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Old People's Homes
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by (a) region and (b) district the number of old people in homes in Scotland (i) in the private sector, (ii) in the voluntary sector and (iii) run by local authorities.
Mr. Lang : Information for 1988, the latest year available, is set out in the following table :
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Residents in homes for the elderly by district/region at 31
March 1988
------------------------------------------------------------
Berwickshire |51 |- |18
Ettrick and Lauderdale |103 |29 |20
Roxburgh |105 |36 |42
Tweeddale |74 |- |34
|-------|-------|-------
Borders region |333 |65 |114
Clackmannan |40 |37 |-
Falkirk |200 |17 |23
Stirling |189 |121 |52
|-------|-------|-------
Central region |429 |175 |75
Annandale and Eskdale |43 |56 |80
Nithsdale |99 |30 |20
Stewartry |92 |- |20
Wigtown |87 |27 |5
|-------|-------|-------
Dumfries and Galloway |321 |113 |125
Dunfermline |235 |- |102
Kirkcaldy |300 |60 |91
North East Fife |92 |129 |28
|-------|-------|-------
Fife region |627 |189 |221
Aberdeen city |400 |400 |49
Banff and Buchan |170 |- |77
Gordon |97 |71 |-
Kincardine and Deeside |80 |77 |67
Moray |180 |69 |54
|-------|-------|-------
Grampian region |927 |617 |247
Badenoch and Strathspey |24 |- |13
Caithness |85 |25 |-
Inverness |83 |26 |47
Lochaber |58 |- |24
Nairn |33 |33 |18
Ross and Cromarty |117 |34 |72
Skye and Lochalsh |- |36 |4
Sutherland |33 |19 |-
|-------|-------|-------
Highland region |433 |173 |178
East Lothian |202 |97 |42
Edinburgh |630 |589 |214
Midlothian |156 |80 |30
West Lothian |202 |- |-
|-------|-------|-------
Lothian region |1,190 |766 |286
Argyll and Bute |175 |106 |194
Dumbarton |169 |55 |105
Glasgow |1,486 |494 |134
Clydebank |103 |- |-
Bearsden and Milngavie |- |40 |-
Strathkelvin |78 |27 |-
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |59 |- |-
Monklands |182 |- |40
Motherwell |192 |- |44
Hamilton |243 |39 |-
East Kilbride |68 |5 |-
Eastwood |42 |100 |-
Clydesdale |58 |- |-
Renfrew |348 |83 |8
Inverclyde |79 |148 |53
Cunninghame |128 |91 |139
Kilmarnock and Louden |155 |91 |42
Kyle and Carrick |164 |55 |74
Cumnock and Doon Valley |26 |- |-
|-------|-------|-------
Strathclyde region |3,755 |1,334 |833
Angus |247 |44 |213
Dundee city |510 |234 |154
Perth and Kinross |229 |316 |258
|-------|-------|-------
Tayside region |986 |594 |625
Orkney Islands |69 |- |17
Shetland Islands |68 |16 |-
Western Isles |186 |- |10
|-------|-------|-------
Islands councils |323 |16 |27
|-------|-------|-------
Scotland |9,324 |2,731 |4,042
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by (a) region and (b) district the number of old people's homes in private ownership in Scotland in (i) 1980, (ii) 1985, (iii) 1987 and (iv) 1989.
