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Steel
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the Government of the United States of America concerning duties imposed by the United States department of commerce on imports of flat rolled steel from the United Kingdom.
Mr. Needham : The provisional anti-dumping duties of 109.22 per cent. on British Steel exports of steel plate are unwarranted and wholly disproportionate.
The actions, brought by the highly protected US steel industry, will not help efforts to secure a much needed international settlement in the multilateral steel agreement negotiations. The President of the Board of Trade has written to US Commerce Secretary Ron Brown urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity. The issue was raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recently imposed United States tariffs on steel imports.
Mr. Needham : The provisional anti-dumping duties of 109.22 per cent. on British Steel exports of steel plate are unwarranted and wholly disproportionate. They were in addition to the earlier countervailing duties imposed on United Kingdom exports of plate and bar. To penalise
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genuinely privatised companies which have not received subsidies for over six years is unfair and economically unsound.The actions, brought by the highly protected US steel industry, will not help efforts to secure a much needed international settlement in the multilateral steel agreement negotiations. The President of the Board of Trade has written to US Commerce Secretary Ron Brown urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity. The issue was raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February when the actions were condemned as unacceptable.
International Trade Commission
Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases have been brought against United Kingdom-based companies, by United States companies, to the International Trade Commission in each of the last five calendar years ; and what United Kingdom Government advice or assistance is available to companies faced with such hearings.
Mr. Needham : The table details, according to the best information readily available, the number of cases against United Kingdom companies with the US International Trade Commission.
The British embassy in Washington monitors the filing of complaints. My officials notify any United Kingdom companies affected by these quasi-legal investigations.
My department is not in a position to offer financial assistance for legal fees. But DTI and the British embassy do provide general advice and assistance to British companies on such matters as tactics and procedure and in anti-dumping cases are prepared to raise particular points with the Department of Commerce, in support of the European Community, if it appears that the US authorities are not operating their rules fairly. My Department is in any event directly involved in any countervailing duty cases as these involve questions of government subsidy.
Total number of petitions filed with the ITC involving United Kingdom firms Year |Anti-dumping |Countervailing|Section 337 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1988 |2 |- |- 1989 |1 |- |1 1990 |4 |- |1 1991 |- |- |- 1992 |4 |2 |2
Intangible Technology
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans Her Majesty's Government have to introduce legislation to control the export of intangible technology.
Mr. Needham : While current export controls apply only to technology in a tangible form, they in practice enable significant transfers of technology to be controlled.
The control of intangible technology raises very considerable practical difficulties and while the Government have no immediate plans to introduce such legislation, it is keeping the position under review.
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Nature Conservation Bodies
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of statutory nature conservation bodies under the new arrangements for the out-of-round award of petroleum production licences.
Mr. Eggar : The role of statutory conservation bodies under the new arrangements for out-of-round awards of petroleum production licences is the same as their role in licencing rounds. It is our general and established policy, before offering blocks for licence in any part of the United Kingdom continental shelf, to consult relevant statutory and non- statutory bodies (including conservation bodies) in advance of any announcement and to attach licence conditions agreed with such bodies which reflects each block's sensitivities.
Petroleum Production Licences
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how he consulted the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and other appropriate statutory conservation agencies before making his decision to award petroleum production licences for North sea blocks 39/1 and 39/2.
Mr. Eggar : The Joint Nature Conservation Committee and other appropriate statutory conservation agencies were consulted about blocks 39/1 and 39/2 in March, as part of the 14th round consultation process. At that time no out-of-round application had been received for these blocks and it was envisaged that they would be offered in the 14th round.
