Legislation to protect Scotland’s most vulnerable people will be at the heart of the executive’s work for the next two years, writes Gordon Carson.
First Minister Jack McConnell told the Scottish Parliament today that the executive would introduce laws to reform the country’s highly regarded children’s hearings system, which has been the subject of a long-running consultation, and to protect vulnerable adults.
He also outlined plans to create a Scottish Human Rights Commission, introduce mandatory drug testing for people arrested for drug-related crimes, and bring in measures to make it more difficult for sex offenders to get bail.
McConnell pledged to “reduce paperwork and streamline activity” in the children’s hearings system.
He also promised to “meet persistence with persistence” when tackling prolific young offenders.
Child health is also on the executive’s agenda, and it
plans to consult on a Health Promotion, Nutrition and Schools Bill
that will clamp down on the sale of fizzy drinks in schools.