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Mr. Lang : Information in the form requested is not held for 1980 and no information after 1988 is available yet. Figures for that year and for 1985 and 1987 are given in the following table :
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Number of Private Homes for the
Elderly by District/Region
|1985
--------------------------------------
Berwickshire |-
Ettrick and Lauderdale |1
Roxburgh |-
Tweeddale |1
|--
Borders Region |2
Clackmannan |-
Falkirk |2
Stirling |3
|--
Central Region |5
Annandale and Eskdale |1
Nithsdale |1
Stewartry |1
Wigtown |-
|--
Dumfries and Galloway |3
Dunfermline |3
Kirkcaldy |2
North East Fife |3
|--
Fife Region |8
Aberdeen City |1
Banff and Buchan |-
Gordon |-
Kincardine and Deeside |2
Moray |2
|--
Grampian Region |5
Badenoch and/Strathspey |1
Caithness |-
Inverness |1
Lochaber |-
Nairn |-
Ross and Cromarty |-
Skye and Lochalsh |-
Sutherland |-
|--
Highland Region |2
East Lothian |1
Edinburgh |8
Midlothian |-
West Lothian |-
|--
Lothian Region |9
Argyll and Bute |3
Dumbarton |2
Glasgow |2
Clydebank |-
Bearsden and Milngavie |-
Strathkelvin |-
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |-
Monklands |-
Motherwell |-
Hamilton |1
East Kilbride |-
Eastwood |-
Clydesdale |-
Renfrew |-
Inverclyde |-
Cunninghame |5
Kilmarnock and Louden |-
Kyle and Carrick |1
Cumnock and Doon Valley |-
|--
Strathclyde |14
Angus |4
Dundee City |-
Perth and Kinross |8
|--
Tayside Region |12
Orkney Islands |-
Shetland Islands |-
Western Isles |-
|--
Islands Councils |-
|--
Scotland |60
Year |Number
1980 |379
1981 |321
1982 |326
1983 |291
1984 |229
1985 |199
1986 |160
1987 |156
1988 |132
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the charities currently subsidising old people in private sector homes in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : No information is collected on this, which is a wholly private matter for the residents themselves.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the investment made by international companies in old people's homes in Scotland ; and what were the comparable figures in (a) 1985 and (b) 1988.
Mr. Lang : No information on this subject is held centrally. Financial arrangements for private developments of this kind are a matter of the proprietors themselves.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the weekly average cost for (i) a single room and (ii) shared accommodation in old people's homes in the private sector in Scotland in (a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1986, (d) 1987, (e) 1988 and (f) 1989.
Mr. Lang : Information in the form requested is not held centrally. The weekly average charge for residents in private homes was £149 in 1987 and £158 in 1988.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding old people's homes in private ownership in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : I have received 12 representations in the last three years. They covered specific issues, such as standards and charges, as well as more general issues. Responsibility for the registration and inspection of residential homes rests with regional and islands councils.
Airports
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has submitted evidence to the review of Scottish lowland airports policy.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No. However, before any decision is taken on the future shape of Government policy for Scottish lowland airports my right hon. and learned Friend will be fully involved in considering all the written comments submitted in response to the Department of Transport consultation document.
Wildlife and Countryside Act
Mr. Gould : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to repeal or amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 insofar as it relates to Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No substantive amendments are planned for the Wildlife and Countryside Act
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1981 so far as it affects Scotland, though some technical and consequential amendments will be needed for the creation of a separate Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland.Scottish Arts
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the fundings of Scottish Arts in 1990-91 is for (a) provisions for maintenance, repair and refurbishment of galleries and museums and (b) an increase in real terms of provision for activities of art groups and institutions.
Mr. Lang : I will write to the hon. Gentleman.
Natural Heritage Agency
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he estimates that a single natural heritage agency will be established in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Environmental Protection Bill which will shortly come before Parliament provides inter alia for the establishment of a Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland. It is our intention to establish the proposed natural heritage agency by subsequent legislation.
Health Service (Information Requirements)
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to support information and information technology requirements arising out of the proposals in "Working for Patients" and "Promoting Better Health".
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Advice to health boards on priorities will be issued as appropriate. In addition to their normal financial allocations health boards will be able to bid for centrally held resources.
Adoption
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many babies were adopted in Scotland, for any convenient periods in the period of 1980 to 1989.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 27 November 1989] : The numbers of children under 12 months old adopted in Scotland in the years 1980 to 1988 are as follows :
Table file CW891204.031 not available
Corresponding figures for 1989 (to date) are not yet available.
School Boards
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parents have to take part in by-elections for school boards in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.
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Mr. Lang [holding answer 30 November 1989] : All parents in schools where by-elections take place are entitled to take part. There is no compulsion to do so.
TRANSPORT
Toll Roads
12. Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is with regard to the use of tolls on the road infrastructure network ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : Tolls have been levied to finance certain costly estuarial crossings which provide exceptional benefits for users. In addition, tolls will be a means of paying for privately-financed roads.
Channel Tunnel (Freight Terminal)
13. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from British Rail concerning a freight terminal for Channel tunnel trade in the north-west of England.
Mr. Parkinson : British Rail is required by law to publish a plan setting out its proposals for passenger and freight services from the Channel tunnel to each region of the country. I have no doubt that this plan will have something concrete to say about a freight terminal in the north-west.