Biofuels
Mr. Rowe : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department has analysed the potential of bio-diesel as a transport fuel in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Eggar : The Department of Trade and Industry has today published through HMSO a review of the potential of bio-diesel as a transport fuel which was prepared by the energy technology support unit. The report assesses the economics of bio-diesel production and concludes that a subsidy of approximately 15p per litre would be required for bio-diesel to be commercially viable in the United Kingdom. It also considers the environmental implications of bio-diesel production and use. The review will inform those contemplating growing oil seed rape, investing in the conversion plant or using bio-diesel as a vehicle fuel. A copy of the report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Coal Review
Mr. Beggs : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements he has made for making the evidence submitted to his Department's coal review available to the public in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Mr. Eggar : Copies of the evidence to the review, other than commercially confidential material, have been placed in the following libraries, where members of the public may call, by appointment, to view it :
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Edinburgh :The Library, Scottish Office, St. Andrew's House, Edinburgh, EH1 3DH.
Cardiff :
The Library, Welsh Office, New Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF1 3NQ.
Belfast :
The Library, Department of Economic Development, Netherleigh, Massey Avenue, BT4 2JP.
In addition copies of individual pieces of evidence, other than confidential evidence, may be ordered from the DTI Energy Library and Information Centre, 1 Palace street, London, SW1E 5HE.
SCOTLAND
Car Crime
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reduce car crime in Scotland and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Scottish Office launched a major advertising campaign aimed at reducing car crime in April 1992. Scottish police forces have taken complementary local initiatives. Recent statistics point to an overall reduction in car crime following the campaign.
Decisions on the priority to be given to car crime in the crime prevention programme for 1993-94 have yet to be taken.
ading Motorways Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway in Scotland are without central reservation crash barriers ; and what percentage of the total mileage this represents.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are 285 km (178 miles) of motorway in Scotland of which, by the end of March 1993, approximately 32 km (20 miles) will be without central reserve safety fencing. This represents 11 per cent of the total length.
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway in Scotland are unlit at night ; and what percentage of the total mileage this represents.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Of a total of 178 miles of motorway in Scotland, 145 miles are unlit, which equates to approximately 81 per cent.
Health Boards (Revenue Allocation)
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board their revenue allocation for 1992-93 and 1993-94, the percentage change for each health board between the two periods after allowing for inflation and the percentage variation from Scottish health authoritities resources equalisation parity for each health board for each period.
Mr. Stewart : Details of individual board revenue allocations for 1992-93 and 1993-94 are contained in the table.
|Health Board |£ million Revenue |<1>Distance from |£ million Revenue |<1>Distance from
|Allocation 1992-93 |Parity (Under)/Over|Allocation 1993-94 |Parity (Under)/Over
|per cent. after |per cent. after
|1992-93 Allocation |1993-94 Allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |220.299 |(0.49) |229.154 |(0.87) |1.24
Ayr and Arran |171.197 |(5.90) |180.855 |(5.31) |2.81
Borders |54.407 |(2.17) |57.467 |(1.98) |2.80
Dumfries and Galloway |77.968 |(1.17) |80.548 |(1.19) |0.54
Fife |158.162 |(3.85) |167.956 |(3.07) |3.35
Forth Valley |126.674 |(1.97) |137.369 |(1.28) |5.54
Grampian |252.837 |(2.66) |266.766 |(2.12) |2.61
Greater Glasgow |560.259 |4.41 |594.379 |3.93 |3.17
Highland |106.800 |(0.17) |110.492 |(0.45) |0.61
Lanark |239.761 |(1.68) |253.617 |(2.13) |2.87
Lothian |403.552 |1.00 |409.112 |0.67 |-1.41
Orkney |11.169 |(1.27) |11.337 |0.63 |-1.29
Shetland |12.768 |0.08 |13.542 |1.40 |3.15
Tayside |240.393 |4.45 |240.627 |3.62 |-2.66
Western Isles |20.638 |(0.95) |22.704 |1.70 |6.99
Note: A further £159 million will be distributed during 1993-94 for cardiac surgery, breast cancer screening, bridging finance and other
specific initiatives.
<1> Distance from parity affected by demographic change between 1992-93 and 1993-94.
