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Mr. Wilson : In the last months of the poll tax, will the Minister finally seek to bring some common sense to at least some parts of its operation? Will he relieve local authorities of the need to pursue this blunderbuss approach in the legislation which means that the poorest people in the land, who are in arrears on a proportion of the poll tax of up to 20 per cent., have to be pursued in exactly the same way as the wealthiest people in the community who default voluntarily, with which I have no truck whatever? Will the Minister bring to the attention of his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State the possibility of getting rid of the 20 per cent. minimum payment? Does he agree that if the poorest people in Scottish society, who are being hounded for 20 per cent. of the poll tax, were taken out of the equation much of the administrative shambles, chaos and misery that surround the poll tax would disappear with them?
Mr. Stewart : There will be no amnesty. The community charge benefit is widely available to assist those on low incomes. Some of the people to whom the hon. Gentleman refers may have built up a large level of debt. In many cases, the fault lies not with the Opposition Front Bench but with many of the hon. Members behind him and with the Scottish National party.
Mr. Oppenheim : Surely the effectiveness of warrant sales must be called into question, bearing in mind the large number of Scottish Members of Parliament who still have not paid their poll tax. What does my hon. Friend the Minister think of a party which aspires to law-making but condones so much law-breaking in its own ranks?
Mr. Stewart : I am not sure whether my hon. Friend was referring to the Labour party or to the Scottish National party. Almost certainly, he was referring to both. Of course, he is absolutely right. Scottish local authorities have failed so far to use warrant sales and they have been consistently criticised for the delay. In some authorities, such as Borders and Fife, payment levels are extremely high. If Borders and Fife can do it, so can Lothian and Strathclyde.
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Special Educational Needs
13. Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is giving to the educational pack "Taking Up The Challenge", funded by the Scottish Education Department, and published by the Committee on Special Educational Needs in January 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : "Taking Up The Challenge" is part of a concerted effort by the Government to provide additional help and support to children with moderate learning difficulties.
Mrs. Ewing : On two occasions in the past 10 days the Minister has said that he will make available additional funding for learning support in primary schools. Will he spell out exactly what he means by that increased level of support? Will it mean additional teachers or additional resources? How much money is involved? When will it happen? Or is this just a smokescreen to draw attention away from national testing?
Mr. Forsyth : Far from being a smokescreen, it is a response to the representations that we have received as a result of the introduction of national testing, including representations from the hon. Lady. We are currently considering how we can target resources to help children in primary schools who are having difficulties with the three Rs and who have been identified as a result of the introduction of national tests and the new five to 14 programme. We currently have a pilot scheme under way. Once it is concluded, we shall be in a position to assess the level of response and the most appropriate form of response.
Hospitals, Glasgow
14. Mr. Michael J. Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding the future of general hospitals in the Greater Glasgow area.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Greater Glasgow health board's proposals for rationalising and improving its acute services have been approved by my right hon. Friend following consultation.
Mr. Martin : Is the Minister aware that there is anxiety in the north of the city about Stobhill? He will know that new maternity facilities are to be built at the royal infirmary. Many people in the north end of Glasgow believe that that could be the end of Stobhill as a general hospital. Will the Minister give the House an assurance that there is a future for Stobhill and that it will continue as a general hospital?
Mr. Forsyth : The hon. Gentleman has been a doughty fighter for Stobhill. The proposals in respect of the maternity services are before my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and are still under consideration. As the hon. Gentleman said, they include building a new maternity hospital at the royal infirmary. I can certainly give him the assurance that he seeks. Stobhill will gain additional facilities, including renal services and an additional 15 accident and emergency beds. I am happy to tell the hon. Gentleman that I know of no future proposals for changes at that excellent hospital.
