The Scottish Parliament: - Research Briefings - View Briefings by Year of Publication

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2004

SB 04-100 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill - Smoking Ban in Certain Wholly Enclosed Public Places. The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. Part 1 of the Bill deals with the prohibition of smoking in certain wholly enclosed places. This follows commitments made by the Scottish Executive after its consultation on ‘Smoking in Public Places, a Consultation on Reducing Exposure to Second Hand Smoke’. This briefing describes current trends in smoking, it then discusses smoking within the current legislative framework, recent developments in Scotland, the main, themes arising from the Scottish Executive consultation, the bills proposals and recent developments on smoking in other countries.	23 December 2004
SB 04-99 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill - General Ophthalmic Services The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. There are provisions in the Bill that propose free eye checks and modifications to the lists of persons undertaking general ophthalmic services. This briefing provides background information on general ophthalmic services before describing recent policy developments that led to the proposals in the Bill. There will then be a discussion of what the Bill proposes.	22 December 2004
SB 04-98 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill - Miscellaneous Provisions The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. Part 5 of the Bill contains a number of provisions regarding: payments to certain individuals who have Hepatitis C as a result of NHS treatment. amendments to the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 child care agencies and housing support services the authorisation of medical treatment facilities and services intellectual property the removal of Non-Departmental Public Body status from the Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust This Briefing will provide background information on each of these provisions together with what is proposed in the Bill.	22 December 2004
SB 04-97 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill - Pharmaceutical Care Services The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. Part 3 of the Bill deals with Pharmaceutical Care Services. This briefing will: outline the current size of the community pharmacy sector in Scotland describe the current legislative and administrative framework for pharmaceutical care services discuss recent policy developments discuss the consultation and the responses to it outline the Bill’s proposals	22 December 2004
SB 04-96 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill - Discipline The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. Part 4 of the Bill seeks to amend the disciplinary powers and duties of the NHS Tribunal and NHS Boards, concerning family health service practitioners (ie general medical practitioners, general dental practitioners, pharmacists, optometrists and general ophthalmic practitioners). This briefing will provide background information on disciplinary procedures and discuss the proposals in the Bill.	22 December 2004
SB 04-95 General Dental Services - Key Facts The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. Part 2 of the Bill deals with General Dental Services. This briefing has been written to support the deliberations of the Health Committee into the provisions for general dental service. It provides key statistics and background information about general dental services in Scotland.	22 December 2004
SB 04-94 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill - General Dental Services The ‘Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill’ was introduced on 16 December 2004. Part 2 of the Bill deals with General Dental Services. This briefing discusses the current framework for the provision of general dental services and recent policy developments. It then outlines the consultation document and responses and, finally, describes the proposals in the Bill.	22 December 2004
SB 04-93 Key Economic Indicators (This has been updated by briefing SB 05-17 posted 23 March 2005) This briefing provides a snapshot of some of the latest economic indicators for Scotland. The briefing provides data on GDP (including a summary of independent forecasts and breakdown by sector), the labour market, exports and businesses. This latest update includes the manufacturing export index, the Scottish Annual Labour Force Survey and OECD GDP comparisons.	22 December 2004
SB 04-92 MSPs’ Allowances and Expenditure 2003-04 The Allowances Scheme makes provision for the payment of allowances to enable Members to carry out their parliamentary duties and for information regarding the allowances payable under the scheme to be published. Previously this information has been included in the SPCB Annual Report. This year, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body determined that information relating to Members’ Allowances and expenses should form a separate publication in its own right and has taken the opportunity to bring together, in one table, costs directly attributable to Members of the Parliament in carrying out their parliamentary duties. Costs incurred by Members as a result of pooling/grouping allowances to meet shared expenses which were previously included in the overall expenditure figure published in the SPCB’s Annual Report are, for the first time, now listed individually.	21 December 2004
