This email update provides an overview of the latest policy news and developments that affect children and young people in Scotland.

Key to abbreviations: [S] = Scotland, [E] = Westminster, [NI] = Northern Ireland, [W] = Wales

In this issue: extra funding to tackle obesity, current consultations, a round up of this week's Scottish Parliament news and the latest publications.

HIGHLIGHTS

Mental Health Act Review Group announced, 25/01/08 [S]
The Scottish Government have announced the names of those who will undertake a limited review of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The review is expected to be completed by November 2008. The group will review the processes in respect of the civil provisions of the Act and advise on changes that should be made to improve the efficiency of the operation of the Act and experience of patients; advise on minor amendments to the Act; and engage with those who operate the Act and report back to the Minister for Public Health with recommended changes. For more information click here.

Extra funding to tackle obesity, 24/01/08 [S]
The Scottish Government has announced an extra £40 million for health improvement initiatives, including £15 million directly targeted at tackling obesity, was announced today. The funding, which will be made available over the next three years will be used for healthy weight, healthy eating and physical activity programmes. Cabinet Secretary of Healthy and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon said that the aim will be to tackle the problem of obesity from conception, with free fruit for pregnant mothers and pre-school children. For more information click here.

Money management skills on the curriculum, 21/01/2008 [S]
The Scottish Government want all schoolchildren to be taught skills in money management as part of A Curriculum for Excellence. Teachers will help prepare pupils to manage budgets and identify various methods of payment whilst being aware of the benefits and risks of each. For more information click here.

CONSULTATIONS

**NEW**

Rural Schools (Scotland) Bill - a consultation, 18/01/08 - 14/04/08 [S]
Proposal for a Members Bill lodged in the Scottish Parliament on 18 January 2008 by Murdo Fraser (Con). The Bill proposes to change the legislative framework under which the rural schools in Scotland operate and introduce a presumption against their closure. The Bill would put Scotland in line with England, which already has a presumption against the closure of rural schools.

Deadline: 14/04/08

For more information click here.

**CURRENT**

The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations, [S]
Deadline: 14/03/08

For more information click here.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007: Secondary Legislation, [S]
Deadline: 12/02/08

For more information click here.

Tobacco Sales Licensing (Scotland) Bill: A Consultation, [S]
Deadline:15/02/08

For more information click here.

Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland, [S]

Deadline: 31/02/08

For more information click here.

Face-to-Face and Side-by-Side: a framework for inter faith dialogue and social action, [E/NI/S/W]

Deadline: 07/03/08

For more information click here.

Scottish Road Safety Strategy,[S]
Deadline: 28/03/08

For more information click here.

Choosing the Right Ingredients: The Future for Food in Scotland: Discussion Paper, [S]

Deadline: 25/04/08

For more information click here.

Local Healthcare Bill, [S]

For more information click here.

Choosing Scotland's Future: A National Conversation, [S]

There is no fixed timescale for this consultation.

For more information click here.

To find out more about these consultations click here.

To find out more about closed consultations click here.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS

Legislation in progress

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, [E/NI/S/W]
Child Maintenance and other Payments Bill, [E/S/W]
Public Health Bill, [S]

Health and Social Care Bill, [E/NI/S/W]

Debates

Health improvement debate, 24/01/08 [S]
During the meeting of the Scottish Parliament on 24 January 2008 MSPs debated health and health improvement. The debate follows the publication of the Better Health, Better Care action plan in December 2007. Matters discussed relating to children and young people included obesity, health inequalities, school nurses, infant feeding and alcohol abuse. During the debate the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, said that reducing health inequalities is a top priority of the SNP Government. She said that an extra £12.5 million a year will be provided to strengthen primary health care in the most deprived communities. She said that tackling obesity, particularly in the early years, is a key priority. She announced an extra £40 million to tackle Scotland's obesity problem. The funding will go towards supporting healthy weight, healthy eating and physical activity initiatives and will fund free fruit for pregnant mothers and pre-school children. For more information click here.

Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill debate, 24/01/08 [S]
During the meeting of the Scottish Parliament on 24 January 2008 MSPs debated a motion on the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill. The debate included discussion around where the funds from the Bill should be allocated in Scotland, including whether young people's services should be a priority group for fund distribution. For more information click here.

Budget Bill debate, 23/01/08 [S]
During the meeting of the Scottish Parliament on 23 January 2008 MSPs debated the Budget Scotland Bill. Matters discussed included nursery places, vocational training for secondary school pupils, vulnerable children and mental health. For more information click here.

Questions and answers

**ORAL QUESTIONS**

Gifted and Talented Children Oral Question, 24/01/08 [S]
During Question Time on 24 January 2008 Elizabeth Smith (Con) asked the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that gifted and talented children are properly supported in all schools. The Minister for Schools and Skills, Maureen Watt, replied that responsibility for meeting the support needs of our pupils rests with local authorities. She referred to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 which aims to ensure that the additional support needs of all children and young people, including gifted and talented children, are addressed. She said that the six national centres of excellence make specialist provision for gifted and talented children. She added that teachers are supported through the Scottish needs assessment programme (SNAP) which is based at the University of Glasgow, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to enable them to provide an extra push for able and talented children. For more information click here.

**WRITTEN ANSWERS**

For answers to previous questions click here.

Motions

Leisure Opportunities Motion, 22/01/08 [S]
Motion lodged before the Scottish Parliament on 22 January 2008 by Mary Mulligan (Lab) noting the publication of the Nationwide Study of Recreation and Leisure Opportunities for Young People with Additional Support Needs and recognising the significant barriers to accessing leisure and recreational opportunities. The motion also notes the vital role that local authorities have in providing those opportunities and to listen to young people when recreation and leisure services. For more information click here.

Dormant Bank Accounts Bill Motion, 22/01/08 [S]
Motion lodged before the Scottish Parliament on 22 January 2008 by Jim Mather (SNP) calling on the Scottish Parliament to agree to the provisions relating to Scotland in the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill being considered by the UK Parliament. For more information click here.

Domestic Abuse Motion, 22/01/08 [S]
Motion lodged before the Scottish Parliament on 22 January 2008 by David Whitton (Lab) calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that funding is available to help people affected by domestic abuse. For more information click here.

Fuel Poverty Motion, 21/01/08 [S]
Motion lodged before the Scottish Parliament on 21 January 2008 by Hugh O’Donnell (Lib) noting concern about the levels of fuel poverty in Scotland and the number of households living in fuel poverty that use a prepayment system for paying for their energy. The motion calls on the Scottish Government to urge Ofgem to undertake a comprehensive review of charges for prepayment customers; calls on suppliers to do more to help the most vulnerable customers; and calls for further action to honour the Scottish Government’s commitment to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016. For more information click here.

DOCUMENTS

Millennium Cohort Study: Exploration of some Distinctive Results for Scotland, 25/01/08 [S]
The Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) provides information about children born into the New Century and their families. The report takes three distinctive differences that were identified in the Scotland data (children's cognitive scores, family poverty and incidents of breastfeeding) and provides further analysis to examine whether the distinctive results are due to differences in the characteristics of MCS families in Scotland and the rest of the UK. For more information click here.

Mental Health Project Final Report: National Benchmarking Project Report 2, 22/01/08 [S]
Scottish Government publication that benchmarks mental health services on a 'like for like' basis. The publication makes recommendations in relation to recording, reporting and improving. For more information click here.

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