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to improve aftercare facilities for drug users in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : The Scottish Office has made available to health boards £2.4 million in the current financial year specifically for the support and provision of drug misuse services. Assistance is also given to local authorities through the urban programme for drug-related projects. The planning and development of services are primarily the responsibility of health boards and local authorities, in consultation with the voluntary sector and having regard to local circumstances.
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Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the numbers of notifications of drug addicts and the proportions of the communities in (a) Greenock, (b) Port Glasgow, (c) Paisley, (d) Strathclyde and (e) Scotland as a whole in each of the past three years.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 4 February 1993] : Information on addicts notified to the Home Office from Scotland is collected on a health board rather than town or regional basis. The table gives the number of notifications and the proportions of the population they represent in 1989, 1990 and 1991 for (a) Argyll and Clyde health board, within which Greenock, Port Glasgow and Paisley lie ; (b) Strathclyde ; and (c) Scotland. Figures for 1992 are not yet available.
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"
1989 1990 1991
|Number of Addicts|Proportion<1> of |Number of Addicts|Proportion of |Number of Addicts|Proportion of
|Notified |Population (per |Notified |Population (per |Notified |Population (per
|100,000) |100,000) |100,000)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde Health Board 21 5: 100,000 29 7: 100,000 55 13: 100,000
Strathclyde Region<2> |268 |12: 100,000 |370 |16: 100,000 |483 |21: 100,000
Scotland |728 |14: 100,000 |1,184 |23: 100,000 |1,480 |29: 100,000
<1> The figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number.
<2> Aggregation of figures for Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire Health Boards.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions are to be made for residential care and treatment for drug and alcohol abuse and misuse under the new community care arrangements ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : [holding answer 4 February, 1993] : From 1 April 1993, under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, local authorities will make provision within community care plans for people who misuse alcohol and drugs. They will be responsible for assessing the social needs of individual alcohol and drug misusers and arranging appropriate packages of care, including residential care provision. Residential services offer a number of different treatment approaches, and local authorities will need to ensure that individuals are referred to a service best suited to their needs. The Scottish Home and Health Department will shortly be issuing special
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guidance to local authorities, encouraging them to give special attention to the needs of alcohol and drug misusers within community care.Breast Screening
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the preliminary results of the breast screening programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : A report on the Scottish breast screening programme will be published towards the end of March 1993 in conjunction with similar reports for England and Wales and I shall place a copy in the Library of the House.
The data of the Scottish report will relate to 1991-92 which was the first full year of operation. Preliminary results indicate that attendance was 72 per cent. of women invited and that the rate of cancers detected was 6.3 per 1,000 women screened.
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Long-term Unemployment
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of long-term unemployed people in each travel-to-work area in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart : The information is available on the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library. Library staff are ready to assist in accessing the information.
Investment
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total value of investment and the names of organisations or companies invested in by each local enterprise company in Scotland and by Highland Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise.
Mr. Stewart : Investments made by local enterprise companies are a matter for these bodies, subject to their respective delegated authorities. The most significant investments made by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, in terms of value and proportion of capital held, are reported in the bodies' published annual accounts, copies of which are in the Library. I am arranging for the chairmen of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to write to the hon. Member with details of the remainder of their investments.
Right to Buy
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the right of tenants to buy houses owned by par value co-ops including their eligibility for the relevant discounts.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are two types of par value co- operatives : non-fully mutual co-operatives, and fully mutual co- operatives. Secure tenants of local authorities who transfer to a non-fully mutual co-operative have a preserved right to buy and are eligible to purchase their houses at a discount in accordance with section 128 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988. Fully mutual co-operative tenants do not have a statutory right to buy. Their rights are defined by the tenancy agreements drawn up between them and the co-operatives.
Dentistry
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many patients have been de-registered by their dentists for NHS treatment in (a) each Scottish health board and (b) Argyll and Bute since (i) 1979, (ii) 1October 1990 and (iii) 8 July 1992.