SB 04-91 The Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill as Amended at Stage 2 The Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Parliament on 22 March 2004. The Policy Memorandum published along with the Bill stated that the Bill’s policy objective is “to create a specific offence of attacking an emergency worker, or someone assisting an emergency worker, who is responding to emergency circumstances” (para 2). Amendments agreed to at Stage 2 make a number of important changes to the Bill. These include some changes aimed at clarifying the evidential requirements for an offence and others which extend the categories of worker covered. However, this briefing focuses on significant changes affecting the need for a worker to be involved in responding to emergency circumstances before the offences in the Bill apply.	17 December 2004
SB 04-90 Gambling Bill - Sewel Motion This briefing outlines the content of a Sewel Motion dealing with the devolved elements of the UK Gambling Bill which is currently under consideration in Westminster. The Sewel Motion concerns the provisions of the UK Gambling Bill which relate to devolved matters to be considered by the UK Parliament. The devolved issues include powers to set fees and make regulations on the conditions to be attached to gambling premises licences and permits. The Local Government and Transport Committee is expected to consider the Sewel Motion on 14 December 2004 and it will subsequently be considered by the Parliament as a whole. This briefing considers only the devolved aspects of the UK Gambling Bill and does not deal with the wider socio-economic implications of the proposed Bill.	8 December 2004
SB 04-89 Sea Fishing: Quotas for 2005 This briefing has been prepared in advance of forthcoming Parliamentary debate on this subject. This debate will precede the Fisheries Council meeting of 20-22 December 2004 at which fishing quotas for 2005 will be decided. It looks at the background to setting quotas under the Common Fisheries Policy, the problem of managing mixed fisheries with quotas, the state of play in negotiations and the scientific advice and prospects for quotas for stocks of interest to the Scottish fleet.	7 December 2004
SB 04-88 Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill The Scottish Executive introduced the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill on 29 October 2004. This briefing considers the background to and provisions of the Bill. It also looks at some of the main issues highlighted in response to a consultation exercise carried out by the Executive prior to the introduction of the Bill.	2 December 2004
SB 04-87 Feudal Abolition, Title Conditions and the Law relating to Tenements - After 28 November 2004 For the first time since the 1970s the Scottish system of property law has undergone significant reform. On 28 November 2004 the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 came fully into force. This briefing highlights the key provisions of these important pieces of legislation.	2 December 2004
SB 04-86 Transport (Scotland) Bill The Transport (Scotland) Bill was introduced into the Scottish Parliament on 27 October 2004. This Briefing describes the provisions outlined in the Bill, examines how these proposals were developed, looks at what these changes will mean in practice and summarises the views of key organisations on the Bill’s provisions.	2 December 2004
SB 04-85 Child Abuse in Residential Care This briefing provides an overview of the relevant inquiries into the abuse of children in residential care and some associated issues. Its purpose is to provide information for the plenary debate to be held on Wednesday 1 December 2004 as a result of the Public Petitions Committee motion S2M-1988.	26 November 2004
SB 04-84 Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill - an Overview The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 15 November 2004. This briefing provides an update to SPICE briefing 03-26. It gives some background on the charitable sector in Scotland; the legislation that governs the sector at present; and the policy background to the introduction of the Bill. It then provides a broad overview of the Bill. A series of further, more comprehensive, briefings which will examine separate parts of the Bill in detail will be produced to coincide with the Communities Committee’s Stage 1 consideration of the Bill.	26 November 2004
SB 04-83 Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Bill The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament by the Minister for Justice, Cathy Jamieson MSP, on 29 October 2004. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been unlawful in Scotland since 1985 by virtue of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. The Bill proposes to re-enact the existing offences in the 1985 Act, and extend protection by giving those offences extra-territorial effect in order to protect those being sent abroad to have FGM carried out. The Bill also proposes an increase in the penalty on conviction from indictment from 5 to 14 years imprisonment. Equivalent provisions are in force in the rest of the UK, and the intention of the Bill is to ensure that equal legal protection is afforded in Scotland.	25 November 2004
