| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Stewart : Information on waiting times for coronary bypass grafts at 30 June 1993 is shown in the table. Information on patients currently waiting for coronary angioplasty is not available centrally.
Average waiting times for coronary bypass grafts for patients on waiting
lists at 30 June 1993
Health board of |Number of cases |Mean wait (days)
residence
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |68 |174
Ayrshire and Arran |54 |146
Borders |28 |172
Dumfries and Galloway |23 |110
Fife |52 |151
Forth Valley |56 |196
Grampian |61 |173
Greater Glasgow |260 |197
Highland |22 |117
Lanarkshire |82 |183
Lothian |122 |134
Orkney |0 |0
Shetland |0 |0
Tayside |66 |183
Western Isles |3 |84
Outside Scotland |9 |39
|------- |-------
Total |906 |170
Environmental Protection Agency
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the responses he has received to the consultation paper on the proposed Scottish Environmental Protection Agency advocate that the agency should be given responsibility for the management of water catchments.
Sir Hector Monro : The responses advocated that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency should be given responsibilities relating to the management of water catchments in addition to those it will inherit from river purification authorities.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what duties the proposed Scottish Environmental Protection agency will have (a) in the conservation and enhancement of the natural heritage and (b) in aspects of water resource management other than pollution control.
Sir Hector Monro : Scottish Natural Heritage is the statutory body with primary responsibility for the conservation and enhancement of the natural heritage. Last year's consultation paper "Improving Scotland's
Column 620
Environment--The Way Forward", made it clear that the Government also intends the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to have a statutory duty in relation to conservation of the natural heritage.SEPA will inherit all the responsibilities of River Purification Aurthorities. In the light of views expressed in response to the consultation paper my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply to the hon. Member for Kincardine and Deeside (Mr. Kynoch) on 25 February at column 722 that we intend to give the agency enhanced powers of control over water abstraction. The responses to the consequent consultation paper "Abstraction Controls : A system for Scotland' are currently being considered.
Breast Cancer
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for (a) breast cancer care and treatment and (b) research into the genetics of breast cancer ; and how much will be spent on each this year and is planned in succeeding years.
Mr. Stewart : The Scottish figures for morbidity and mortality associated with cancer in general and breast cancer in particular are a matter of concern to the Government. It was with that specific concern in mind that we established the Scottish breast cancer screening programme in 1988. The primary target of the programme is to reduce mortality in the screened population in Scotland by 30 per cent. overall. By next year all Scottish women between the ages of 50 and 64 will have been invited for screening.
This is only one strategy in the fight against breast cancer. The work of the Scottish Cancer Therapy Network established by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Office Home and Health Department is geared to the delivery to patients of the most effective and up-to-date treatment. The network will be setting up a working party to look specifically at breast cancer. Both the network and the Scottish cancer co-ordinating and advisory committee are looking at service provision in relation to all types of cancer. The committee has established a clinical and molecular genetics sub -committee to look at the possibility of identifying a gene responsible for the commonest forms of cancer, including breast cancer. The breast screening programme is organising a consensus conference in April next year on the treatment of small tumours. This will encourage dissemination of best practice in relation to breast and other types of cancer.
Total funding of the breast cancer screening programme is £3.8 million in 1993-94. A total figure for expenditure on all aspects of breast cancer care and treatment is not held centrally.
The Chief Scientist Office is funding a number of research projects concerned with the genetic aspects of breast cancer. Funding in the current financial year amounts to some £72,000 and in 1994-95 will total £95,000. A number of other projects are under consideration for future years, but no firm figure for funding is available at this stage.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what investigations have been carried out regarding the validity of creating breast cancer treatment teams operating in hospitals.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 October 1993] : The treatment of any condition is a matter for the judgement of
Column 621
the clinicians involved. The team approach has evolved in all of the specialist breast clinics in Scotland as that which provides the optimum care of patients. I am not aware of any independent investigation of the validity of this approach. Both the Scottish cancer co-ordinating and advisory committee and the Scottish cancer therapy network are, however, considering service provision and can therefore be expected to examine this approach to treatment. A further opportunity will be provided by a consensus conference in April next year on the treatment of small tumours.Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding is available for breast cancer research in Scotland ; and if he will give details of each project and details of the funding of each since 1980.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 October 1993] : The Government are committed to encouraging research into breast cancer. The main Government agency for medical and related research is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology under my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. I understand that MRC expenditure into breast cancer was £2.7 million in 1990-91 and £1.6 million in 1991-92, the latest years for which figures are available.
