10 September 2004
Scotland's worst secondary schools are to be boosted by funding from both the public and private sectors, First Minister Jack McConnell announced this week.
McConnell was unveiling the Scottish Executive's legislative programme at the Parliament's first meeting in its £431m new Holyrood building on September 7.
He announced 12 Bills, including plans to set up a new transport agency for Scotland and reforms affecting health, housing, family law, the protection of children, licensing, charities, police and the environment.
The first minister called on MSPs to put behind them the long-running controversy over the cost of the Parliament building. 'For the people of Scotland, it is not this building that really matters. It is what we do in this building,' he said.
McConnell called his education reforms the 'most comprehensive modernisation programme of our secondary schools for a generation'. There will be a new inspection standard, called the excellence standard, and an 'ambition programme' that will focus on the 20 secondary schools most in need of transformation.
The extra resources required will be provided by both the Scottish Executive and private entrepreneurs, in return for which the schools must pledge to improve their levels of attainment, discipline and attendance.
Education Minister Peter Peacock said the involvement of the private sector would not give the donors any say in the running of them. 'We're asking people to buy in, not to buy up,' he said.
Under the proposed Transport Bill, a new national agency will be created to speed up transport improvements and manage rail services throughout Scotland.
It will also have powers to harmonise concessionary schemes and to cut down on traffic delays by fining utility companies that fail to co-ordinate roadworks.
Among other Bills, one will introduce free eye and dental checks, a pledge given in the Labour-Liberal Democrat partnership agreement last year, and another will modernise council powers to intervene in private properties that have fallen into disrepair.
PFsep2004
