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SCOTLAND
Peebles High School
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision has been made for the updating of hutted accommodation at Peebles high school.
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Mr. Lang : Decisions on the updating of accommodation at Peebles high school are for Borders regional council as the education authority.
Business Rate
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement a Scottish business rate comparable to that of England and Wales.
Mr. Lang : Our policy is to phase in aScottish business rate comparable to that in England and Wales in parallel with the phasing in of the effects of the 1990 revaluation and the national non-domestic rate in England and Wales. This is expected to be completed by 1995 or shortly thereafter. The value of the reduction made in Scottish rate poundages since 1990-91 is equivalent to a reduction of £280 million in this year's rates bill for non-domestic subjects and a further £68 million reduction will be made in 1993-94.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment has been made of the current and future financial implications for Scottish Nuclear Ltd. and for his Department in the future, of the establishment of a temporary store for waste nuclear fuel at Torness power station.
Mr. Stewart : I understand from Scottish Nuclear Ltd. that it expects that establishment of spent fuel storage facilities at Torness and Hunterston power stations would reduce charges to the profit and loss account by around £45 million next year. My right hon. Friend will not take a decision on SNL's proposals until he has considered the reporter's recommendations following the public inquiry now being held. The setting of SNL's external financial limit, which is a charge on the Scottish Office programme, takes account of the company's operating and other costs.
Homelessness
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many homeless households are currently living in temporary accommodation in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The latest complete information on numbers of homeless households living in temporary accommodation in Scotland is published in table 11 of the statistical bulletin HSG/1992/6, "Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland 1980/81 to 1991/92". The bulletin is available in the House Library.
Skye Bridge
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those bodies and individuals who have made representations to him in support of (a) the design of and (b) the high-toll principle on the proposed Skye bridge.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : From extensive consultations conducted by means of presentations and public exhibitions attended by environmental bodies, elected bodies and the public there was clear evidence of support for the design of the Skye bridge. Highland regional council, Skye and Lochalsh district council, the Countryside Commission for Scotland and the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland all favoured the box- girder design, as did the public with a majority of two to one preferring the present design.
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Before tendering for a privately funded toll bridge, with the level of tolls set no higher than existing ferry fares for a duration of up to 20 years, support was given by HRC, Skye and Lochalsh district council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise--formerly Highlands and Islands Development Board--and the majority of community councils of Skye and Lochalsh. Before accepting the winning tender in September 1991 the project was again presented to Highland regional council, which voted by a substantial majority to proceed with the toll bridge in preference to continuing with the ferries.Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances it will be possible for the concessionaire of the proposed Skye bridge to increase tolls by more than the annual rate of inflation.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 14 December 1992] : The concessionaire cannot increase the tolls above the rate of inflation except in the unlikely event that the average annual revenues, measured over a full three-year period, were to fall below the 1990 level. In such circumstances the concessionaire is permitted to increase the tolls above inflation by the same percentage as the revenue falls below the 1990 figure. Under no circumstances can the tolls be raised above the rate of inflation by more than 30 per cent. If traffic levels then return to 1990 levels or above, the increase over inflation requires to be removed. No increases above inflation can be introduced prior to November 1997. The full details of the arrangement are described in the made toll order for the scheme a copy of which my right hon. Friend has arranged to be placed in the Library.
Toll Bridges
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the current level of tolls in Scotland, on bridges for which he has a responssibility.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The current level of tolls in Scotland, on bridges for which my right hon. Friend has a responsibility is as follows :
Bridges
-------------------------------------------------------
Erskine Bridge<1>
Forth Road Bridge<1>
Cars
Buses
Heavy Vehicles
Tay Road Bridge<2>
Cars, light vehicles and scheduled buses
Heavy Vehicles
Motor cycles cross all 3 bridges free of toll.
<1> Concessions available for regular users.
<2> One-way toll (southbound)-northbound is free.
The Forth Road Bridge Joint Board and Tay Road Bridge Joint Board have statutory responsibility for their respective bridges. Erskine bridge is the responsibility of the Secretary of State.
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the toll levels on bridges in Scotland for which he is responsible at the time of their opening (a) in cash terms and (b) at current value, taking account of inflation.