Wheel Clamping
14. Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there has been any reduction in illegal parking on double yellow lines following the introduction of wheel clamping as a method of parking enforcement.
Mr. Atkins : The level of illegal parking on double yellow lines is not separately recorded. Studies since 1983 in central London have shown that illegal parking on yellow lines generally has halved since the introduction of wheel clamping.
Speed Limit
15. Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the 70 mph speed limit.
Mr. Atkins : The representations I get are divided between setting lower speed limits and setting higher ones. I see no reason to change the present 70 mph on motorways and high speed roads.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to alter the maximum speed limit on motorways and other non- residential roads.
Mr. Atkins : I have no such plans. The representations I get are divided between setting lower speed limits and setting higher ones. I see no reason to change the present limits on motorways and other non- residential roads.
Second Channel Tunnel
16. Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to encourage the building of a second Channel tunnel.
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Mr. Parkinson : Eurotunnel is required by the concession agreement to put forward by the year 2000 plans for a drive- through link to be constructed when technical and economic conditions permit.Border Routes
17. Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the further provision of dual carriageway cross-border routes in the north-east as they connect with the Scottish road networks south of Edinburgh.
18. Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to make the A1 a dual carriageway up to the Scottish border.
Mr. Atkins : An improvement scheme for dualling a section of the A1 at Cawledge, south of Alnwick, was recently completed and opened to traffic.
Other dual carriageway proposals in the road programme for the A1 north of Morpeth are the Brownieside improvement and Marshall Meadows to the Scottish border improvement. On current planning the start of works on these schemes is scheduled for the spring of 1991.
One-man Bridge Operation
19. Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the Department's one-man bridge operation at night project ; and if he will make a statement about the origin of the funding for this scheme.
Mr. McLoughlin : The first phase of the project has been completed and a second phase is being considered. It has been funded from the Department's marine directorate research budget.
Lockerbie Air Disaster
20. Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce a public inquiry into the Lockerbie air disaster and related events ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Parkinson : My right hon., noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has stated that there can be no question of an inquiry in public while the police investigation continues, as a public inquiry would interfere with that investigation and perhaps prejudice its outcome. I explained this to the representatives of the victims' families when I met them in September, and I believe they understood the position.
Road Users and the Law"
21. Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the Government's White Paper, "Road Users and the Law"; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : As I told the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Hayward) on 23 November, preparation of the legislative changes is well advanced. We have issued consultation papers on driver re-testing, vehicle prohibition and the use of technology for enforcement. This legislation will be brought forward as soon as time is available.
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We have already taken powers to extend the high risk offenders scheme and are consulting the police and other interested organisations on improvements to the operation of the road traffic legal system which do not require changes to the law.Road Speed Law
23. Mr. Bidwell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will launch a national campaign for the strict observation of road speed law.
Mr. Atkins : Speed limits are set for the protection of all road users. Every driver should observe them responsibly without special campaigns : sensible drivers go at lower speeds when it is foggy, dark or raining and adopt a safe driving distance from other vehicles. In residential areas, we welcome and encourage the engineering measures that local authorities are taking to slow vehicles to safe speeds.
Traffic-calming Measures
24. Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take on the introduction of traffic-calming measures.
Mr. Atkins : We have done much to develop approaches to traffic calming in recent years. We encourage local highway authorities to consider the opportunities for traffic calming measures in their general planning of highways investment. We are looking into the possibility of earmarking funds for the implementation of local road safety schemes, some of which can include traffic calming.
Channel Tunnel
22. Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he is discussing to provide rail links from the Channel tunnel to ports in the south and west of Great Britain.
Mr. Parkinson : There are already rail links between the site of the Channel tunnel entrance and most ports in the south and west. British rail will be setting out its current proposals for passenger and freight services in the plan which it will shortly be publishing, in compliance with section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987.
25. Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the high-speed railway line to the Channel tunnel.
48. Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the high-speed railway line to the Channel tunnel.
Mr. Parkinson : It is now for British Rail and its chosen partner, Eurorail, to take this project forward.
26. Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail over the provision of through passenger and freight services from the north of the country to Europe through the Channel tunnel.
38. Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail about plans to link the Channel tunnel with routes north of London.
