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Year |Scottish gross
|domestic product<1>
|per head
|(UK<3>=100)
------------------------------------------------------------
1971 |93.7
1972 |93.5
1973 |95.3
1974 |95.8
1975 |96.8
1976 |98.3
1977 |97.0
1978 |945.7
1979 |94.6
1980 |94.2
1981 |96.3
1982 |97.1
1983 |97.4
1984 |96.0
1985 |95.5
1986 |95.0
1987 |94.0
1988 |93.9
<2>1989 |93.2
Source: Central Statistical Office.
<1> Income-based measure of GDP at factor cost, current
prices.
<2> Provisional estimate.
<3> United Kingdom gross domestic product excluding
continental shelf.
Crofting
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of refusals under the crofter buildings grant and loan scheme in the years 1988 and 1989 to applicants living in council houses, on the grounds that the applicant is already reasonably accommodated within working distance of the croft.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No applicants were refused assistance under the crofters building grants and loans scheme in 1988 and 1989 on the grounds stated.
Tree Preservation Orders
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set a timetable for consultation on and reform of the legislation in Scotland regarding tree preservation orders.
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Mr. Lang : I hope to issue in the autumn a consultation paper making proposals for improving the present system of tree preservation in Scotland, for implementation when a legislative opportunity is available.Severely Disabled People
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what provisions regional councils are empowered to make payments to severely disabled people to make their own personal assistance arrangements.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Under section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, local authorities may make payments to severely disabled people only in an emergency. Such payments must reduce the need for social work assistance in other forms.
Cancer Screening
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made towards shortening the waiting time for cervical smear tests results as proposed in his statement of 3 January ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Health boards have made significant progress. All but one health board--Grampian--have achieved, or bettered, the 14-day target for reporting results which I set in December 1990. Grampian are reporting results in 17 days, a considerable improvement on the position in 1990. The board is continuing to look at ways of further improving its turnaround time.
I am pleased that all but one board have achieved what was, for many, a stretching target and I applaud the dedication and commitment of staff in boards who have made these improvements. I am glad that many women in Scotland are now having to wait a much shorter period for the results of their tests.
Radioactivity
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the time it will take before the radioactive products from the accident at Chernobyl will be reduced to a level to permit the return to normal hill farming.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is not possible to offer a reliable estimate of the time by which radioactivity levels in all sheep in the Scottish restricted areas will have fallen below the Government's action level.
Only a very small proportion of hill farms have been subject to controls on sheep movements, and the administration of these controls is designed to ensure the minimum disruption to normal farming practices on restricted farms. Research and monitoring of radioactivity levels in sheep on restricted farms continues, with the aim of releasing the remaining restricted farms when this can be done without compromising the safety of the food chain.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 6 June, Official Report, columns 654-5, if he will list the items included in the figure of £148,000 spend on energy efficiency in 1990-91.
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Mr. Lang [holding answer 20 June 1991] : The figure of £148,000 includes the following items :
=
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------
Draughtproofing (including renewal of windows) |54,000
Relamping |31,000
Survey and design fees |30,000
Lighting control system |11,500
Heating control improvements including boiler
overhaul |18,000
Upgrading of electrical equipment |2,000
Power Factor Correction |1,500
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1), pursuant to the answer of 3 June, Official Report, column 221, when and why information on energy consumption and expenditure in the form referred to in his answer of 10 May 1990, Official Report, column 214, ceased to be available for 1989-90 ;
(2) when he will be able to provide 1990-91 figures on (a) energy expenditure and (b) energy consumption in units to update those given for 1989-90 in the answers of 10 May 1990, Official Report, column 214.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 20 June 1991] : I regret that the energy consumption figures for 1989-90 given to the hon. Gentleman on 10 May 1990 were based on information which has subsequently been found to be incomplete and inaccurate. Information in the form requested for the period prior to 1 April 1990 is therefore not available. The Scottish Office assumed direct responsibility for maintaining these records from 1 April 1990 and I shall be writing shortly to the hon. Gentleman with details for 1990-91.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Broadcasting of Proceedings
Sir Gerard Vaughan : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for cabling to be provided so that the broadcasts of parliamentary proceedings will be available throughout the Palace of Westminster and the precincts.
Mr. MacGregor : In its fourth report of last Session on "Computer Services for Members" (HC 614), the Services Committee recommended that steps should be taken towards the installation of a single high-capacity cable network in the Commons part of the Palace of Westminster and the outbuildings capable of carrying terrestrial, cable and satellite television signals as well as a full range of information technology services. I am hoping to be able to arrange a debate on that report in the near future. It will be for the House to decide at an appropriate moment whether the services transmitted over such a cable network should include a feed of proceedings in either or both Houses.
DEFENCE
Parachute Regiment
Mr. Critchley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the proposed reduction in the strength of the Parachute Regiment will
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not prevent the officers and non- commissioned officers of this regiment from having a balanced and worthwhile career structure.Mr. Archie Hamilton : Consultation within the Army on the future structure of the regiments and corps is now underway. The need to maintain balanced and worthwhile career structures will be taken fully into account.
Victory Parade
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of the estimated costs of the Gulf war victory parade on 21 June.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The welcome home parade and reception which took place last Friday was generously hosted by the Lord Mayor and corporation of the City of London who met the principal costs of the event, including those of the lunch to which all those marching were invited.
Hawk Aircraft
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the memorandum of understanding presently being negotiated between British Aerospace and the Indonesian Government for the supply of upgraded Hawk aircraft.
Mr. Alan Clark : It is not our practice to comment on defence exports to specific countries.
Rapier Missiles
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place an order for 10 rapier 2000 surface-to-air missiles.
Mr. Alan Clark : I do not recognise the order to which the hon. Member refers.
