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Sellafield
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the policy of the Health and Safety Executive in regard to the commissioning process for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant under condition 21(2) of the Sellafield site licence.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : When granting nuclear site licences under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended) the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the power to attach such conditions as may appear to them to be necessary or desirable in the interests of safety. The Health and Safety Executive has developed a set of standardised nuclear site licence conditions with the aim of producing consistent nuclear safety requirements which are non prescriptive and flexible. This allows a nuclear site licensee to exercise responsibility for safety and develop arrangements particular to the circumstances of the operation.
The Health and Safety Executive has satisfied itself that British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) has made and implemented
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adequate arrangements under condition 21(1) of the Sellafield site licence for the commissioning of plants or processes which may affect safety, and in particular for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant. There has been no requirement for HSE to exercise its powers under condition 21(2).Labour Statistics
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the level of unemployment in the Bentley and Darlaston North and Darlaston South wards of Walsall for each year since 1986.
Miss Widdecombe : Unadjusted data on claimant unemployment levels by ward can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for over a year in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : In July 1993, the latest available date, the unadjusted number of people who have been claimant unemployed for over one year stood at 1,081,165 compared to 1,356,521 in April 1986.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been created in the London borough of Lewisham to date by schemes associated with the South East Thames training and enterprise council.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is not available in the form requested. The main role of training and enterprise councils is not direct job creation but the delivery of Government training programmes, business start-up and such special initiatives as individual TECs see fit.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies notified in each of the last six months in the London borough of Lewisham were (a) full time, (b) part time, (c) permanent and (d) temporary.
Miss Widdecombe : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 4 November 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the number and type of vacancies notified to the Employment Service in the London Borough of Lewisham in each of the last six months. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
As we do not record statistical information on a Borough basis, I have produced a "best fit" by using figures from four of my offices within Lewisham namely, Catford, Deptford, Forest Hill and Lewisham. The information is shown in the attached table.
The table shows that total number of vacancies notified to Jobcentres in each of the last six months. We only provide an indept breakdown of the figures on a quarterly basis.
I hope this is helpful.
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As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.Column 435
Vacancies notified to employment service offices in Catford, Deptford, Forest
Hill and Lewisham
|Month |Full-time|Part-time|Permanent|Temporary
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notified vacancies |- |1,507 |150 |1,627 |30
April |536 |- |- |- |-
May |627 |- |- |- |-
June |494 |- |- |- |-
|- |1,705 |178 |1,820 |63
July |626 |- |- |- |-
August |613 |- |- |- |-
September |644 |- |- |- |-
Shipping Industry
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been employed in the shipping industry in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : The number of employees in employment in the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry in the United Kingdom is shown in the following table :
Employees in employment in the
shipbuilding and ship
repairing industry: United
Kingdom
|Numbers
-------------------------------
September 1981 |127,000
September 1984 |93,000
September 1987 |62,000
September 1989 |54,000
September 1991 |49,000
Employee estimates at detailed industry level for the United Kingdom are available only from the census of employment.
Age Discrimination
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to introduce specific legislation to end age discrimination in employment recruitment ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : We are well aware that some employers discriminate on age grounds. This is wasteful and short-sighted. However, legislation does not offer a satisfactory solution. If this country is to prosper employers must, as far as possible, be free to manage their own affairs. Legislation to regulate their behaviour can only be appropriate, therefore, if : (a) it would solve a problem, and (b) it is the only solution. Experience from abroad confirms that legislation against age discrimination meets neither of these criteria.
The right approach is to persuade employers of the benefits of treating people on merit, regardless of age. Through the work of our advisory group on older workers this is just what we are doing. The recent launch of "Getting On", offering employers a five-point plan to avoid agism, demonstrates our commitment to promoting the interests of older people at work.
