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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : As Highland regional council's structure plan review is only at the consultative draft stage this proposed policy concerning skiing at Cairngorm has not yet been submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend for his approval. Only when the council has considered the representations submitted to it in response to its consultative draft will it formally submit the structure plan to my right hon. and learned Friend for
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his approval. There is then a statutory period during which objections to the plan can be made. In view of the role which my right hon. and learned Friend will have to play in the future consideration of the plan he cannot at this stage comment on policy No. 53 in the consultative draft.Nurse Grading
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if nurses who commenced post-registration training on or after 1 April 1988 have the right of appeal over their recent clinical grading ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : All nurses assimilated to the new clinical grading structure last year--including post-registration students--have the right to appeal under the agreed Whitley procedures.
Porcine Somatotropin
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has concerning the use of porcine somatotropin in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Limited trials on the use of porcine somatotropin were carried out in Scotland up to 1988 under an animal test certificate (ATC) issued by MAFF. This ATC has now expired and, as no product licence has subsequently been issued, it would be illegal to sell or supply porcine somatotropin in Scotland, as it would be elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Child Abuse
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what Government-funded research into the sexual abuse of children (a) has taken place since 1979, (b) is currently taking place and (c) is under consideration, giving the cost of each project listed.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : In recent years the Scottish Office has funded or contributed to the funding of three research projects on the subject of child abuse, two of which included aspects of child sexual abuse and a third which focused specifically on that problem. Details of the projects and their costs, and of further research currently under consideration, are as follows :
Research undertaken since 1979
1. Dr. A. Boddy and Mr. D. Gough : University of Glasgow, "Child abuse interventions : a review of the research literature". Total cost £23,000. (Funded by the Department of Health and Social Security with a Scottish Office contribution ; project completed.) 2. Dr. A. Boddy and Mr. D. Gough : University of Glasgow, "A longitudinal study of child abuse in Glasgow". Total cost £80,000. (Research completed ; final report awaited.)
Research currently taking place
3. Mrs. L. Waterhouse : University of Edinburgh, "Management of intra- familial child sexual abuse". Total cost £69,400.
4. A research brief inviting bids to undertake research into child sexual abuse, issued on 28 February 1989, has resulted in four proposals which are under consideration. Estimated cost £100,000.
Sand Eels
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, columns 561-562, he will state the critical level of spawning stock size for Shetland sand eels, below which recruitment will be affected by the abundance of spawning fish ; and how this is estimated.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is not possible to state precisely the critical size of spawning stock required to protect recruitment from stock- related effects. However it seems unlikely that it is higher than the lowest recorded level that has produced average recruitment or better. For the Shetland stocks, that suggests a spawning stock biomass of around 20,000 tonnes.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made as to whether
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the voluntary measures taken by Shetland fishermen to reduce catches of young sand eels are likely to conserve stocks of O group and 1 group sand eels ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Michael Forsyth : Estimates of the abundance of young O group sand eels are based on the accumulated catches of the respective year class in successive years, and it will therefore be two or three years before a full assessment of the effects of the voluntary measures is possible. Landing samples have revealed a very low incidence of very small sand eels in 1987 and 1988 catches but this could be due to the effects of the voluntary restrictions, or to low levels of recruitment of young sand eels, or to both.
Recent scientific data support the earlier view that the decline in stocks is likely to be due primarily to recent low levels of recruitment rather than the effects of the fishery. However, given current concern about the health of the stocks, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has today announced proposals to introduce statutory controls on sand eel fisheries in Scottish inshore waters. Comments on the proposals are being invited from interested parties.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the total catch by weight, fishing effort and proportions of both O group and 1 group fish, by weight, for the Minch sand eel fishery since 1980.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information requested for ICES division VIa (West of Scotland including the Minch) is as follows :
Total catch Fishing effort Percentage (by weight)
|(tonnes) |(Days fishing)|O group |1 Group
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |180 |26 |30 |46
1981 |5,972 |303 |21 |33
1982 |10,786 |588 |15 |13
1983 |13,051 |447 |34 |20
1984 |14,166 |446 |13 |28
1985 |18,586 |475 |22 |3
1986 |24,469 |530 |21 |33
1987 |14,479 |290 |11 |52
1988 |24,465 |455 |3 |4
Computer Consultants
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount spent by the Scottish Development Agency in 1988 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; and if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Scottish Development Agency in 1988, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.