The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Office has identified cancer services as one of its priority areas and has, since 1980, funded a wide range of research and development projects dealing with breast cancer at a total cost of £0.729 million. The projects funded by CSO are shown in the table.
R and D projects on breast cancer funded by Chief Scientist Office
(1980-93)
Year and project |£s
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1981
Women's reasons for declining an opportunity for breast |6,677
screening
1982
Development of telediaphanography |1,933
An economic analysis of screening for breast cancer |27,821
The prediction of response to systemic treatment in |51,711
patients with advanced cancer of the breast
1983
Edinburgh Breast Cancer Screening Project |123,783
1985
Maintenance of special pathological services for breast |100,000
cancer screening pathology
Bile acids and bile acid metabolites in the serum of |11,299
women with benign and malignant breast
disease
Steriod receptor assays: current role in the therapy of |30,920
breast cancer and influence of methodical
developments
1986
Economic evaluation of mobile breast cancer screening in |26,612
areas near Edinburgh
A study of women's response to mobile breast screening |10,338
The relationship of cellular DNA to response in breast14,702
cancers treated with hormones
1987
Follow-up study to measure the impact of services for the |7,728
early detection of breast cancer on breast cancer
mortality
1990
UKCCCR breast cancer screening trials |139,000
1991
Potential of immediate specimen-slice ranography to |13,361
optimise pathological data in breast-conserving cancer
therapy
1992
Molecular pathology of cytochrome P450 in breast cancer |64,971
and other malignant tumours
Ultrasound imaging in the symptomatic breast clinic: |4,775
diagnostic management and psychological impact
Second round mamographic screening: will tailored |14,588
invitations increase uptake?
1993
Genetic analysis in families with breast and/or ovarian |78,551
cancer in the West of Scotland
|----
Total |728,770
Infertility Treatment
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many couples received assisted conception treatment in 1991 at each of the Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh units.
Mr. Stewart : This information is not held centrally.
Public Transport
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many seats are available for bus passengers between East Lothian and Berwickshire on scheduled weekday services, and how many passengers are actually carried ;
(2) how many seats are available for bus and train passengers between Musselburgh, Prestonpans and Wallyford and the rest of East Lothian on scheduled weekday services ; and how many passengers are actually carried.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is not available centrally.
Tourism
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of business members (a) of the East Lothian tourist board and (b) from Berwickshire on the Scottish Borders tourist board.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The number of business members of (a) the East Lothian tourist board and (b) from the Berwickshire area of the Scottish Borders tourist board is 310 and 150 respectively.
Cystic Fibrosis
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on cystic fibrosis patients (a) being refused repeat prescriptions, (b) being refused drugs
Column 623
by doctors on grounds of cost, (c) being refused appointments or home visits by general practitioners and (d) experiencing difficulties in obtaining community physiotherapy.Mr. Stewart : I have no information about patients experiencing these difficulties. Any patient who has a complaint about their treatment should raise the matter in the first instance with their health board.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which hospitals offer levels I, II, II, and IV services for cystic fibrosis patients.
Mr. Stewart : There are two major specialist centres (Level I/II) in Scotland : at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow and the Western General, Edinburgh. A local specialist service (Level III) is provided by Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust in Aberdeen. General localised services (Level IV) are provided across Scotland by district general hospitals and clinics but specific information on these services is not held centrally.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Scottish Nuclear's application for consent to construct a dry store for waste nuclear fuel at Torness following the public inquiry in December 1992.
Mr. Stewart : The Secretary of State has received the Report of the Public Inquiry into Scottish Nuclear's
Column 624
application to construct a dry store for spent nuclear fuel at Torness. My right hon. Friend will announce his decision in due course.A Partnership for Good"
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many telephone calls were received by the Scottish Office new central inquiry unit in the first three weeks of operation in connection with the Government's policy paper, "A Partnership for Good" ; and what costs have been incurred by his Department in operating this scheme.