SB 04-82 Gaelic Education Gaelic education has arisen as a key issue in connection with the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill. The Bill provides that Bòrd na Gàidhlig can issue guidance on the provision of Gaelic education. This briefing provides a statistical overview of Gaelic educational provision and considers its recent development.	12 November 2004
SB 04-81 Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill - Bill briefing The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill 2004 was introduced on 27 September 2004. It establishes Bòrd na Gàidhlig (the Bòrd) as a statutory body which will work to secure the status of Gaelic as an official language of Scotland. The Bòrd can require Scottish public authorities to produce and implement Gaelic language plans, and will itself produce a national strategy for Gaelic. It can also provide guidance on Gaelic education. This briefing considers some key issues in the Bill and it attempts to set these in a broader context of approaches to language planning, with particular emphasis on comparison with Welsh and Irish and previous proposals for Gaelic as well as considering obligations under the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages.	12 November 2004
SB 04-80 Spending Proposals 2005-08 - Education Committee This paper outlines spending plans to 2007-08 in the portfolio covered by the remit of the Education Committee – namely, Education and Young People. Based on the financial information presented in Scotland’s Spending Review 2004 document, it has been produced to assist the Committee’s scrutiny at stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process. It looks at central funding of education only, it does not include consideration of the funding of education through local authority GAE.	8 November 2004
SB 04-79 Grounds for Divorce (This briefing has been superseded by SB 05-22 posted 21 April 2005) In its latest consultation paper, Improving Family Law in Scotland (April 2004), the Scottish Executive seeks views on proposals for reform of the grounds for divorce in Scotland, based on recommendations first made by the Scottish Law Commission in 1989. This briefing is intended to inform the debate about the grounds for divorce which it is anticipated will arise as a result of the introduction of the Family Law Bill to the Scottish Parliament. It includes information on the grounds for divorce in a variety of European and Commonwealth jurisdictions.	5 November 2004
SB 04-78 Spending Proposals 2005-08 - Transport This paper outlines spending proposals to March 2008 in the Transport portfolio. It has been produced to assist the Local Government and Transport Committee at Stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process and uses information published in Spending Proposals 2005-2008 and in the Draft Budget 2005-06. Revised objectives and targets are also listed. A discussion section brings out points the Committee may wish to note or consider in more detail.	2 November 2004
SB 04-77 Spending Proposals 2005-08 - Finance and Public Services (Local Government) This paper outlines spending plans to March 2008 in the Finance and Public Services portfolio. It has been produced to assist the Local Government and Transport Committee’s scrutiny at Stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process and uses information published in Spending Proposals 2005-08 and the Draft Budget 2005-06. Related objectives and targets are listed and a discussion section draws attention to points the Committee may wish to consider in more detail.	2 November 2004
SB 04-76 Parliamentary Time Spent Scrutinising Bills - Session 2 This briefing offers analysis of the time the Parliament has spent considering bills (excluding private bills) in formal committee and plenary session, introduced between the start of the second parliamentary session on 7 May 2003 and 31 August 2004. It is provided in response to a parliamentary question - S2W-9878 - David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it has on how much parliamentary time has been spent scrutinising each Bill since 1999, broken down by legislative stage.	29 October 2004
SB 04-75 Parliamentary Time Spent Scrutinising Bills - Session 1 This briefing offers analysis of the time the Parliament has spent considering bills (excluding private bills) in its first session from 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003 in formal committee and plenary meetings. It is provided in response to a parliamentary question - S2W-9878 - David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it has on how much parliamentary time has been spent scrutinising each Bill since 1999, broken down by legislative stage.	29 October 2004
SB 04-74 Electricity Grid Updates: Beauly - Denny and to the Western Isles Scottish and Southern Energy, and ScottishPower, are proposing to upgrade the electricity grid between Beauly, west of Inverness, and Denny near Stirling. Less developed plans to transmit electricity from new renewables resources in the Western Isles to the main grid are being consulted on. The proposals assumes that the amount of renewable electricity generated in remote areas will increase, driven by government targets. This briefing examines the proposals and the application procedure, briefly outlines the environmental impact assessment procedure, and gives a flavour of opinion on the proposals.	29 October 2004
