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Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if confidential information, documents or other articles as referred to in clause 3(1)(b) of the Official Secrets Bill is obtained by the Government from any organ of the European Economic Community.
Mr. Eggar : We receive a number of papers, such as working documents to be considered by the Council of
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Ministers, or reports from the Commission on international negotiations being conducted by the Commission on behalf of the EC under a mandate from the Council, which might fall into this category.SCOTLAND
Mountain Rescue
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list in the Official Report the insurance premiums which would be necessary to ensure that all mountain rescue teams, affiliated to the mountain rescue committee of Scotland, have the same cover for the death or injury of team members during rescue operations as those which pertain in the northern constabulary area ;
(2) whether his Department issues any guidance on what particular levels of insurance benefit should be afforded to members of mountain rescue teams ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Information on insurance premiums for mountain rescue teams is not held centrally, nor is any central guidance issued on the levels of insurance benefit afforded to members of mountain rescue teams. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 15 November at column 585, it is for each police authority to determine the level of insurance cover to be provided for mountain rescue teams, in the light of recommendations made on this matter by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland).
Farming
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from farmers concerning their financial position following three poor harvests and higher interest rate charges ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. and learned Friend keeps in close touch with the leaders of the industry and is therefore well aware of farmers' views on these matters. The financial position of agriculture which is affected by a wide range of factors is kept under regular review and is taken into account in the formulation of policy.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he intends to take in rural areas to enable farm workers to find alternative sources of income ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : We have been instrumental in introducing a range of schemes--including the set-aside scheme for arable land, the farm woodland scheme and the farm diversification grant scheme--to assist those engaged in farming to adjust to the reform of the common agricultural policy.
We also already provide substantial assistance through various programmes and agencies--such as the SDA and HIDB--aimed at improving employment opportunities in rural areas.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the profit figures for arable farms in a representative sample from European countries on the
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following basis (a) up to 80 acres, (b) 80 to 120 acres, (c) 120 to 200 acres, (d) 200 to 270 acres, (e) 270 to 300 acres and (f) over 300 acres.Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not available centrally.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the level of real interest rates being paid on farm borrowings todate in (a) Scotland, (b) Holland, (c) France, (d) Germany, (e) Spain and (f) Italy.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is contained in table 3.3.10 on page T/80 of the 1987 report on the agricultural situation in the Community published by the Commission of the European Communities : a copy is in the Library.
Set-aside
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what information he has received on the effects of the set-aside scheme on employment in (a) farming and (b) agricultural suppliers ;
(2) what assessment he has made of the effects on rural unemployment in each region of successful set-aside scheme applications ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 15 December, at column 672.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of hectares registered for set-aside which will be (a) kept under natural grasses, (b) put to woodland and (c) used for non- agricultural purposes.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Under the set-aside scheme, applicants may opt to use set-aside land as fallow (with a green cover crop), for woodland (either under the farm woodland scheme or the woodland grant scheme) or for non-agricultural use. The following details of proposals by 1988 applicants are provisional, pending checking of all applications :
|Hectares
---------------------------------------
Permanent fallow |13,618
Rotational fallow |1,726
Woodland |460
Non-agricultural use |379
|------
Total |16,183
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the number of farmers in each region who have registered under the set-aside scheme, (b) how many hectares are involved in each region and (c) the total expressed as a percentage of available arable land.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is as follows. Hectarage details are provisional, pending checking of all registrations submitted. Regions are grouped in relation to the area organisation of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, since information is not available by local authority area.
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Regions |Registrations |Area of eligible land|Total holding area
|hectares |hectares
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highland (except Skye), Orkney, Shetland |376 |23,155 |97,202
Highland (Skye only), Western Isles,
Strathclyde (Argyll only) |13 |237 |9,031
Central Strathclyde (except Argyll),
Dumfries and Galloway |743 |29,939 |125,886
Borders, Lothian, Fife (West) |850 |95,182 |198,381
Tayside, Fife (North East) |1,412 |118,493 |291,945
Grampian |2,517 |133,408 |339,930
|------- |------- |-------
Total |5,911 |400,414 |1,062,375
The provisional total area of eligible land registered represents about 69 per cent. of all land used for the production of relevant arable crops in Scotland in 1988 (about 583,000 hectares). It should be noted that registration does not imply a commitment or intention to apply for set- aside at some future date. It simply reflects the response to widespread encouragement by the Department, the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and others to all farmers to lodge details of their 1988 cropping pattern this year while they could still be verified by the Department. This saves a farmer who might opt to join the scheme at a later date having to provide independently corroborated evidence of the 1988 pattern.
