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Travellers
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many proposals from each of the district and islands councils to provide sites for travelling people he has received to date ; how many he has accepted from each district and islands council and how many he has rejected, and on what grounds he rejected them, from each district and islands council.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Twenty-three official traveller sites have been provided to date and building work on a further three permanent sites is expected to be completed shortly. In addition 16 locations identified by local authorities are currently at various stages of consideration. Three sites have been refused planning permission following public local inquiries, in the district councils of Dundee, Stirling and Perth and Kinross. More detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider legislation to compel local authorities to meet their pitch targets for official sites for travelling people in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No.
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it remains official policy that permanent sites should facilitate the movement of travelling families ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Government are continuing their long-established policy of encouraging the provision of a network of properly equipped sites for travelling people throughout Scotland. The policy is backed by the availability of 100 per cent. capital grant towards the development costs of the sites. A full network of official sites should help to make it easier for travelling families to move legally from area to area.
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what formula was used to determine how many official sites should be provided for travelling people in Scotland, as recommended by his advisory committee, SDD circular No. 5/1989, appendix C.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The advisory committee held extensive consultations with individual local authorities to assess traveller site requirements throughout Scotland and its recommendations form the basis of the pitch targets set.
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Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on instances where travellers have been encouraged by local authorities to provide their own site, as recommended in the third report of his advisory committee on travelling people.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No information is held centrally on the extent to which local authorities have encouraged provision of travellers' sites by travellers.
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate for the number of travelling people in Scotland ; who provides this estimate ; how it is updated ; and what information about travelling families will be sought within the 1991 census.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The latest estimate, based on information from local authorities, suggests that there are about 3, 000 travellers in Scotland, in 750 families. Information on number is reviewed by the Secretary of State's advisory committee on Scotland's travelling people in the course of its regular contacts with local authorities. Travelling families will be expected to provide the same information as anyone else in the 1991 census. No special information about travelling people will be sought.
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest target set, and by which date this target should be met, for (a) the total recommended number of official sites for travelling people in Scotland and (b) the recommended number of official sites for travelling people for each of the district and islands councils.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The pitch target set for each district council is listed in the table. No specific date has been set for the achievement of these targets, but local authorities are encouraged to meet them as soon as possible.
Pitch target
Region and District |Target
----------------------------------------------------------------
Borders
Berwickshire |15
Ettrick and Lauderdale |6
Roxburgh |10
Tweeddale |10
Central
Clackmannan |20
Falkirk |28
Stirling |42
Dumfries and Galloway
Annandale and Eskdale |12
Nithsdale |18
Stewartry |3
Wigtown |17
Fife
Dunfermline |8
Kirkcaldy |18
North East Fife |20
Grampian
City of Aberdeen |36
Banff and Buchan |20
Gordon |0
Kincardine and Deeside |0
Moray |10
Highland
Badenoch and Strathspey |6
Inverness |24
Lochaber |30
Nairn |}
Caithness |}
Ross and Cromarty |}20
Skye and Lochalsh |}
Sutherland |}
Lothian
City of Edinburgh |40
East Lothian |}20
Midlothian |}
West Lothian |45
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute |38
Cunninghame |24
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |12
Kyle and Carrick |8
Cumnock and Doon Valley |6
Dumbarton |20
Clydebank |}
Bearsden and Milngavie |}12
Strathkelvin |}
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |}20
Glasgow |55
Monklands |32
Motherwell |56
Hamilton |42
East Kilbride |6
Clydesdale |15
Eastwood |0
Renfrew |16
Inverclyde |0
Tayside
Angus |37
City of Dundee |20
Perth and Kinross |85
|-------
Total-Scotland |982
There is no identified demand for travellers' sites in the areas of the islands councils.
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the district and islands councils have met their recommended pitch target for their provision of official sites for travelling people in their area to the latest available date.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : At 31 March 1990 the local authorities which have met their recommended pitch target are listed in the table :
Ettrick and Lauderdale
Tweeddale
Falkirk
Annandale and Eskdale
Stewartry
North East Fife
Banff and Buchan
Gordon
Kincardine and Deeside
Caithness
Inverness
Nairn
Ross and Cromarty
Skye and Lochalsh
Sutherland
Clydebank
Cumnock and Doon Valley
Cunninghame
Dumbarton
Eastwood
Hamilton
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InverclydeKyle and Carrick
Renfrew
There is no identified demand for travellers' sites in the areas of the islands councils.