Mr. Lang : Since the launch of the Scottish inquiry line on Thursday 30 September the central inquiry unit has received 585 calls. Set-up operational costs amount to £26,871 and the annual costs of operating the scheme have been estimated at around £28,500. These figures exclude initial publicity costs of £150,000 necessarily incurred to make the new arrangements known to the public.
Mortality Statistics
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of deaths each year since 1990 for (a) tuberculosis, (b) malignant neoplasm of the cervix, (c) Hodgkin's disease, (d) chronic rheumatic heart disease, (e) all respiratory diseases, (f) asthma, (g) appendicitis, (h) abdominal hernia, (i) cholelithiases and cholecistitis and (j) maternal deaths for each health board area.
Mr. Stewart : The figures requested are given in the tables :
Column 623
Deaths from selected causes in each Health Board Area 1990
ICD Cause of Death Health Board
||16Area
|1990 |Scotland |Borders |Forth Valley |Dumfries and |Fife |Grampian |Highland |Lothian |Tayside |Orkney |Shetland |Western Isles |Argyll and Clyde |Ayrshire and Arran|Greater Glasgow |Lanark-shire
|Galloway
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
010-018 |Tuberculosis |39 |- |3 |- |- |2 |- |3 |1 |- |- |- |4 |3 |17 |6
180 |Malignant neoplasm|162 |6 |6 |8 |13 |12 |4 |19 |18 |- |- |- |19 |10 |35 |12
|of cervix
201 |Hodgkin's disease |45 |- |2 |2 |7 |5 |1 |8 |2 |- |- |- |2 |2 |5 |9
393-398 |Chronic rheumatic |205 |3 |12 |- |10 |21 |4 |34 |15 |- |- |- |31 |13 |40 |22
|heart disease
460-519 |Diseases of the |7,231 |184 |350 |189 |437 |605 |207 |989 |589 |30 |21 |51 |595 |556 |1,672 |756
|respiratory system
493 |Asthma |148 |8 |8 |4 |9 |19 |3 |18 |13 |2 |1 |1 |9 |19 |24 |10
540-543 |Appendicitis |7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |4 |-
550-553 |Hernia of the |62 |2 |4 |1 |2 |7 |3 |13 |3 |- |- |1 |8 |5 |9 |4
|abdominal cavity
574, |Cholelithiasis and|46 |1 |1 |1 |3 |7 |2 |7 |1 |- |1 |- |3 |2 |11 |6
575.0, |cholecystitis
575.1
630-676 |Maternal deaths |4 |- |1 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |-
Column 623
Deaths from selected causes in each Health Board Area 1991
ICD |Cause of Death |Health Board Area
|1991 |Scotland |Borders |Forth Valley |Dumfries and |Fife |Grampian |Highland |Lothian |Tayside |Orkney |Shetland |Western Isles |Argyll and Clyde |Ayrshire and Arran|Greater Glasgow |Lanark-shire
|Galloway
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
010-018 |Tuberculosis |56 |- |2 |1 |3 |3 |1 |6 |4 |- |1 |1 |7 |4 |19 |4
180 |Malignant neoplasm|175 |3 |11 |6 |9 |15 |7 |21 |13 |- |2 |1 |16 |14 |40 |17
|of cervix
201 |Hodgkin's disease |35 |- |5 |- |1 |5 |1 |4 |3 |1 |- |1 |2 |4 |4 |4
393-398 |Chronic rheumatic |180 |5 |8 |5 |17 |7 |2 |36 |10 |- |- |- |13 |9 |42 |26
|heart disease
460-519 |Diseases of the |7,068 |175 |384 |225 |476 |625 |250 |927 |547 |27 |16 |48 |549 |576 |1,530 |713
|respiratory system
493 |Asthma |161 |3 |9 |3 |11 |19 |10 |24 |15 |2 |- |1 |11 |24 |20 |9
540-543 |Appendicitis |10 |- |- |- |1 |1 |1 |2 |- |- |- |- |2 |1 |2 |-
550-553 |Hernia of the |59 |3 |3 |4 |2 |7 |2 |9 |2 |- |- |- |5 |4 |13 |5
|abdominal cavity
574, |Cholelithiasis and|57 |- |4 |4 |4 |3 |2 |10 |4 |- |- |- |7 |5 |11 |3
575.0, |cholecystitis
575.1
630-676 |Maternal deaths |9 |- |1 |1 |- |- |- |2 |1 |- |- |- |1 |2 |1 |-
Column 625