SB 04-73 Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Bill This briefing outlines the main purposes of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Bill. It details the amendments to the draft Bill as a result of the consultation ‘A Changing Landscape for Tertiary Education and Research in Scotland’. Responses to the consultation are summarised, and a discussion of the key issues raised by respondents is included. The final section of the briefing summarises additional information provided by the Scottish Executive on issues raised at the Enterprise and Culture Committee’s evidence session.	28 October 2004
SB 04-72 Spending Proposals 2005-2008: Communities Committee This paper outlines spending plans to 2007-08 for the Communities budget portfolio – covering housing, anti-social behaviour and closing the opportunity gap. Based on the financial information presented in the Executive’s Spending Review 2004 document, as well as the Draft Budget 2005-06, it has been produced to assist the Committee’s scrutiny at stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process.	27 October 2004
SB 04-71 Spending Proposals 2005-2008: Health Committee This paper outlines spending plans to 2007-08 in the portfolios covered by the remit of the Health and Community Care Committee. Based on the financial information presented in Scotland’s Spending Review 2004 document and the ‘Draft Budget 2005-06’, it has been produced to assist the Committee’s scrutiny at Stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process.	27 October 2004
SB 04-70 Social Housing (updated) This paper provides an overview of social housing in Scotland. The paper examines the roles of local authorities and Registered Social Landlords; the funding of socially rented housing; issues for tenants; the regulation and inspection role of Communities Scotland and future issues facing the sector.	25 October 2004
SB 04-69 Spending Proposals 2005-08 - Environment and Rural Development Committee This paper outlines spending proposals to March 2008 in the subjects covered by the remit of the Environment and Rural Development Committee – namely environment and natural heritage, rural development, agriculture, fisheries and forestry. It has been produced to assist the Committee’s scrutiny at stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process and uses the financial information presented in Spending Proposals 2005-2008 as announced in September 2004 and the Draft Budget 2005-06 as published in October 2004. Related objectives and targets are also listed.	25 October 2004
SB 04-68 Scotland's Demography and the Fresh Talent Initiative Scotland’s falling population has been identified by the First Minister as “the single biggest challenge facing Scotland as we move further into the 21st century.” This paper presents key facts about Scotland’s population decline, outlines the Scottish Executive’s policy response on the matter and summarises the debate which has emerged. (This briefing has been updated by SB 06-93, posted 7 November 2006)	25 October 2004
SB 04-67 Spending Proposals 2005-08 - Justice Committees This paper outlines spending plans to 2007-08 in the portfolios covered by the remit of the Justice Committees – namely Justice and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Based on the financial information presented in Scotland’s Spending Review 2004 document, it has been produced to assist the Committees’ scrutiny at stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process.	25 October 2004
SB 04-66 Medical Training in Scotland and the UK This paper has been written to support the Health Committee in its enquiry into workforce planning in NHSScotland. It outlines the legislative framework that underpins the regulation of the medical profession and, in particular, the arrangements for training doctors. It then describes the process of training that doctors undertake and the bodies that are involved in it. Finally it discusses future developments for this area.	20 October 2004
SB 04-65 Spending Proposals 2005-2008: Enterprise and Culture Committee This paper outlines spending plans to 2007-08 in the portfolios covered by the remit of the Enterprise and Culture Committee – namely, Enterprise, Lifelong Learning, Tourism, Culture and Sport. Based on the financial information presented in Scotland’s Spending Review 2004, it has been produced to assist the Committee’s scrutiny at stage 2 of the 2005-06 budget process.	20 October 2004
SB 04-64 Changes to the Regulation of Scotland's Railways This briefing provides a short explanation of the current operation and regulation of the UK railway industry, as it applies to Scotland. It goes on to examine the effect of the proposed changes to the industry announced in “The Future of Rail” white paper, published by the Secretary of State for Transport on 15 July 2004. It also examines proposed changes announced in “Scotland’s Transport Future: The Transport White Paper”, published by the Scottish Executive on 16 June 2004.	11 October 2004
