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economy. Small firms also continue to benefit from the comprehensive schemes of support that the Government have introduced. In the main, these are delivered through the Scottish Development Agency, the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Industry Department for Scotland, where policy responsibility lies. In addition to providing services specific to Scotland, the SDA, HIDB and the Industry Department for Scotland are responsible for the delivery and monitoring in Scotland of United Kingdom services on behalf of other Departments, including the Department of Employment and the Department of Trade and Industry. During 1989, there was a net increase of over 4,500 or 4.2 per cent. in the number of companies registered for VAT in Scotland. This is double the increase of the previous year. VAT returns indicate that between 1980 and 1989 the number of new businesses operating in Scotland showed a net increase of 19,900.The following describes the services available to small firms in Scotland during the periods 1988-89 and 1989-90 and some of their achievements.
For the period 1988-89 IDS made 128 offers of regional selective assistance to the value of £12 million to small companies--those employing fewer than 200 people worldwide--in Scotland. This contributed to the creation of 2,180 new jobs and the safeguarding of 560 existing jobs. In 1989-90 167 offers of RSA were made to the value of over £17 million which contributed to the creation of 3,080 new jobs and the safeguarding of 340 existing jobs. For the period 1988-89 IDS made 2,180 offers to the value of £70 million under the revised regional development grants scheme to proposed projects by small companies in Scotland with the potential for 20,980 new jobs. In 1989-90 236 offers of RDG were made to the value of over £12 million with the potential for 3,400 new jobs. The last date for applications under this scheme was 31 March 1988. Information on the grant offered to small firms under the original RDG scheme is not available. Under both the investment and innovation elements of the regional enterprise grants scheme, 226 offers to the value of £2 million were made in Scotland in 1988-89, to companies employing under 25 people, contributing to the creation of 490 new jobs and the safeguarding of 400 existing jobs. In 1989-90 432 offers of REG to the value of over £4 million were made contributing to the creation of 1,640 new jobs and the safeguarding of 1,660 existing jobs. During the periods in question, the better business service scheme was administered by IDS, SDA and the HIDB. The scheme allows small companies to have access to subsidised professional business advice and in 1988-89 some 6,804 offers of assistance were made with an associated value of £3.1 million. In 1989 -90 some 8,090 offers of assistance were made with an associated value of £3.7 million. Scottish Development Agency support for small businesses includes the provision of financial assistance, premises and a wide range of advisory services, including the small firms service (SFS) in Scotland and the administration of DTI's consultancy initiatives, under the enterprise initiative. In addition, the SFS offers an integrated and complementary range of business services including a Government business shop, a Euroinfocentre, a franchise desk and a Companies House satellite office. Under the consultancy initiatives, some 1,235 consultancy projects were undertaken during 1988-89 and in 1989-90 this figure was 1,158. In the year 1988-89, the agency had
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contact with 19,250 small firms and some £1.8 million was invested in 92 small firms creating or safeguarding 1,600 jobs. In 1989-90 the small firms service handled 17,286 inquiries ; figures for SFS investment are not yet available, but across all sectors in Scotland the SDA invested £7 million and safeguarded 6,091 jobs.As well as delivering a small firms counselling service in its area, the Highlands and Islands Development Board undertakes a wide range of activities in support of businesses, most of which are small, to help them overcome the difficulties in operating in this peripheral and rural part of the United Kingdom. The measures taken include financial support to business, provision of factories and assistance with business advice and training. In 1988-89, the board approved 1, 220 offers of financial assistance worth £25.3 million on projects involving proposed private sector investment of some £44.4 million and the creation or safeguarding of 3,300 jobs. For the period 1989-90, the board approved 983 offers of financial assistance worth £19.4 million on projects involving proposed private sector investment of £51.1 million and the creation or safeguarding of 2,700 jobs. In the period 1988-89, the HIDB completed 12,553 sq m of factory floor space. In this period some 3,130 jobs were housed in HIDB factories. In the period 1989-90, the HIDB completed 7,208 sq m of factory floor space. In this period, some 3,200 jobs were housed in HIDB factories.
