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Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 18 June 1992] : School playing fields in the public sector are the responsibility of education authorities and the Scottish Sports Council has no role in their provision, maintenance, or use. I am aware that the Sports Council of Great Britain has been commissioned to compile a register of recreational land, including school playing fields, for England. I am keeping the need for such a register in Scotland under review.
Water Privatisation
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had about the privatisation of the Scottish water industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 June 1992] : In the course of normal business over the last few months, officials in the Scottish Office Environment Department has been contacted by a small number of organisations to express their views about Scottish water services and investment needs.
Electronics Industry
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of jobs in the electronics industry in each of the years 1979 to 1991.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 June 1992] : The estimated numbers of employees in employment in electronics, which have been derived from the Scottish register of employment, in each of the years 1979 to 1991 are as follows :--
Electronics employment in
Scotland-1979-1990
Year |Gross
|employment
---------------------------------
1979 |42,500
1980 |42,100
1981 |39,100
1982 |38,700
1983 |41,500
1984 |43,500
1985 |42,800
1986 |42,200
1987 |43,600
1988 |44,800
1989 |46,600
1990 |<1>46,500
1991 |<1>45,500
<1> Provisional.
Labour Statistics
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of part-time and full-time employees in employment for each of the years December 1979 to December 1991, inclusive.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 June 1992] : Information at the level of detail required is only available from the censuses of employment conducted by the Employment Department. Within the period of time for which data are requested, information is available for the following years : 1981, 1984, 1987 and 1989. The table shows the figures requested.
Employees in employment September |Full-time|Part-time ---------------------------------------- 1981 |1,593,000|397,000 1984 |1,497,000|407,000 1987 |1,448,000|433,000 1989 |1,502,000|465,000
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was (a) the total number, (b) the number of males, and (c) the number of females, of employees in employment and self-employed for each year since December 1979.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 June 1992] : The information requested is shown in the table. It has been derived by the Employment Department and is from a series of quarterly estimates of the civilian work force in employment.
------------------------------------------------ 1979 |2,094|1,197|897 |157 |127 |30 1980 |2,037|1,158|879 |152 |124 |28 1981 |1,958|1,095|864 |157 |126 |31 1982 |1,903|1,067|836 |172 |133 |39 1983 |1,891|1,045|846 |182 |141 |41 1984 |1,901|1,045|856 |193 |148 |45 1985 |1,891|1,031|860 |203 |158 |45 1986 |1,863|1,005|858 |200 |159 |41 1987 |1,896|1,014|883 |204 |160 |44 1988 |1,943|1,016|927 |226 |173 |53 1989 |1,971|1,033|938 |235 |182 |53 1990 |1,992|1,043|949 |244 |190 |54 1991 |1,985|1,031|954 |264 |207 |56
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total number of employees in employment in services industries and manufacturing for each of the years December 1979 to December 1991, inclusive.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 June 1992] : The figures showing the total number of employees in employment in
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service and manufacturing industries are taken from the civilian work force in employment estimates compiled by the Employment Department. The figures are shown in the table.
Total employees in employment Thousands
December |Services |Manufacturing
|industries |industries
------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |1,221 |596
1980 |1,237 |532
1981 |1,217 |497
1982 |1,199 |460
1983 |1,215 |437
1984 |1,231 |434
1985 |1,242 |427
1986 |1,243 |412
1987 |1,280 |407
1988 |1,319 |415
1989 |1,350 |402
1990 |1,376 |403
1991 |1,407 |383
Forestry Commission Land
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the different methods and categories for the disposal of Forestry Commission land and give a definition for each type of disposal ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 29 June 1992] : This information is given in paragraph 18 of appendix IX to the Forestry Commission's 1989-90 annual report and accounts, a copy of which is in the Library.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the Forestry Commission land which has been disposed of since July 1981 on an offer-back basis, giving the county or region, name of estate, area in hectares, name of purchaser, book value, sale price, and year sold.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 2 July 1992] : I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Disability
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action is being taken to ensure that rural areas are not discriminated against in the proposed changes in funding for employment rehabilitation for visually impaired people in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 30 June 1992] : The provision of all employment rehabilitation services will be subject to competitive tender with effect from 1 April 1993. Guidelines for tendering are still under consideration, but it is likely that tenders will be assessed and contracts awarded against criteria of need, provision of a high-quality service, accessibility and value for money. This process should ensure that all areas of Scotland are covered by provision appropriate to their circumstances.
Forests
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of forest as a proportion of total land mass in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) each of the other EC nations in (i) 1980 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 8 July 1992] : The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation--FAO--publishes a production yearbook which includes this information. The latest edition is the 1990 yearbook, which includes information for 1989 and 1979, but not 1980. This is given in the table.
