Legislative Programme 2001-02

11. School Education (Amendment) Bill (Introduced 28 September 2001: Lead Committee: Education, Culture and Sport: Invitation to submit written evidence by 19 October 2001)

This is very much a housekeeping Bill, which will close a loophole which currently exists in primary school placing requests. It also makes some amendments to teachers’ career structures.

12. Water Environment and Water Services Bill

This Bill creates a new regulatory system for the water industry in Scotland, which allows for the possibility of competition. There has been questioning of the "power and point" of the water commissioner, as some are "less than convinced that the postholder has been a consumers' champion and has stood up for the individual customers and businesses."

13. Water Industry Bill (Introduced 24 September 2001: Lead Committee: Transport and Environment: Invitation issued to submit written evidence by 22 October 2001)

This provides for the creation of a single body, Scottish Water, to be formed from the merger of the three existing public water authorities, intended to realise substantial efficiency savings and act in a more commercial manner within a framework of accountability. Taken together, the two water Bills are intended to create "a publicly-owned, all-Scotland water authority that will provide a high-quality service that is efficient and can succeed in an increasingly competitive market." To ensure that the views of customers are properly represented Water Customer Consultation Panels will be set up and a Drinking Water Quality Regulator will safeguard public health.

14. Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman

This will establish a new public sector ombudsman. It will fulfil the Scotland Act requirement for the Parliament to make provision for investigating complaints of maladministration made against the Scottish Executive. The key proposal is for a one-stop shop combining the offices of the Scottish Parliamentary Ombudsman, the Health Service Ombudsman for Scotland, the Local Government Ombudsman and the Housing Association Ombudsman for Scotland.

15. Public Bodies Bill

The "Bonfire of the Quangos" starts here! This Bill will abolish those quangos which have already been earmarked for closure and establish a Commissioner for Public Appointments (will report annually to Parliament) to modernise the way posts on public bodies are filled.

16. Fur Farming Bill (introduced 8 October)

This Bill will prohibit fur farmers from elsewhere in the UK from setting up farms in Scotland. It is being introduced as a precautionary measure: legislation is going through Westminster to outlaw the practice of fur farming in England and Wales, and this Bill is necessary to prevent farmers moving to Scotland. There are no fur farms known to be in Scotland at the moment.

17. Budget (Scotland) Bill

This lays out the Executive’s spending programme for 2002-03. The Bill will set out the purposes for which those resources can be used and the maximum amounts that can be used for each of the Executive's spending programmes. The Bill will be accompanied by a set of "Budget Documents" which set out the Executive's spending plans in more detail.

18. Protection of Animals Bill

Means for removing neglected animals to safety and covering the costs of doing so will be provided in this Bill