Deaths from selected causes in each Health Board Area 1992
ICD Cause of Death Health Board
||16Area
|1992 |Scotland |Borders |Forth Valley |Dumfries and |Fife |Grampian |Highland |Lothian |Tayside |Orkney |Shetland |Western Isles |Argyll and Clyde |Ayrshire and Arran |Greater Glasgow |Lanark-shire
|Galloway
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
010-018 |Tuberculosis |46 |2 |4 |2 |3 |1 |- |5 |2 |- |- |1 |7 |2 |9 |8
180 |Malignant neoplasm of cervix |183 |2 |16 |9 |13 |11 |4 |30 |16 |- |- |2 |13 |13 |32 |22
201 |Hodgkin's disease |38 |2 |3 |3 |1 |4 |- |9 |4 |- |- |- |1 |4 |4 |4
393-398 |Chronic rheumatic |186 |- |10 |6 |13 |15 |5 |37 |7 |1 |- |- |16 |7 |49 |20
460-519 |Diseases of the |6,999 |149 |368 |182 |480 |609 |227 |936 |580 |28 |29 |58 |569 |480 |1,559 |745
|respiratory system |493 |Asthma |115 |5 |10 |3 |5 |16 |4 |17 |10 |1 |- |- |4 |15
540-543 |Appendicitis |10 |- |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3 |- |2 |4
550-553 |Hernia of the |53 |1 |2 |2 |2 |6 |4 |5 |- |- |1 |1 |6 |2 |11 |10
|abdominal cavity
574, 575.0, 575.1 |Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis|49 |2 |1 |2 |1 |3 |5 |4 |4 |- |- |- |8 |- |15 |4
630-676 |Maternal deaths |7 |- |- |- |- |1 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |1 |- |2 |2
Special Waste
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider collecting and holding centrally information on the categories of special waste arisings ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : Detailed information concerning consignments of special waste is held on registers kept by waste regulation authorities which, in Scotland, are district and islands councils. At present I do not have a need to collate this information centrally.
Ethnic Health Unit
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will create an ethnic health unit along the lines of that established by the Department of Health.
Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so, but a working group has been set up to produce guidance on meeting tMr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients have been treated since the start of the Scottish Office national programme for the rehabilitation of the brain-injured at each of the three nationally designated brain injury units at Mondarstown castle, the Astley Ainslie hospital and the Royal Edinburgh hospital ; what is the breakdown of patients from each referring health board for each unit ; if he will list for each health board the total number of patients who have used the service since it started ; and if he will express these numbers as a ratio per 100,000 of the population in the health board area.
Mr. Stewart : The information is not available in the form requested. The following table, based on 1992 figures, shows the number of patient weeks for which a central subsidy was paid to each individual health board. This is also shown as a percentage of overall occupancy at the unit concerned. The final column shows the proportion of patients originating in each health board area as a percentage of total patients in the three units.
Column 625
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
1992-93 Scotcare Astley Ainslie Royal Edinburgh Total Board of Origin
|Number of Patient|Per cent. |Number of Patient|Per cent. |Number of Patient|Per cent. |Number of Patient|Per cent. |Per cent.
