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Financial |Tolls
year |collected
|£
------------------------------
1971-72 |194,775
1972-73 |312,273
1973-74 |359,570
1974-75 |380,557
1975-76 |417,495
1976-77 |471,743
1977-78 |524,666
1978-79 |583,760
1979-80 |525,059
1980-81 |679,171
1981-82 |843,467
1982-83 |1,194,705
1983-84 |1,257,592
1984-85 |1,373,882
1985-86 |1,394,421
1986-87 |1,506,547
1987-88 |1,627,605
1988-89 |1,786,179
1989-90 |2,360,403
Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff are employed to collect the toll on the Erskine bridge ; and if he will break it down by all staff grade involved.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are at present 30 full-time and one part-time members of staff employed at Eskine bridge. They comprise the bridge manager, three administrative staff, six toll supervisors, 20 toll collectors and a part time handyman. Temporary toll collectors are also employed as necessary to cover for annual leave and sickness so as to maintain the service to the public.
Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters the Government have received complaining about the Erskine bridge toll since 1979.
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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No record has been created and the information requested is not available.
Abattoirs
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the abattoirs in Scotland which slalughter fewer than 12 livestock units or cattle each week.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It would not be appropriate to list the information requested in view of its commercial sensitivity. However, information on throughput derived from annual advisory visits by state veterinary service staff to local authority licensed abattoirs is recorded in size bands. The 1990 figures for Scotland are as follows :
Livestock |Abattoirs units ------------------------------ 0-5 |9 6-10 |2 11-15 |Nil
Mar Lodge
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has made to the letter from the director general of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Dr. Martin Holdgate FRS, relating to Mar lodge ; and if he will put copies of the correspondence in the Library.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I have arranged to have copies of Dr. Holdgate's letter of 16 May to my right hon. Friend, and the Scottish Office Environment Department's reply of 5 June, placed in the Library.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to his answer of 19 June, Official Report, column 279, what further proposals he has received relating to the future of Mar lodge ; and what response he had made.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : On 27 June I met representatives of the World Wide Fund for Nature, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Chris Brasher trust who outlined their proposals for the purchase of the Mar lodge estate.
My response was that private ownership can and does provide for effective management of the natural heritage in Scotland. In this context, the proposal that the Government provide 50 per cent. of the purchase price of the Mar lodge estate is inconsistent with Government policy.
Student Support
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is now taking in order to provide financial support to students, following the ending of their entitlement to welfare benefits.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 12 July 1991] : We are already providing such support through student loans and access funds. Loans and grants together provided an increase of 25 per cent. in the resources available to students in session 1990-91 and the loan element more than compensated the average student claimant for the loss of benefits. The average student's likely entitlement to
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benefits was estimated to be about £327, whereas the average full year loan rate for session 1990-91 is £420. Eligible students who have not already done so can still apply for a loan for 1990-91 provided their completed application reaches the Student Loans Company Ltd. by 31 July.For session 1991-92 the overall provision for student maintenance has been increased by a further 6 per cent. on average, giving a loan facility of £580 for students living away from the parental home. In addition to student loans, discretionary assistance may be available in cases of need through the access funds which are administered by the individual academic institutions.
Red Deer
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many estates have killed (a) fewer than five, (b) six to 10, (c) 11 to 50, (d) 51 to 100, (e) 101 to 250, (f) 251 to 500 and (g) more than 500 red deer in each year from 1986 to 1990.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 9 June 1991] : The information is as follows :
|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90
------------------------------------------------------
Less than 5 |51 |45 |46 |46
6 to 10 |47 |28 |41 |37
11 to 50 |193 |208 |178 |191
51 to 100 |97 |108 |117 |123
101 to 250 |72 |84 |93 |94
251 to 500 |20 |20 |22 |20
More than 500 |3 |3 |5 |7
Auchtermuchty Bypass