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Community Action Schemes
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many community action schemes have been approved by his Department for each county area in Wales ; and how many extra jobs have been created by each scheme.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Mr. Gareth Wardell, dated 4 November 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the number of Community Action schemes which have been approved for each county area in Wales and the number of extra jobs created by each scheme. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the information you have requested on Community Action for eachWelsh County Area as statistics of this nature are collected through my four Area Offices in Wales. The attached table shows the number of contracts which have been awarded to providing organisations and the number of Community Action places these contracts will create.
Community Action is a new programme of help for people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more. It enables them to gain recent work experience by working on projects of benefit to local communities. An important feature of the programme is structured help in looking for work.
Community Action is not employment but work experience, and the programme will be carefully monitored to ensure that job substitution does not take place. I am confident that the help offered through Community Action will significantly increase participants' chances of finding paid employment.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
P
Community Action
Wales
Area |Number of contracts|Places
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mid South |5 |259
North Wales |8 |197
South East |8 |242
South West |7 |240
|-------
Total |938
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Workstart Pilot Schemes
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to expand the workstart pilot schemes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : We will evaluate the performance of the existing workstart pilots before deciding whether to extend them.
Mining Safety
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many violations of the dust regulations are known or suspected to have occurred in British mines in each of the last three years and so far in 1993.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : According to the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorate of mines, violations of the Respirable Dust Regulations 1975 have occurred at three British mines, one in financial year 1991-92 and two in 1993-94.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of consistency between independent sampling of dust in British mines and the official monitoring carried out by British Coal ; and what action he proposes to take.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Respirable Dust Regulations 1975 require mine owners to put in place arrangements to collect and analyse dust samples. The regulations do not require independent sampling of dust to take place in British mines, but British Coal has voluntarily put in place an additional procedure to check on its own statutory dust sampling arrangements, to evaluate the continuing effectiveness of its systems. Some results of such check sampling have been higher than those taken under routine sampling and therefore, in addition to the action that British Coal is taking to establish the reasons for the variation in sample checks, the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorate of mines will be carrying out a full investigation of the procedures for statutory and check samples.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the action taken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of mines in regard to dust sampling in British mines and by granting exemption for working under unsupported roofs and the use of roof bolts.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) inspectorate of mines are responsible for the enforcement of the statutory health and safety regulations which apply in British mines. They have advised me that the prevalence of pneumoconiosis in British coal mines has dropped progressively throughout the last 30 years, and they are satisfied that the Respirable Dust Regulations have been appropriately applied and wish to see the continuance of the downward trend in this disease. The HSE's inspectorate of mines will continue to work with mine owners to ensure compliance with the regulations. I understand that no exemptions have been issued which allow men to work under unsupported ground. HSE's inspectorate of mines advise me that a district inspector of mines will grant an exemption for the use of rockbolts only
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after thorough scrutiny of the proposed system by an inspector of mines, and only if he is satisfied that the health and safety of the work force will not be jeopardised.Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action was taken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of mines in regard to the under- reporting of dust counts in British mines which was referred to the inspectorate earlier this year ; and when the inspectorate was first aware of the under-reporting.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Dust levels are not routinely notified to the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorate of mines unless they are in excess of the statutory limits. Managers have to record the results of statutory sampling and these are examined by the inspectorate. I understand that the inspectorate first became aware of differences between statutory samples and British Coal's check samples in August. The Chief Inspector of Mines has advised me that these differences are being investigated.
Railway Inspectorate
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total establishment of the railway inspectorate part of the Health and Safety Executive ; and how many staff are in post.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The total establishment of the railway inspectorate is 75. There are 69 staff in post ; including one seconded to another division in the Health and Safety Executive.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the staff of the railway inspectorate part of the Health and Safety Executive are deployed on work related to (a) the channel tunnel and (b) overseas projects.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Four staff are involved in channel tunnel work. The inspectorate is involved only intermittently in overseas projects. When required, three inspectors undertake this work.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total establishment of the railway inspectorate part of the Health and Safety Executive deployed on safety on Network SouthEast, London Underground and the docklands light railway ; and how many are in post.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is difficult to reply preciseinesses.