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Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the number of set-aside scheme applications received to date, (b) the number of farms affected in each region expressed as a percentage of the total and, (c) the number of hectares in each region affected, expressed as a percentage of the total.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers in Scotland have applied for the set-aside scheme ; how many hectares of land are involved ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is as follows.
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Regions Applications Area proposed for
set-aside
|Numbers |Percentage of total|Hectares |Percentage of total
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highland (except Skye), Orkney,
Shetland |38 |8.4 |1,524 |9.4
Highland (Skye only), Western Isles,
Strathclyde (Argyll only) |- |- |- |-
Central Strathclyde (except Argyll),
Dumfries and Galloway |41 |9.1 |1,642 |10.1
Borders, Lothian, Fife (West) |37 |8.2 |1,937 |12.0
Tayside, Fife (North East) |79 |17.6 |2,267 |14.0
Grampian |255 |56.7 |8,813 |54.5
|----- |----- |----- |-----
Total |450 |100.0 |16,183 |100.0
Suckler Cow Premium
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the reason for the decision to delay the payment of the suckler cow premiums ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Payments to 3,600 applicants amounting to almost £5 million are being issued today. We expect to make a further 2,000 payments valued at over £3 million later this week. This year the closing date for receipt of applications was put back from 30 November to 31 January. Applications are still being received by the Department and will continue to be processed as quickly as possible.
Diseased Salmon
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the dumping of diseased salmon in the Highlands and Islands area.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. and learned Friend is aware of current concern about possible environmental damage from dumping of diseased salmon.
Fishermen and fish farmers are responsible for the safe and environmentally appropriate disposal of any dead fish
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in consultation, as necessary, with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, river purification board or waste disposal authority.Dead fish from fish farms or areas which have been the subject of an order made under section 2 of the Diseases of Fish Act 1937, in respect of a notifiable disease, must be disposed of within 48 hours by incineration or, if this is not possible, buried with quicklime. The current guidance of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, in its code of practice for notifiable diseases, is kept under review, in consultation with the industry and other interests, in the light of experience to date.
Government Cars
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cars in the Government pool in Scotland, including Ministers' cars, are capable of taking unleaded petrol ; and how many of them still take only leaded petrol.
Mr. Rifkind : Of the 220 vehicles owned by the Scottish Office, including cars for ministerial use, 33 are capable of taking unleaded petrol without any engine adjustments ; a further 155 are in the process of being converted to run on unleaded petrol and 32 can still take only leaded petrol, although they will eventually be phased out of service.
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Cars provided for Ministers and others by the Government car service in Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.SDA (Property)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the total expenditure on development of the Scottish Development Agency property sites since its establishment, (b) what was the annual income claimed from those sites and (c) what is the current total value of these sites ; and if he will make a statement outlining the future plans for these sites with regard to ownership and management
post-reorganisation of the Scottish Development Agency functions.
Mr. Lang : Total expenditure on the development of the Scottish Development Agency's property sites since its establishment in 1975 is £462 million. Annual income in 1987-88 from the agency's property operation was £18.8 million. This figure excludes income from the sale of assets. The total value of the agency's property portfolio in 1987-88 was £158.685 million. The expenditure, income and value figures set out above do not relate to a constant set of physical assets, as the agency acquires and disposes of property in line with its statutory functions.
The agency is currently discussing with my Department proposals for the disposal of a significant proportion of its assets but no decisions have yet been made. The Government's White Paper "Scottish Enterprise" contains proposals for the exercise of the agency's property functions once Scottish Enterprise is set up. Consultations on the proposals are still under way.
