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Mr. Lang [holding answer 16 July 1993] : Local authorities are still undertaking assessments of the bridges in their area for the higher gross vehicle weight limits of 40 tonnes which come into effect on 1 January 1999. This bridge strengthening programme will take account of the proposed 44 tonne limit.
It is not yet possible to identify, for each roads authority in Scotland, the bridges which would require treatment for the proposed limits.
On trunk roads 10 structures have been strengthened out of the 50 identified requiring treatment. One bridge has been superseded by a road scheme. The remaining 39 bridges are being reassessed and those requiring strengthening will be strengthened by the end of 1998.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost to each roads authority in Scotland for road and bridge improvements if the proposal to increase lorry loading from 38 tonnes to 44 tonnes is implemented.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 16 July 1993] : Local authorities are still undertaking assessments of the bridges in their areas for the higher gross vehicle weight limits which come into effect on 1 January 1999. Consequently, it is not yet possible to estimate the cost to each roads authority in Scotland for road and bridge improvements.
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Thirty-nine trunk road bridges are being reassessed and until this work is completed it is not possible to estimate the cost of strengthening measures.Record of Need
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the appeals lodged with his Department against the decision of Highland regional council not to open a record of need, the dates on which the appeals were received by his Department and when he expects to give his decisions.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 16 July 1993] : The Scottish Office Education Department has before it one such appeal, about which I wrote to the hon. Member on 17 June. This was referred to the Secretary of State by Highland regional council appeals committee on 3 November 1992. The considerations involved in the appeals process are invariably complex but I expect the decision of the Secretary of State in this case will be issued soon.
Islands Shipping Services
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) of 26 May, Official Report, column 589, what is the overall percentage level of tariff reduction available to P and O Scottish Ferries Ltd.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 19 July 1993] : The percentage rates by which P and O may abate its commercial tariffs are set out in the table. The percentage rates applicable to the carriage of freight also apply to other bulk shipping companies that provide services to the Northern isles.
Orkney and Shetland |Subvention rate
Services
|Percentage
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Island residents
Cars and passengers |49.0
Students/disabled/pensioners |58.0
Mainland originating traffic
Cars and passengers |19.5
Freight
Southbound freight |47.5
Northbound freight |10.5
Asbestos-related Diseases
Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many recorded cases there were of the diseases mesothelioma, asbestosis and bilateral diffuse pleural thickening in each year since 1988 (a) in the Greater Glasgow health board area and (b) in Scotland as a whole ; and of the above totals, what percentage was female.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 20 July 1993] : Data on the incidence of mesothelioma are collected through the Scottish cancer registration scheme. Information derived from this is in the table. Data on the incidence of asbestosis and bilateral diffuse pleural thickening are not available centrally.
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1988 1989 1990 1991 Total
|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glasgow
Males |39 |86.7 |52 |94.5 |46 |86.8 |42 |85.7 |179 |88.6
Females |6 |13.3 |3 |5.5 |7 |13.2 |7 |14.3 |23 |11.4
Males + Females |45 |100.0 |55 |100.0 |53 |100.0 |49 |100.0 |202 |100.0
Scotland
Males |103 |88.0 |119 |90.2 |112 |86.2 |104 |86.0 |438 |87.6
Females |14 |12.0 |13 |9.8 |18 |13.8 |17 |14.0 |62 |12.4
Male + Female |117 |100.0 |132 |100.0 |130 |100.0 |121 |100.0 |500 |100.0
Inverclyde Enterprise Zone
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received concerning the proposed economic development of the Parklea site in the Inverclyde enterprise zone.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 20 July 1993] : My right hon. Friend has received two representations regarding the proposed economic development of the Parklea site in Inverclyde enterprise zone, one of which is from the hon. Member.
Listed Industrial Buildings
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of public moneys given towards the cost of renovation and conservation of listed industrial buildings in each of the past 10 years ; what was the average amount of financial assistance given in such cases ; of these, how many were owned by private parties ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 20 July 1993] : The total amount of money given by the Secretary of State for Scotland for the repair of listed industrial buildings--including those converted for other uses-- under the historic buildings grant scheme in each of the past 10 years is set out in the table. This represents assistance to 29 buildings, of which 28 were privately owned, the majority by charitable bodies. The average amount of financial assistance given in such cases under the grant scheme was £109,716.