Youth Training
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a forecast of expenditure on youth training and training for work in 1993-94 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I am not able to give forecasts of programme expenditure in year. Planned expenditure by training and enterprise councils (TECs) on youth training (YT) and youth credits in England this year is £704 million. At the end of September £269 million had been spent by TECs which was £69 million less than the anticipated level at that stage of the year.
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I expect the rate of spend on YT and youth credits to increase towards the end of the year, although expenditure has been affected by larger numbers of young people staying on at school and college than had been anticipated.The Government's guarantee of a place on YT stands. At 14 October only 3,322 young people had been waiting for a place for more than eight weeks. This compares with a figure of over 27,000 a year ago. Planned expenditure on training for work in England this year is £782 million. At the end of September, £313 million had been spent which was £32 million less than the anticipated level.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Parliamentary Feed
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to accept requests from hon. Members to the Central Office of Information to pay for and receive the same live feed from the Chamber as the Central Office of Information provides for Government Departments.
Mr. Newton : I have been asked to reply.
The authority for providing live feed from the Chamber rests with the Select Committee on Broadcasting and is not at the discretion of the Central Office of Information, which acts as agent on behalf of the Select Committee.
SCOTLAND
Greenwich Mean Time
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 27 October, Official Report, column 682, in estimated deaths and injuries arising from the use of Greenwich mean time, what is the population (i) in and (ii) not in the northern half of the United Kingdom ; if he will estimate the actual number (i) overall and (ii) not in the northern half who may not be killed or injured ; and what steps his Department has taken to reconcile their estimates with those of the Policy Studies Institute.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The estimated population of Scotland in mid-1991 was 5,107,000 and for the northern half of the country, to which I referred in my answer to the hon. Member on 27 October at column 682 , the corresponding figure is 1,806,000. That answer also indicated that road accident casualty savings for all Scotland from the adoption of central European time might amount to just over 1 per cent. This represents a possible saving of between 260 and 310 casualties based on 1992 figures. These recent estimates of casualty changes arising from adoption of CET are not sufficiently robust as to permit a separate estimate for the northern half of Scotland but the Transport Research Laboratory Report No. 228 indicated an increase in fatal and serious casualties and a decrease in all casualties in the northern half of Scotland during the winter of 1968-70 when British summer time was retained experimentally. Discussions have already taken place between the Scottish Office, the Transport Research Laboratory and the Policy Studies Institute on
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possible methods of estimating casualty changes from CET. Further work is being undertaken to provide more comprehensive estimates for Scotland but is not yet complete. The results so far obtained are being provided to the Transport Research Laboratory and the Policy Studies Institute to allow them to comment.Beef Premium Scheme
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had on the practical difficulties involved in the operation of the beef special premium scheme at auction marts.
Sir Hector Monro : My right hon. Friend and I have received correspondence from hon. Members, the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland, individual auction marts and a number of farmers.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to review the practical difficulties being encountered in the operation of the beef special premium scheme at auction marts ;
(2) if he will set up an inquiry into the additional administration involved in the operation in the beef special premium scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : I am well aware of the burdens the new arrangements for the beef special premium scheme impose on the industry. The United Kingdom, however, had no choice but to implement the scheme according to the EC regulations in order that the beef sector in this country could benefit from the increased rates and coverage of the premium. The Government have no plans to set up an inquiry, but we are pressing the European Commission to look at the future operation of the scheme with a view to its simplification.
Health Boards
Ms Rachel Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process by Argyll and Clyde health board including the successful tenderer and the value of the contract ;
(2) if he will list the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process by Ayrshire and Arran health board including the successful tenderer and the value of the contract ;
(3) if he will list the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process by Highland health board including the successful tenderer and the value of the contract ;
(4) if he will list the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process by Greater Glasgow health board including the successful tenderer and the value of the contract ;
(5) if he will list the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process by Grampian health board including the successful tenderer and the value of the contract.
Mr. Stewart : The information in the table is in respect of contracts awarded between 1988 and 31 October 1993.