SB 04-63 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Final Provisions In Force This briefing explains the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which come into force on 1 October 2004. The provisions will require service providers to make reasonable adjustments to any physical barriers that may prevent disabled people from using the service. Employers with fewer than 15 staff members will also be brought within the scope of the Act.	29 September 2004
SB 04-62 Fireworks This Briefing outlines the current legislative and regulatory framework for fireworks including the fireworks voluntary code. It gives recent statistics on firework-related injuries and examines proposals to amend legislation affecting the licensing, sale and use of fireworks.	28 September 2004
SB 04-61 The Scottish Regiments On Thursday 23 September 2004 the Parliament will debate motion S2M-1590 by Murdo Fraser MSP on the future of Scotland’s regiments. This briefing provides some background to the debate. It describes the structure of the British Army and the regimental system upon which it is based and gives information on each of the six Scottish infantry regiments. The paper also considers the Strategic Defence Review (1998) which reported in 1998 and of which the Defence Command Paper Delivering Security in a Changing World - Future Capabilities (2004) is the most recent development.	21 September 2004
SB 04-60 The Holyrood Building Project This briefing has been produced as background to the debate on the Holyrood Inquiry report on Wednesday 22nd September. Whilst members will have access to extensive information and briefing in the form of the Fraser report itself, and the copious reporting and analysis in the media, this SPICe briefing focuses on construction management techniques and the construction of other recently built parliamentary buildings in the UK and overseas.	21 September 2004
SB 04-59 Defining Disability This paper has been provided as background information to the Equal Opportunities Committee Inquiry on Disability – Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities. It summarises key developments concerning the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and its definition of disability. The definition under the Act has faced criticism because an individual claiming discrimination has to first establish that they are disabled. A draft Disability Discrimination Bill was published in December 2003 which included proposals to amend the definition.	15 September 2004
SB 04-58 Fire (Scotland) Bill This briefing paper looks at the current structure of the Fire Service in Scotland, concerns raised during the consultation process and the main proposals contained within the Fire (Scotland) Bill.	8 September 2004
SB 04-57 Public Procurement Public procurement policies have been cited as a barrier to the growth of private sector businesses. This briefing summarises the legal and policy framework for public procurement in Scotland, provides links to sources of advice available to businesses seeking to supply to the public sector and describes arrangements for consulting on implementation of the latest EU Directive on public procurement.	7 September 2004
SB 04-56 Arts in the Community This paper considers the historical development of arts in the community, the scale of the sector, the benefits accruing from the provision of art at community level and the barriers that tend to be considered as hindering the provision of art in the community. The provision of support by the public sector is considered prior to outlining the remit of the Enterprise and Culture Committee’s Inquiry into ‘Art in the Community’.	7 September 2004
SB 04-55 Cohabitation (This has been superseded by SB 05-11 posted 3 March 2005) This briefing is intended to inform debate on cohabitants’ rights and responsibilities and includes information on the legal rights of cohabitants in a variety of European and Commonwealth jurisdictions.	6 September 2004
SB 04-54 Key Economic Indicators (This has been updated by SB 04-93 posted 22 December 2004) This briefing provides a snapshot of some of the latest economic indicators for Scotland. The briefing provides data on GDP (including a summary of independent forecasts and breakdown by sector), the labour market, exports and businesses. This latest update includes the new manufacturing export index, and explanations of GDP and unemployment measurements.	6 September 2004
SB 04-53 Children's Hearings This briefing provides an overview of the Children’s Hearings system. It considers its development, how the system works in practice, key issues and details of the Scottish Executive’s review of the system.	31 August 2004
SB 04-52 Environmental Impact Assessment This briefing provides an introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment. It is published to complement the SPICe briefing on Strategic Environmental Assessment, and should be read in conjunction with this paper.	12 August 2004
SB 04-51 The IMD World Competitiveness Report The Swiss based IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook is published annually and ranks certain nation-states and regions according to a number of competitiveness criteria. The 2004 report includes, for the first time, Scotland as one of its regional cases. This briefing summarises the findings of the report.	29 July 2004