Total amount of historic buildings repair grant Year |£ ------------------------ 1982-83 |88,500 1983-84 |70,000 1984-85 |128,600 1985-86 |134,455 1986-87 |13,500 1987-88 |124,582 1988-89 |790,147 1989-90 |400,259 1990-91 |473,605 1991-92 |561,980 1992-93 |396,150
Housing Associations
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the proportion of tenants in the public housing sector who live in housing association apartments and houses (a) in Strathclyde and (b) Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 20 July 1993] : The information requested is published in the 1991 census report for Scotland, part 1, a copy of which is available in the Library.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the average levels of income of housing association tenants in each year since 1987.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 20 July 1993] : This information is not generaly collected centrally, but the socio- economic study carried out as part of the Scottish house condition survey showed that, in 1991, the mean income of housing association tenants was £6,300. This information is contained in table 4.11 of the survey report, which was published on 20 July and a copy is available in the Library.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to create a post of housing association ombudsman.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 20 July 1993] : I have asked Scottish Homes to prepare proposals for a housing association ombudsman service and it is currently undertaking a consultation exercise on this matter.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the proportion of private sector loan funding which will be required to maintain housing association new construction programmes and renovation progammes in 1993-94 and 1995-96 ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 20 July 1993] : In the current year, Scottish Homes is confident of achieving the target set by my right hon. Friend of a private : public leverage rate of 1 : 2 for its programme as a whole. It is too early to say what the target will be for the future years.
Sewage Sludge
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to regional councils concerning the proposed abolition of the dumping at sea of sewage sludge under EC rules.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 20 July 1993] : Regional councils were advised in March 1990 of the Government's decision to terminate the sea disposal of sewage sludge by the end of 1998. At the same time Lothian and Strathclyde regional councils were also advised of changes in the arrangements relating to their annual applications for licences under the provisions of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 which would prevail in the period to 1998.
Column 255
Since then my officials have been in routine contact with the regional councils as they have developed their sludge strategies for post-1998.NORTHERN IRELAND
Coal
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what protection he intends to introduce for the domestic coal consumer in Northern Ireland after the proposed privatisation of British Coal ; and what proportion of homes in Northern Ireland depend on coal as a main source of heat ;
(2) what safeguards he will introduce to ensure that the households in Northern Ireland which use coal as their main source of heat are not exploited by monopolies following the proposed privatisation of British Coal ; and how many households in Northern Ireland use coal as their main source of heat.
Mr. Atkins : Suppliers of coal to households in Northern Ireland are subject to the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973 and will continue to be so. Approximately 321,000 households in Northern Ireland--61 per cent. of the total--use coal as their main source of heat.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he proposes to take to ensure that elderly people with coal as their primary source of heat are not disadvantaged under the proposed privatisation of British Coal.
Mr. Atkins : The Government's proposals to help secure the future of the coal industry should lead to a more efficient industry producing coal at reduced costs, thus benefiting all coal users.
Tourism
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tourists from the Republic of Ireland visited the north during 1991 and 1992 ; what plans his Department has to increase the numbers of tourists from both Britain and the Republic of Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : A total of 380,000 tourists from the Republic of Ireland visited Northern Ireland in 1991 and 352,000 in 1992. A major drive to increase visitors from Britain and the Republic of Ireland was launched in March with the Northern Ireland tourist board's biggest ever television advertising campaign, "The Northern Ireland you'll never know unless you go", at a cost of£1 million. This has been very well received and is backed up strongly by other marketing activity.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of the numbers of tourists from the United States of America visiting Northern Ireland since the new operation of a direct, scheduled service between New York and Belfast ; what steps his Department is now taking to market Northern Ireland in the United States of America ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The new direct scheduled air service between Belfast and New York came into operation on
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3 June 1993 and it is too early for meaningful statistical information to have been collected on its effect on the number of tourists visiting Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland tourist board continues, through its New York office, to participate in a wide range of marketing activities aimed at attracting American visitors, including selective advertising campaigns, participation in consumer and trade exhibitions, development of special interest tour operators and joint marketing initiatives in liaison with Bord Failte, the tourist authority for the Republic of Ireland.Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what applications his Department has received from companies wishing to operate a direct scheduled air service between Northern Ireland and Germany ; what studies his Department has made of the benefits to the north's tourist industry which the operation of this and other direct scheduled services might have ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : No application has been brought to my attention for a direct scheduled air service between Northern Ireland and Germany. Tourism would undoubtedly benefit from a direct scheduled service link with a key tourism market like Germany.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of tourism in Northern Ireland in 1992-93 came from (a) domestic and (b) overseas sources ; and how many of that total were categorised as (i) short stay and (ii) long stay.
Mr. Atkins : In the calendar year 1992, domestic sources formed 32 per cent. of total tourism in Northern Ireland of which 63 per cent. were categorised as short stay and37 per cent. as long stay. Overseas sources for 1992 formed 68 per cent. of the visitor total, of which 48 per cent. were categorised as short stay and 52 per cent. as long stay visitors.
Salmon and Grilse
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by drift nets in (i) the Foyle fisheries area and (ii) the fisheries conservancy area in each of the last 10 years ; what was the average weight of each category of fish ; and how many fish in each category were taken by fishermen resident in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic.
