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Mr. Stewart : The Government's policy is to enable people with disabilities to live as independently as possible, in their own homes and in the community, and to be as mobile as possible, so that they can enjoy to the fullest extent all opportunities in education, employment, leisure and recreation. The following initiatives are currently in prospect :

(i) Amendments are being prepared to the Buildings Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990 to extend the current requirement of access for disabled people to ground floors, to upper floors of all buildings except dwellings and warehouses.

(ii) Electrically powered wheelchairs, which can be used both indoors and outdoors, will begin to be issued in the autumn to disabled people for whom they are appropriate.

(iii) From 1 April 1993 the duty to secure adequate and efficient further education will transfer from education authorities to the Secretary of State. In exercising that duty he will have regard to the position of people over school age with learning difficulties. Boards of management of further education colleges will be given guidance on the exercise of their responsibilities for students with learning difficulties. Regard will also be had to this in funding the colleges.

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which disability organisations he has met in the past 12 months to discuss the provision of services to disabled people ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has not met any of the disability organisations formally in


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the past year, but he did open the Margaret Blackwood housing association development at Uddingston which provides 33 houses and flats, mainly for disabled people. On 20 September, I had the pleasure of opening the Scottish mobility roadshow 1991, which was organised by Disability Scotland. It was the first of its kind in Scotland and the Government contributed £20,000 to its costs. Scottish Office officials are in regular contact with many of the organisations representing people with disabilities.

Co-operatives

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to encourage the development of industrial and commercial co- operatives in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Renfrew district ; what assistance he will make available for such initiatives ; what criteria he will use to assess applications for assistance ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : About £200,000 is paid currently from the urban programme to five workers' co-operative development projects in deprived urban areas in Scotland. Four of these are located in Strathclyde, including the Renfrew district co-operative development project with annual running costs of £42,300. Under the new urban programme guidelines issued in February, applications for funding other such projects can still be made.


Column 256

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish Co-operative Development Company to discuss the promotion and development of workers' co-operatives in industry, commerce and public services ; when he next plans to meet them ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has not met representatives of the Scottish Co-operatives Development Company, but I have agreed to meet them on a mutually convenient date. The company already has close contact with officials in my Department.

Industry

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the impact that the recession has had on industry in Scotland during the past 12 months ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : The table shows the index of production and construction--less oil and gas--for Scotland, by quarter, from the first quarter of 1990 to the fourth quarter of 1991. The table also shows, separately, the indices for production industries--standard industrial classification divisions 1 to 4--manufacturing--standard industrial classification divisions 2 to 4--and construction--standard industrial classification division 5.


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Index of Production and Construction in Scotland: 1990Q1 to 1991Q4                                                                  

1985=100              |Production and       |Production industries|Manufacturing        |Construction                               

                      |construction                                                                                                 

                      |(less oil and gas)                                                                                           

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1990                                                                                                                                

    Q1                |117.0                |118.0                |121.1                |109.8                                      

    Q2                |115.5                |117.5                |119.3                |104.9                                      

    Q3                |110.4                |111.3                |111.5                |105.2                                      

    Q4                |109.7                |109.8                |110.1                |108.2                                      

                                                                                                                                    

1991                                                                                                                                

    Q1                |109.0                |109.7                |109.2                |105.5                                      

    Q2                |109.4                |109.8                |109.4                |107.5                                      

    Q3                |110.9                |111.2                |111.9                |109.2                                      

    Q4                |110.6                |111.0                |110.7                |108.7                                      

                                                                                                                                    

Percentage change                                                                                                                   

   1991 on 1990       |-2.8                 |-3.3                 |-4.5                 |0.7                                        

Source: Scottish Office Industry Department.                                                                                        

The 1991Q4 figure is the latest available for Scotland ; the 1992Q1 figure will be published on 12 August.

The best sources of more up-to-date information on Scottish industry are the business surveys. The April 1992 CBI industrial trends survey reported that, in manufacturing, output had continued to fall in the first four months of 1992, but that the rate of decline had been slower than at any time since the end of 1990. Business confidence had improved marginally over the previous four months. The CBI survey also found that export order books had strengthened considerably since the previous survey in January and that investment in innovation and training was expected to increase over the coming year.


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Electricity

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Scottish Power will be required to submit a full environmental impact assessment statement in support of its plans to create an interconnection of the Scottish and Irish electricity grids.