Aviation Support Ship
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place an order for an aviation support ship ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We are committed to maintaining an amphibious capability in the longer term, and plan to order an aviation support ship to provide dedicated helicopter support for our forces. The timing of the order has yet to be decided.
Sea Harrier
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place an order for a multi-functional air-to-air launcher rail for the Sea Harrier FRS 2 aircraft.
Mr. Alan Clark : No decision has yet been taken on the timing of this order.
Main Battle Tanks
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is considering as part of "Options for Change" the equipping of territorial units with main battle tanks.
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Helicopters
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to place orders for his British Army to acquire the Longbow Apache helicopter ; and how many aircraft will be ordered.
Mr. Alan Clark : The British Army's future requirement for attack helicopters is currently under review and a number of options, including the Apache, are being studied. We do not expect to make a decision on the choice of helicopter, or the size of any order, in the immediate future.
Hercules Aircraft
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the replacement of the Hercules aircraft.
Mr. Alan Clark : We plan to replace the Hercules early in the next decade.
Batus Firing Range
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list, with dates, of all United Kingdom and other units who were authorised to fire live 76 mm HESH rounds on the Batus live firing range between January 1984 and January 1986.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Available records do not contain a comprehensive list of units which fired 76 mm HESH rounds at Batus during the period in question.
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the relevant documents showing the number of blind 76 mm HESH rounds fired, logged but unlocated and uncleared lying outside designated impact areas on the Suffield, Batus training area for the period January 1984 to January 1986.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : All 76 mm HESH blinds reported at Batus during the period were destroyed by ammunition technicians. However, the essence of training at Batus is the ability to fire and manoeuvre within the whole of a large, live-firing area and it would not necessarily be obvious that a round had failed to explode.
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the board of inquiry into the Grenadier accident at Batus of 7 July 1989 was (a) ordered to investigate and (b) took any evidence as to how an unexploded round lay uncleared on the Batus range before 7 July 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The board of inquiry was asked to investigate all the circumstances surrounding the accident to the three guardsmen. As part of their investigations the board examined the procedures at Batus for reporting and clearing unexploded rounds.
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the convening order for the Army board of inquiry into events of 7 July 1989 on the Batus range required investigation into the question as to why a round remained uncleared outside an impact area on the Batus live firing range.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : The convening order directed the board of inquriy to consider all the circumstances that contributed to the accident on 7 July 1989.The Gulf
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 3 June, Official Report , column 127 , what is his Department's assessment as to the consequences for water supply, public health and food distribution of the damage to Iraqi conventional power stations by coalition bombing during the Gulf war.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence has conducted no such assessment, although the former United Nations Under-Secretary General Ahtisaari produced a report on the situation in Iraq after the conflict following his visit to that country in March 1991. It is believed that Iraq continues to suffer power shortages and that, as a consequence, some areas have reduced water supply.
Grenadier Guardsmen (Accident)
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Guardsmen Povey, Hicks and Ray were requested to give evidence before the board of inquiry into the circumstances which led to their serious injuries in July 1989.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The board of inquiry did not take evidence directly from the three Guardsmen. When the board was convened at Batus the soldiers had been returned to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. The board did, however, consider the transcript of an interview with LCpl Ray at Medicine Hat City hospital, Canada.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what informal undertakings were given after the serious injuries affecting Guardsmen Povey, Hicks and Ray in July 1989 that compensation would be paid to them.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We are aware of none. If any such undertakings were given, they were without authorisation.
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what terms of reference the board of inquiry was set up that inquired into the cases of Guardsmen Hicks, Povey and Ray.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The board of inquiry was asked to investigate all the circumstances and record all the evidence relevant to its inquiries. In particular, the board was asked to establish the cause of the accident ; how it occurred ; whether the soldiers were on duty ; whether any person involved, wilfully or by neglect, contravened any recognised orders, procedures or drills ; whether a mechanical fault or failure contributed to the accident ; whether there was any lack of supervision or other matters which required rectification, the medical attention available, what action, if any, was necessary to prevent a recurrence ; whether the accident was correctly reported in line with the Batus Range standing orders ; and any other matter which the President of the board considered
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relevant. The inquiry was also asked with recording what action had been taken, or would be taken, to prevent a recurrence and to make recommendations to that end.Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been received from senior officers in the Grenadier Guards urging that compensation be paid to Guardsmen Povey, Hicks and Ray.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : One such representation has been received.
Fairford Air Tattoo
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what official status has been granted to the Fairford international air tattoo as a Gulf salute ; and if he will explain the procedure by which such official status is designated.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : None ; events organised by non-governmental organisations, such as the international air tattoo, do not have official status.
Training Exercises (Accidents)
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for the last five years the individual ex-gratia payments made to service personel for injuries received while on training exercises.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The following is a list of ex-gratia payments made to date (24 May 1991) for training incidents which occurred between 8 December 1986 and 15 May 1987.
£9,500
£4,000
£45,000
£3,500
£15,000
£116,000
£675,000
£3,017
All these incidents involved MOD negligence.
Cambodia
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government has provided training for the forces of the Cambodian resistance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : From 1983 until 1989 Her Majesty's Government provided training to the armed forces of the Cambodian non-communist resistance, that is the Khmer People's National Liberation armed forces and the Armee Nationale Sihanoukienne. The purpose was to strengthen the position of those forces in relation to the more powerful forces of the Khmer Rouge and in their struggle against the Vietnamese imposed regime in Phnom Penh. There has never been and will never be any British assistance or support, military or otherwise, for the Khmer Rouge. Since 1989 Her Majesty's Government have not been involved in any way in training, equipping or supplying the forces of any of the Cambodian parties. In accordance with normal practice no further details about this training or any information about the nature of this training will be given.
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