The FAO states that great care should be taken in making comparisons between countries or over time. This is because the definition of forest land may vary between countries, which may also use different definitions in different years.
Percentage of Land Area Covered by Forest Country |1979 |1989 ------------------------------------------- Belgium/Luxembourg |21 |21 Denmark |12 |12 France |26 |27 Germany |29 |30 Greece |20 |20 Ireland |5 |5 Italy |22 |23 Netherlands |9 |9 Portugal |32 |32 Spain |31 |31 United Kingdom |9 |10
Councillors' Allowances
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total cost of all councillors' allowances claimed in return for council duties for the last year for which figures are available shown as a percentage of total local government expenditure in Scotland for the same year ; and what are the corresponding percentages for 10 and 15 years earlier.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 6 July 1992] : Councillors' allowances were reviewed following the Widdecombe committee of inquiry and the new scheme was introduced in 1991. Current expenditure figures for those allowances which were subsequently replaced by the new scheme were collected for 1987-88. The total expenditure for that year was £4.5 million--0.13 per cent. of total local government expenditure for that year ; this expenditure did not include allowances outwith the scope of the new scheme.
Corresponding figures are not available for earlier years as such information is not routinely collected.
Quarrying
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the applications for quarrying operations in Scotland since January 1991, including (a) the exact location, (b) the estimated number of jobs created if each application is successful and (c) the type of stone to be quarried ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 6 July 1992] : The information requested is not held centrally. Such applications are considered by planning authorities in the first instance. Only those that raise defined issues of national importance require to be notified to my right hon. Friend, and only where the authority is minded to approve them. Since January 1991 only one quarrying application has been so notified. This relates to a hard rock quarry at Hill of Gibblestone, Shetland which may generate about six jobs. No decision has yet been reached on this application. In addition, a direction has been issued requiring Western Isles islands council to notify my right
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hon. Friend if it is minded to approve an application for a hard rock superquarry at Rodel, South Harris. It is estimated that the Rodel application could create 20 to 80 jobs if it is successful. Since January 1991 a number of appeals relating to quarrying applications have come before my right hon. Friend. The table summarises the information. Details of the potential number of jobs involved are not held centrally.Quarrying application appeals recieved since January 1991 Location Mineral
Collace Quarry, Kinross, Fife Limestone
Land of Bellmuir Methlick, Grampian Sand and Gravel
Rothens, Monymusk, Grampian Sand and Gravel
Crutherland Farm, East Kilbride, Strathclye Brick, Clay, Coal Watson Farm, Stonehouse, Hamilton,
Strathclyde Coal
Cocklicks Farm/Summerfield Farm,
Cummertrees, Annan, Dumfries and Galloway Sand and Gravel Eastcraigs by Blackridge, West Lothian Quartz/Dolomite Craigie Hill Quarry, Kyle and Carrick
Strathclyde Whinstone
Townhead Farm, Rigside, Clydesdale,
Strathclyde Brick/Clay
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department received a copy of the Environment Statement in support of the low-level solid waste pit extension proposal put forward by AEA Technology for the Dounreay nuclear facility ; and what public outlets exist in Scotland for interested parties to examine the report, reference JM/MRC/PF06788.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 July 1992] : Highland regional council submitted a copy of this environmental statement to my right hon. Friend on 29 May. Comments on its content, in particular issues relating to the disposal of low level radioactive waste and the radiological impact, were passed to the council by Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate on 26 June. I understand that the statement was sent to a number of public bodies and was advertised, along with AEA Technology's application for planning permission for the proposed extension, in the local press and in the Edinburgh Gazette . Objections to the proposal could be lodged during the period 29 May to 26 June.
The environmental statement, and accompanying planning application, were made available for public scrutiny at the council's offices, in Wick, Thurso and Inverness. I understand that the statement may still be inspected by the public at these offices and that copies can be purchased from AEA Technology.
Travellers
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what planning policy guidance he gives to local authorities over the provision of sites for travelling people.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 July 1992] : Guidance notes on site provision were issued in February 1990 by the Secretary of State's advisory committee on Scotland's travelling people. The notes offer advice to local authorities on such aspects as planning, site selection, the grant scheme and design including construction and layout.
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Public Bodies
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which non- departmental public bodies are sponsored by his Department ; which of these are audited by the National Audit Office ; which firms of private accountants audits each of the others ; by what method of tendering contracts to such firms are awarded ; and for what duration.