Mr. Stewart : Yes. Scottish Power is required to submit an environmental assessment for any proposals it may have to erect high- voltage overhead lines.

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from conservation and environmental groups in regard to the announcement by Scottish Power of its plans to build an interconnector cable between the Scottish grid in Ayrshire and the Northern Ireland electricity grid in County Antrim ; and if he has had any recent discussions with Scottish Power over the need to construct additional overground pylons to service the interconnector.


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Mr. Stewart : No application has yet been made to the Secretary of State by Scottish Power in respect of an overhead power line as part of its plans for a link with Northern Ireland. Several representations expressing concern about these plans have been received from a number of groups and individuals. Some preliminary discussions have taken place between Scottish Power and Historic Scotland.

Johnstone West Sports Pavilion

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total estimated capital cost of the development formerly known as the Johnstone west sports pavilion ; what was the amount financed by (a) urban funding and (b) local authority funding ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The total estimated capital cost is £396,117. The full cost will be met by the urban programme, involving contributions of 75 per cent. and 25 per cent. from the Scottish Office and Renfrew district council, respectively.

Further Education

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the new arrangements for the management of further education colleges ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Good progress is being made in preparing the colleges for incorporation on 1 April 1993. Colleges are responding positively and constructively to this process and we have allocated £2.3 million to assist them. An order was recently made listing the colleges to transfer and setting 1 September 1992 as the beginning of the transitional period. A recurrent funding discussion paper issued in June and a strategy for college management information systems is at an advanced stage. In addition, a wide range of activities, including a seminar programme and the preparation of training materials, is underway.

Housing

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will visit the Paisley, South constituency to evaluate the need for investment in public sector housing ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Paisley, South. Renfrew district council's relative housing needs and its plans for tackling these needs were taken fully into account when making decisions about final housing capital allocations for 1992-93. Renfrew's gross final housing revenue account capital allocation for investment in its own housing stock in 1992-93 totals £18.439 million. It is for the council to decide how best to deploy these considerable resources to meet local housing needs. The council should include its plans for future housing investment in its housing capital programme when this is submitted to the Scottish Office Environment Department later this year.

Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will extend the consultation period on compulsory competitive tendering for housing management in Scotland until the end of the year ; and if he will make a statement.


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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 6 July 1992] : We have allowed over three months for the receipt of responses to the consultation paper on compulsory competitive tendering for housing management. I consider this to be a reasonable period in which interested parties can respond, although if particular bodies face difficulty in responding by the 18 September deadline they should contact the Scottish Office Environment Department at the address given in the consultation paper to discuss whether a short extension can be granted. Our proposals on CCT for housing management form an integral part of the programme of action set out in the tenants charter for Scotland, designed to improve the quality and efficiency of the housing service available to council tenants.

Deer

Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has in relation to his consultation paper on deer legislation in Scotland dated December 1991 ; and what plans he has to deal with responses to this paper.

Mr. Lang : There were some 80 responses to the consultation on deer legislation in Scotland. These are now receiving careful consideration and follow-up meetings have been held, at official level, with a number of respondents. I shall reach a view on how best to take matters forward once I have completed a full assessment of the many wide-ranging views expressed.

Paisley Pattern Goods

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will commission a feasibility study into the commercial viability of manufacturing paisley pattern goods in the town of Paisley ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has no plans to commission a feasibility study into the commercial viability of manufacturing paisley pattern goods in Paisley.

Following earlier representations by the hon. Member on the same subject, I passed the suggestion of a feasibility study on to the local enterprise company. It is for the local enterprise company to decide how to pursue the issue.

Local Authority Members

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to review the payments made to elected members of local authorities ; what criteria he will use to evaluate the adequacy of payments ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : The new system of councillors' allowances which was introduced in April 1991 is currently under review. The review will not include travel and subsistence or other allowances payable outside the scheme. My right hon. Friend will continue to review the levels and limits within the scheme on a regular basis.

Town Twinning

Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on town twinning between Scottish local authorities and their counterparts in Europe.


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Mr. Stewart : It is for individual local authorities to determine what twinning arrangements, if any, they have with their European neighbours.

Ravenscraig

Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what new assessments have been made of the social and economic impact of the closure of Ravenscraig on the economy of (a) Scotland, (b) Lanarkshire and (c) Motherwell district ;

(2) what discussions he has had with (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) other interested parties on the likely social and economic impact of the closure of Ravenscraig.

