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Fluoridation
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress that has been made in artifically increasing the fluoride content of the water supply in England during the most recent 12-month period for which information is available.
Dr. Mawhinney : It is for health authorities to apply to water undertakers to increase the levels of fluoride in water supplies, following local consultation. Information on the progress made is not collected centrally.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department has taken to investigate the nature of treatment of repetitive strain injuries.
Mr. Yeo : The nature of treatment of repetitive strain injuries is a matter for individual clinicians.
Child Care
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how she intends to respond to the recommendation on child care adopted by the European Council of Ministers ; and whether she intends to review policy in terms of (i) the reconciliation of employment and caring for children, (ii) early childhood care and education services and (iii) funding for (i) and (ii).
Mr. Yeo : The recommendation which was adopted on 31 March 1992 calls on member states to report back to the Commission on the steps taken in response to the matters covered in the articles by March 1995.
The recommendation will inform the continuing debate about child care and other means of helping parents reconcile work and family responsibilities.
The relevant Departments will be working together in considering the United Kingdom's response and we intend to draw the recommendation to the attention of local authorities, employers' organisations, business interests, child care providers and organisations representing their interests and voluntary organisations.
Purchasing Consortia
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Northern regional health authority's proposal to establish new purchasing consortia arrangements across the region.
Mr. Sackville : The Northern regional health authority (RHA), its district health authorities (DHAs) and family health services authorities are considering the best way to develop DHAs' central role in purchasing health care on behalf of their residents ; including the possibility of joint working with neighbouring authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Carr, chairman of Northern RHA, for more information.
Greenwich Health Service
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the consultation exercise on the proposed application by Greenwich health service for trust status began ; on what date copies of the consultation paper were available for distribution to the public ; and if she will make a statement on the adequacy of arrangements for consultation on this matter.
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Dr. Mawhinney : The public consultation exercise for Greenwich Healthcare's application for NHS trust status began on 14 May 1992. The application document was available from the same date. The South East Thames regional health authority, which is responsible for the consultation process, has distributed over 340 copies of the document to a wide range of individuals and organisations. Anyone who has not received a copy may obtain one from the regional health authority.SCOTLAND
Development Area, Borders
21. Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to grant development area status to the borders region ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : We announced before the election that a review of the assisted areas map would be conducted at the beginning of this Parliament. We are currently considering how to take this commitment forward and hope to make an announcement shortly. I can however assure the hon. Gentleman that the needs of all areas--including the borders--will be given very full and careful consideration in the review.
Fishing
22. Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to meet representatives of west coast fishing associations to discuss problems relating to the fishing industry.
Sir Hector Monro : I have already met a delegation from the Scottish Fishermen's Federation which represents many west coast fishermen. I intend to meet as many groups from all parts of Scotland as I can over the next few months to listen to their concerns.
Strathclyde Police
23. Mr. Gallie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to meet Strathclyde regional council to discuss police manning levels in Strathclyde.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. It is the responsibility of the council to provide the resources to enable Strathclyde police to be manned up to the establishment level authorised by the council.
33. Mr. Michael J. Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average time taken for police officers at D Division of Strathclyde police to respond to emergency calls by members of the public.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is not currently available. The recording of response times to emergency calls received by Strathclyde police is being developed on the force's new command and control system.
Youth (Local Authority Care)
24. Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy for 16-year-olds leaving the care of local authorities.
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Mr. Allan Stewart : The needs of young people leaving care are among the major issues which we have under review and which will figure in a White Paper on child care law and policy later this year. My right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State has responded to a separate letter from the hon. Member on the subject.
Constitutional Reform
25. Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with which bodies he has had discussions since 10 April on Scotland's constitutional future.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has held no such discussions.
26. Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to a systematic, thorough but rapid study of the constitutional position of Scotland within the framework of the whole of the United Kingdom.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Government are giving careful consideration to ways of making the government of Scotland more responsive to Scotland's needs within the framework of an integrated United Kingdom and will report the results to the House.
28. Mr. Connarty : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received on the issue of a multi-option referendum on the future constitutional arrangements for the government of Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Since 9 April, my right hon. Friend has received 24 letters about the holding of a referendum on the future government of Scotland, of which 18 were in favour. One small petition has also been received.