Local enterprise trusts have proved to be an important catalyst in fostering the enterprise culture in Scotland. The Government have continued to demonstrate their recognition of the valuable role played by the trusts, and the SDA provided financial support of £1.24 million to the 40 enterprise trusts in 1988-89, the latest year for which figures are available--an increase of almost 21 per cent. over the previous year. This has triggered a further £4.23 million from the other public and private sector partners. During 1988-89 trusts in Scotland counselled 25,200 clients from which 3,900 small businesses were formed. Companies assisted by enterprise trusts created some 9,000 new jobs. The SDA bases its financial assistance on its appraisal of each trust's annual management plan which contains details of the previous year's projects and objectives for the oncoming year.
The Scottish Office continues to provide wholehearted support for the deregulation initiative. Recent steps which have been taken to embed further the deregulation message within Scottish Office Departments include arrangements for deregulation awareness training, a ministerial message on deregulation, a staff competition for deregulatory suggestions and the inclusion of advice on the topic in the Scottish Office staff handbook. The Government business shop in Glasgow continues to provide a very effective single access point for information on how to deal with Government regulations.
As for public purchasing and supplier development, in the past year IDS, SDA and MOD have co-operated in the organisation of two seminars on civil and defence procurement. IDS made a strong contribution to a seminar organised by Strathclyde Innovation on improving the availability of development funding for small businesses. A major seminar was organised by IDS/SDA in October 1989 on the subject of supplier development. Another such event, focusing more closely on import substitution is planned for the latter half of 1990.
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Eye Tests
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the numbers of senior citizens who received national health service eye tests during the periods (a) April 1988-89 and (b) April 1989-90.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not available centrally.
Low Incomes
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will accept the recommendations made to him by COSLA concerning those on low incomes and the effects of the community charge ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is at present considering the various recommendations made to him recently by COSLA. Some of these fall within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security whom we will be consulting before we respond to COSLA.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), Official Report, 5 June, column 497 (a) on what date Dr. W. B. Martin became director of the Moredun research institute and (b) what research projects into scrapie were initiated by the Moredun research institute while Dr. W. B. Martin was its director.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Dr. W. B. Martin took up appointment as director of the Moredun research institute on 1 July 1977. During the period of his directorship, studies on changes in the brain of sheep exposed to scrapie agents were initiated at the institute, together with a programme of field observation work.
Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what share incentives will be offered to employees and pensioners when the two Scottish electricity companies are privatised.
Mr. Rifkind : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has today announced details of the employee and pensioner share incentives to be made available when the electricity companies in England and Wales are offered for sale to the public. Although precise details of equivalent incentives in Scotland will not be determined until nearer the time when the two Scottish electricity companies are floated, I expect the special arrangements for both retired and existing employees of the Scottish electricity industry to be broadly in line with those on offer in England and Wales.
Cash Limits
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any changes to the cash limits for 1990-91 within his responsibility.
Mr. Rifkind : Yes, I intend to change three of the cash limits within my responsibility as follows.
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Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XV, vote 21, will be increased by £800,000 from £128,790,000 to £129,590,000. This increase is needed to accommodate additional expenditure not foreseen last autumn including, in particular, increased accommodation charges and costs relating to the new NHS executive. This will be offset by savings on the cash limits for class XV, vote 3, which will be reduced by £600, 000 from £142,816,000 to £142,216,000, and for class XV, vote 6, which will be reduced by £200,000 from £251,542,000 to £251,342,000. The increase will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.As a consequence of these changes and of the reallocation of expenditure within class XV, vote 21, the Scottish Office running costs limit will be increased by £990,000 from £220,964,000 to £221, 954,000.
Pre-school Education
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of (a) children, (b) qualified staff and (c) full-time equivalent qualified staff in registered (i) pre-school nurseries and (ii) playgroups for each academic year from 1979-80 to 1988-89 in (1) Inverclyde, (2) Strathclyde and (3) Scotland as a whole.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 12 July 1990] : The readily available information is set out in the table :
|Children<1> in|Places<2> in |Fully
Nurseries | Playgroups | Qualified<3>
|Staff
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland
1979-80 |35,500 |41,750 |3,116
1980-81 |36,166 |43,749 |3,281
1981-82 |36,725 |40,924 |3,203
1982-83 |38,536 |43,301 |3,317
1983-84 |40,650 |43,549 |3,358
1984-85 |42,428 |43,861 |3,410
1985-86 |42,787 |41,492 |-
1986-87 |44,051 |43,426
1987-88 |46,431 |46,838 |3,722
1988-89 |48,484 |45,342 |3,872
Strathclyde
1979-80 |16,467 |17,415 |1,466
1980-81 |16,617 |19,820 |1,538
1981-82 |17,200 |17,093 |1,525
1982-83 |18,046 |18,089 |1,604
1983-84 |18,868 |19,111 |1,617
1984-85 |19,793 |17,742 |1,595
1985-86 |20,476 |16,227 |-
1986-87 |21,049 |16,823 |-
1987-88 |22,048 |20,274 |1,763
1988-89 |22,599 |16,030 |1,832
Inverclyde
1988-89 |1,035 |709 |91
<1> Number of children attending local authority nursery schools and day
nurseries.