A9 Alness-Tain
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current anticipated start date for improvement of the A9 Alness-Tain ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are two remaining sections to be upgraded on the A9 between Alness and Tain. The sections are between Broomhill and Logie Easter and between Logie Easter and Garrick bridge. The necessary preparatory work and statutory procedures are planned to be completed by September 1991 and September 1993 respectively. Actual start dates for schemes are decided annually for the year ahead, in the light of the relative priority of the competing schemes and of the available financial resources.
Maternity Services, Moray
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has yet received the option appraisal document relating to maternity, obstetric and gynaecological services in Moray ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what official consultations he has held in the past three months with (a) Grampian health board and (b) Moray health council in connection with the development of maternity services in Moray ;
(3) what time scale he envisages for (a) improvement of existing maternity services in Moray and (b) the establishment of enhanced maternity services in Moray ;
(4) when he anticipates making a public pronouncement on the future development of maternity services in Moray.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Grampian health board's option appraisal submission has been received and, in view of the scale of investment required for the preferred option, it is being given detailed and careful consideration.
I have not met either the Grampian health board or Moray local health council within the last three months.
Grampian health board has already improved maternity services in west Grampian and I understand that agreement has also been reached on the transfer of obstetric, gynaecological and paediatric services for patients west of the Spey to Highland health board.
Moray
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to visit Moray constituency.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor I have any plans at present for a ministerial visit to Moray constituency. However, as chairman of the Conservatives in Scotland I will be addressing a public meeting in Moray constituency on10 April 1990.
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Scottish Office (Staffing)
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the full complement of staff employed by the Scottish Office in each of its Departments, and what are the projections for number of employees in each of the next three years.
Mr. Rifkind : There is no fixed complement for the Scottish Office, but at 1 March 1990 the number of staff employed in the Scottish Office (including the Scottish prison service) was 10,212. Details are as follows :
Department |Number of
|staff
------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for
Scotland |1,474.5
Scottish Development Department |1,289.5
Scottish Education Department |552.0
Scottish Home and Health Department |876.5
Industry Department for Scotland |384.5
Central Services |1,700.0
Scottish Prison Service |3,935.0
|-------
Total |10,212.0
Estimates of the number of staff who could be employed within the relevant running cost provision are contained in tables 15.11.3 and 15.7.12 of the commentary on the Scottish public expenditure programmes to 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.
Registers of Scotland
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his plans to establish the Department of the Registers of Scotland as a "next steps" agency.
Mr. Rifkind : I informed the House on 11 January that the Department of the Registers of Scotland was to be established as the first "next steps" agency from within my sphere of responsibility on 1 April. I shall preside at a launch ceremony on 6 April. Over the next three years I have set the agency a target of reducing the turnround times on its two principal categories of work as follows :
for recording writs on the Sasines Register, a reduction from 30 to 17 weeks ;
for registration of dealings on the Land Register, a reduction from 35 to 19 weeks.
The agency's long-term aim will be to achieve turnround times of eight weeks for both registers.
During the coming year, the Keeper will be presenting a phased programme for the extension of the Land Register to the remaining two thirds of Scotland.
In addition, I have set the agency a target of achieving a reduction in unit costs of at least 5 per cent. in real terms for each of its main categories of work in each of the three years from 1990-91 to 1992-93.
I am establishing an advisory board to give me a view on the range and quality of the agency's services and on its priorities. The membership will represent the main users of the agency's services. The Keeper of the Registers of Scotland as the agency's chief executive, will be directly accountable to me for the agency's achievements.
I have placed a copy of the agency's framework document and the accompanying press release in the
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Libraries of both Houses. This latter document contains details of the target turnround times I have set for the main activities of the agency over its first three years.Health Service Staff
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the total staff pay bills for speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, clinical psychology and pharmacy, for 1986-87, 1987- 88, 1988-89, and 1989-90 ; and if he will provide the latest figures on staff pay bills for speech therapy in each area health authority.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 27 March 1990] : Information on total staff pay bills is not available centrally before 1988 -89 nor at health board level. The figures for 1988-89 and estimated figures for 1989-90 based on returns for the first three quarters are shown in the table.
Total annual gross pay by staff group: Scotland £ million Staff group |1988-89 |1989-90<1> --------------------------------------------------------- Speech therapy |2.9 |3.8 Physiotherapy |13.8 |15.7 Occupational therapy |5.9 |7.1 Clinical psychology |3.0 |3.5 Pharmacy |6.9 |8.0 <1> Estimate.
Anthony Cavendish
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to the Crown of the proceedings in relation to Anthony Cavendish.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 3 April 1990] : My right hon. and learned Friend does not yet know the total cost to the Crown of the legal action The Lord Advocate v The Scotsman Publications and Others relating to the book "Inside Intelligence". These costs still require to be finally determined.
