly recognising the contribution they make.

A Local Governance Bill will be introduced before the end of the year. For the next local government elections, this will introduce the proportional Single Transferable Vote system of election and will take forward our other commitments by removing unnecessary political restrictions on standing for election and establishing an independent remuneration committee for councillors.

SUPPORTING STRONGER, SAFER COMMUNITIES

Crime

Crime hurts. It hurts decent hard-working people and it eats away at the social and economic fabric of our communities. We are on the side of ordinary decent people and against those who profit from their misery, exploit their honesty and abuse their trust.

In the first Parliament we delivered record police numbers, provided new powers for the police and the courts, and additional rights and protection for victims of crime. We also developed and began to implement a comprehensive new Youth Crime Action Plan.

But there is much more still to do.

In the past four years we have driven a major reform of our criminal justice service, a reform spear-headed by our crown office and court services. We will continue with this work and in June, we will publish a consultation paper setting out wide-ranging proposals for the reform of the High Court, following the review and report which we asked Lord Bonomy to carry out. This will pave the way for the introduction of a Court Reform Bill in the autumn modernising practice and procedure across the whole range of High Court business, speeding up processes and cutting down on wasted time for victims, witnesses, the police and the courts themselves.

We announced in the Partnership Agreement that we would set up a new statutory Sentencing Commission to review sentencing and make recommendations. In the coming weeks we will consult the judiciary and others on the remit and membership of the Commission. As a first priority we will ask the Commission to review the use of bail and remand and the arrangements for the early release from prison and the supervision of short term prisoners in the community. And importantly, the Commission will consider and determine the action needed to secure improved consistency, appropriateness and effectiveness in sentencing across Scotland.

Whilst setting up the Commission does not require legislation, we will come forward with any necessary legislation to implement its recommendations during the lifetime of this Parliament.

But it is in the area of supporting witnesses and tackling anti-social behaviour that we must act and act quickly. We must be in no doubt about the importance of this to the people living in the communities we represent.

Too many communities and too many lives are hurt by crime. Over half of all offenders re-offend within 4 years. Too many of our police officers are wasting their time waiting for trials, or their professional skills in work that others could do.

Our commitments to education and opportunity will work on the root causes of crime. But as a priority, we will deal swiftly and effectively with those who commit crime - and redress the balance in our communities in favour of the hard working decent people who deserve to live in peace and safety.

Victims come first. And vulnerable witnesses should receive the attention and support they need. So before the summer recess, we will introduce a Bill providing new statutory protection for Vulnerable Witnesses, including automatic special provision for children under 16, abolition of the competence test, and improved support for victims and witnesses.

And our commitment extends to victims of anti-social behaviour too.

We will move quickly to crack down hard on anti-social behaviour, and continue our reform of the court system and children's hearings to speed up justice. We will support effective police officers and build a system that puts the interests of the victim first. We will work hard and act resolutely to build stronger, safer communities where anti-social behaviour is not tolerated and the perpetrators are held directly accountable for their actions.

It's not only the serious crime that attracts the headlines, that damages our communities. Constant acts of vandalism, theft, intimidation and graffiti grind people down and destroy neighbourhoods. It cannot be tolerated any longer.

It will take time to reverse the decline in people taking responsibility and showing respect which we have seen. But change this we must. I want to see respect for others back in our communities.

Before the end of June, we will publish our proposals on Anti-Social Behaviour, which we will then introduce as a Bill in the autumn. The measures will include

Government doesn't create safe communities on its own. We all share that responsibility and our rights must be matched by the responsibilities we have to meet. The measures in this Bill will be complemented by the additional action we will take to introduce a quality of life guarantee to secure clean streets and a decent local environment.

Other proposals and initiatives to implement our programme of reform for the police and the criminal justice system as a whole will follow later in the life of the present Parliament. We will publish proposals for establishing a single agency to deliver both custodial and non-custodial sentences in Scotland and cut re-offending rates. We will establish an independent Police Complaints Body; and we will follow up an overhaul of High Court procedures with an equally thorough and wide-ranging review of the summary justice system.

But taken together, the three Bills we will introduce in the first year of this Parliament mark our determination to provide important new protection for victims and vulnerable witnesses, overhaul the operation of the High Court, removing blockages and improving efficiency and act swiftly to crack down hard on offenders and on offending.

CONCLUSION

Finally, Presiding Officer, we will introduce the annual Budget Bill, to ensure we can finance the public services Scotland needs, and Margaret Curran will clarify our plans with regard to charity regulation later this afternoon.

We will introduce four new Bills before the summer recess - on education, health and justice - the people's priorities. We will publish proposals for dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour and the reform of the High Court because it is time to act. And in our first year, we will concentrate our legislation on health, education, crime and the environment - exactly as we said e would.

Today I have outlined only the first steps we will take in this next year. We will move quickly and with this Parliament's help we will make good laws and we will administer well. But none of these alone - or together will be enough.

This Partnership, the coalition of Scottish Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrats will govern well. We will use the resources of hard working tax-payers well, we will invest for the future and we always aim to maximise the value we can get for every pound of public money we spend.

But our real partnership is with the people of Scotland. We will listen to them and pay attention to their concerns. And we will be accountable to them for our actions.

We will take devolution forward to the next stage, deal directly with the challenges of the next four years, reach out to the communities of Scotland and work with this Parliament and all of its elected members to build a new Scotland.

A country of the 21 st century, at ease with itself, confident in its talents, protective of its people and its environment and above all, ambitious for its future.

We will build the kind of Scotland that all can be proud to call home.

Summary and briefing notes on Bills
News Archive

Page updated: Saturday, July 17, 2004