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the Auchtermuchty bypass.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 July 1991] : I will be writing to the hon. Member very shortly in reply to his letter on this subject. I can state however that completion of the final elements of the necessary preparatory work on this scheme will be undertaken only when there is a reasonable prospect of early funding being available. The present indications are that this is unlikely to be the case within the next five years.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums have been spent on trunk roads in each region in Scotland for (a) maintenance and (b) new building in the last 10 years for which information is available.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 July 1991] : The information is set out in the following tables :
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Expenditure on trunk road maintenance 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1990 £ thousands --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Borders |764 |1,247 |1,825 |1,618 |1,227 |1,371 |1,145 |1,307 |1,640 |1,565 Central |1,336 |1,913 |2,415 |2,614 |2,204 |2,190 |1,710 |1,377 |2037 |2,254 Dumfries and Galloway |1,256 |2,414 |2,327 |2,130 |3,118 |1,762 |2,433 |2,847 |3,111 |3,736 Fife |604 |914 |1,165 |1,893 |1,099 |1,221 |1,707 |1,045 |2,154 |3,034 Grampian |1,635 |2,739 |1,982 |2,291 |1,800 |2,402 |3,344 |3,313 |2,812 |3,075 Highland |3,163 |3,977 |4,148 |5,530 |5,528 |6,783 |7,561 |7,093 |8,797 |9,063 Lothian |930 |1,394 |1,362 |2,005 |1,302 |1,928 |1,939 |2,306 |2,441 |2,214 Strathclyde |6,140 |11,115|8,346 |10,692|9,663 |9,766 |10,324|12,140|13,360|15,707 Tayside |1,474 |3,375 |2,727 |3,969 |2,423 |2,745 |3,297 |2,508 |3,046 |4,621
Expenditure on trunk road construction 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1990 £ thousands --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Borders |2,656 |3,247 |2,677 |1,656 |1,013 |902 |1,964 |1,320 |1,117 |3,478 Central |2,901 |6,565 |4,784 |2,351 |1,321 |923 |1,672 |2,424 |2,078 |10,374 Dumfries and Galloway |1,408 |3,994 |7,181 |5,590 |8,096 |11,110|8,793 |17,925|19,919|24,158 Fife |2,304 |3,789 |3,857 |5,303 |6,014 |6,163 |4,030 |2,499 |7,940 |8,304 Grampian |8,009 |4,839 |4,016 |8,580 |16,603|5,744 |2,147 |10,714|17,170|16,613 Highland |21,922|24,499|15,309|11,783|11,408|5,234 |9,238 |16,008|14,237|14,085 Lothian |286 |783 |1,143 |881 |4,900 |12,320|12,246|4,208 |3,035 |5,761 Strathclyde |4,482 |9,805 |16,904|20,377|16,354|23,589|17,293|22,681|20,248|23,651 Tayside |27,416|15,525|26,098|15,274|17,718|21,045|21,239|16,095|3,353 |7,128
Anti-speeding Measures
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to monitor the effects of the measures recently taken to reduce speeding through Gateside, Fife.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 July 1991] : Accident prevention measures at Gateside were
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completed within the last month. Speed checks were carried out prior to commencement of the works and further checks are currently taking place. In addition, as before and after accident analysis will be carried out 6 months following the implementation of the works.Column 81
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward proposals to permit local authorities to reduce speed limits in the neighbourhood of schools.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 July 1991] : The Road Traffic Bill contains provisions to allow the introduction of variable speed limits in appropriate circumstances. This would enable, for example, an authority to reduce the speed limits outside a school during those times when children are arriving and leaving. In addition, a consultation paper was issued by the Scottish Office earlier this year about the introduction of 20 mph speed limit zones. It is envisaged that 20 mph zones would be most effective in residential areas and in the vicinity of schools. Guidance on both these initiatives will be given to local authorities as soon as practicable.
Cupar Bypass
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Cupar bypass.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 July 1991] : We have no proposals at present for a bypass for Cupar. Fife regional council has conducted a traffic study of the town and its findings are expected this autumn. A traffic management scheme providing medium term measures to reduce the traffic problems in Cupar is currently being prepared by Fife regional council.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Departmental Agencies
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum salary payable including the performance related element to the chief executive of each agency in his Department ; and what is the length of time of each chief executive's contract.
Miss Widdecombe : Taking each agency in turn, the details are as follows :
Resettlement Agency
Salary, exclusive of London weighting, £33,970. An annual pay review is due in August 1991, details of which are not yet available. Additionally, if all targets are met, a bonus of up to 7.5 per cent. of salary at end of year two, and up to 10 per cent. of salary at end of year three. There is no fixed length of contract.
Information Technology Services Agency
Salary, exclusive of London allowance, £48,380--rising to £49,300 in December 1991. Additionally, if all targets are met, an annual bonus of up to 12.5 per cent. of salary. The length of contract is three years from 2 April 1990.
Benefits Agency
Salary £75,250 rising to £76,650 from December 1991. Additionally, if all targets are met, an annual bonus of up to 12.5 per cent. of salary. The length of contract is five years from 1 April 1991. Contributions Agency
Salary £44,996. An annual pay review is due in August 1991, details of which are not yet available. Additionally, if all targets are met, an annual bonus of up to 12.5 per cent. of salary. The length of contract is three years from 1 April 1991.