Column 441
Service type and hospital |Contractor |Tender value
[NL]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aryll and Clyde health board
Catering
Dumbarton Group |In-house |580
Argyll and Bute, Mid Argyll, Lochgilphead |In-house |308
Domestic
Rankin Maternity/Inverclyde |In-house |143
Dumbarton Hospitals and Community |In-house |748
Renfrew Community |In-house |172
Hotel
Merchiston, Edlerslie and Johnstone |In-house |526
Oban |In-house |423
Dykebar, Hawkhead, Barshaw, Gilmour, Westward, Paisley |In-house |1,383
Portering
Dumbarton and Helensburgh |In-house |189
Inverclyde Royal |In-house |384
Royal Alexandra |In-house |482
Transport
Argyll and Dumbarton |In-house |138
Renfrew and Inverclyde |In-house |227
Painterwork
Dumbarton |John Miller & Son |34
Argyll |In-house |48
Dumbarton |John Miller & Son |-
Argyll |Capital Decorator |-
Renfrew Acute Unit |In-house |46
Renfrew Acute Unit |John Miller & Son |-
Renfrew Priority |In-house |84
Renfrew Priority |John Miller & Son |-
Inverclyde, Cowal and Bute |Trident Maintenance Services49
Inverclyde, Cowal and Bute |Capital Decorator |-
Ground Maintenance
Rothesay, Dunoon, Inverclyde |In-house |106
Renfrew Acute Unit |In-house |44
Renfrew Priority Unit |In-house |84
Ayrshire and Arran
Catering
Crosshouse |In-house |779
Ayrshire Central |In-house |516
Domestic
Crosshouse |In-house |765
Ayrshire Central |In-house |401
Hotel
North Clinics and Health Centres |In-house |55
Kirklandside |In-house |401
Ballochmyle/Holmhead |In-house |1,142
Ailsa |In-house |1,399
Ayrshire Central/Ravenspark |In-house |947
Biggart/Thornyflat |In-house |537
Davidson Cottage |In-house |100
Crosshouse |In-house |692
South Clinics and Health Centres |In-house |43
Painterwork
All Board |Moss Painting |195
|Baxter & Gillespie |56
|Baxter & Gillespie |28
Vehicle Maintenance
All Board |In-house |121
Laundry
All Board |In-house |945
Highland
Catering
Mental Health Unit |In-house |486
Raigmore/Royal Northern |In-house |639
Domestic
Royal Northern |In-house |75
Mental Health Unit |In-house |483
Inverness Clinic |In-house |32
Hotel
Caithness Unit |In-house |387
Sutherland Unit |In-house |204
Southern Unit |In-house |1,109
Laundry
Northern Unit |John O'Groat |42
Greater Glasgow
Catering
Gartnavel Royal/General |In-house |1,376
Parkside/Duke Street |In-house |326
Glasgow Royal |Sodexho |1,552
RHSC Yorkhill/Queen Mother's |In-house |468
Canniesburn/Drumchapel |In-house |449
Southern General/Darnley |In-house |1,303
Leverndale/Cowglen |In-house |775
Ruchill/Birdston/Broomhill/Lenzie |In-house |654
Stobhill |In-house |1,204
Glasgow Royal/Rutherglen Maternity |In-house |309
Woodilee/Stoneyetts |In-house |419
Victoria/Royal Samaritan |In-house |841
Knightswood |In-house |331
Mearnskirk/Philipshill |In-house |424
Belvidere/Lightburn |In-house |429
Western Infirmary |In-house |746
Domestic
Stobhill |Hospital Hygiene |820
Victoria Group |Hospital Hygiene |592
Gartloch/Parkhead |In-house |460
Belvidere/Duke Street/Lightburn |In-house |432
Gartnavel Royal |Sunlight |360
Royal Maternity and Rutherglen Maternity |Initial |266
Mearnskirk/Philipshill |In-house |291
Western Infirmary |In-house |548
Gartnavel General |Initial |312
Canniesburn/Drumchapel |Initial |249
Woodilee/Stoneyetts |Initial |332
Royal Infirmary |Hospital Hygiene |954
Gartnavel General |Initial |315
Ruchill/Birston/Broomhill/Lenzie |In-house |416