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79. Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what rail facilities will be provided in Liverpool in preparation for the opening of the Channel tunnel.Mr. Parkinson : It is British Rail's responsibility to set out its proposals in the plan which it will shortly be publishing, in compliance with section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987. I await with interest the publication of the board's proposals.
62. Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government will now give financial support to British Rail to assist with the environmental costs of the strategic Channel tunnel rail link.
Mr. Portillo : It is for the joint venturers to provide in the project for the high standard on environmental protection which they think will satisfy Parliament.
72. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received seeking regional passenger and freight rail links to the Channel tunnel.
Mr. Portillo : We receive a number of representations from time to time from hon. Members and others.
84. Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the construction of the Channel tunnel high-speed rail link.
90. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on British Rail, Eurorail and developments in the Channel tunnel high speed link.
Mr. Portillo : My right hon. Friend made an announcement on Friday 3 November.
54. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve the road and rail links between the Channel tunnel and Yorkshire.
Mr. Portillo : There are a number of major schemes in the road programme which will improve access between Yorkshire and the Channel tunnel. British Rail is about to publish its plan setting out its proposals for international services to regions outside the south east.
73. Mr. Aitken : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the co-chairmen of Eurotunnel plc ; if the financial viability of the project was discussed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : My right hon. Friend last met the United Kingdom co- chairman of Eurotunnel at the ceremony to mark the breakthrough of the landward service tunnel on 9 November. Eurotunnel has announced that increasing costs will require additional funding. I understand that it is discussing the figures with its contractors and bankers.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy to consider alternative routes for the Channel tunnel rail link to London in addition to proposals put forward by British Rail ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to study the viability of developing Stratford as the main London transit point of the Channel tunnel rail link in comparison with the existing British Rail proposals.
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Mr. Portillo : British Rail is statutorily responsible for providing rail services in Great Britain and planning new ones. It also holds the rights to through train paths in the Channel tunnel on which it has contractual agreements with Eurotunnel and French Railways. A Channel tunnel rail link will require the participation of British Rail. Anyone is free to suggest alternatives to British Rail's proposals. However, I accept that now that BR and Eurorail have announced their preferred route through Kent and terminal in London it will not be practicable for them to devote great efforts to examining other proposals. It will be for Parliament to decide whether the route can be accepted.
Bus Industry
27. Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new jobs have been created in the private sector bus industry since de- regulation.
Mr. Parkinson : Between 1985-86 and the end of 1988-89, there was a net increase of 3,900 in the total staff employed by private bus operators, including former subsidiaries of the National Bus Company.
Network SouthEast
28. Dr. Michael Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requests he has received from British Rail to approve additional expenditure for (a) Network SouthEast and (b) the line from Liverpool street to Southend (Victoria).
Mr. Parkinson : This year I have approved five major investment schemes for Network SouthEast worth nearly £450 million. This included approval for the construction of 124 class 321 vehicles at cost of £45 million to meet the forecast growth in demand for services north of the Thames, including the Liverpool street-Southend (Victoria) line.
British Rail (Safety)
30. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government money is allocated to improving safety on British Rail.
Mr. Parkinson : British Rail's corporate plan includes some £125 million for additional safety expenditure over the next three years, which has been reflected in public expenditure provision. This expenditure will be supported by PSO grant where it falls to the subsidised sectors, Network SouthEast and provincial. British Rail is assessing the need for further expenditure following Sir Anthony Hidden's report on the Clapham junction accident.
British Rail
29. Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss his successor and the future of the railways under privatisation.
49. Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail ; and what matters will be discussed.
57. Mr. Raffan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Rail ; and what matters he expects to discuss.
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87. Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail ; and what matters will be discussed.Mr. Parkinson : I have already discussed with Sir Robert Reid the objectives we propose to set for British Rail over the next three years. We expect to publish them shortly.
31. Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of plans for the denationalisation of British Rail.
Mr. Portillo : Work is continuing.
35. Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct British Rail to review its policy on unstaffed railway stations.
Mr. Portillo : The staffing of railway stations is a matter for British Rail or where appropriate the local passenger transport executive.
36. Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail concerning the electrification of the rail network ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : It is for British Rail to bring forward any worthwhile proposals for electrification. Since 1979 British Rail have spent £691 million in today's prices on electrification, an average of £63 million a year.
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