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Pension Age
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) pursuant to his answer of 2 June, Official Report, column 112, to the hon. Member for Thanet, South (Mr. Aitken) what assessment he has made of the implications for the state earnings-related pension of the Barber judgment in the European Court of Justice ;
(2) whether he will establish a consultative committee to consider equalisation of the state pension age.
Miss Widdecombe : The Barber judgment concerned an occupational pension scheme, but I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 26 June at columns 997-1006.
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has made to the House of Lords European Communities Select Committee inquiry of Session 1988-89 into equal treatment in pensions and other benefits.
Miss Widdecombe : Our response is set out in the reply to the 10th report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities Session 1988-89 on equal treatment for men and women in pensions and other benefits (Cm. 1038).
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made towards equalisation of the state pension age.
Mr. Widdecombe : I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 26 June at columns 997-1006.
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what studies he has commissioned from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys into equalisation of the state pension age ; and when he expects the results to be available.
Miss Widdecombe : No studies have been commissioned from OPCS which deal specifically with the equalisation of state pension age, but research has been commissioned into retirement behaviour. The results of this research are due to be published later this year and will provide information in areas relevant to the equalisation of state pension age, such as trends in retirement age and the reasons for early and late retirement.
Housing Benefit
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he has any plans to review the procedure whereby housing benefit paid on behalf of tenants directly to landlords for accommodation provided can be subject to clawback at a later date when the tenant has ceased to be eligible to receive housing benefit but has not so informed the landlord ;
(2) if he has any proposals to review the application of regulations 99 to 102 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987.
Miss Widdecombe : Regulations 97 to 105 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987 are currently under review. The need for amendments will be considered carefully in the light of the findings.
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Income Support
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will modify income support regulations to enable the calculation of housing costs to take into account compulsory mortgage-related insurance premiums.
Miss Widdecombe : We have no plans to do so. Under present rules an amount may be included in the assessment of income support for mortgage interest payments, but no help is given with capital repayments or with the premiums on endowment policies taken out to repay the capital loan. This reflects our policy of helping people keep the roof over their heads without the benefit system being used to acquire a capital asset. No specific amounts are included for house insurance, but income support personal allowances are intended to cover normal day-to-day living expenses such as these.
Jobs (Travel and Subsistence)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assistance is available from (i) the Social Fund and (ii) other public sources for those on income support who, after securing employment in other areas of the country, require temporary financial assistance for (a) travelling expenses to reach their place of work and (b) subsistence pending their initial pay packet.
Mr. Scott : A new employee may be able to obtain help from his employer with expenses on taking up employment.
Work-related expenses are outside the scope of the social fund. However, a crisis loan may be considered for living expenses to tide a person over until he receives his first wage, where there are no other means of preventing serious risk to health or safety.
Residential Care Allowance
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to make adequate provision for those who qualify for residential care allowance-mental handicap rates after the introduction of the care in the community changes planned for 1993.
Miss Widdecombe : We intend to preserve the present scheme of special income support limits for existing claimants who are resident in most homes when the new funding structure is introduced on 1 April 1993. As now, under those arrangements there will be limits to the level of benefit available for different types of care. Subject to the normal qualifying conditions, those whose fees are at or below the limit will have their charges met in full. Existing arrangements for reviewing the level of the limits will continue.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how much it would increase public expenditure totals in his Department's budgets for expenditure in the year 1992-93 if he were to increase the residential care allowance mental handicap levels of income support available to people with learning difficulties in residential homes by 15 per cent.
Miss Widdecombe : Expenditure would depend on the number of claimants in receipt of the mental handicap
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limit and the level of that limit at the time. Information about expected numbers of income support customers as well as expenditure, is published in the public expenditure White Paper (Cm 1014). It has never been the practice to make separate forecasts about any individual group within the planning totals.War Injuries
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to change the existing legislation governing eligibility for pension as a result of war injuries to enable discretion to be exercised, in exceptional circumstances, where former service men or service women who were wounded on active service make late claims, to allow those claims to be backdated to the date of their original injury, where the circumstances suggest that they were not made aware of their entitlement to claim when their injuries were sustained.
Miss Widdecombe : Awards of war disablement pensions are normally paid from the date of claim. Where a person is invalided from the armed forces a claim for war pension is automatically instituted. There is no onus on the individual to claim in such circumstances. When people are otherwise discharged from the armed forces the onus is on them to claim any war pension to which they think they may be entitled ; on discharge they are provided as a matter of routine with information about claiming a war pension.
War pensions legislation already provides discretion to award war pension from a date earlier than the date of claim, where the circumstances of the case are considered to be exceptional. Awards may not, in any case, be paid before a service man or service woman leaves the armed forces.