SB 04-50 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2004 This paper discusses the background to the Index of multiple deprivation, its geography, domains and indicators. It describes the uses that have been identified for employing the information it contains. In addition, there is a guide on how to access data from the Index.	29 July 2004
SB 04-49 Water Services etc. (Scotland) Bill This briefing provides some background information on Scotland’s water; the evolution of the legal framework governing its use; and the key players involved in managing and regulating its exploitation. It then looks at the main provisions of the Bill	29 July 2004
SB 04-48 Parliamentary Pay and Allowances (2004/2005) Provides an outline of the system of parliamentary pay and allowances, grants and pensions in the Scottish Parliament, as well as comparative information on salaries in other Parliaments and Assemblies. (This briefing has been updated by SB 07-51 posted 4 October 2007)	7 July 2004
SB 04-47 Volunteering in Scotland Debate This briefing outlines some of the key issues regarding volunteering in Scotland, including a discussion of the Volunteering Strategy launched by the Scottish Executive in May 2004.	28 June 2004
SB 04-46 Strategic Environmental Assessment This briefing provides an introduction to Strategic Environmental Assessment, and the European Directive on the Assessment of Environmental Effects of Certain plans and Programmes (2001/42/EC). This Directive comes into force on 21 July 2004.	18 June 2004
SB 04-45 Business Growth Describes EU, UK and Scottish policies for promoting business growth; outlines the plans and achievements of the Scottish Executive for promoting faster business growth; summarises the views of stakeholders; and presents comparative data.	18 June 2004
SB 04-44 Antisocial Behaviour Etc (Scotland) Bill - Stage 2 Amendments - Registration of Private Landlords The Communities Committee began considering the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 on 21 April 2004. This paper summarises the main issues regarding one of the most substantive amendments to the Bill concerning the registration of private landlords	10 June 2004
SB 04-43 The Commission for Equalities and Human Rights Considers the proposals in, Fairness for All: A New Commission for Equality and Human Rights in particular the proposals made to take account of the devolved context.	10 June 2004
SB 04-42 Civil Partnership Bill Outlines the Scottish provisions of the Civil Partnerships Bill, and compares these to the law on marriage. Considers use of Sewel motions.	2 June 2004
SB 04-41 Affordable Housing Provides background briefing for a member’s debate. Looks at the issues of housing demand, tenure change, assessing need and the planning system. Outlines details of the Scottish Executive’s housing review of affordable housing.	1 June 2004
SB 04-40 Organic Farming Subsidies This paper provides comparative information on organic farming subsidies in Scotland, the rest of the UK, and other EU Member States. It does not consider other forms of state support for the organic sector, for example support for marketing of organic produce, or for research and development.	27 May 2004
SB 04-39 The Prohibition of Smoking in Regulated Areas (Scotland) Bill The briefing considers the bill to ban smoking in public places serving food, along with initiatives in the UK and abroad and arguments advanced in written evidence. Some of the relevant medical and scientific evidence is considered and pertinent parliamentary questions have been added.	27 May 2004
SB 04-38 Guide to EU Forward Work Planning This briefing provides background information about the various forward work programmes of the EU institutions and explains the strategic planning and programming cycle which guides their preparation.	21 May 2004
SB 04-37 Key Economic Indicators (This has been updated by briefing SB 04-54 posted 6 September 2004) This briefing provides a snapshot of some of the latest economic indicators for Scotland. It provides data on GDP (including a summary of independent forecasts and breakdown by sector), the labour market, exports and businesses. This latest update includes figures on Scottish retail sales and the latest UK Treasury forecasts.	20 May 2004
SB 04-36 Area Tourist Boards Describes the role of existing ATBs and summarises the views of stakeholders on the future of ATBs. Minister's proposals for a new integrated network under the control of VisitScotland and plans for implementation are outlined.	19 May 2004
SB 04-35 Stamping Out Racism in Football This briefing provides background to the issue of racism in Scottish football and on the role of the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ campaign, for a Member’s debate in the Chamber on Tuesday 18 May 2004, on motion S2M-1214 in the name of Bill Butler MSP	17 May 2004
SB 04-34 Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Bill	12 May 2004
SB 04-33 Disabled parking Sets out the rules on disabled parking. Discusses the Blue Badge Scheme and the designation of disabled parking spaces in private car parks. The paper was prepared to assist a debate on the difficulties experienced by disabled drivers whose designated bays in supermarkets are frequently occupied by other motorists.	5 May 2004