Mr. Lang : [holding answer 10 July 1992] : Those non- departmental public bodies which are sponsored by the Scottish Office are listed in "Public Bodies 1991", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. That publication also shows which bodies are subject to audit by the National Audit Office. As there are a number of bodies whose accounts are audited by private companies, and the tendering methods vary, I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible with this information and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be deposited in the House Library.
Child Care, Fife
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received the report of the inquiry into child care in Fife ; if he will publish it ; what was the total cost of the inquiry ; and whether Fife regional council will be asked to make a contribution to the costs.
Mr. Stewart [pursuant to his reply, 26 June 1992, c. 363-64] : My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, has now decided that the report of Sheriff Kearney's inquiry into children's services in Fife should be published as a return to an order to the House when the House reassembles. This will provide the necessary time for proof reading and printing the report, which is lengthy.
Doctors
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the non-doctored islands in Scotland and the number of patients in each.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 2 July 1992] : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Football Matches (Arrests)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the numbers of those arrested and ejected at football matches in Scotland as a percentage of attendance in the last five years for which information is available.
Sir Hector Monro : This information cannot be assembled in the time available. I will write to the hon. and learned Member as soon as possible.
Speech Therapy
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the estimated cost of speech therapy provision for children with records of needs in each of the regional council areas ; and how many such children there are in each ;
(2) how much of the speech therapy provision announced on 24 February is to be distributed to (a) under-fives, (b) children in mainstream education and (c) children with mental handicaps.
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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : As soon as the information is available I will reply to the hon. Member in writing.ENVIRONMENT
Cremer and Warner Ltd.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any contracts Cremer and Warner Ltd. has been awarded by his Department within the past three years, stating whether the contracts were let by single or competitive tender action ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : The contracts are as follows. All were let by competitive tender.
Pollution control of hospital incinerators ;
Pollution control for processes involving the manufacture or use of phosphorous ;
Pollution control for inorganic halogen processes ;
Pollution control for metal carbonyl processes and the manufacture of compounds of chromium, magnesium etc.
Rents Guidance
Mr. Fishburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the paper inviting submissions on the review of the guidance given to rent officers and rent assessment committees when determining the rents of statutory tenants in London.
Sir George Young : A paper seeking views on the issue of the increase in fair rents assessed by rent officers and rent assessment committees is being published today. A copy of the paper is being placed in the House of Commons Library.
Water Supply (Mecoprop)
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current levels of the weed killer Mecoprop in Anglian Water's boreholes ; and what evidence the National Rivers Authority has of Mecoprop in Cheshire's groundwater supply.
Mr. Maclean : Groundwater used for public supplies is regularly monitored by Anglian Water for Mecoprop. Concentrations greater than 0.1 g/1 have been detected at only two borehole sites. At one of these sites an alternative borehole source is available which contains less than0.1 g/1 ; nevertheless, granular activated carbon treatment has been installed to reduce contamination. At the other site Anglian Water installed granular activated carbon treatment which has ensured that the water entering supply now meets the standard of 0.1 g/1 set in the water quality regulations. Similarly, North West Water monitors boreholes in Cheshire, where there is no evidence of contamination.
Birds (Control)
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce proposals to amend the law relating to the control of pest birds ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I have announced today proposals to amend the law relating to the killing or taking of "pest" species of birds such as crows, starlings and pigeons, and to introduce a licensing system for pest control.
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At present, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 enables farmers, landowners and local authorities and other authorised persons to carry out year-round control of 13 species of bird which cause agricultural damage or which endanger public health or air safety. But the European Commission does not consider that the 1981 Act fully complies with the EC birds directive which requires member states to protect all wild birds.A consultation paper issued today by the Department of the Environment contains proposals to remove all 13 species from the list in part II of schedule 2 and to move to a system of annual general licences to permit their control. These proposals would meet the requirement of the directive while enabling pest control to continue unchanged.
Farmers and landowners must be able to continue unhindered with their existing programmes of pest control which have served the country well for a long time. We believe we have found a non-bureaucratic solution that would not create the burdensome problems that caused us to withdraw proposals for a licensing scheme in 1990, and puts it beyond doubt that the Government are meeting their obligations under the directive.
Only a handful of annual licences would be needed, covering broad geographical areas, one or more species and specifying in general terms the nature of the damage caused. No one would have to apply for a licence, justify control or account for numbers of birds killed or taken. Everyone involved in the year-round control of pest birds would be able to carry on with his or her traditional practices exactly as he or she does now.
Licences would be considered for renewal each year following advice from the Government's statutory scientific advisers, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, which would monitor the status of the species and alert the Department if populations of any fell to levels where care was needed to maintain a satisfactory conservation status. At the moment, populations of the species are stable or increasing and we do not think that pest control would have any detrimental effect on population levels in the foreseeable future.