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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is as follows :
|(a) Actual toll |(b) Estimated toll
|levels in cash |levels at opening
|terms on bridge |at current value
|opening |(November 1992)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Erskine Bridge-Opened 2 July 1971
Cars, light passengers
and goods vehicles |15p |£1.05
Scheduled buses |25p |£1.75
Heavy vehicles |50p |£3.50
Forth Road Bridge-Opened 4 September 1964
All vehicles (flat rate) |2s 6d (12"p) |£1.28
Tay Road Bridge-Opened 18 August 1966
Motor cycles and cars |2s 6d (12"p) |£1.18
Buses and heavy vehicles |10s 0d (50p) |£4.71
Ferry Services
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will define the ownership of, and rights of access to, the ferry terminals at Kyle and Kyleakin.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The roads leading up to, and including, the slipways at Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin are owned by my right hon. Friend and Highland regional council respectively. Traffic management, including the application of restrictions on the use of the slipways, is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, as trunk roads authority, at Kyle of Lochalsh and of Highland regional council, as local roads authority, at Kyleakin. Additionally, Highland regional council, as harbour authority, may regulate the use of the slipways under the powers of the Highland Regional Council (Harbours) Order Confirmation Act 1991.
Criminal Inquiries
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines the Lord Advocate lays down for those conducting criminal inquiries, in substance, on his behalf, on the practice of giving interviews to the press.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The then Lord Advocate issued guidelines to chief constables on dealings with the press in relation to criminal inquiries in July 1983. These guidelines were also issued to procurators fiscal. They are kept under review in the light of changes and developments in the law. They cover what may be said at various stages of inquiries.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action the Lord Advocate intends to take as a result of the premature disclosure of the conclusions of the inquiry conducted by Mr. Nimmo Smith.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The conclusions of Mr. Nimmo Smith and Mr. Friel following their inquiry have not been disclosed. It is intended that their report will be published before the end of January, as my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has already made known.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it was with the authority of the Lord Advocate
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that Mr. Nimmo Smith QC gave interviews to journalists about the inquiry that he is currently conducting for the Lord Advocate.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The remit of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate to Mr. Nimmo Smith and Mr. Friel was that they should exercise the fullest possible independence of judgment in conducting their investigation. Authority to speak to journalists was not therefore sought by them.
Children (Special Needs)
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list setting out the percentage of children recorded as having special needs in primary schools in each local education authority area in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 30 November 1992] : Information on the percentage of education authority primary school pupils for whom a record of needs is maintained is shown in the table. Information for 1992 is not yet available.
Percentage of recorded pupils in education
authority primary schools
as at September
|1990 |1991
|per cent.|per cent.
----------------------------------------------------
Scotland |0.3 |0.4
Borders |0.3 |0.5
Central |0.4 |0.4
Dumfries and Galloway |1.1 |1.0
Fife |0.1 |0.1
Grampian |0.2 |0.4
Highland |0.7 |0.8
Lothian |0.2 |0.1
Strathclyde |0.3 |0.4
Tayside |0.2 |0.3
Orkney |0.2 |0.2
Shetland |0.4 |0.3
Western Isles |0.4 |0.3
Strathclyde divisions
Argyll and Bute |0.9 |0.8
Ayr |0.5 |0.8
Dunbarton |0.1 |0.1
Glasgow |0.2 |0.3
Lanark |0.2 |0.3
Renfrew |0.4 |0.5
Prison Service
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total expenditure by the Scottish Office in the training and recruitment of professional staff for the Scottish prison service in each of the past three financial years ; what innovations have been implemented in training and recruitment ; and if he will make a statement on future plans and expenditure.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 7 December 1992] : Major changes have been made in training policy with substantially increased investment in prison staff training and innovative training programmes. Future expenditure plans for the Scottish prison service will be announced next February in the Scottish Office departmental report. No diminution is planned in the Scottish prison service's investment in training.
Total expenditure on training and recruitment of prison staff in each of the last three financial years :
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x
|1990-91 |1991-92 |£000 1992-93 (budget
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training costs (trainer staff costs
and GAE) |2,747 |2,297 |3,609
Staff time devoted to training
person weeks (approx) |2,750 |3,900 |<1>4,250
Recruitment (staff and GAE) |451 |72 |158
(Numbers recruited) |(149) |(374) |<2>(362)
<1> (estimated)
<2> (projected)
Total prison staff numbers have increased from 3,966 on 1 April 1990 to 4,405 (projected) on 1 April 1993 (excluding HQ staff).
Care and Repair Schemes
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evaluation has been made by the Scottish Office of care and repair projects in Scotland ; and what budget has been allocated by the Scottish Office for the continuation of such projects in the current and next financial year.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 9 December 1992] : I am pleased to say that on 7 December the Scottish Homes board agreed to take over central responsibility for care and repair from 1 April 1993, including the funding of local projects. This transfer was recommended in the consultants' evaluation report on the initiative, published in February 1992, and by the independent National Advisory Committee on Care and Repair. Scottish Homes' allocation for 1993-94 includes an estimated £70,000 for transitional costs relating to care and repair including £10,000 for a good practice guide.