SB 04-32 School Education (ministerial powers and independent schools) (Scotland) Bill The Bill proposes new powers of ministerial intervention in failing schools and proposals to update the registration and monitoring system for independent schools. The briefing outlines the background to the development of the Bill, the main provisions of the Bill and the issues arising from the Scottish Executive consultation.	30 April 2004
SB 04-31 Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill This paper considers the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill, as introduced in the Parliament on 22 March 2004. The Bill makes provision for statutory offences where someone assaults, obstructs or hinders an emergency worker, or other people assisting such a worker, in circumstances associated with emergencies.	28 April 2004
SB 04-30 Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) This Briefing provides an overview of the development of the TErrestrial Trunked RAdio (TETRA) system, explains how it operates and considers the impact of its development across Scotland. It examines the latest research into the potential health effects of the TETRA system and summarises current planning controls over base stations.	21 April 2004
SB 04-29 Muliple Sclerosis This paper sets out some background to the condition including key statistics, the policy context in Scotland and some issues for debate.	19 April 2004
SB 04-28 Supporting People Supporting People is the policy and funding framework for housing related support services. It was introduced in April 2003 and has made major changes to the funding and organisation of housing support services. This briefing outlines the key features of the system and considers the impact since its implementation. (This briefing has been updated by SB 07-55 posted 7 November 2007)	16 April 2004
SB 04-27 Culture and Sport Budget 2004-05 This paper provides an overview of the spending proposals contained in the Annual Evaluation Report as they relate to the culture and sport portfolio. Past income and expenditure patterns of a range of organisations within the sphere of culture and sport are also considered	15 April 2004
SB 04-26 Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill: as amended at Stage 2 This briefing was prepared in advance of the Stage 3 debate on the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill [SP Bill 9A], and highlights the main changes made to the Bill during Stage 2. It should be read in conjunction with SPICe Briefing 03/84 on the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill as introduced.	14 April 2004
SB 04-25 Social Justice Indicators of Progress 2003 This paper summarises the progress being made by the Scottish Executive in meeting its Social Justice Targets, by analysing the ‘Social Justice … A Scotland Where Everyone Matters: Indicators of Progress 2003’.	7 April 2004
SB 04-24 Homelessness (This briefing has been superseded by SB 05-63 posted 24 October 2005) Summarises current legislation relevant to homelessness focusing on changes in statutory duties towards homeless people. Addresses the areas of priority need, asylum seekers and repossession.	2 April 2004
SB 04-23 School Closures This paper sets out the formal process for school closures in Scotland and outlines parliamentary consideration. Covers the legislative framework, the procedure for consultation and the role of the Scottish Executive. (This briefing has been updated by SB 06-61, posted 8 September 2006)	24 March 2004
SB 04-22 European Enlargement: the Implications for Scottish Business This briefing considers impacts of EU enlargement on Scotland and looks at the opportunities and challenges arising for Scottish businesses. It provides background to the process, considering effects on investment trade and budgetary implications. It provides an overview of the support for Scottish businesses to improve their competitiveness in an enlarged EU.	22 March 2004
SB 04-21 Key Economic Indicators (This has been updated by SB 04-37 posted 20 May 2004) This briefing provides a snapshot of some of the latest economic indicators for Scotland. It provides data on GDP (including a summary of independent forecasts and breakdown by sector), the labour market, exports and businesses. This latest update includes figures on Scottish retail sales and the latest UK Treasury forecasts.	17 March 2004
SB 04-20 Child Protection Presents an overview of the child protection system in Scotland. Outlines the roles of the main agencies involved. Highlights the process of review over the last few years and examines progress by local agencies. Provides comparative information on developments in England and Wales.	12 March 2004
SB 04-19 Nursery Nurses Debate 11 March 2004 Briefing This paper provides a timeline of the Nursery Nurses pay dispute for the period 1999-March 2004. The paper draws from press releases from the key players in the dispute, UNISON and COSLA.	10 March 2004
SB 04-18 Tenements (Scotland) Bill Provides an outline of the Tenements (Scotland) Bill, which aims to facilitate outstanding repairs to tenements being carried out. Also highlights key points made by respondents to the Executive’s consultation.	10 March 2004
IPRN 04-01 Division of competencies - background and comparative information on the Draft Treaty proposals	10 March 2004