|Weeks |Weeks |Weeks |Weeks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A and C |55 |12 |0 |0 |0 |0 |55 |3 |9
A and A |0 |0 |0 |0 |95 |7 |95 |5 |7
Borders |0 |0 |63 |9 |39 |7 |103 |6 |2
D and G |22 |5 |20 |3 |0 |0 |42 |2 |3
Fife |6 |1 |78 |11 |52 |9 |137 |8 |7
FV |36 |8 |150 |20 |48 |9 |233 |13 |5
Grampian |27 |6 |0 |0 |61 |1 |88 |5 |10
GGHB |182 |40 |0 |0 |0 |0 |182 |10 |18
Highland |12 |3 |3 |0 |0 |0 |15 |1 |4
Lanark |24 |5 |0 |0 |0 |0 |24 |1 |11
Lothian |0 |0 |423 |57 |242 |43 |665 |38 |15
Tayside |92 |20 |3 |0 |26 |5 |121 |7 |8
Orkney |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Shetland |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Western Isles |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
|-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--- |-- |--
Total |456 |100 |741 |100 |564 |100 |1,761 |100 |100
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of sampling points and the frequency of sampling in each islands and district council
Column 626
area where samples have been taken to test for the incidence of paralytic shellfish poisoning between 1 January and 30 September.Mr. Lang : The information from commencement of the annual sampling programme in April 1993 is set out in the
Column 627
table. The frequencies are normally weekly or fortnightly as indicated. However, when test results indicate that PSP toxins are present at a significant level the frequency of sampling is increased in the areas concerned.
|Site name |Island or district |Frequency of
|council |sampling
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. |Eyemouth, St. Abbs |Berwickshire |Fortnightly
2. |Musselburgh |East Lothian |Fortnightly
3. |Elie; Pittenweem |North East Fife |Weekly
4. |Eden Estuary |North East Fife |Fortnightly
5. |Montrose |Angus |Fortnightly
6. |Aberdeen |Aberdeen |Weekly
7. |Fraserburgh |Banff and Buchan |Fortnightly
8. |Banff |Banff and Buchan |Weekly
9. |Lossiemouth; Burghead |Moray |Fortnightly
10. |Tain |Ross and Cromarty |Weekly
<1>11. |Moray Firth Scallop |Moray |Weekly
|Grounds
12. |Wick |Caithness |Fortnightly
13. |East Orkney Scallop |Orkney |Weekly
|Grounds
14. |South Scapa Flow |Orkney |Fortnightly
15. |North Scapa Flow |Orkney |Weekly
16. |Kirkwall |Orkney |Weekly
17. |Stronsay |Orkney |Fortnightly
18. |Sanday |Orkney |Fortnightly
19. |Westray |Orkney |Fortnightly
20. |South East Shetland |Shetland |Fortnightly
21. |North East Shetland |Shetland |Fortnightly
22. |North West Shetland |Shetland |Fortnightly
23. |South West Shetland |Shetland |Fortnightly
24. |Kyle of Tongue |Sutherland |Fortnightly
25. |Kinlochbervie |Sutherland |Fortnightly
26. |Lochinver |Sutherland |Weekly
27. |Ullapool |Ross and Cromarty |Fortnightly
28. |Little Loch Broom |Ross and Cromarty |Weekly
29. |Loch Ewe |Ross and Cromarty |Weekly
<2>30. |North Minch Scallop |Ross and Cromarty |Fortnightly
|Grounds
31. |Stornoway; Loch Erisort |Western Isles |Fortnightly
32. |West Lewis |Western Isles |Fortnightly
33. |North Uist |Western Isles |Fortnightly
34. |South Uist; Loch Boisdale|Western Isles |Fortnightly
35. |Loch Dunvegan |Skye and Lochalsh |Weekly
36. |Loch Harport |Skye and Lochalsh |Fortnightly
37. |Loch Eishort |Skye and Lochalsh |Weekly
38. |Scalpay |Skye and Lochalsh |Weekly
39. |Portree |Skye and Lochalsh |Fortnightly
40. |Loch Torridon |Skye and Lochalsh |Weekly
41. |Loch Kishorn |Skye and Lochalsh |Weekly
42. |Loch Hourn |Skye and Lochalsh |Weekly
43. |Mallaig |Lochaber |Fortnightly
<3>44. |South Minch Scallop |Lochaber |Fortnightly
|Grounds
45. Ardtoe |Lochaber |Weekly
46. |Loch Sunart; Loch Teacuis|Lochaber |Fortnightly
47. |Isle of Ulva |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
48. |Loch Spelve |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
49. |Oban; Loch Etive |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
50. |Loch Leven |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
51. |Loch Melfort |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
52. |Islay Scallop Grounds |Argyll and Bute |Weekly
53. |Loch Sween |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
54. |West Loch Tarbert |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
55. |Campbeltown |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
56. |Tarbert |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
57. |Upper Loch Fyne |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
58. |Kyles of Bute |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
59. |Loch Striven |Argyll and Bute |Fortnightly
60. |Cumbrae |Cunninghame |Fortnightly
61. |Ayr |Kyle and Carrick |Fortnightly
62. |Loch Ryan |Wigtown |Fortnightly
63. |Luce Bay |Wigtown |Fortnightly
64. |Solway Cockle Beds |Nithsdale |Fortnightly
65. |Kirkcudbright |Stewartry |Fortnightly
<1> 11. Moray Firth Scallop Grounds-Also bordered by Banff and Buchan, Nairn, Inverness, Ross and Cromarty, Sutherland,
Caithness.