Mining Persons
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the operation and success of the Monklands teenage refuge programme in Airdrie ; and whether he has plans to expand this service in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Monklands teenage refuge is part of the services developed by Strathclyde social work department to meet the special needs of young people in crisis. I understand that the department has monitored its operation and concluded that it meets successfully its aim to provide emergency short-stay accommodation for the older teenager. It is for social work authorities to assess the level and type of service or facilities for young people appropriate for their areas.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies have been carried out by his Department about the vulnerability of industrial companies based in Scotland to competition from other industries based in the south of England once the Channel tunnel comes into operation.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State has had meetings with the chairman of the British Rail Board on how to ensure that Scotland benefits fully from the Channel tunnel. British Rail are taking the views of a range of interested parties in Scotland
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including the CBI, STUC and relevant public sector organisations. The Scottish Development Agency has commissioned a report from consultants to consider the likely impact of the Channel tunnel on Scotland and ways in which the potential benefits can be maximised.Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that Scottish industry is served by fast and efficient rail services between Scotland and the Channel tunnel when it becomes operational ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has had meetings with the chairman of the British Rail Board on how to ensure that Scotland benefits fully from the Channel tunnel. The Scottish Development Agency has commissioned a report from consultants to consider the likely impact of the Channel tunnel on Scotland and ways in which the potential benefits can be maximised.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Scottish industrialists, trade unions and local authorities regarding the need to ensure that Scotland has reliable railway connections with the continent once the Channel tunnel comes into operation.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act requires British Rail to publish a plan by the end of 1989 setting out its proposals for international rail services through the tunnel. British Rail is consulting widely with interested parties in the regions over the preparation of this plan. In addition to this, in June this year, the Scottish Office organised jointly with ScotRail and the Confederation of British Industry a very successful conference on the opportunities which the tunnel could offer Scotland. A wide range of interested parties attended this conference and took part in the open forum including my hon. Friend the Minister for industry in Scotland.
NHS Grading
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the total number of appeals lodged at the last available date by nursing and midwifery staff in each regional health board area, against their new regrading ; and if he will show for each health board area, the percentage of appeals lodged per grade.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not held centrally. The number of formal appeals which will fall to be dealt with by health boards will not be known until initial reviews have been carried out of those cases where staff have notified an intention to appeal.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for the Lothian health region (a) the number of nurses and midwives assigned to each of the new grades, (b) the number of appeals lodged, (c) the estimated cost of meeting the initial regrading allocations and (d) the total allocation from central funds assigned to cover the cost of the new grading awards.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The numbers of nurses on the new clinical grades in Lothian health board are as follows :
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Grade |Number --------------------- A |2,239 B |214 C |446 D |1,502 E |1,892 F |311 G |1,170 H |220 I |158 Figures reflect the assimilation of posts based on duties and responsibilities as at 1 April 1988 and are correct as at 31 October 1988.
Information on appeals is not held centrally. The number of formal appeals to be heard by health boards will not be known until initial reviews have been completed of cases where staff have indicated they may wish to appeal.