SB 04-17 Council Tax Statistics Provides stastical data on council tax in Scotland and provides comparative statistics on England and Wales	4 March 2004
SB 04-16 Key Trends in the Scottish Budget 1999-2003 This Briefing outlines trends in public expenditure and outputs during the course of the first Scottish Parliament. The objective of the Briefing is to highlight some of the key issues of interest to Parliamentary committees as they scrutinise the Executive's spending review plans.	4 March 2004
SB 04-15 Community Interest Companies This paper briefly discusses the UK Government proposal to create Community Interest Companies. It outlines their main characteristics and describes some of the views of Scottish respondents to the UK Government’s original consultation.	2 March 2004
SB 04-14 Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 This paper provides information on the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001. It also considers research commissioned by the Scottish Executive, and written submissions made to the Justice 1 Committee of the Scottish Parliament, on the use and impact of the Act.	1 March 2004
SB 04-13 Support for Rural Development through the CAP This paper is about support for rural development through the Common Agricultural Policy. It looks at the rural development regulation and the way it is implemented in Scotland. It describes the steps towards developing a new rural development plan for the period 2007-13	27 February 2004
SB 04-12 CAP Reform- Implementation in Scotland Major reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy were agreed in 2003. This paper looks at how they will be implemented in Scotland. It describes the options that were available and the choice the Scottish Executive announced in February 2004.	27 February 2004
SB 04-11 Comparative Relocation Policies The briefing focuses primarily on the public sector relocation policies and experiences of the Scottish, Irish and UK governments. It also provides some basic information on the relocation experiences of other countries – namely, France, Norway and Japan.	26 February 2004
SB 04-10 Prostitution Tolerance Zones (Scotland) Bill - Update This paper updates the SPICe Briefing ‘Prostitution Tolerance Zones (Scotland) Bill (SPICe Briefing 02/138)’, following the re-introduction of the Bill in September 2003. The paper outlines the main provisions in the Bill, discusses the previous consideration of them by the Scottish Parliament and considers new evidence that has been submitted.	25 February 2004
SB 04-09 Wave and Tidal Power- Harnessing the Energy of the Sea This paper looks at the amount of energy which could be generated from marine and tidal sources. It describes some of the technologies which are being developed to do this, and considers the issues relating to the future development of this power source.	12 February 2004
SB 04-08 Renewable Energy Policy in Denmark - An Introduction Briefing written specifically to give background to a trip by members of the Enterprise and Culture Committee to Denmark to examine renewable energy policy. Gives some background to energy policy in Denmark and focuses on the wind sector as a case study. Includes reference to organisations and sites members will be visiting in Denmark.	12 February 2004
SB 04-07 The Electricity Network in Scotland This Briefing gives an outline of the electricity network in Scotland, and proposals for upgrading. It also considers the effects of the British Electricity Trading Arrangements, as proposed by the UK Energy Bill.	5 February 2004
SB 04-06 Fire Sprinklers in Residential Premises (Scotland) Bill This Briefing explains what fire sprinkler systems are and considers how effective they have been in saving lives and protecting property; it considers the estimated costs of installation and the incidence of fire in HMOs and sheltered housing. It also examines the main provisions and financial implications of the Bill.	13 February 2004
SB 04-05 UK Energy Bill Gives some background to the UK Energy Bill which was considered as a Sewel motion by the Enterprise and Culture Committee on 27 January 2004. It does not go into the detail of each part of the Bill, but picks out highlights which are particularly relevant to Scotland.	22 January 2004
SB 04-04 Broadband Explains the advantages of broadband access to the internet; reviews progress in increasing broadband coverage in Scotland; and suggests lines of enquiry.	22 January 2004
SB 04-03 Regulatory Frameworks in Scotland and other Selected Countries Outlines the regulatory framework in Scotland and compares it with the approaches in other jurisdictions.	13 January 2004
SB 04-02 Responses to the Consultation on the Child Health and Breastfeeding (Scotland) Bill The Bill proposes the offence of preventing a child being fed milk in a public place. Consultation on the Bill ran from 19 August to 20 September 2002. This Briefing summarises and analyses responses received. The analysis was done by SPICe and the questions compiled by the Bill sponsor.	5 January 2004
SB 04-01 The School Curriculum This paper provides an overview of the school curriculum in Scotland. It outlines the development of the curriculum, its current structure and content, examines its operation and relevance and details the Scottish Executive’s current review. The paper also provides comparative information in other countries.	5 January 2004