Hospitals
27. Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of those hospitals within the Lanarkshire health board area which have expressed an interest in seeking trust status.
Mr. Allan Stewart : A formal expression of interest in trust status has been made on behalf of the Monklands unit in Lanarkshire health board area. This unit comprises the Monklands district hospital and the Bellshill maternity hospital.
Overseas Visitors
29. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many overseas visitors came to Scotland in (a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c) 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is as follows :
Number of Overseas Visitors Year |(Millions) --------------------------------- 1989 |1.44 1990 |1.60 1991 |1.60 Source: International pasenger survey 1989-90. Scottish tourist board 1991. Note: 1991 figure is an estimate provided by the Scottish tourist board and based on results for period January to September. #9175
Scotland had its highest ever number of overseas visitors in 1990, as measured by the international passenger survey which commenced in 1961. While provisional figures for 1991 suggest that there has been no overall change, a significant reduction in visitors from long-haul markets, including north America, has been noted. This drop is likely to have been counterbalanced by an increase in visitors from Europe. Indications for 1992 suggest that the previous growth in overseas visitor numbers may be resumed.
Departmental Accountability
30. Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any proposals to make the Scottish Office more accountable to the people of Scotland.
Mr. Lang : The Government are currently reviewing ways of making the Government more responsive to Scotland's needs within a strengthened United Kingdom.
Unemployment
31. Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to alleviate the social problems surrounding unemployment in Renfrewshire and elsewhere in Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The main responsibility for meeting the social welfare needs of an area rests with the social work authority which has a range of powers and facilities. The Government have provided for an increase for social work within aggregate external finance of 88 per cent. in real terms since 1979.
In addition, specific initiatives have been taken by my right hon. Friend in areas particularly affected by unemployment. For example, in Scotland's most deprived urban areas, the urban programme funds a wide variety of projects designed to reduce unemployment and its impact on local communities.
Moreover, Scottish Office-led partnership initiatives are implementing comprehensive economic, social and physical regeneration strategies in four disadvantaged peripheral housing estates, including Ferguslie park in Renfrew district. Emphasis has been placed on reducing the high levels of unemployment in these areas, particularly through the use of training courses tailored to the needs of local residents and offering sound prospects of employment on completion.
The most important contribution which can be made in areas affected by unemployment is the creation and attraction of new jobs and improving employment prospects for people living in the area. This is primarily a matter for the local enterprise company network. Renfrewshire Enterprise has a broad and flexible range of training and economic development powers and functions, and a budget this year of almost £24 million, to devote to its task. A number of schemes and projects are under way in the area to provide training for employment and create jobs.
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Enterprise Culture
32. Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to further encourage the enterprise culture in Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The enterprise culture has deep roots in Scotland. The Government's economic and fiscal policies, which reward entrepreneurship and encourage investment and jobs throughout the United Kingdom, are stimulating its further growth ; and local enterprise companies, under the supervision of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, are making a valuable and growing impact on the vigour of the enterprise culture at local level.
Care in the Community
34. Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the funding of care in the community.
Mr. Allan Stewart : Our commitment to the funding of community care services was set out in the White Paper "Caring for People" (Cm 849). In 1993-94 the process of transferring resources from the Department of Social Security to local authorities to enable them to meet their new community care responsibilities, will begin. Already my right hon. Friend made provision in aggregate external finance of £11 million in 1991-92 and £21 million in 1992-93 in recognition of the additional costs to local authorities in implementing community care. He has also allocated £33 million to health boards over the years 1991-92 to 1994-95 by way of bridging finance to assist the movement of patients in long-stay hospitals into suitable provision within the community.