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Mr. Dewar : As the Minister knows, in Glasgow there are hospitals which are on the hit list for the opting out procedure. I remind him that, in approaching this matter, he said that one of the tests would be a substantial commitment of those likely to be involved in the new management. Does he agree that that does not mean six persons--any six persons in any hospital? The consultants in South Ayrshire hospital voted by 50 to nine against opting out, and those in Aberdeen Royal infirmary voted by 82 to seven against. Does the Minister agree that, even in his Looking Glass world, that cannot be equated with a substantial commitment on the part of those who will be involved in new set-ut? He talks about local choice and local democracy. Does he agree that forcing opting out through on that basis would be offensive and indefensible?
Mr. Forsyth : No Government--not even any previous Labour Government --have taken decisions concerning the future of hospitals on the basis of votes or ballots. The criteria for the approval of applications for self- governing status are set out in the working paper, which the hon. Gentleman has seen, and they are perfectly clear. The hon. Gentleman referred to a "hit list". I regard that as a fairly offensive term. In hospitals throughout Scotland, people are looking behind the Labour party's rhetoric and seeing the opportunity to improve patient care. In the case of the South Ayrshire hospital, in respect of which an application is coming into the Scottish Office, the leading person responsible is a consultant with a distinguished history in the national health service. I do not believe that people of that calibre would do anything other than go forward with proposals that they thought were in the best interests of patients. That is the sole criterion on which my right hon. Friend's decisions will be based.
Forestry
16. Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has to develop forestry within the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lang : The Government remain fully committed to the expansion of forestry in the United Kingdom, and are providing substantial grants to encourage tree planting. Woodland management grants will be introduced from 1 April 1992.
Mr. Bruce : I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his reply. I wonder whether, in his busy programme, he could find time to come and visit the forests in south Dorset, for which he is responsible in terms of policy. Can he given us some indication how forestry has developed in the past 10 years, and whether any changes in policy have been brought about by the farm woodland scheme and other schemes intended to take farmland out of food production?
Mr. Lang : I thank my hon. Friend for his kind invitation to visit south Dorset. I should certainly like at some stage to take it up, as my responsibilities for forestry stretch throughout the United Kingdom. I am glad to be able to assure my hon. Friend that there has been a major expansion of forestry in the past 10 years, with about 250,000 hectares of new planting. In addition, the processing industry has been revitalised, with investment of about £1 billion. The farm woodland scheme, which we are currently reviewing, has led to about 2,200 applications
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to plant about 15,000 hectares--a high proportion of the trees being broad-leaves. The forestry industry is in good heart and in good shape.Mr. Maclennan : Does the Secretary of State recognise that the timber industry based on planting in the northern part of the Highlands has been set back by the designation process of the Nature Conservancy Council? Will he ensure that the regional council gives impetus to the review of policy? Its first intervention has not produced the resolution of the dispute between the parties that was hoped for.
Mr. Lang : The hon. Gentleman knows that my predecessor as Secretary of State for Scotland gave this matter very close attention and sought a solution that would reconcile the conflicting interests of land use in the hon. Gentleman's constituency, having regard in particular to the important environmental aspects, but also to the need to generate employment through tree planting and in other ways. I hope that these matters will proceed more satisfactorily and more effectively once Scottish Natural Heritage is fully established. Indeed, our proposals on natural heritage areas, which we shall make clear very shortly, may well have considerable application to the hon. Gentleman's constituency.
Smoked Salmon
17. Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce temperature controls on the distribution of smoked salmon produced in Scotland and posted from there.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : We propose that food delivered by mail order, including smoked fish, will be exempt from the regulations requiring temperature controls for the distribution and storage of specified foodstuffs.
Mr. Steen : I congratulate the Secretary of State on making regulations after research has been done and not, as happens in England, making regulations first and then conducting the research to see whether they were needed. Does the Minister agree that the Government seem to be getting more and more neurotic and hysterical about food hygiene? Are there any known cases of food poisoning from smoked salmon, smoked cheese or any other smoked products? Will he confirm that he will ease off making regulations until thorough research has been done showing that there is evidence of food contamination or food poisoning?