Mr. Stewart : We would not expect to be aware of all assessments of these matters, some of which could be carried out by a wide range of individuals and organisations with no direct connection with the Government. The economic needs of Lanarkshire were investigated in depth by the Lanarkshire working group last year ; and the Scottish Office Industry Department, Scottish Enterprise and the Lanarkshire development agency, in collaboration, continue to keep under review the social and economic impact of the contraction of the steel industry in Lanarkshire. This work has informed the putting in place of a substantial package of measures to promote the economic development of Lanarkshire and continues to inform the process of developing and adding to that package. This process involves discussions with the local authorities in Lanarkshire and a range of other bodies. I and my right hon. Friend have discussed various aspects of this subject with the chairman of Scottish Enterprise and a wide range of other interested parties on various occasions.

Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what practical assistance he is providing to existing businesses in Lanarkshire which are directly and indirectly dependent on Ravenscraig for employment to assist them in diversifying their activities ; and what level of expenditure is involved.

Mr. Stewart : The full range of Government programmes to assist industry in various ways is available to companies in Lanarkshire, which benefits from assisted area status. In addition, businesses in Lanarkshire which need to diversify will benefit from the assistance available from Lanarkshire development agency, which has received substantial additional resources in the current and past years as a result of the Government's commitment to fund additional activity to add impetus to the economic and physical development of Lanarkshire. The precise level of expenditure on assisting the general class of companies which the hon. Member describes will depend substantially on the level of demand for assistance from these companies.

Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest estimates he has made of the potential costs of reclamation of former steel sites at Ravenscraig ; and what proportion of the cost is likely to be met by (a) British Steel and (b) public expenditure.

Mr. Stewart : Estimates of the potential costs of reclamation are a matter for consideration in the first instance by Scottish Enterprise and the Lanarkshire development agency. I am aware that additional


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information necessary to the production of any reliable estimate is being obtained in collaboration with British Steel. It is for British Steel to consider the level of expenditure relevant to reclamation which will fall to it. The size of any input from public expenditure will depend partly on that consideration and partly on the form which action in relation to the future use of the sites takes.

Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with (a) British Steel, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) other interested parties on the reclamation of former steel sites at Ravenscraig.

Mr. Stewart : This is a matter for consideration in the first instance by Scottish Enterprise and the Lanarkshire development agency, which are in discussion with British Steel. The Scottish Office is kept in touch with progress.

Hunterston

Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he has made in discussions with British Steel in relation to industrial development at Hunterston.

Mr. Stewart : The Government and Scottish Enterprise continue to investigate the possibility of industrial development at Hunterston in consultation with various interested parties.

Forestry

Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the amount of Forestry Commission land, in acres, held in 1980 and the amount sold off in each year since 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro : The Forestry Commission managed 1,263,400 hectares on 31 March 1980. The amount of land, in hectares, disposed by the Forestry Commission in each year since 1980 is shown below.


Year ending   |Area disposed                            

31 March      |(hectares)                               

1981          |2,240                                    

1982          |10,423                                   

1983          |12,108                                   

1984          |44,570                                   

1985          |28,857                                   

1986          |16,573                                   

1987          |10,956                                   

1988          |8,929                                    

1989          |7,675                                    

1990          |7,851                                    

1991          |7,428                                    

<1>1992       |6,684                                    

<1> (provisional)                                       

One hectare=2.471 acres).                               

Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking against infestation by aphids attacking Scottish forests.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 7 July 1992] : The only species of aphid which is causing significant damage to forests in Scotland is the green spruce aphid--Elatobium abietinum--populations of which increase following mild winters and springs of the kind experienced


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in Scotland this year. This aphid feeds on the older needles of spruce trees causing discolouration and loss of needles. In severe infestations, the current year's foliage can also be affected. Although the aphid reduces the rate of growth of the trees it does not cause permanent damage or death.

There is no practical means of controlling the aphid over large areas, although Christmas trees are regularly sprayed against it. The Forestry Commission's research division is seeking to develop strains of spruce which will be more resistant to attack by the aphid.

Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public consultation procedures were undertaken, prior to the granting of financial assistance in respect of afforestation in Strath Cuileannach, Sutherland ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 30 June 1992] : Before the Forestry Commission approved the woodland grant scheme application in this case, it consulted the then Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland, the Countryside Commission for Scotland, the Red Deer Commission, the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department and Highland regional council. This involved consideration of an environmental statement provided by the applicants under the terms of the Environmental Assessment (Afforestation) Regulations 1988, which was also advertised in local newspapers for public comment. Planting has only just started and no grants have been paid to date.

Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to respond to the report from Dr. Tim Hunter on the investment of £2 million of public money in the Forest Farm afforestation scheme in Sutherland ; how many long-term jobs he expects to be created as a result of this investment ; how many long-term jobs are expected to be lost as a result of this scheme ; and whether he will urgently review the criteria governing public investment in private forestry as a result ofDr. Hunter's report.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 30 June 1992] : I am studying Dr. Hunter's report, which I received last week, and a response will be sent to him soon.

The Forest Farm afforestation scheme is expected to create 10 jobs in the long term. The present owners acquired the land with vacant possession, so the scheme has not, in itself, resulted in any job losses ; in the region of 1,500 hectares will continue to be used for sheep grazing which will provide continuing employment for at least one person.

The planting proposals were subject to environmental assessment and involved widespread consultation as described in the answer I have given today to a question from the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson). I am satisfied that the criteria governing the payment of forestry grant were properly followed in this case and I can see no need to review them.

Fisheries Protection

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his office has made of the effectiveness of fisheries protection in Scottish waters ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro : The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency will shortly publish its first annual report. This will


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analyse performance and the effectiveness of fisheries enforcement in Scottish waters. A key indicator of the effectiveness of fisheries protection is the number of boardings achieved. The number of boardings of fishing vessels in Scottish waters has increased from 1, 406 in 1985-86 to 2,513 in 1991-92.

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about performance targets for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 1992-93.

Mr. Lang : For the financial year 1992-93 I have set the following targets :


                                                      |Target                                                                                                                                                           

Aerial surveillance-percentage of hours flown on task |85                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Aerial surveillance-cost per aircraft sighting        |£95                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Marine surveillance-number of boardings at sea        |2,500                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Marine surveillance-cost per boarding                 |£2,600                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Sea fisheries inspectorate-cost per log sheet check   |£40.71                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

50 per cent. of cases for prosecution to be reported                                                                                                                                                                    

   within six weeks of offence being detected and 90                                                                                                                                                                    

   per cent. within eight weeks.                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Number of cases where court proceedings are taken as                                                                                                                                                                    

   percentage of offences reported to prosecuting                                                                                                                                                                       

   authorities                                        |75                                                                                                                                                               

In order to ensure that the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency uses its resources efficiently, I have set it a target to achieve cash releasing efficiency gains of 6 per cent. over 1991-92. The chief executive will be directly accountable to me for the achievement of these targets, which will be reported in the agency's annual report.

Ferry Statistics

Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of foot passengers and vehicles carried by each of the ferry routes to the Scottish islands for the last five years in full.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is contained in table 10.9 of Scottish transport statistics, No. 12, 1990-91, published by the Government Statistical Service on 12 June, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the ferry fares charged for island and non-island resident passengers and vehicles for those routes which receive deficit funding from his Department.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Deficit subsidy is paid in the case of services operated by Caledonian MacBrayne to eliminate the overall deficit incurred by the company in operating a network of approved services. The subsidy is not related to deficits incurred on specific routes. Information on fares is available from the company. The company does not discriminate between island and non-island residents in its fares structure.


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Local Enterprise Companies

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the provision of youth training places in 1991-92 and 1992-93 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1992-93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference ;

(2) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for 1991-92 and 1992-93 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1992-93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference ;

(3) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the provision of employment training places for 1991-92 and 1992-93 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1992-93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference.

Mr. Stewart : The allocation of resources to local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list for each local enterprise company the number of training weeks contracted for under youth training (a) in 1991-92 and (b) in 1992-93 and if he will give the percentage difference ; (2) if he will list for each local enterprise company the number of training weeks contracted for under employment training (a) in 1991-92 and (b) in 1992-93 ; and if he will give the percentage difference.

Mr. Stewart : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 3 July, Official Report, column 751, and have asked the chairman of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.