<2> Number of children for which registered pre-school playgroups are
registered and number of places in local authority pre-school playgroups.
<3> Full-time equivalent number of teachers, trained nurses, and care
staff in local authority nursery schools and day nurseries.
Employment Training
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for each of the Training Agency area offices in Scotland what is the percentage allocation of employment
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training funds to mainstream and non- mainstream groups ; and what are the reasons for the relative proportions.Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 July 1990] : The information is not available in the form requested. For Scotland as a whole about 13 per cent. of the employment training funding available for people starting employment training in 1990-91 following agreement of new contracts with training providers is for entrants from non-mainstream groups. The expenditure on all non-mainstream provision delivered in 1990-91 is likely to be somewhat higher, reflecting higher proportions of non-mainstream trainees at the start of the period. Information at area office level is for internal management purposes only.
Needle Exchange Schemes
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the needle exchange schemes currently operating in each of the health board areas in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 23 July 1990] : Three health boards currently operate needle and syringe exchange schemes as follows :
Lothian health board
Needle and syringe exchange arrangements exist in the Muirhouse, Craigmillar and Leith areas of Edinburgh.
Greater Glasgow health board
Schemes are operating at Ruchill hospital, Glasgow and in the Castlemilk and Easterhouse areas of the city.
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Argyll and Clyde health boardA mobile needle and syringe exchange scheme is currently operating in the Inverclyde area on a trial basis.
AIDS
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the cumulative totals on 31 December 1987, 30 June 1988, 31 December 1988, 30 June 1989, 31 December 1989 and 30 June 1990 of (a) people who have died with AIDS, (b) people with AIDS including those who have died and (c) HIV antibody positive persons in Scotland(i) by patient characteristic, (ii) in each of the health board areas and (iii) in total.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 23 July 1990] : The cumulative totals for Scotland of (a) people who have died with AIDS, (b) people with AIDS including those who have died, and (c) people who have been identified and reported to the Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit as being HIV antibody positive on the dates shown are given in tables I, II and III respectively. The tables provide a breakdown by patient characteristic for Scotland as a whole. The figures of AIDS cases and deaths and of HIV antibody positive persons for particular health board areas are, in some cases, very low and as their publication, according to patient characteristic, may in consequence endanger medical confidentiality, geographical breakdowns are not produced.
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Table III: HIV Antibody positive persons
Patient characteristic |31 December |30 June1988 |31 December |30 June 1989 |31 December |30 June 1990
|1987 |1988 |1989
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homosexual/bisexual |206 |233 |242 |264 |280 |304
Intravenous Drug Misuser
(IVDM) |792 |827 |858 |892 |910 |926
Homosexual and IVDM |3 |5 |6 |6 |6 |7
Haemophiliac |<1>75 |<1>76 |<1>76 |<1>76 |<2>77 |<2>77
Recipient of blood
transfusion/blood
products |10 |10 |10 |<3>11 |<3>12 |<3>12
Heterosexual contact |<4>62 |<5>81 |<5>89 |<5>108 |<5>120 |<5>143
Infant/Child (not
haemophiliac) |<6>64 |<6>69 |<7>75 |<7>81 |<7>92 |<7>101
Other/not known |<8>169 |<9>203 |<9>224 |<9>230 |<9>232 |<9>234
|----- |----- |----- |----- |----- |-----
Total |1,381 |1,504 |1,580 |1,668 |1,729 |1,804
Notes:
<1> Includes 16 children.
<2> Includes 17 children.
<3> Includes one child.
<4> Includes four people with contact abroad.
<5> Includes 12 people with contact abroad.
<6> Includes 26 children who have at least one parent identified as misusing IV drugs.
<7> Includes 27 children who have at least one parent identified as misusing IV drugs.
<8> Includes five people of African origin and one person of Caribbean origin.
<9> Includes 12 people of African origin and one person of Caribbean origin: also one person with possible exposure abroad.