<2> 30. North Minch Scallop Grounds-Also bordered by Sutherland, Western Isles, Skye and Lochalsh.
<3> 44. South Minch Scallop Grounds-Also bordered by Skye and Lochalsh, Western Isles, Argyll and Bute.
NHS Trusts
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimate of the number of (a) day-patient and (b) in-patient private patients that will receive (i) operations and (ii) treatment this year in each trust hospital ; and what proportion that will be of the total number of patients treated in each case.
Mr. Stewart : This information is not available centrally. It is expected that, as in the previous year, a record number of NHS patients will be treated.
Radioactive Waste
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the state of the sea discharge pipeline for liquid radioactive waste from AEA Technology's nuclear facilities at Dounreay.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : Discharges to sea from AEA Technology's facilities at Dounreay are regulated by means of an authorisation issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Under the authorisation, discharges have to be within authorised limits and are required to be made through the main effluent pipeline. The authority is also required to maintain and keep in god repair the system by which the waste is discharged. Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate carries out regular inspections at the site and I am satisfied that these requirements are being met.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made by his Department in rectifying the environmental hazards posed by the Dounreay waste shaft, identified in the report commissioned by his Department from R. M. Consultants of Abingdon.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : The Dounreay waste shaft, as presently managed, does not present an environmental hazard. As regards the longer-term options for the shaft, R. M. Consultants were asked to examine a number of possible management options. However, an unequivocal best option has not been identified and studies are being continued by AEA Technology.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he commissioned the radiologocal research survey of the Solway coastal area from the Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre ; how many copies of the report of the survey have been printed ; to whom or to which organisations it has been distributed ; and if he will publish a summary of the main finding of the survey.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : The survey was commissioned in December 1992. The final report from the contractors is expected in December 1993 and will be pubished in accordance with normal Scottish Office practice. The report will contain a summary of the main findings and a copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.
Column 629
Water Services
Mrs. Ray Michie To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the letter of the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) referred to in his answer of 27 July, Official Report, columns 963-64, regarding water disconnections, if he will list the six respondents to the consultation paper on local government reform who stated that they were in favour of allowing water service providers the power to disconnect supplies.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 22 October 1993] : Further examination of the responses has shown that two were wrongly classified. Of the others only two were unreservedly in favour of disconnection of domestic customers for non-payment. Of these responses one was almost certainly ironical and the writer of the other requested confidentiality. Copies of the relevant responses which are not confidential are available through the Library of the House.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the letter of the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) referred to in his answer of 27 July, Official Report, columns 963-64, regarding meetings with foreign-owned water supply companies, if he will give details of when the two meetings took place, which Scottish Office Ministers were present and which water companies were represented ; and if he will make a statement regarding the involvement of foreign-owned water companies in the new water boards.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 22 October 1993] : Scottish Office officials met representatives of the companies concerned, at the request of the companies, on 17 March 1993 and 27 April 1993 respectively. The meetings took place under terms of commercial confidentiality. No Ministers were present.
The proposed new water authorities will be wholly public bodies. The private sector will have a role, as now, in providing goods and services under contract. The negotiation of these contracts will be a matter for the new water authorities.
