| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Allan Stewart : In Scotland responsibility for monitoring the delivery of employment training rests with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these two bodies to write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested.
Column 515
Inverpolly Estate, Wester Ross
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to maintain the national nature reserve status of Inverpolly estate, Wester Ross ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 22 May 1992] : I understand that Scottish Natural Heritage is in discussion with the estate with a view to the re-establishment of a national nature reserve agreement for that part of the reserve within the estate's ownership. The original agreement expired in 1986 although a five-year extension was arranged. The area owned by the estate is also protected as a site of special scientific interest.
Scottish Co-operative Development Company
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of the Scottish Co-operative Development Company ; what matters he expects to discuss ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 11 June 1992] : I plan to meet representatives of the Scottish Co-operatives Development Company Ltd. in the near future.
I discussed the company's general aims and objectives together with current projects including the co-operative proposed by the workers formerly employed by Armitage Shanks in Barrhead.
Under-fives Education
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the development of pre-five education in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 June 1992] : It is for local authorities to decide on the extent and nature of the pre- school education they provide having regard to available resources, local circumstances and competing priorities. The number of children attending local authority nursery schools in Scotland has risen from 31,700 in 1979 to 45,238 in 1991, an increase of 42 per cent. Over the same period local authority net current expenditure on nursery education increased from £12 million to £45 million. Provision of pre-five education also extends to day care, which can be provided in a number of ways--at day nurseries, with child-minders or at play-groups. Day care provision has been growing steadily in recent years and, in recognition of this, in March this year the Government provided £0.5 million of special support for an initiative designed to improve the quality and educational content of day care services.
Scotland Europa
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the establishment of Scotland Europa ; what is its annual budget ; how many staff it is envisaged that it will employ (a) in Scotland, (b) in Strasbourg, (c) in Luxembourg, (d) in Brussels, (e) in London and (f) elsewhere in the financial years 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994- 95 ; what aims and objectives he has set it ; what measurement techniques and criteria he will use to assess its performance ; how he will hold it accountable in the public interest ; and what plans he has to develop the concept further.
Column 516
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 11 June 1992] : My right hon. Friend was delighted to be able to be present at the launch of Scotland Europa in Brussels on 26 May. Scotland Europa has been set up as a subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise to provide a representative centre for Scottish organisations in Brussels. Clients who use Scotland Europa's services will be able to obtain early and accurate information about developments in Community policies and to develop better access to the Commission and contacts within other member states. The benefits for Scotland will include a strengthening of Scottish involvement in Community programmes, and the raising of Scotland's profile as a region within Europe.
My right hon. Friend and I have been most impressed by the enthusiasm with which Scottish organisations both public and private have welcomed the initiative. This enthusiasm augurs well for Scotland Europa's future success.
Budgetary, staffing, monitoring and other administrative arrangements are matters for Scottish Enterprise, and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Arts and Broadcasting
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Scottish Office's relationship with the Department of National Heritage as regards the arts and broadcasting in Scotland.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 11 June 1992] : The Secretary of State's responsibilities in the arts and broadcasting fields are not affected by the creation of the Department of National Heritage. He continues to be responsible for support of the cultural heritage of Scotland through his funding of the national institutions--the national galleries, library and museums of Scotland--the Scottish Museums Council, the Scottish Film Council and a number of Gaelic and other bodies. He is not responsible for support of the live and performing arts in Scotland ; this function rests with the Secretary of State for the National Heritage. As regards broadcasting, the Secretary of State for Scotland's main responsibility is for the funding of Gaelic television. The Scottish Office will liaise with the Department of National Heritage in the same way as it did with the Departments previously responsible for the transferred functions.
Councillors' Allowances
Mr. McMasters : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the standard allowance payable to local authority members in each (a) district and (b) regional authority in Scotland and the amount of special responsibility allowance allocated to each authority.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 11 June 1992] : The Scottish Office environment department does not hold details of the allowances paid to individual local authority members. Each authority decides on its own arrangements within the requirements of the Local Authorities Etc. (Allowances) (Scotland) Regulations 1991 (as amended).
Column 517
Steel
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the contacts between the Scottish Development Agency and the NUCOR Corporation relating to steel production in Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 12 June 1992] : Scottish Enterprise, replaced the Scottish development agency on 1 April 1991. My Department, in co-operation with Scottish Enterprise, remains in contact with NUCOR regarding its possible interest in locating in Scotland. The decision is one for NUCOR to take, but naturally we would welcome any proposals which would lead to the continuation of steelmaking in Scotland.
East Kilbride Development Corporation
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the individual property assets held by East Kilbride development corporation in the value range £250,000 to £4 million.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 8 June 1992] : It would be inappropriate to disclose the information requested as it is commercially confidential.
Advertising
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 3 June, Official Report, columns 598-600, if he will give the total 1992-93 budget for the Scottish Office for spending on advertising and other promotional material.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 12 June 1992] : The allocation for expenditure on information publicity and other promotional material in 1992 -93 is £3.7 million.
Youth Training
Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many youth training places are available to unemployed youths in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 12 June 1992] : The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis. However, a special exercise conducted by Enterprise Ayrshire on 14 May 1992 identified 545 youth training vacancies in Ayrshire.
Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 16 and 17-year-olds are unemployed in Kilmarnock and Loudoun ; and how many of them have been offered a youth training place.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 12 June 1992] : In the area covered by the Strathclyde education authority careers office in Kilmarnock, which corresponds with the Kilmarnock and Loudoun district, there were 208 young people aged under 18 years registered as unemployed as at 9 April 1992, the latest date for which figures are available. Information about how many of these young people have either sought or been offered a youth training place is not available centrally. However, Enterprise Ayrshire has confirmed that the youth training guarantee is being met in its area.
Column 518
Departmental Policies
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies ; when that person was appointed ; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 15 June 1992] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Island Patients
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost of introducing financial support for patients on non-doctored islands travelling to primary health care practitioners for treatment.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 15 June 1992] : The costs of introducing a scheme to cover the cost of travelling for treatment to primary health care practitioners would vary according to its range and coverage, £400,000 and £1,200,000 per annum. As my right hon. and learned Friend Lord Fraser of Carmylie stated in his letter of6 May to the hon. Member, there is however no immediate prospect of introducing a financial support scheme of this sort.
Shellfish Farming
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sum of money has been made available by his Department to meet the costs of hygiene testing at or near shellfish farming sites in pursuance of EC directive 492.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 11 June 1992] : The testing and analysis of shellfish flesh to meet the classification requirements of EC directive 91/492 is being carried out by my Department's marine laboratory in Aberdeen. Additional resources have been provided to the laboratory for what constitutes the major part of the classification exercise. The collection and transmission of the necessary shellfish samples, which are being provided by the growers, is being carried out be environmental health authorities.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to make appointments to or dismissals from the board of Scottish Homes ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 June 1992] : The current term of appointment for five of the nine appointed Scottish Homes Board members expires on 31 March 1993. A sixth appointment will expire on30 September 1993. Re-appointments or new appointments will be considered by my right hon. Friend in terms of the most effective mix of expertise required in the future by Scottish Homes.
|
| Home Page |