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Separate health board estimates of the costs of implementing this year's nurses' pay award were not made. Supplementary allocations were based on national estimates and distributed to health boards in Scotland using the SHARE formula. Boards have been given an additional £93.433 million over and above their initial allocation for 1988-89 to allow them to meet the cost of the pay awards to nurses and other staff covered by the review bodies. Lothian health board's additional allocation amounts to £14.936 million.Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated into each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in Greater Glasgow health board.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Comprehensive details of the numbers of staff assimilated into each of the grades are as follows :
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Percentages
transferred to each new
clinical grade
Previous grade |Staff in post<1>|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Auxiliary |3,906.63 |95.5 |4.5 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital Staff (NNEB) |94.11 |- |90.4 |9.6 |- |- |- |- |- |-
-
Enrolled Nurse |1,870.85 |- |0.1 |46.6 |53.2 |0.1 |- |- |- |-
-
Enrolled District Nurse |74.39 |- |- |1.3 |98.7 |- |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled Nurse |144.83 |- |- |1.4 |96.5 |2.1 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |2,625.02 |- |- |- |31.7 |67.6 |0.7 |- |- |-
-
Staff Midwife |340.31 |- |- |- |0.9 |88.1 |11.0 |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |71.05 |- |- |- |86.4 |13.6 |- |- |-
Sister II |1,449.10 |- |- |- |- |- |71.7 |26.8 |1.5 |-
Sister II (Midwife) |179.67 |- |- |- |- |- |59.9 |39.5 |0.6 |-
District Nurse Sister II |411.40 |- |- |- |- |- |5.5 |93.9 |0.6 |-
Sister I |6.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |16.7 |83.3 |-
Sister I (Midwife) |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |- |-
Health Visitor |288.92 |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |- |-
Senior Nurse 8 |185.06 |- |- |- |- |- |- |8.1 |83.0 |8.9
Senior Nurse 8 (Midwife) |32.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |6.3 |87.5 |6.2
Senior Nurse 7 |47.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.1 |89.4 |8.5
Senior Nurse 7 (Midwife) |8.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |62.5 |37.5
Clinical Teacher |73.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Fieldwork Teacher |36.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Practical Work Teacher |35.97 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Tutor |104.36 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0
Tutor Midwife |18.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0
Post Basic Students
Enrolled Nurse |244.00 |- |- |100.0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |194.00 |- |- |- |100.0 |- |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sister II |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |12,443.97 |30.0 |2.1 |9.1 |18.0 |17.2 |9.9 |9.3 |3.2 |1.2
<1> Whole-time equivalents.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated into each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in Tayside health board.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : Comprehensive details of the numbers of staff assimilated to the new grades are given in the table.
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Percentages
transferred to each new
clinical grade
Previous Grade |Staff in Post<1>|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Auxiliary |1,579.40 |97.2 |2.8 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital Staff NNEB |22.50 |- |100.0 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Nurse |1,018.16 |- |- |61.3 |38.7 |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled District Nurse |8.00 |- |- |- |100.0 |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled Nurse |53.13 |- |- |- |36.4 |63.6 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |1,106.43 |- |- |- |10.9 |85.8 |3.3 |- |- |-
Staff Midwife |143.88 |- |- |- |- |71.3 |28.0 |0.7 |- |-
Deputy Sister |3.13 |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |- |- |-
Sister II |544.65 |- |- |- |- |- |45.2 |53.9 |0.9 |-
Sister II Midwife |43.80 |- |- |- |- |- |13.7 |86.3 |- |-
District Nurse Sister II |105.20 |- |- |- |- |- |2.4 |96.6 |1.0 |-
Sister I |8.90 |- |- |- |- |- |- |15.4 |84.6 |-
Sister I Midwife |1.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Health Visitor |106.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |98.1 |1.9 |-
Senior Nurse 8 |73.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |94.5 |5.5
Senior Nurse 8 Midwife |12.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Senior Nurse 7 |27.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |50.0 |50.0
Senior Nurse 7 Midwife |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Clinical Teacher |35.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Fieldwork Teacher |13.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Practical Work Teacher |10.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0 |-
Tutor |28.60 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0
Tutor Midwife |6.0 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |100.0
Post Basic Students
Enrolled Nurse |62.00 |- |- |100.0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |55.00 |- |- |- |78.2 |20.0 |1.8 |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |0.80 |- |- |- |- |100.0 |- |- |- |-
Sister II |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |50.0 |50.0 |- |-
Others |4.00 |- |- |- |- |50.0 |25.0 |- |25.0 |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |5,074.63 |30.2 |1.3 |13.5 |11.5 |21.7 |6.8 |10.7 |3.2 |1.1
<1> Whole-time equivalents
Forestry
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Moray of 6 December, Official Report, column 116, if he will list (a) the names of the organisations and individuals who wrote to him about forestry policy, (b) which aspects of present support arrangements were drawn to the Government's attention, (c) whether or not the organisations involved considered that the Government's annual planting target of 33,000 new hectares would be met in future years, (d) what proposals they urged the Government to adopt with regard to forestry policy and (e) what opinions they expressed concerning the Government's commitment to the continuing expansion of forestry.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Most of the correspondents wrote in confidence to my right hon. and learned Friend. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to name them or to reveal the contents of their letters.