Health

Mr. Kynoch : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to seek to improve the health of the people of Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang : We are today publishing "Scotland's Health--A Challenge To Us All". This new policy statement, which updates the policy statement "Health Education in Scotland" published a year ago, announces a range of measures which the Government propose to take in Scotland in relation to smoking and diet, to develop action on accidents, to promote health in schools and at the workplace and otherwise to seek to improve the health of the people of Scotland. I and all my ministerial colleagues in the Scottish Office will be actively involved in pushing these initiatives forward.

Last year, we set targets, and defined priority areas, for seeking to improve health in Scotland, and we also set up the Health Education Board for Scotland, with an increased budget, to lead the health education effort. This further statement builds on those developments.

The Government and the NHS have important roles to play in improving Scotland's health record, and that


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objective is high on our agenda. But others also have important parts to play, including the local authorities, the voluntary sector, employers, the food industry and the media. Above all, individual members of the public can help to safeguard their own health by adopting healthy lifestyles. This new policy statement, of which a copy is being placed in the Library, provides a framework within which we can all work to ensure that the Scottish people live longer and healthier lives.

Water and Sewerage

Mr. Gallie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make an announcement about the future of the water and sewerage services in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang : I have not yet decided on the future structure of these services. The consultation paper on local government reform last year indicated that water and sewerage services might best be handled by bodies separate from the proposed new unitary authorities. The Government have set high standards for the quality of water supply and the reduction of water pollution. To achieve these, very substantial sums will have to be invested to improve the water and sewerage infrastructure.

I have now decided to appoint consultants to advise me on alternative forms of organisation for water and sewerage services in Scotland, including ways in which the private sector might contribute enterprise and investment to this vital public service.

The consultancy will help to assess these issues.

I shall ask the consultants to report quickly. I then intend to consult on proposals for the future of these services in the autumn in parallel with consultations on the reform of local government.

Historic Scotland

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the key performance targets he has set for Historic Scotland for 1992-93.

Sir Hector Monro : The table shows the key performance targets for 1992-93 which I have set for Historic Scotland, with the 1991-92 outturn figures given for comparison.


                                                                              |1991-92                               |1992-93                                                                      

                                                                              |outturn                               |target                                                                       

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Protecting the built heritage                                                                                                                                                                      

i.                                     |Number of ancient monuments of        |307                                   |300                                                                          

                                       |  national importance to be scheduled                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

ii.                                    |Number of listed building resurvey    |153                                   |160                                                                          

  units to be completed                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

iii.                                   |Number of historic building repair    |122                                   |120                                                                          

  grants accepted                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

iv                                      Conservation of monuments in care      contain maintenance                                                                                                 

                                                                              |backlog                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Promoting and presenting the built heritage                                                                                                                                                        

i.                                     |Number of visitors to monuments in    |2.37m                                 |2.49m                                                                        

                                       |  care                                                                                                                                                     

ii                                     |Total income                          |£6.1m                                 |£7.1m                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Management                                                                                                                                                                                         

  Value for money savings on           |-                                     |1.5                                                                                                                 

  maintenance of monuments in care                                            |per cent.                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

ii.                                    |Exchequer contribution for net current|below                                 |at or below                                                                  

                                       |   expenditure                        |inflation                             |inflation                                                                    

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Table 1                                                                         

Gross expenditure on regional financial assistance to industry in Scotland at   

current prices                                                                  

\£\Million                                                                      

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Table 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Gross expenditure on regional financial assistance to industry in Scotland at 1984-85 prices<12>                                                                                                                                                                                   

                         |1984-85<3>              |1985-86                 |1986-87                 |1987-88                 |1988-89                 |1989-90                 |1990-91                 |1991-92                                                                   

Travel-to-work areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Alloa                    |0.5                     |0.6                     |0.2                     |0.5                     |0.3                     |0.6                     |0.3                     |0.4                                                                       

Arbroath                 |0.1                     |0.4                     |0.7                     |0.5                     |0.5                     |1.0                     |0.7                     |0.8                                                                       

Ayr                      |0.2                     |1.5                     |2.0                     |2.7                     |1.4                     |0.9                     |2.0                     |2.0                                                                       

Bathgate                 |1.6                     |4.9                     |5.4                     |4.9                     |7.8                     |11.1                    |12.7                    |8.7                                                                       

Campbeltown              |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                                         

Cumnock and Sanquhar     |0.1                     |0.3                     |0.4                     |1.1                     |0.9                     |0.8                     |0.3                     |0.2                                                                       