Environmental Consultation
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress following the consultation on the document "Improving Scotland's Environment--The Way Forward".
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kincardine and Deeside (Mr. Kynoch) on 25 February at column 722.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those organisations who have submitted comments on the proposals contained in the document "Improving Scotland's Environment--The Way Forward" ; if he will place the representations in the Library ; and how many of the comments received have been favourable and how many have been adverse.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : Altogether 159 organisations responded. Copies of the responses which we were not asked to treat as confidential have been placed in the Library. While local authorities
Column 630
and river purification boards did not, in general, support our proposals, most other respondents, particularly those from industry, were broadly in favour.Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set aside the proposals contained in the document "Improving Scotland's Environment--The Way Forward" until after the proposed reform of local government in Scotland has been completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : No. Our proposals for the agency are fully consistent with the forthcoming reorganisation of local government.
Sheep
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement providing details of the operation of the allocation of sheep quota from the national reserve ; and when he expects to be in a position to accept applications from sheep producers for allocation of quota from the reserve.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : Details of the operation of the national reserve of sheep annual premium quota are currently being finalised. The statutory instrument authorising Agriculture Departments to invite applications to, and make allocations from, the national reserve will be laid before Parliament as soon as these arrangements have been settled.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what meetings took place about the proposed linkage of Berwickshire and East Lothian in advance of publication of the White Paper which involved local district councillors ;
(2) what meetings took place about the proposed linkage of Berwickshire and East Lothian in advance of publication of the White Paper which involved special or political advisers to the Secretary of State for Scotland and local representatives for either Berwickshire or East Lothian ;
(3) if he will place in the Library a list of those who made representations on the proposal to link Berwickshire and East Lothian in the context of local government reform in Scotland ;
(4) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the White Paper suggesting that Berwickshire should be joined to East Lothian ; and who made the suggestion.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 25 October 1993] : In reaching their decisions on the proposed boundaries for the new single-tier authorities that were included in the White paper "Shaping the Future--The New Councils", the Government took account of the responses to the consultation paper "Shaping The New Councils", and to a wide range of other factors including costs, the efficient delivery of services, accountability, economic development considerations, population and geography. No meetings were held with local authorities or other interest groups to discuss specific boundaries relating to Berwickshire and East Lothian prior to the publication of the White Paper. Since publication, however, I and my colleagues have met with a number of individuals and organisations from Berwickshire, East Lothian and other
Column 631
parts of Scotland. A total of 417 individual letters have also been received about the proposed Berwickshire and East Lothian council. I have placed in the Library a list of those who have made representations. In addition, local campaigns about the Berwickshire and East Lothian proposals have generated postcards, pro forma letters and petition signatures.Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the transitional costs of the restructuring of local government ; and if he intends those costs to be met from local or national resources.
Mr. Stewart : The Government's White Paper, "Shaping the Future--The New Council" estimated that transitional costs in the range of £120 million to £196 million would be incurred over a 15-year period. The Scottish Office has invited local authorities to submit estimates of the genuinely additional costs they expect to incur in the financial year 1994- 95 and my right hon. Friend will be taking account of these in determining the level of the local government finance settlement for that year. Similarly the funding of costs in future years will be the subject of consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in the normal way.
Farm Statistics (Miscalculation)
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the reasons for the miscalculation in the statistics showing the amount of cereal production in Scotland for the years between 1989 and 1991.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : There has been no miscalculation in the amount of cereal production in Scotland between 1989 and 1991. The European Commission recently agreed that the original base areas, provided on 16 September 1992, for the arable area payments scheme introduced this year should be adjusted in the light of information from claims submitted under the new scheme. This technical adjustment, between the less favoured area and the non-less favoured area base areas, did not alter the total base area originally provided.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the estimated losses per hectare that will result from miscalculation of statistics from farmers in the non-less favoured areas for cereals, oilseed rape, peas and beans and set-aside land ; (2) if he will make a statement on the increase in the amount of land to be set aside next year ; and whether compensation is to be paid on the additional areas set aside.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : Officials are working with the EC Commission to determine the revised rates of payment under the arable area payments scheme. These revised rates result from the adjustment in the distribution of land between the less favoured area (LFA) and the non-less favoured area (non-LFA) and from the overshoot in cropping in the non-less favoured area. An announcement on the revised rates and on next year's additional set-aside requirement will be made as soon as possible.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure that the
Column 632
European Commission is aware of the effects of the changes as a result of the miscalculation of statistics for cereal production in Scotland ; and what assurances he has had that the EC will not seek to exact penalties by way of further areas of set-aside in the coming year.Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : As soon as it became apparent from the claims submitted this year under the arable area payments scheme that an adjustment to the base area figures orginally submitted to the EC Commission was necessary, my right hon. Friend personally pressed the Commission to agree to a technical adjustment of the Scottish base areas. The Commission has now agreed to the necessary technical adjustment of the LFA and non-LFA elements within Scotland's total base area ; and my right hon. Friend and I are most grateful to the Commission for agreeing to that re adjustment.