Fish Farming
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has now completed his review of the consultative procedures operated by the Crown Estate Commissioners prior to the granting of a seabed lease for marine fish farming ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Rifkind : I have now completed my review of the Crown Estate Commissioners' consultative procedures for the granting of seabed leases and I am able to announce my conclusions. Discussions have taken place with a range of bodies, statutory and non-statutory, with interests in conservation and in the development of the fish farming industry. We received a number of written representations, and a number of bodies also produced reports on various aspects of the fish farming industry during the period of our review. Among those who submitted views were Highland regional council, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Countryside Commission for Scotland, the Nature Conservancy Council, the fish farming committee of the National Farmers Union of Scotland and Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link.
There was general agreement that the extensive consultation arrangements introduced by the commissioners two years ago were working well, and enabled all those with an interest in a lease application to make their views known. Some bodies argued that existing procedures gave insufficient opportunity for contentious cases to be discussed, and criticised the lack of an overall strategy for the development of the industry, against which individual lease applications could be assessed. The local authorities contended that marine fish farming should be brought into the planning system, so that decisions could be reached more openly by elected bodies and be subject to the existing appeal arrangements. Although some concern was expressed about the risks to the marine environment of intensive fish farm development, there was little criticism of the handling of particular applications by the
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commissioners and a general recognition that the industry had brought immense benefits to many areas where alternative employment opportunities are scarce.The Government have reviewed carefully the case for the extension of planning control, as we did some years ago following the report of the Montgomery committee. Having studied the evidence, we have concluded that a convincing case has not been made for an extension. We are satisfied that the commissioners have handled efficiently the rapid increase in the number of lease applications and have taken proper account of the relevant factors in reaching their decisions. Last year they produced guidelines for the siting and design of fish farms, and have been working on an expanded version of this document. A draft of this will shortly be the subject of consultations with interested parties. They have supplemented the resources they devote to the monitoring of existing developments. The introduction of planning control would require primary legislation, and raise difficult issues concerning the range of other offshore development to be covered by planning control. In addition, a successful applicant for planning consent for a fish farm could still be refused a lease by the commissioners as owners of the seabed in territorial waters.
We accept, however, that steps should be taken to enable contentious cases to be discussed more fully and to introduce an independent element into the decision-making process on such cases. I have therefore agreed with the commissioners that they will establish an advisory committee, to consider lease applications referred to it. The chairman and deputy chairman of the advisory committee will be appointed by me and the following statutory bodies will be invited to participate as members of the committee : the relevant district or general planning authority, the Countryside Commission for Scotland, the Nature Conservancy Council, the Highlands and Islands development board, the relevant river purification authority and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland. The committee will meet as frequently as is necessary to consider expeditiously cases referred to it.
Cases will be referred to the advisory committee where the decision which the commissioners propose to reach on a lease application encounters objections from one or more of the statutory bodies represented on the committee which cannot otherwise be resolved. The commissioners may also choose to put to the committee cases in other circumstances where they consider that they would find the advice of the committee of assistance. Applications for less than 3,000 sq m in cage area or in sea area for shellfish leases will not normally be put before the committee,
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unless they are for areas regarded as very sensitive. These very sensitive areas were first identified in the guidelines published last year and are being expanded in the current revision of the guidelines. The chairman of the committee will report to the commissioners the outcome of the committee's discussions and will make a recommendation as to whether a lease should be granted. The commissioners will take full account of that recommendation in making their decision on the lease.Should the committee decide that any case raises particularly difficult or wide-ranging issues it will be open to the chairman to advise the commissioners to refer the case to me for my advice before a decision is taken. The commissioners have undertaken that where such a recommendation is made they will refer the case to me and take particular account of my advice in reaching their decision. The commissioners will issue further guidance about the operation of the advisory committee in due course. The new procedures will come into effect as soon as the committee has been established, and I hope to announce the appointments of the chairman and deputy chairman as soon as possible.
During our consultations a number of representations were made suggesting that insufficient information was available about existing fish farm leases from the commissioners. Several bodies also complained that detailed reasoning was not given for decisions made on leases. The commissioners have assured me that full information is being made widely available about the numbers and locations of leases granted and that they will expand the reasoning for decisions in controversial cases.