Mr. Stewart : Formal arrangements for patients to be registered with a specific dentist were introduced under the new contract for general dental services on 1 October 1990. No information about de-registration is therefore available prior to October 1990. Information about de- registrations since 1 October 1990 supplied by health boards for their area is contained in the table. Information for individual local government districts is not available.
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Number of Patients de-registered by dentists in Scotland by Health
Board area
Health Board |1 October 1990 to 7|8 July 1992 to 29
|July 1992 |January 1993
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |49 |2,222
Ayrshire and Arran |46 |1,060
Borders |14 |1,186
Dumfries and Galloway |72 |3,394
Fife |10 |241
Forth Valley |140 |304
Grampian |18 |1,864
Greater Glasgow |116 |432
Highland |30 |189
Lanarkshire |34 |231
Lothian |142 |330
Orkney |Nil |Nil
Shetland |Nil |Nil
Tayside |47 |184
Western Isles |Nil |11
|--- |---
Scotland (Total) |718 |11,648
Lambs
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has of infringements of the law regarding the time limit on the castration of lambs in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : I have no reports of infringements relating to the castration of lambs.
This practice is regulated by the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912 which prohibits castration without the use of an anaesthetic from the age of three months.
The code of recommendations for the welfare of sheep stipulates that castration must be carried out only in strict accordance with the law and by a competent trained operator. Where anaesthetic is used, the provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, as amended, restrict operators to veterinary surgeons only.
The Farm Animal Welfare Council recently reconsidered the general practice of castration of farm animals. On its recommendation the Government are funding a research programme which is now in progress.
Legal Aid
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average legal aid cost per case at (a) the sheriff court in a solemn procedure trial and (b) a High Court trial, where (i) there is one accused and (ii) there is more than one accused.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is not available in the form requested. In 1991-92 the average legal aid cost of a case in (a) a Sheriff court solemn procedure trail was £2,049 and in (b) a High Court trial was £5,716.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average legal aid cost of a High Court of Justiciary trial day.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is not available in the form requested. In 1991-92 the average legal aid cost of a case in a High Court trial was £5,716.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average legal aid cost per case at (a) the sheriff
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court in a solemn procedure trial and (b) a High Court trial applicable to (i) the advocate involved and (ii) the solicitor involved.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : For 1991-92 the information is as follows :
Average cost per case (£)
|Counsel |Solicitor
---------------------------------------------------------
Sheriff Court-solemn trial |182 |1,702
High Court-trial |1,960 |3,358
Note: In addition various outlays such as payments to
witnesses, may be payable.
Number of Cases of theft by shoplifting recorded by the police in Scotland, 1991 Police Force |Number ------------------------------------------------ Northern |905 Grampian |2,329 Tayside |2,918 Fife |1,064 Lothian and Borders |5,750 Central |1,723 Strathclyde |14,862 Dumfries and Galloway |547
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Disability
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held recently with the Council of Scottish Local Authorities concerning the new arrangements for the provision of personal assistance services to people who would previously have been eligible for financial assistance from the independent living fund ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : [holding answer 4 February, 1993] : My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State most recently met representatives of the convention's social work committee on 2 October 1992 when a number of community care issues were discussed. This meeting preceded the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Social Security and Disabled People on 24 November about the future of the independent living fund and its successor body arrangements to be introduced from 1 April. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland subsequently announced on 2 December that in 1993-94 £2.8 million was being added to both Government supported expenditure and to aggregate exchequer finance to cover costs to local authorities arising out of their responsibilities under the new arrangements.
Disadvantaged Areas
Dr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many producers are entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances in the Highlands region ; and how many of those are located in severely disadvantaged areas.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 4 February, 1993] : In Highland region 3,989 producers were paid hill livestock compensatory allowances under the 1992 scheme. Of these 3,955 were located in severely disadvantaged areas.
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