Investment (Technology)
35. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he would make a statement on investment in technology in Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The Government believe that it is primarily industry's own responsibility to assess its markets and take the necessary investment decisions, including in technology, to ensure its successful future development. The Government's overall aim is to encourage innovation by industry without creating or perpetuating distortions in the economy. However, we do recognise that companies, particularly small and medium- sized companies, require some external assistance. One form of this assistance is intended to support precompetitive collaborative research projects. Link is an interdepartmental example of this which encourages industry to undertake joint research with higher education institutions. Another example, geared specifically to companies with less than 50 employees is the competitive small firms merit award for research and technology (SMART) scheme. These examples are just two of the number of forms of assistance available throughout the United Kingdom under the banner of the enterprise initiative, operated by the Department of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. In more general terms, the principal form of investment assistance, available in Scotland under the Government's regional policy, is regional selective assistance (RSA). It is a discretionary grant available throughout the assisted
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areas for investment projects which involve expansion, modernisation or rationalisation and which create or safeguard jobs. In addition, the investment grant element of the regional enterprise grants (REG) scheme provides a simplified form of support for companies with less than 25 employees. Similarly, for companies with up to 50 employees, the innovation grant element of REG provides--within a ceiling of £25,000 grant per project--up to 50 per cent. support towards the costs of innovation projects which lead to the development and introduction of new products or processes. In addition to assistance from Government, Scotland is fortunate in having the infrastructure of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the local enterprise companies. It is the remit of this network to further the development of Scotland's economy and its environment. This infrastructure provides the more local, and responsive, mechanism to address the various needs of industry, including stimulating investment.Primary Schools, Testing
36. Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to abolish national testing in Scottish primary schools.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall).
Electoral Registration
37. Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he holds on the numbers of people who had submitted electoral registration forms in time but who were not included on the final registration ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : This information is not held centrally. The decision whether or not to include an applicant on the electoral register rests entirely with the electoral registration officer for the area.
Mr. John Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many electors were registered for proxy or postal votes respectively ; and how many proxy and postal votes were cast in each constituency in Scotland of the general election on 9 April.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Information on registration of proxy and postal votes is not held centrally. The numbers of postal votes-- personal and proxy together--cast in each constituency will be published in due course by HMSO as part of a post-election House of Commons Command Paper "Election Expenses".
Investment (Steel)
38. Dr. Bray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Government's policy towards investment in new steel-making capacity in Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The Government would welcome any proposals which might lead to the continuation of steel production in Scotland, and we would urge British Steel to give very careful consideration to any bid that may be made for the re-use of any of its Scottish production facilities.
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Land Ownership
39. Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to meet representatives of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage to discuss land ownership.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I have at present no plans to meet either body to discuss this subject.
Lockerbie Bombing
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations the Lord Advocate has received from the lawyers of Pan American Airways insurers relating to the bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, and alleged Libyan, Syrian and Iranian involvement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Lord Advocate has not received any representations from the lawyers of Pan American World Airways or its insurers on alleged Libyan, Syrian or Iranian involvement in the bombing of Pam Am flight 103 on 21 December 1988.
Economy (North-east)
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures the Government will take to encourage economic prosperity in north-east Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The area is among the more prosperous in Scotland. Oil-related employment in particular has increased sharply in recent years. Unemployment in the Aberdeen travel-to-work area has been consistently below the Scottish average and it has had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the United Kingdom--the second lowest in the United Kingdom in March 1992.
There are, however, encouraging signs of confidence in the North sea, with fabrication and engineering yards in Scotland currently working to near full capacity. In 1991, direct offshore employment attained its second highest recorded level, 33,200 jobs, with United Kingdom nationals holding 93 per cent. of these.
Much of this is due to the Government's general economic and fiscal policies.
In addition, of course, the full range of the Government's training, employment and economic development initiatives are available in north-east Scotland through the local enterprise company network. The local enterprise companies have very substantial budgets at their disposal to encourage economic development and employment creation. Grampian Enterprise, for example, has a budget of over £20 million available this year.
Kennel Costs
Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the maximum daily rate payable to procurators fiscal to keep a dog in kennels, as a production, while awaiting to hear a case in court.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I am advised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that procurators fiscal are not paid any sum to keep a dog in kennels pending the hearing of the case in court. Where a
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dog has been seized in connection with an offence and the procurator fiscal decides to take criminal proceedings the cost of keeping the dog in kennels pending the trial is the responsibility of the procurator fiscal. There is no maximum daily rate payable for keeping dogs in kennels in such circumstances. Arrangements are made locally between the procurator fiscal and the local kennel for the payment of a reasonable daily fee.Disabled People (Housing)
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by district council the amount of money spent on adaptations to the homes of disabled people in each of the last five years ; and what contribution was made towards these costs from central Government funds.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 18 May 1992] : Both district council housing departments and regional council social work departments can contribute towards the costs of adapting the homes of disabled persons. Information is not held centrally on the expenditure by district councils.