Energy Proposals, London
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for power generation proposals in the east London corridor upon domestic water usage ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The implications of any power generation proposals for water resources will depend on the particular form of the proposals, and will have to be taken into account in any necessary abstraction or discharge authorisations. Abstractions from tidal waters are, however, very unlikely to have significant implication for domestic water usage.
Planning Applications
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his planning appeal inspectorate's policy towards a planning application refused by local planning authorities because of the cumulative effect of the relevant proposal when considered with other similar proposals not the subject of the isolated application ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : In dealing with any appeal, a planning inspector examines the merits of the case, having regard to all material considerations including those raised by the appellant, the planning authority and other parties.In an area where there have been significant developments of a particular type, the question of whether the locality is suitable for further development of that nature may be material. In such circumstances, an assessment of the proposal would need to take into account the likely additional impact the individual proposal would have on the locality as well as the cumulative effect of those similar proposals taken together.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Stoke-on-Trent city council and local authority associations concerning the draft notices implying that an individual notice for all major planning applications should be inserted in the local press ; what is his estimate of the cost of such individual notices ; what provision he has made to ensure local authorities can meet these additional cost implications ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : A number of representations have been received from local authorities and their associations about the costs of compulsory publicity for planning applications. My Department has recently commissioned research into local authority development control costs which will, among other things, investigate the costs of implementing the new publicity arrangements. The Government are committed to taking these extra costs into account when planning application fees are next reviewed.
Hide Processors
Mr. Fry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that British hide and skin processors are not more adversely affected than their Community competitors under the implementation of EC directive 76/464/EC.
Mr. Maclean : I will write to my hon. Friend.
Chlorofluorocarbons
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to treat chlorofluorocarbons as noxious and offensive gases under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, and to instruct Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to proceed to require the installation of emission statement equipment under the terms of the Act for companies that continue to release CFCs in the production of their products.
Mr. Maclean : The production of chlorofluorocarbons is regulated under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974. There is a duty on the operator to use best practicable means to prevent the emission of noxious or offensive emissions to air. This control regime is being superseded by the new integrated pollution controls established under part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Operators will be required to apply for authorisation on the timetable laid down in the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991.
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Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ban the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbon 1342 as a substitute for chlorofluorocarbons.
Mr. Maclean : We are not aware of the existence of this chemical and, therefore, have no plans to ban it.
Municipal Incinerators
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those municipal incinerators which do not meet European standards ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I will write to the hon. Member.
Integrated Pollution Control
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present status of the programme of implementation of integrated pollution control under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Maclean : The programme of implementation of integrated pollution control is proceeding as set out in paragraph 4 of schedule 3 to the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991.
Recycling
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those posts within his Department designated to deal with local authority recycling plans.
Mr. Howard : Two officials in the Department of the Environment's headquarters and one in each of the Department's 10 regional offices have been given responsibility for dealing with local authority recycling plans.
Small Businesses
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department and his policies in helping small businesses over the last 12 months relative to the previous 12 months ; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.
Mr. Howard : My Department places a high priority on removing unnecessary burdens from small businesses, particularly in inner cities, where a key aim is to encourage new employment. We have already tackled bureaucracy in our main inner city programmes. For city challenge, we have abolished 80 pages of forms, in streamlining the provision of Government grant and increased the Government contribution on revenue projects from 75 to 90 per cent. I have today announced the 20 city challenge areas which will each receive £37.5 million over five years to support integrated programmes of urban renewal. These will include projects which directly help small business, such as the provision of premises and infrastructure. In April 1992, the Planning Inspectorate executive agency instituted performance targets for prompt handling of planning appeals, including those from small
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businesses. This autumn the existing procedures for simplified planning zones are to be streamlined when the relevant provisions in the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 come into force.In partnership with the Department of Industry, my Department is exploring how local authorities can assist industry to comply with regulation, by improving consistency in enforcement. On 30 June, the Government launched a pilot project to establish partnerships between local authorities and local businesses in nine areas across the country, improving communications and clarifying the role of the regulatory authority.
Eutrophication
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent evidence he has on the extent of eutrophication and algal blooms in the estuarial and coastal waters of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maclean : Observational evidence suggests that there is no increase in the frequency of, and no areas with significant problems from, algal blooms caused by eutrophication in the estuarial and coastal waters of the United Kingdom. However, to obtain more systematic evidence, the National Rivers Authority is gathering data on a regular basis. This will be reviewed in conjunction with my Department at the end of the year, together with the other research which my Department is sponsoring on the subject of algal blooms and nutrients in the North sea.
Departmental Objectives
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the objectives of each division and branch of his Department.
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