Skiing Developments
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received in relation to that portion of the Highland regional council structure plan relating to skiing development at Lurcher's gulley and in the northern corries of the Cairngorms ; how many of these representations were opposed to such development ; how many were in favour ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Proposals for the extension of skiing into Lurcher's gully in the Cairngorms feature in Highland regional council's structure plan review which was formally submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend for his approval on 19 January. The period during which objections could be made ended on 2 March, by which time 7,120 letters objecting to the proposals had been received. A further 135 letters had been received expressing support for the proposals. My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the council's proposals and the representations received and will announce his decision in due course.
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DEFENCE
Nuclear Tests
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there have been any recent British nuclear weapons tests or United States tests carried out on behalf of the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The last United Kingdom nuclear test was, as my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 14 December 1989, Official Report, column 820, conducted at the Nevada test site on 8 December 1989.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any further information regarding recent joint United Kingdom/United States nuclear warhead tests in the United States.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Yes. Pursuant to the answer of my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) of 14 December 1989, Official Report, column 820, I can now say that on 16 December, some eight days after the test, a minor seepage of radioactive gas began in the vicinity of the test site. The seepage, which lasted for about three weeks, involved barely detectable levels of radioactivity and posed no health or environmental hazard on or off the site. Very low-level radioactive seepage following such tests is not unusual.
Low Flying
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 7 March, Official Report, column 709, what height restrictions and operational radius are in effect for low-flying military jet aircraft at the aerodrome at Netherthorpe.
Mr. Neubert : As a licensed aerodrome, Netherthorpe is allocated, under the provisions of the Air Navigation Order, an aerodrome traffic zone of 2 nautical miles radius to a height of 2,000 ft during its daily hours of operation. Although military aircraft are not generally bound by the Air Navigation Order, it is my Department's practice to reflect such provisions in military flying regulations, and this is the case in respect of Netherthorpe.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what changes are planned for the structure of the military low-flying system in west Yorkshire as a result of the changes to the boundaries of the Leeds- Bradford special rules airspace with effect from 3 May ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what changes are planned for the structure of the military low-flying system in the vicinity of Blackpool following the abolition of the Blackpool special rules zone with effect from 3 May ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : Changes in regulations governing civilian air traffic in the United Kingdom are, where appropriate, reflected in the regulations governing the United Kingdom military low-flying system, and the implications, if any, of the changes to which the hon. Member refers will be
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considered in due course as part of the continual monitoring of the operation of the military low-flying system.Bombs (Accidental Release)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by date and location for the last four years to date, the occasions when a bomb has been accidently released by a Royal Air Force aircrew ; and if he will show in his answer (a) the type of aircraft involved and (b) whether it was (i) a live or (ii) a dummy bomb.
Mr. Neubert : There has been one occasion since March 1986 when RAF aircrew accidentally released a weapon outside military range danger areas. This was on 2 March 1988 ; the aircraft was a Tornado GR1 ; the weapon was a practice bomb containing only a small "spotting" charge ; and it was not found.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by date and location, for the last four years to date, the occasions when a bomb has been accidently released by the aircrew of a NATO air force over the United Kingdom ; and if he will show in his answer (a) the air force involved, (b) the type of aircraft and (c) whether the bomb was (i) live or (ii) a dummy one.
Mr. Neubert : We have no record of any bombs being accidentally released over the United Kingdom by the aircrew of other NATO air forces.
Air Traffic Controllers
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many military air traffic controllers are working alongside civil air traffic controllers to date ; at what locations ; if he will list them by unit ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list by year for the last five years, and by location, the number of military air traffic controllers who have worked alongside civil air traffic controllers.
Mr. Neubert : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
Sea Harrier (Accident)
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the date, location and circumstances of the crash of a Sea Harrier aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier Ark Royal during February ; what injuries were sustained by the pilot ; what was the tail number of the aircraft ; and what lessons have been learnt from the series of Sea Harrier accidents in the past year.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 9 February 1990, at column 816. There was no such crash. All accidents which occurred during 1989 remain under official investigation.
Cruise Missiles
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreements have been reached at ministerial level regarding the deployment of sea-launched cruise missiles by NATO.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : NATO Ministers have agreed that, as part of the post-INF restructuring of nuclear forces, SACEUR should consider the availability of the whole spectrum of nuclear weapons, including SLCMs.
Defence Review
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department is currently conducting a full defence review of United Kingdom requirements and deployments.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 3 April to the hon. Member for Wansbeck (Mr. Thompson).
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