Dumbarton                |0.1                     |0.6                     |1.2                     |0.6                     |1.0                     |0.4                     |0.4                     |0.5                                                                       

Dundee                   |1.4                     |2.3                     |5.0                     |4.6                     |4.5                     |3.5                     |6.1                     |2.6                                                                       

Dunfermline              |0.1                     |0.9                     |1.2                     |1.2                     |0.5                     |1.0                     |1.2                     |0.5                                                                       

Dunoon and Bute          |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                                         

Falkirk                  |0.3                     |1.3                     |0.3                     |0.4                     |0.8                     |2.3                     |1.5                     |1.5                                                                       

Forres                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                                         

Girvan                   |-                       |-                       |0.2                     |0.4                     |0.3                     |0.3                     |0.3                     |-                                                                         

Glasgow                  |5.7                     |18.1                    |25.6                    |25.5                    |26.3                    |27.0                    |22.4                    |16.4                                                                      

Greenock                 |0.3                     |3.7                     |1.5                     |4.5                     |4.2                     |2.9                     |9.2                     |3.3                                                                       

Invergordon and Dingwall |0.3                     |0.3                     |0.3                     |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                                         

Irvine                   |1.6                     |7.9                     |7.4                     |8.6                     |9.4                     |5.7                     |5.3                     |3.6                                                                       

Kilmarnock               |-                       |0.6                     |1.2                     |1.9                     |1.5                     |1.3                     |1.4                     |0.4                                                                       

Kirkcaldy                |0.9                     |3.6                     |4.3                     |4.0                     |2.4                     |2.2                     |3.0                     |1.5                                                                       

Lanarkshire              |1.6                     |5.0                     |7.3                     |7.8                     |8.0                     |7.1                     |5.2                     |5.1                                                                       

Lochaber                 |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |0.2                     |0.2                     |-                       |-                                                                         

Newton Stewart           |-                       |-                                                |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                                         

<1>Excludes original regional development grant.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

<2>Adjusted by GDP deflator.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

<3>From 29 November 1984.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

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Capital expenditure per pupil on local authority schools                                                              

(£ at out-turn prices)                                                                                                

              |1979-80|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91        

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Borders       |31     |60     |54     |39     |44     |58     |69     |57     |64     |72     |109    |215            

Central       |61     |52     |48     |28     |22     |23     |31     |53     |64     |102    |118    |112            

Dumfries and                                                                                                          

   Galloway   |56     |60     |65     |82     |99     |100    |105    |92     |29     |75     |82     |63             

Fife          |35     |39     |39     |38     |28     |49     |73     |80     |37     |86     |106    |156            

Grampian      |79     |102    |140    |103    |80     |72     |103    |101    |29     |44     |52     |76             

Highland      |60     |69     |86     |77     |46     |23     |38     |32     |73     |107    |116    |92             

Lothian       |60     |69     |58     |68     |52     |54     |58     |36     |80     |79     |117    |96             

Strathclyde   |36     |41     |53     |44     |48     |50     |52     |46     |54     |69     |74     |66             

Tayside       |31     |25     |27     |31     |23     |35     |46     |34     |57     |64     |70     |56             

Orkney        |44     |27     |175    |353    |263    |388    |370    |282    |310    |327    |314    |406            

Shetland      |663    |703    |800    |624    |579    |436    |252    |121    |131    |230    |183    |211            

Western Isles |76     |98     |225    |263    |150    |165    |204    |579    |712    |421    |306    |447            

#TCW92070870B

P

Capital expenditure per head of population on local authority schools           

Registers of Scotland

Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets have been set for the Registers of Scotland executive agency for 1992-93.

Mr. Lang : When the agency was launched in April 1990, my predecessor set its performance targets for its first three years. These were announced in a written answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart) on 5 April 1990, Official Report, column 829.

The targets are revised annually, and the annual targets for 1992-93, which I have recently approved, are to reduce average turnround times on the agency's four main categories of work as follows :

(i) for recording writs on the sasine register, a reduction to 10 weeks ;

(ii) for registration of dealings in the land register, a reduction to 16 weeks ;

(iii) for first registrations in the land register, a reduction to 37 weeks ; and

(iv) for registration in the land register of transfers of parts of previously registered interests, a reduction to 68 weeks.

The agency was also set a target of achieving a reduction in unit costs of at least 5 per cent. in real terms


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