Knightswood/Blanarthill/Duntocher |In-house |190
Southern General/Cowglen/Darnley |In-house |857
RHSC Yorkhill/Queen Mother's |In-house |426
Leverndale |In-house |502
Community
South Sector |Olscot Ltd. |96
North East Sector |Olscot Ltd. |86
North West Sector |Olscot Ltd. |95
Hotel
Lennoxcastle/Waverley Park |In-house |1,598
Portering
Glasgow Royal |Mediguard |511
Western Infirmary |In-house |477
Mearnskirk/Philipshill |In-house |140
Southern General |Sunlight |708
Knightswood |In-house |89
Gartnavel Royal |Hospital Hygiene |164
Leverndale |Mediguard |175
Stobhill |Hospital Hygiene |527
RHSC Queen Mother's |Sunlight |258
Woodilee/Stoneyetts |In-house |150
Royal Maternity/Rutherglen Maternity |Hospital Hygiene |185
Ruchill |Sunlight |253
Canniesburn/Drumchapel |In-house |307
Belvidere, Duke Street/Lightburn |Sunlight |378
Victoria Group |In-house |339
Community Care Unit |In-house |237
Gartloch/Parkhead |In-house |209
Painterwork
Community Primary Care Unit |Hat Painting Ltd. |60
Yorkhill Hospitals |MacLean & Speirs |39
Mental Health Unit |Hat Painting Ltd. |304
Royal Infirmary Unit |MacLean & Speirs |111
Care of the Elderly Unit |Fitzroy Building |63
Stobhill |Hat Painting Ltd. |150
Southern General |MacLean & Speirs |91
Ground Maintenance
Royal Infirmary |CBC Lands Division |29
Stobhill |P & D Services |70
Community Primary Care |OCS Cleanmaster |39
Western Infirmary/Yorkhill |In-house |29
Victoria Infirmary |CBC Lands Division |34
Southern General |CBC Lands Division |57
Mental Health Unit |In-house |201
Care of the Elderly |CBC Lands Division |57
Boiler Maintenance
All Board |In-house |1,428
Laundry and Linen
Southern General |In-house |1,269
Knightswood |In-house |1,568
Ruchill |In-house |1,701
Grampian
Catering
Geriatric and Specialist Services Unit |In-house |879
Mental Health Unit |In-house |940
Community Unit |In-house |564
Domestic
Geriatric and Specialist Services Unit |Mediguard |805
Mental Health Unit |Mediguard |885
West Unit |In-house |468
Community Unit |Mediguard |473
Hotel
Foresterhill |In-house |3,475
Community Health Services |In-house |2,253
West Unit |In-house |123
Portering
Mental Health Unit |In-house |146
Transport
All Board |In-house |396
Painterwork
Foresterhill |In-house |742
Ground Maintenance
West Unit |In-house |28
Foresterhill |In-house |129
Management of Care
City Hospital/Geriatric Unit |CHS Tender |2,356
Column 447
Nursery Education
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the provision of nursery education in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : The Government have no plans to impose a statutory duty on education authorities to provide nursery education. In our view local authorities are best able to decide the most appropriate level of nursery school provision in their areas, taking into account local needs and circumstances. The Government provide local authorities with resources to fund education through the aggregate external finance settlement. Under these arrangements, local authorities have the opportunity to increase nursery education spending where they view this as a priority.
Rannoch Moor
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the outcome of his action relating to the denial of public access to part of the public footpath across Rannoch moor referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 30 June.