Mr. Forsyth : I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his welcome to my answer. The Government are completely committed to food safety. Such issues are never entirely black and white ; we must ensure that we have controls that are practical and not disproportionate to the risk. My hon. Friend will be aware that the Government have commissioned research at Torry and we shall be able to review the matter once that research is to hand.
Scottish Economy
18. Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss the Scottish economy and unemployment.
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Mr. Allan Stewart : My right hon. Friend has received no request from the convention for a discussion of economic issues.Mr. Clarke : Is the Minister aware that my constituents are outraged at the decision to postpone yet again the upgrading of the A8 from Baillieston to Newhouse, with all the job implications that that entails? Does not he feel that his new role of looking after Lanarkshire has been specifically undermined? Does he accept that, in the past 99 days, yet another appalling decision under so-called new management means the same old story of job losses and lost opportunities for my constituents, who are anxious to get rid of the new management as quickly as possible?
Mr. Stewart : Perhaps I may point out to the hon. Gentleman the progress that has been made with the M74, which is crucial to the hon. Gentleman's constituency. Preparation work on the
Shawhead-Newhouse scheme is continuing and is expected to be completed by 1994. I share the hon. Member's concern about jobs in Lanarkshire and throughout Scotland. That is more than can be said for the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to be going to extraordinary lengths to find some overseas appointment to enable him to avoid attending the Scottish Labour party conference at Aberdeen--but who can blame him?
Primary Testing
19. Mr. McAvoy : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has had (a) in favour and (b) against primary testing.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Some 400 representations have been received covering a complete spectrum of views on testing.
Mr. McAvoy : Is the Minister aware that throughout Scotland, where parents have been balloted, an overwhelming number of decisions have been made against the tests? In my constituency, in the schools of St. Mark's, St. Columbkilles Hallside and St. Bride's, 70 to 80 per cent. of parents are opposed to the tests. It is clear that those tests are part of the Minister's promised bloody revolution for education in Scotland. Even at this late stage, will he consider withdrawing the tests and seeking consensus for the sake of our children's future?
Mr. Forsyth : The regulations on testing were approved by the House without opposition in debate from any Opposition Member. They place a clear duty on education authorities to administer the tests and--
Mr. Worthington : On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker : It is the last two minutes.
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Mr. Worthington : We prayed against the regulations on 26 October, they appeared on 25 October and we demanded a debate on them.
Mr. Speaker : Order. I am not responsible for answers given from the Dispatch Box.
Mr. Speaker : Order. This is unseemly behaviour.
Mr. Forsyth : The point that I made--that the regulations were not opposed in debate in the House--is correct. They place a clear duty on the education authorities to administer the test. Until now, the Labour party and the EIS have argued that parental choice and involvement should not extend to the curriculum and to professional matters. Their conversion is as rapid as it is unexpected. I have no doubt that, having released this genie from the bottle, education authorities will be reflecting on the implications. Are parents to be able to withdraw children from physical education, music, computer studies and the technical and vocational education initiative, for example, or to insist on the inclusion of their children in classes on a subject? Once the pilot testing round has been completed, we shall consider what further action is necessary.
Gulf Casualties
20. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the reception facilities in Scottish hospitals for service personnel returning from the Gulf.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : With the rapid and successful conclusion of the ground offensive to liberate Kuwait, the need for Scottish hospitals to maintain special arrangements to receive service personnel injured in the Gulf conflict has now passed. I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in thanking all NHS staff involved for the admirable way in which they have responded.
Mr. Dalyell : Before the Minister rises to answer the debate on 15 March on health problems in the middle east, will the Scottish Office submit some kind of memorandum offering advice as to what it can do about the appalling problems of typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and other diseases, in which we have an expertise that is desperately needed in the middle east?
Mr. Forsyth : The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight the expertise in Scotland on tropical and contagious diseases. I shall be happy to discuss with him how we can be of assistance.
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