There remains an overshoot in the non-LFA area which reflects an increase in cropping in that area. The EC regulations governing the arable area payments scheme stipulate that the effect of this overshoot is to reduce arable aid payments within the non-LFA area proportionately in the current year and to increase the set-aside requirement in the coming year by the percentage by which the regional base has been exceeded, that increase being uncompensated. My right hon. Friend and I fully recognise that any penalty will be unwelcome to arable farmers. We cannot, however, vary the total Scottish base area, which reflects data already formally submitted to the Commission ; nor can we adjust the area base control regime in mid- stream. The Scheme is designed to penalise areas in excess of base areas on which aid is claimed ; and we cannot simply wish away the problem of over- cropping and the resultant additional one-year set-aside requirement.
Set-aside Land
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he expects to meet representatives on the Scottish National Farmers Union to discuss proposals to mitigate financial losses that may result from the increased amount of land set aside ;
(2) what proposals he has to compensate farmers who can prove they have suffered loss as a result of changes to the rules on set-aside.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : My right hon. Friend and I fully recognise that any special set-aside requirement will be unwelcome to arable farmers. The EC regulations governing the arable area payments scheme, however, stipulate such an additional one-year requirement where an overshoot over base area has occurred ; and they make it clear that this additional requirement is uncompensated. As I explained to representatives of the National Farmers Union of Scotland when I met them on 13 October, we cannot vary the total Scottish base area, which reflects statistics already lodged with the EC Commission and to which each member state is committed. Nor can we adjust in mid-course the area base control regime to which the Government are committed. The scheme is specifically designed to penalise areas which are in excess of base areas on which arable aid is claimed.
The additional set-aside requirement resulting from the overshoot should be seen in the context of the very significant continuing benefits to Scottish arable farmers
Column 633
and to the rural economy generally of the arable area payments scheme under the common agricultural policy. Notwithstanding the penalty, farmers in the non-LFA area alone will receive some £80 million in arable area payments in 1993, with a further £12.5 million in payments in the LFA area. Moreover, the reduction in arable area payments to non-LFA farmers resulting from the overshoot in fact broadly equates with the global return generated from the additional land, over base area, brought into cropping this year.Mental Illness
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to continue the mental illness specific grant in 1993, 1994 and 1995 ; whether the funding of service developments in the treatment of those suffering from traumatic brain injury will continue as an eligible category ; what will be the sums of money provided for mental illness specific grant in the afore-mentioned financial years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 25 October 1993] : Following an internal review of the scheme, it has recently been decided to continue the grant for at least another three years until 1997. Projects to assist people with acquired brain injury will continue to be eligible for grant.
In 1993-94, grant of £7 million supports projects worth £10 million. The level of grant for future years will be announced as part of the local government finance settlement for those years. The scheme will be subject to a further review in 1996, based on a full study expected to report towards the end of 1995.
Pollution Appeals
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the decisions in respect of the two appeals brought by the Inverclyde district council against H. L. Friel and Son Ltd. and Stephen Friel under the terms of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act
Column 634
1989 and the Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 October 1993] : I expect that the decisions in respect of the appeals byH. L. Friel and Son Limited and Stephen Friel against Inverclyde district council's refusal to register them as carriers of controlled waste will be issued soon.
| Next Section
| Home Page |