Sir Hector Monro : In Scotland the duty to assert, protect and keep open any public rights of way lies with regional and district planning authorities, in this case Highland regional council. I understand that the regional council is seeking to reach agreement with the landowner over the creation of an alternative route to the existing right of way. When such an agreement is reached, the regional council will require to make a public path diversion order, in terms of section 35 of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967. Until such an order is made by the local authority and confirmed by the Secretary of State, an existing public right of way will continue to exist.
Public Bodies
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department holds a register from which appointments are made to non- departmental public bodies in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : Yes. The Scottish Office public appointments list is one source of names for appointments to non-departmental public bodies.
Ewe Premium
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers in Scotland are currently eligible for ewe annual premium payments ; how many claims for payment have been received ; how many have been paid ; and when those outstanding claims will be paid.
Sir Hector Monro : I have no figures regarding the number of sheep farmers who are eligible to apply. Some 17,000 claims have been received under the 1993 scheme and about 11,500 have been paid the first and second advances, together with the less favoured area supplement where appropriate. Outstanding eligible claims will be paid as soon as possible.
Lobster Creels
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the damage done to lobster creels by seals.
Column 448
Sir Hector Monro : While I am aware of reports from Scottish fishermen that seals have damaged their creels, my scientists at the marine laboratory in Aberdeen have not investigated them in view of the practical difficulties of obtaining firm evidence of how the damage was caused.
Libraries
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public libraries in Scotland are open for 60 hours a week or more.
Sir Hector Monro : The Scottish Office does not collect this information. However, according to the Library Statistics 1993 published by the library and information statistics unit at Loughborough university of technology, 36 public libraries in Scotland were open for 60 hours a week or more in the year 1991-92.
Estuarial Crossings
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which estuarial crossings have received central Government assistance in the form of grant, loan or debt write-off or suspension ; and how much assistance has been given, and in what form, in each case.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The majority of estuarial crossings in Scotland have been financed directly by central government as elements of the trunk road programme, including the tolled road bridge at Erskine. The Forth road bridge, which opened in 1964, attracted a grant from central government of £4.65 million towards initial capital expenditure and a loan of £14.5 million on which interest payments of some £1.66 million were waived during construction ; and additional £7.1 million of unpaid interest between 1964 and 1984 was capitalised and added to the loan. It is expected that the full outstanding debt will be repaid by May 1995. The Tay road bridge, which opened in 1966, received loans from central government totalling £3.97 million ; the sum of these loans outstanding in May 1993 was £3.36 million.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which estuarial crossings are the responsibility of (a) central Government, (b) local authorities and (c) private owners ; and which of these are (i) subject to tolls and (ii) not subject to tolls.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The majority of estuarial crossings in Scotland are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland as part of the trunk road network, and are not subject to tolls. Tolls are charged on the Erskine, Forth and Tay road bridges where the responsible authorities are as follows :
Erskine road bridge--Secretary of State for Scotland.
Forth road bridge--Forth road bridge joint board (Fife and Lothian regional councils).
Tay road bridge--Tay road bridge joint board (Fife and Tayside regional councils).
Arable Crops
Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which EC countries have overshot the regional base areas for arable crops ; and what action they have taken regarding this matter.
Sir Hector Monro : Comprehensive statistics on claims made in other EC member states under the arable payments
Column 449
scheme as part of the integrated administration and control system have not yet been made available by the EC Commission.A1 (Speed Cameras)
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the operation of speed cameras on the A1 road ; and at what vehicle speeds the cameras are triggered on (a) single and (b) dual carriageway sections.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Since the introduction of speed detection cameras on the A1 on 30 August this year initial monitoring of traffic flows indicates a very encouraging trend. The number of cars exceeding the speed limit has been approximately halved while the number of HGVs exceeding speed limits has dropped by one third. The police are responsible for the setting of speed detection cameras and their day to day operation. It is not considered to be in the public interest to disclose the threshold speed above which photographs of offending vehicles are taken. Furthermore, these thresholds can be varied at short notice.
Farming Census Forms
Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of farmers, who (a) received and (b) returned the 4 June statistical census forms in (i) 1989, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 1991.
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