Regional council social work department expenditure on adaptations to homes of disabled people in each of the last five years, where available was as follows :
Adaptations to property-provided by Scottish social work
departments gross local authority expenditure (£000's)
Year ended 31 March
Region |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |n/a |43 |53 |77 |65
Central |171 |123 |165 |219 |387
Dumfries/Galloway |106 |73 |12 |n/a |n/a
Fife |280 |419 |646 |n/a |606
Grampian |270 |302 |296 |394 |549
Highland |150 |n/a |n/a |212 |331
Lothian |305 |375 |317 |542 |523
Strathclyde |1,271 |1,712 |1,658 |1,877 |2,081
Tayside |155 |93 |188 |190 |278
Orkney |n/a |7 |9 |n/a |5
Shetland |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Western Isles |n/a |30 |25 |20 |42
Central Government funding for local authorities is paid in support of services in general. It is for local authorities to decide the appropriate level of expenditure to incur on individual services.
Gigha
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out in a table a breakdown of the main sources of employment of the inhabitants of Gigha ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 19 May 1992] : The information requested is as follows :
Sources of employment in
Gigha
|Number
-----------------------------
Farming |14
Fish farming |5
Hotel |<1>12
Estate workers |3
Gardeners |3
Shop workers |3
Fishermen |7
<1> In season.
#9180
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Irish Beef
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the investigation into the consignment of Irish beef destined for Russia and found in Merseyside, indicating how much had already been bought by consumers.
Mr. Gummer : This matter is now the subject of an investigation by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. It would not be appropriate for me to comment since this could be prejudicial to the investigation.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Exchange Rates
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify on a month-by-month basis since 1985 whether the pound sterling was or would have been within (a) the 2 per cent. band of the exchange rate mechanism ; or (b) the 6 per cent. band.
Mr. Nelson : Sterling joined the exchange rate mechanism with effect from 8 October 1990 at a central deutschmark rate of DM 2.95 and with agreed bands of flunctuation of approximately 6 per cent. It is not clear what sterling's exchange rate would have been since 1985 if it had joined earlier.
Currency
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the designs of £10 and £20 notes, with particular reference to the indication of their denominations.
Mr. Nelson : The design of Bank of England notes is the responsibility of the bank. It advises that each denomination is a different size, carries identifying numerals, words and colours as well as, in the new series, a distinctive bold symbol on the front of each note specifically to assist the partially sighted and the elderly.
Mortgage Difficulties
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many schemes to turn owner-occupiers experiencing mortgage difficulties into tenants or shared owners have now been established, indicating the number of families assisted in each case.
Mr. Nelson : Seven mortgage-into-rent schemes have been established through which existing borrowers can become tenants, and six of these are by the largest mortgage lenders. Lenders are also developing other rescue schemes such as shared appreciation mortgages, where the lender takes part payment of the mortgage in return for a share in the equity gains from the sale of the property.
Many separate discussions are now under way between borrowers and lenders about which arrangements are most appropriate for dealing with the difficulties raised by individual cases. It is too early to say how many families are likely to be helped by particular measures, but the Government remain keenly interested in developments.
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The Chancellor, along with the Secretary of State for Environment, will meet representatives of the major lenders on 2 June to review progress.Wine (Tax)
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the level of taxation changes in each of the past 10 years on table wine (75 cl) ; sparkling wine (70 cl) ; sherry (70 cl) ; port (70 cl) ; and spirits at 40 per cent. (75 cl), showing the total percentage increase over the period as a separate table.