I believe the new procedures I have outlined will enable the fish farming industry to look forward confidently to the future and will reassure those bodies who have expressed concern about the development of the industry that the environmental aspects of new developments will continue to be considered with particular care. The Crown Estate Commissioners have responded well to the needs of a rapidly growing industry. The new advisory committee procedures are designed to assist them in that task by facilitating discussion of difficult cases and by enabling me to advise on particular contentious applications. While the new procedures may mean that some applications take longer to resolve, I do not expect that a large number of applications will be referred to the committee, or to me. The Government wish to see the industry build on its successful development to date, while ensuring that the unique scenic and nature conservation values of the Highlands and Islands are protected.
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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Land Registry (Plymouth)
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Attorney-General how many applications are currently awaiting first registration at the Plymouth land registry office ; what is the average time in completing these registrations ; what measures are being introduced to alleviate these delays ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : There are currently 37,664 applications awaiting first registration at the Plymouth district land registry. The current average completion time is 40 weeks. This is six weeks less than the average time at the end of October because additional staff have been recruited and trained and more staff-time is now being allocated to first registrations. It is hoped that this improvement will continue.
Extradition Warrants
Mr. Stanbrook : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all cases where extradition warrants for persons accused of terrorist offences have been issued in the United Kingdom for execution in the Republic of Ireland during the past five years, showing the stage reached or final result in each case.
The Attorney-General : I refer my hon. Friend to answers given on 8 and on 13 December 1988 by my hon. Friends the Ministers of State for the Home Office, the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office. Since their answers were given, one request for extradition made this year to the Republic of Ireland, in the case of Patrick Ryan, has been refused.
Warrants issued in the United Kingdom for the arrests of 23 fugitives believed to be in the Republic of Ireland now are outstanding ; but I do not think that it would be in the public interest to specify how many of these warrants have been issued in connection with terrorist offences.
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Mr. Marlow : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each of the applications that he has made to the Republic of Ireland for the extradition of suspects on terrorist charges over the last five years, setting out in each case whether the outcome was successful and, where not successful, why it was not successful, and indicating in each case whether the process was completed before or after the ratification of the Anglo- Irish Agreement.
The Attorney-General : I refer my hon. Friend to answers given on 8 and on 13 December 1988 by my hon. Friends the Ministers of State for the Home Office, the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office. The Anglo -Irish Agreement took effect on 24 November 1985. Since their answers were given, one request for extradition made this year to the Republic of Ireland, in the case of Patrick Ryan, has been refused.
Warrants issued in the United Kingdom for the arrests of 23 fugitives believed to be in the Republic of Ireland now are outstanding ; but I do not think it would be in the public interest to specify how many of these warrants have been issued in connection with terrorist offences.
Terrorists
Mr. Stanbrook : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the names of defendants and the crimes alleged against them in all cases where the provisions of the Republic of Ireland's Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 and the United Kingdom's Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 have been invoked, showing the stage reached or final result in each case and particularising those cases involving alleged terrorist offences.