Mr. Ancram : Commercial salmon catch returns do not differentiate between salmon and grilse. The total drift net catch, and average weight of fish, for the areas within the jurisdiction of the Foyle Fisheries Commission and the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland respectively are as follows :
Foyle Fisheries Fisheries
Commission Conservancy Board
for Northern
Ireland
|Number |Average weight (kgs)|Number |Average weight (kgs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983 |65,654 |3.44 |1,231 |3.27
1984 |18,299 |2.94 |662 |3.12
1985 |24,528 |3.39 |1,010 |3.33
1986 |32,280 |3.34 |479 |3.15
1987 |12,587 |2.91 |248 |3.18
1988 |17,321 |3.21 |675 |3.09
1989 |55,108 |3.14 |812 |3.17
1990 |33,850 |3.14 |252 |3.03
1991 |20,379 |3.02 |838 |3.10
1992 |33,321 |2.98 |2,267 |3.08
Information on the number of fish taken by fishermen resident in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland respectively is not available but for statistical purposes it is established practice to include 50 per cent. of the catch in the Foyle area, in addition to all of the Fisheries Conservancy Board catch, when computing the total Northern Ireland catch.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by each type of net in Northern Ireland fisheries in each of the last 10 years ; and how many such fish were taken by anglers in the same years ; and what sums were paid in licence fees in each of those years by(i) netsmen and (ii) anglers.
Mr. Ancram : Salmon catch returns do not differentiate between salmon and grilse. Total commercial catches--inclusive of 50 per cent. of the catches in the Foyle area--by type of net, were as follows :
|Drift nets |Draft nets
--------------------------------------------------------
34,058 |8,260 |14,425
199,812 |5,695 |13,077
1913,274 |7,433 |8,908
1916,619 |6,381 |12,064
196,541 |2,786 |10,808
199,335 |8,202 |13,389
1928,366 |15,619 |17,529
1917,177 |5,112 |10,135
1911,028 |2,720 |6,673
1918,927 |4,515 |7,696
Accurate information on angling catches is not available. Anglers are not required to make returns in the Fisheries Conservancy Board's area, but such information as is available is published in the board's annual reports. A very low percentage of anglers make the required returns in the Foyle Fisheries Commission area, with reported angling catches and the percentage of licensed anglers who made the following returns.
Year |Angling catches |Percentage return ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1983 |831 |7 1984 |379 |15 1985 |1,814 |10 1986 |1,172 |8 1987 |390 |4 1988 |960 |5 1989 |975 |6 1990 |927 |4 1991 |482 |9 1992 |523 |6
Licence fees paid by commercial salmon fishermen and anglers respectively to the Foyle Fisheries Commission and the Fisheries Conservancy Board were as follows :
Column 258
Year Foyle Fisheries Fisheries
Commission<1> Conservancy Board
|Angling licences |Commercial fishing|Angling licences |Commercial fishing
|licences |licences
|£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983 |29,800 |32,763 |98,477 |10,188
1984 |29,454 |35,488 |108,656 |9,140
1985 |38,942 |36,314 |117,687 |10,873
1986 |44,113 |37,307 |134,450 |11,520
1987 |47,907 |35,470 |146,941 |10,839
1988 |57,658 |35,982 |159,166 |12,050
1989 |56,147 |38,226 |164,607 |11,818
1990 |58,893 |40,328 |174,545 |10,473
1991 |61,994 |43,351 |188,146 |12,116
1992 |62,622 |42,410 |192,003 |13,658
<1>Full licence revenue included.
Rate Collection
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many ratepayers have been threatened with prosecution as a result of the Rate Collection Agency computer at Newtownabbey, County Antrim being unable correctly to record more than one direct debit from an individual bank account ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : Rate collection operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. David Gallagher, chief executive of the Rate Collection Agency. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. D. Gallagher to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 20 July 1993 :
I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of ratepayers threatened with prosecution as a result of the Rate Collection Agency computer being unable to record more than one direct debit from an individual bank account.
This is the only occasion on which any indication of a relationship between the unavailability of the direct debit payment facility and the threat of prosecution has come to my attention.
It is indeed correct that the Agency's existing computer system limits offering the use of the direct debit payment method to those ratepayers who pay rates for one property from one bank account. The structure of the computer system meant that it was not cost effective to avoid this limitation when introducing the direct debit payment facility in 1989 and it has been our practice to identify this fact in all Agency promotional material for direct debit. I enclose for your information a copy of our 1993-94 leaflet where you will find the relevant reference at the bottom of page 4.
The existing computer system is rapidly approaching the end of its useful life and the Agency at present is developing a replacement system which when operational in 1995 will facilitate the widest use of direct debit.