Councillors
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many elected councillors in Scottish local authorities there are at present ; and how many he plans there should be after the proposed changes to unitary councils.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 16 December 1992] : There are presently 1,682 councillors in local authorities in Scotland--445 regional councillors, 79 islands councillors and 1,158 district councillors. No decision has been taken on how many councillors will be required following the restructuring of local government. That will depend in part upon the size and number of single-tier authorities which are created. Before he reaches a decision on the appropriate number of councillors for the new structure my right hon. Friend will be considering carefully all the views which are expressed in response to the consultation paper "The Structure of Local Government in Scotland : Shaping the New Councils".
European Council, Edinburgh
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish (a) his estimate of expenditure on security and police expenditure in connection with the European summit to be held in Edinburgh on 10 to 12 December and (b) the eventual total expenditure ; if he will reconsider his decision not to provide additional funding for Lothian and Borders police board to cover this additional expenditure ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 17 December 1992] : Lothian and Borders police estimate
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that the cost of providing security and policing for the European summit will be £2.5 million. Total expenditure will not be known until around February 1993.The Government will contribute to the costs of policing the summit through police specific grant. This is the usual arrangement and my right hon. Friend has no plans to review the financing of the policing of such major events. The rate of specific grant is 51 per cent., except in London where it is 52 per cent.
Ex-psychiatric Patients (Offences)
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1980 the number of people charged with criminal offences who were formerly in-patients of psychiatric hospitals.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 17 December 1992] : The information requested is not collected centrally.
EC Acquired Rights Directive
Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the EC Acquired Rights directive ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 11 December 1992] : I have received a small number of representations on the EC acquired rights directive 77/187 and the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations which implement this directive in the United Kingdom. The directive and regulations can apply to the contracting out of public sector services where it can be shown that there has been a transfer of undertaking. This has to be considered against the facts of each particular case.
SSSIs
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of sites of special scientific interest in Scotland ; and how many proposed designations for sites of special scientific interest are currently pending.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 11 December 1992] : A total of 1,353 sites of special scientific interest have been notified in Scotland. A further 11 cases are currently proposed for notification.
Betting Offices
Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the evening opening of betting offices in Scotland (a) in general and (b) from Scotland's senior police officers.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11 December 1992] : Eight Scottish organisations submitted responses to the Home Office consultation document, "Evening Opening of Licensed Betting Offices", published in October 1991. Three further Scottish organisations made representations via Members of Parliament. The 11 organisations are listed in the table :
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland)
Association of Scottish Police Superintendents
Scottish Police Federation
Scottish SP Bookmakers' Association
Scottish Consumer Council
City of Glasgow Licensing Board
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Wishaw Greyhound StadiumEdgar Ramsay Bookmakers
East of Scotland Bookmakers Association
Shawfield Greyhound Racing and Leisure Company.
Hospital Closures
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list hospitals which have (a) partially and (b) wholly closed, during 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 December 1992] : The information requested on hospitals wholly closed is as detailed in the table. During the same period 31 health service buildings were opened at a total capital cost of £178 million. The information requested on partial closures is not available centrally.
1989
Braeholm Hospital
Bruntsfield Hospital
Beechmount Hospital
Cambusavie Hospital
Kilmarnock Maternity Hospital
Culduthel Hospital
1990
Drumshoreland Hospital
Fonthill Maternity Hospital
1991
Dunlophouse Hospital
Ayr County Hospital
Seafield Sick Children's Hospital
Thornyflat Maternity Hospital, Ayr
Heathfield Hospital
Drumlanrig Hospital, Hawick
Craigtoun Hospital
Summerfield Maternity Hospital
Duntocher Hospital, Clydebank
Wishaw Hospital
Longmore Hospital
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1992Stoneyetts Hospital, Chryston
David Elder Hospital, Glasgow
Darnley Hospital
Bangour General Hospital
Kelso Cottage Hospital
Lewis Hospital
County Hospital, Stornoway
Philipshill Hospital, Glasgow
Empty Office Buildings
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated number of empty office buildings in (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh on 30 November ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 15 December] : No record is kept of the number of empty office buildings in city or town centres, but my right hon. Friend is kept abreast of general market trends drawing on sources such as external published research by property agents, developers and others. This indicates that available office floorspace is currently approximately as follows : Glasgow City Centre--1.2m square feet
Edinburgh City Centre--1.87m square feet
Asbestos
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing (a) asbestos-related deaths and (b) asbestos- related disorders for each regional and island area since 1979.
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