Sir John Cope : Changes in the level of taxation, measured as excise duty plus consequential VAT, in each of the last 10 years are as follows :
Percentages (April)
|Table |Sparkling|Sherry |Port |Spirits
|wine |wine
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1983 |5.8 |5.8 |5.8 |5.8 |5.0
1984 |-19.9 |8.4 |8.0 |6.8 |1.9
1985 |8.3 |8.3 |7.3 |6.3 |1.9
1986 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0
1987 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0
1988 |4.5 |4.5 |4.5 |4.5 |0.0
1989 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0
1990 |7.7 |7.7 |7.7 |7.7 |10.0
<1>1991 |11.7 |11.7 |11.7 |11.7 |11.7
1992 |4.5 |4.5 |4.5 |4.5 |4.5
1982-92 |20.5 |63.2 |61.0 |57.8 |39.9
<1> Standard rate of VAT increased from 15 to 17.5 per cent.
Whisky
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the revenues which have accrued to the Exchequer through (a) domestic sales and (b) export sales of Scotch whisky in each of the past 10 years.
Sir John Cope : Estimated accruals of VAT and excise duty on domestic sales of United Kingdom produced whisky are shown in the table. Export sales of whisky do not yield excise or VAT revenue.
|£ billion
------------------------------
1982 |0.8
1983 |0.9
1984 |0.9
1985 |1.0
1986 |1.0
1987 |1.0
1988 |1.0
1989 |0.9
1990 |1.0
1991 |1.1
Delors Proposals
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in convenient summary form in respect of each numbered and named phase of the Delors proposals for economic and monetary union, the articles, protocol or chapter of the treaty on European union (Cm 1934), which relate to the implementation of each of the proposed phases together with the relevant page numbers in Cm 1934.
Mr. Nelson : The Delors committee report on economic and monetary union in the European Community
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suggested a three-stage approach to the development of EMU. The treaty on European union, as set out in Cm 1934, also adopts a three-stage approach to EMU, although this does not correspond exactly to the Delors proposals. All EMU articles in the treaty come into effect on ratification, except where later commencement is indicated in article 109e, page 25 of Cm 1934. Transitional provisions are set out in article 109e--109m, pages 25-30 of Cm 1934. Similarly, all protocols come into force on ratification, except that where their provisions relate to treaty articles which are subject to later commencement the provisions will not have effect until the later date. Thus, the protocol setting out the statute for the European Monetary Institute, pages 104-111 of Cm 1934, and the protocol on the excessive deficit procedure, page 111 of Cm 1934, will have effect on 1 January 1994. The protocol on the convergence criteria, page 112 of Cm 1934, will have effect when the Community takes decisions on the passage to the third stage of EMU as described in article 109j, pages 28-29 of Cm 1934, and the protocol on the statute for the European system of central banks and the European Central bank will have effect on the establishment of that institution, in accordance with article 1091, page 29-30 of Cm 1934.European Union
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will tabulate those functions, decisions, or statutory authority and jurisdictions, currently performed by the Bank of England, Her Majesty's Treasury or any other Department of State that could be transferred to any of the institutions of the European Community that will exist in the event of ratification of the treaty on European union assuming the future adherence of the United Kingdom to these arrangements, showing for each function the name or part of the relevant institution to which it would be transferred, together with a reference to the relevant articles, protocols, chapters, sub-articles and page numbers as found in Cm. 1934.
Mr. Nelson : No functions or decisions that are currently the responsibility of the Bank of England, Her Majesty's Treasury or any other Department for which I am responsible will be transferred to any of the Community institutions envisaged in the treaty on European union, as a result of the ratification of that treaty. The treaty confers potential competence on the Community in respect of economic and monetary union. As a result, certain responsibilities would pass to the European Central bank, if the United Kingdom were to move to stage 3 of EMU. But such changes could not take place without the approval of Parliament as is required in clause 2 of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill.
Clearing Banks
Mr. Caborn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Banking, Insurance and Finance Union about the effects of a reduction in the number of clearing banks.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 15 May 1992] : My right hon. Friend received one letter from BIFU, dated 8 May.
Mr. Caborn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in the last year about the services provided by the clearing banks.
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Mr. Nelson [holding answer 15 May 1992] : My right hon. Friend has received a large number of letters about the services provided by the clearing banks over the past year.
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