There is no reason however, why any ratepayer should be threatened with prosecution for non-payment because direct debit is not available to them. Such ratepayers are offered the Bank Standing Order facility or another payment method suitable to them. I hope this will clarify the situation but should you wish me to investigate an individual case please let me know.
EC Structural Funds
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the persons and bodies to whom he sent his proposals for the EC structural funds.
Sir John Wheeler : The list of bodies and individuals who have been sent the consultation draft of the key
Column 259
sections of the Northern Ireland structural funds plan to date are set out in the table. It includes Members of the European Parliament and the main Northern Ireland party leaders, the district councils, the Confederation of British Industry, the voluntary sector and other representative bodies as well as a number of organisations and individuals who have expressed an interest in the EC structural funds after 1993. I am arranging for all Northern Ireland Members of Parliament to receive a copy of the plan because of the interest which has been shown in it and in addition for copies of the plan to be placed in the parliamentary Library. Copies of the plan are also made available to any organisation or individual who requests it. Action for Women's Employment (Derry)Dr. J. Alderdice
Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union
Ardboe Development Association
Ards Small Business Centre
Armagh Planetarium
Mr. J. Armstrong
Arts Council
Association of Local Authorities
Ballymoney Regeneration Company Ltd.
Ballylumford Power Ltd.
Belfast Centre for the Unemployed
Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce
Belfast Charitable Trust for Integrated Education
Belfast City Airport
Ms E. Collins
Belfast Common Purpose
Belfast Freight Ferries Ltd.
Belfast Harbour Commissioners
Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education
Belfast Law Centre
Professor W. Black
Professor V. Borooah
British Airways
British Midlands
British Telecom
Brownlow Community Trust
Brownlow Ltd.
Bryson House
Buddy Bear Trust
Building Design Partnership
Burn Development Association
Carlingford Lough Commissioners
Centre for Creative Communication
Charities Evaluation Services
Chinese Welfare Association
Civil Aviation Authority
Coleraine Harbour Commissioners
Community Development Review Group
Community Relations Council
Community Technical Aid
Confederation of British Industry
Confederation of Community Groups
Construction Employers Federation
Construction Industry Training Board
Lord Cook
Coolkeeragh Power Ltd.
Co-operation North
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside
Cardinal Daly
Mr. A. Daley
Mr. J. B. Davidson (Transportation Monitoring Committee) Development Fund for IFI in Omagh and Fermanagh
Disability Action
District Councils (26)
Donaghadee Community Workforce
Down County Museum
Du Pont (UK) Ltd.
East Border Region Committee
Edco Ltd.
Education and Library Boards (5)
Enniskillen Community Developmentight Transport Association General Consumer Council for NI
Gingerbread NI
Mr. J. Girvan
Mr. J. Goodman
Mr. A. Gichuke
Mr. E. Graham
The Governing Bodies Association
Health Promotion Agency
Health and Social Services Boards (4)
Help the Aged
Mr. J. Herlihy (Tourism Monitoring Committee)
Historic Buildings Council
Historic Monuments Council
Holywell Trust
Mr. J. Hume
Industrial Therapy Organisation
Institute of Directors
Inner City Trust, Derry
Institute of Exports (NI)
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Northern Ireland Committee) Ivex Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Kainos Software Ltd.
Dr. D. Kennedy
KPMG Consultants
Labour Relations Agency
Laganside Development Company
Larne Harbour Ltd.
Law society
Lisburn Enterprise Centre
Livestock Marketing Commission
Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland
Londonderry Chamber of Commerce
Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners
Lower Ormeau Residents' Action Group
Lurgan Voluntary Sector Forum
Mr. S. Macgrianna
Mr. P. McErlean, Cambridge University
Dr. A. Masson
Manx Airlines
MARI (UK) Ltd.
Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland
Mr. J. Molyneaux
Professor F. Monds
Mr. E. Montgomery
Ms J. Morrice, EC
Dr. J. Moss
Professor P. Newbould
Multi-cultural Resource Centre
National Trust
Newry and Mourne Carers Association
Newry and Mourne Enterprise Agency
Mr. J. Nicholson
NIGEN Ltd.
Northern Ireland Advanced Learning Systems
Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association
Northern Ireland Airports Ltd.
Northern Ireland Association of Citizens's Advice Bureaux Northern Ireland Association of Community-Based Training Organisations
NI Bankers Association (contributed to CBI Submission) NI Centre in Europe
NI Chamber of Commerce
NI Co-operative Development Agency
NI Council for Integrated Education
NI Council for Voluntary Action (Umbrella group covering approximately 250 affiliated organisations)
NI Curriculum Council
NI Dairy Trade Association
NI Economic Council
NI Economic Research Centre
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