Table III: HIV Antibody positive persons
Patient characteristic |31 December |30 June1988 |31 December |30 June 1989 |31 December |30 June 1990
|1987 |1988 |1989
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homosexual/bisexual |206 |233 |242 |264 |280 |304
Intravenous Drug Misuser
(IVDM) |792 |827 |858 |892 |910 |926
Homosexual and IVDM |3 |5 |6 |6 |6 |7
Haemophiliac |<1>75 |<1>76 |<1>76 |<1>76 |<2>77 |<2>77
Recipient of blood
transfusion/blood
products |10 |10 |10 |<3>11 |<3>12 |<3>12
Heterosexual contact |<4>62 |<5>81 |<5>89 |<5>108 |<5>120 |<5>143
Infant/Child (not
haemophiliac) |<6>64 |<6>69 |<7>75 |<7>81 |<7>92 |<7>101
Other/not known |<8>169 |<9>203 |<9>224 |<9>230 |<9>232 |<9>234
|----- |----- |----- |----- |----- |-----
Total |1,381 |1,504 |1,580 |1,668 |1,729 |1,804
Notes:
<1> Includes 16 children.
<2> Includes 17 children.
<3> Includes one child.
<4> Includes four people with contact abroad.
<5> Includes 12 people with contact abroad.
<6> Includes 26 children who have at least one parent identified as misusing IV drugs.
<7> Includes 27 children who have at least one parent identified as misusing IV drugs.
<8> Includes five people of African origin and one person of Caribbean origin.
<9> Includes 12 people of African origin and one person of Caribbean origin: also one person with possible exposure abroad.
Table III: HIV Antibody positive persons
Patient characteristic |31 December |30 June1988 |31 December |30 June 1989 |31 December |30 June 1990
|1987 |1988 |1989
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homosexual/bisexual |206 |233 |242 |264 |280 |304
Intravenous Drug Misuser
(IVDM) |792 |827 |858 |892 |910 |926
Homosexual and IVDM |3 |5 |6 |6 |6 |7
Haemophiliac |<1>75 |<1>76 |<1>76 |<1>76 |<2>77 |<2>77
Recipient of blood
transfusion/blood
products |10 |10 |10 |<3>11 |<3>12 |<3>12
Heterosexual contact |<4>62 |<5>81 |<5>89 |<5>108 |<5>120 |<5>143
Infant/Child (not
haemophiliac) |<6>64 |<6>69 |<7>75 |<7>81 |<7>92 |<7>101
Other/not known |<8>169 |<9>203 |<9>224 |<9>230 |<9>232 |<9>234
|----- |----- |----- |----- |----- |-----
Total |1,381 |1,504 |1,580 |1,668 |1,729 |1,804
Notes:
<1> Includes 16 children.
<2> Includes 17 children.
<3> Includes one child.
<4> Includes four people with contact abroad.
<5> Includes 12 people with contact abroad.
<6> Includes 26 children who have at least one parent identified as misusing IV drugs.
<7> Includes 27 children who have at least one parent identified as misusing IV drugs.
<8> Includes five people of African origin and one person of Caribbean origin.
<9> Includes 12 people of African origin and one person of Caribbean origin: also one person with possible exposure abroad.
Disabled People (Training)
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he takes to ensure that, in accordance with the employment training equal opportunities code of practice, disabled people have equality of opportunity ; and whether extra training costs resulting from a trainee's disability are met by the Government.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 July 1990] : The Training Agency, through its approved training organisation process, ensures that all employment training providers have and follow an equal opportunities policy allowing easy access to appropriate training for disabled people. Additionally, disabled individuals can enter the programme without having to satisfy the normal eligibility conditions regarding length of unemployment.
In their contract dealings with the Training Agency, individual training managers negotiate and agree terms which take account of the costs of all training provided including the needs of disabled trainees.
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Youth Training
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the areas in Scotland in which special measures to ease access to youth training announced in March have been set up, which include links between social work departments, hostels accommodating homeless young people, voluntary organisations and suitable training providers.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 July 1990] : As part of the new arrangements announced for youth training, all Training Agency area offices in Scotland have appointed guarantee liaison officers whose remit is to assist young people within the youth training guarantee group and to establish or reaffirm links with voluntary organisations, social work departments, careers and probation services, and the Department of Social Security ; and to encourage training managers to establish close links with hostels for homeless young people.
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