Mr. Lang : Expenditure by the Scottish Development Agency on management and computer consultancy contracts in the year to 31 March 1989 amounted to £5,925,311. This includes fees for research and development, advisory services, appraisal and administration, such as tax and accounting advice, pension and legal consultancies, as well as management and computer consultancies.
A detailed breakdown comprising the names of companies which have been successfully tendered for contracts and the subject of these assignments cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate expense.
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Working for Patients"
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total cost for the launch of the White Paper "Working for Patients", itemising as far as possible the cost in respect of each specific part.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 16 February 1989.
Ambulance Services
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has given any directive to the Common Services Agency in respect of competitive tendering for non-emergency ambulance services in Scotland ; and what is his policy as to whether such services should be put out to private tender.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galbraith) on 20 July 1988 at column 509 .
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what change there has been in the demands upon the ambulance service in the Highlands and Islands following the recent changes in the Highland and Islands hospital patients travel scheme.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The demand for ambulance transport in the Highland and Western Isles area has shown a decline since the changes to the patients' travel expenses scheme, which came into effect on 11 April 1988.
Woodland Grants
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions the Forestry Commission awarded grants under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme in Scotland, between the inception in 1985 and closure in 1988 ; and on how many occasions the grant of £100 was for obtaining professional advice in the preparation of a plan of operations under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme awarded.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : To date, the Forestry Commission has approved 1,257 applications for grant under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme in Scotland. The grant of £100 has been paid on 158 of these applications.
New Towns
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the organisations and bodies which have responded to the consultation document, "The Scottish New Towns--Maintaining the Momentum."
Mr. Lang : The following are the organisations and bodies which have responded to the consultation document :
Abron Community Council (Cumbernauld)
Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston Enterprise Trust
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
Ayrshire Chamber of Industries
Barclay and Cameron Way Residents Association (Livingston) Bathgate Area Support for Enterprise Ltd (BASE)
Beckman Industrial Ltd
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Bellsquarry Community Council (Livingston)Broomlands and Bourtreehill Residents Assocition
Busby East Church
Calderwood Community Council
Church of Scotland Department of Ministry and Mission
City of Glasgow District Council
Coleman Ballantine Architects, Glasgow
Collydean Residents/Tenants Association (Glenrothes)
Condorrat Community Council (Cumbernauld)
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Craigshill Initiative (Livingston)
Crofthead Farm Community Centre
Cumbernauld Business Associations
Cumbernauld Citizens Advice Bureau
Cumbernauld Development Corporation
Cumbernauld and District Trades Council
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Constituency Association Scottish National Party
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Constituency Labour Party
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth District Council
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Enterprise Trust
Cumbernauld Ministers' Fraternal
Cumbernauld Theatre Trust Ltd
Cunninghame District Council
Deans Community High School (Livingston)
Deans and District Labour Party (Livingston)
Deans Senior Citizens' Club (Livingston)
Dedridge Community Council (Livingston)
Donaldsons
Dreghorn (IDC) Tenants/Residents Association
Dundee and Tayside Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Fife Branch East Kilbride Central Branch, Scottish National Party
East Kilbride Chamber of Commerce
East Kilbride Christian Council
East Kilbride Citizens Advice Bureau
East Kilbride Development Corporation
East Kilbride District Council
East Kilbride Fabian Society
East Kilbride Old Parish Church
East Kilbride Residents Federation
East Kilbride Voluntary Organisation's Council
Fife Regional Council
Fraser and Partner, Business Managers, Glenrothes
Girdle Toll and Bourtreehill Community Council (Cumbernauld) Glenrothes Development Agency
Glenrothes Development Corporation
Glenrothes Enterprise Trust Ltd.
Glenrothes Residents Council
Greenhills East Resident Association
Hamilton District Council
Housing Architects Group Irvine Development Corporation Institute of Housing in Scotland
Institute of Civil Engineers
Inveralmond Community High School
Irvine Development Corporation
Kildrum Parish Church
King and Co.
Kirkcaldy District Council
Knightsridge Community Council (Livingston)
Knightsridge West Residents Association (Livingston)
Labour Party Scottish Council
Landscape Institute Scotland
Livingston Constituency Labour Party
Livingston Development Corporation
Livingston East Branch, Scottish National Party
Livingston Ecumenical Parish
Livingston Federation of Residents and Tenants Association Livingston Industrial and Commercial Association
Livingston Justice and Peace Group
Livingston Voluntary Organisations Council
Livingston YWCA
Lothian Regional Council
Motherwell District Council
Murieston Residents' Association (Livingston)
Murray Community Council
National Mobility Office
National and Local Government Officers Association (NALGO)
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