The Attorney-General : Since the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 came into force, the following persons have been tried in the United Kingdom for offences allegedly committed in the Republic of Ireland, with the results shown :
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Names |Crime |Result
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerard Patrick Fearon |Murder |Convicted. Life imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (1) |Acquitted
|Possessing firearms (2) |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
|Causing grievious bodily |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
| harm
Thomas Patrick Morgan |Murder |Convicted. Detention at discretion of
| Secretary of State
|Possessing firearms (1) |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (2) |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
|Causing grievious bodily |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
| harm
Daniel Joseph O'Rourke |Murder |Convicted of manslaughter. 10 years
| imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (1) |Acquitted
|Possessing firearms (2) |Acquitted
|Causing grievious bodily |Acquitted
| harm
Francis Joseph Gormley |Murder |Convicted. Life imprisonment
Owen McCartan Smyth |Counselling/procuring |Acquitted
| murder
Mark Gerard Hannigan |Attempted murder |Acquitted
|Conspiracy to murder |Convicted. 10 years imprisonment
|Wounding |Convicted. 12 years imprisonment
Francis Pius Callaghan |Possessing explosives (1) |Convicted. 4 years imprisonment
|Possessing explosives (2) |Left on file
|Possessing firearms (1) |Convicted. 2 years imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (2) |Left on file
Patrick Francis Ward |Possessing explosives (1) |Left on file
|Possessing explosives (2) |Left on file
|Possessing firearms (1) |Left on file
|Possessing firearms (2) |Convicted. 2 years imprisonment suspen-
|ded for 2 years
Neill Joseph Patterson |Causing ex- |Jury discharged
|plosion
|Conspiracy to cause explosion |Jury discharged
|Possessing explosives |Jury discharged
Gabriel Peter McCormack |Conspiracy to murder |Convicted. 7 years imprisonment
|Aid/abet causing explosion |Convicted. 7 years imprisonment
|Possessing explosives (1) |Convicted. 7yYears imprisonment
|Possessing explosives (2) |Left on file
|Possessing firearms (1) |Convicted. 7 years imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (2) |Left on file
Eamon Collins |Causing explosion |Acquitted
|Counselling/procuring |Acquitted
| murder
|Conspiracy to murder |Acquitted
|Causing explosion (1) |Acquitted
|Causing explosion (2) |Acquitted
|Causing explosion (3) |Acquitted
|Causing explosion (4) |Acquitted
|Causing explosion (5) |Acquitted
|Causing explosion (6) |Left on file
|Causing explosion (7) |Acquitted
|Possessing explosives |Acquitted
Christopher Fergus Patrick Ellis |Conspiracy to murder |Acquitted
|Possessing firearms (1) |Convicted. 8 years imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (2) |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
|Possessing firearms (3) |Left on file
|Possessing firearms (4) |Left on file
Francis Edward Orr |Conspiracy to commit |Convicted. 8 years imprisonment
|arson
|Attempted arson (1) |Convicted. 6 years imprisonment
|Attempted arson (2) |Convicted. 6 years imprisonment
|Attempted arson (3) |Convicted. 6 years imprisonment80
|Attempted arson (4) |Convicted. 6 years imprisonment
Roy Clements |(As for Orr) |(As for Orr)
Raymond Verner |(As for Orr) |(As for Orr)
Gerard Peter McKenna |Possessing explosives (1) |Convicted. 3 years imprisonment
|Possessing explosives (2) |Left on file
Note:
The last of these trials took place in 1987.
As far as the United Kingdom prosecuting authorities are aware, since the Irish Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 came into force, the following persons have been
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tried in the Republic of Ireland for offences allegedly committed in the United Kingdom, with the results shown :Column 93
Names |Crime |Result
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Lynagh |Murder |Acquitted
Aiden McGurk |Murder |Acquitted
Laurence McNally |Murder |Acquitted
Robert Joseph Campbell |Escape |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment
|Shooting to avoid arrest |Convicted. 10 years imprisonment
|Use of firearm in escape |Convicted. 8 years imprisonment
| (1)
|Use of firearm in escape |Convicted. 8 years imprisonment
| (2)
|Possessing firearm |Convicted. 8 years imprisonment
Michael James Ryan |(As for Campbell) |(As for Campbell)
Michael Anthony McKee |(As for Campbell) |(As for Campbell)
Anthony Gerald Sloan |(As for Campbell) |(As for Campbell)
Paul Patrick Magee |(As for Campbell) |(As for Campbell)
Angelo Fusco |(As for Campbell) |(As for Campbell)
Gerald Anthony Tuite |Possessing explosives |Convicted. 10 years imprisonment
Eilish Flynn |Possessing firearms |Convicted. 5 years imprisonment suspended
Seamus Soraghan |Murder |Convicted. Life imprisonment
Note: The last of these trials took place in 1983.
On 24 November I invited the Irish Attorney-General to give consideration to the prosecution in the Republic of Ireland of Gerard Michael Sloan for offences in the United Kingdom of escape and of using firearms in the course of an escape from lawful custody. I understand that charges have since been preferred against him.
EMPLOYMENT
YTS
79. Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have come to the end of their bridging allowance without the offer of a YTS place.
80. Mr. Allen Adams : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have come to the end of their bridging allowance without the offer of a YTS place.
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