Social Fund
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for loans from the social fund have been (a) made and (b) granted on Merseyside to (1) individuals on state income support, (2) individuals in receipt of disability allowance, (3) individuals who receive a pension higher than the state income support level and (4) others for each of the last three years of operation of the fund.
Mr. Scott : I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Income Support
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors contributed to the change in the number of people receiving income support in comparison with supplementary benefit.
Mr. Scott : Many factors will have contributed to the change but paragraph 26 of the departmental report (Cm 1514), a copy of which is available in the Library, identifies the fall in unemployment as the main reason. This confirms the view expressed at the time of the reforms, that the rate of unemployment was a key factor.
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ENERGY
United Kingdom Continental Shelf
4. Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the potential level of capital funding on the United Kingdom continental shelf over the next two years.
Mr. Moynihan : A recent report of company intentions for capital investment showed that expenditure could increase by a third to £4.7 billion in 1991 and £4.8 billion in 1992.
Power Lines
6. Mr. Ted Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy on routing overhead power lines underground in environmentally attractive areas.
Mr. Wakeham : It is the Government's policy that the routing of overhead power lines should have full regard to the preservation of amenity. That is why the Electricity Act 1989 places environmental duties on those responsible for proposing and building overhead lines and on myself in considering applications for consent.
British Coal (Productivity)
17. Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the change in British Coal's productivity since 1979.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : From 1978-79 to 1990-91 British Coal's output per manshift increased by over 109 per cent.
27. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next intends to meet the chairman of British coal to discuss productivity in British Coal.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the coal industry, including the remarkable improvements they have been making in productivity.
Oil and Gas Exploration
18. Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on Monday 17 June, Official Report, column 9, how many production licences were awarded in (a) 1990 and (b) in the current year so far ; and what is the number currently being negotiated.
Mr. Moynihan : As I indicated to the hon. Member in my answer of 17 June, important safety considerations are considered not at the initial licence award round but at the development project, annex B, or production plans stage of the licence.
In 1990, 18 development projects were approved by my Department ; 12 projects have been approved up to the middle of June this year. Several other projects are presently under consideration.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all blocks of the United Kingdom continental shelf which have held a presumption against oil and gas licensing on the grounds of fisheries interests.
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Mr. Moynihan : Before deciding which blocks to offer in offshore licensing rounds, my Department consults the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department and national fishermen's organisations for advice on fishing matters.
In recent rounds, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department and its predecessor, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, have advised that certain blocks in the following quadrants should not be offered for licensing :
3, 8, 9, 11 to 14, 17, 18, 20 to 22, 30, 34, 40 to 43, 48, 52, 97, 99, 100, 107, 109, 110, 112 to 114.
It would not be appropriate to list the individual blocks concerned as fish stocks and fishing patterns vary over time within these areas. Blocks in these and other quandrants have been licensed, by agreement with the relevant fisheries Department, with conditions and restrictions on oil and gas activity to safeguard fishing interests.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all blocks within the United Kingdom continental shelf not submitted for licensing for oil and gas exploration on grounds (a) of interference with shipping and navigation, (b) of nature conservation and (c) other reasons.
Mr. Moynihan : We do not hold the information in the form requested. It is often the case, especially in areas close to the coast, that the concerns and priorities of differing interests are taken together in considering the exclusion of a block or blocks from licensing rounds.
Electricity Generation
19. Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the development of new generating capacity outside the duopoly.
Mr. Wakeham : The Government welcome the proposed entry of the independents into the new competitive electricity market. The introduction of competition will increase the pressure on those in the market place, both to produce electricity more efficiently, and to serve their customers to the best of their ability.
Mining Industry
20. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will discuss the funding structure and organisation of the mining industry with the chairman of British Coal.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
Wind Energy
21. Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the average annual level of investment into the research and development of wind energy (a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) since 1979.
Mr. Moynihan : Prior to 1979-80 Government expenditure on wind research and development was directed at a few low-cost preliminary studies, with total expenditure amounting to about £146,000. In addition there was expenditure on IEA research and development
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projects, including renewables, amounting to about £4 million. Since 1979 average annual expenditure on the wind programme has been £3.2 million.Sizewell B
22. Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of the construction of the Sizewell B nuclear power station.
Mr. Wakeham : I am pleased to say that progress of the construction of the Sizewell B project is now about eight months ahead of the committed 72-month programme and remains within the estimated cost to completion.
Staff Relocation
23. Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what stage his consideration of the relocation of Department of Energy staff out of London has reached ; and if he will make a statement.
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