| Previous Section | Home Page |
Applicant |Garden
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd County Council |Gardens at Bunkers Hill Cottages,
| Wrexham, Clwyd
Swansea City Council |Gardens at Sketty Hall, Swansea,
| West Glamorgan
Welsh Historic Gardens Trust |Gardens at Hafod, Pontrhyd y
| Groes, Dyfed
Cadw offers the Commission a view on the merits of each application submitted under the scheme, but the decision on whether a grant will be offered is taken by the Commission itself, on the advice of an international panel of experts. It is not the Commission's practice to comment on why any of the applications fail to receive assistance.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Rural Housing
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken to reappraise the rural priority areas in respect of housing rural unfitness.
Mr. Atkins : This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chief executive has advised me
Column 467
that rural priority areas--RPAs--are being reappraised as part of a wider review of the executive's rural housing policy. The executive hopes to extend RPA status to other areas, by reviewing the relevant unfitness criteria under which an area qualifies for such status. The executive will also be seeking to improve the effectiveness of action in RPAs by increasing the involvement of its district/regional offices and by closer co-operation with local voluntary groups. Existing RPA's will still be targeted for grant aid where there is a continuing need.Terrorism
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what inquiries are being made into the involvement of the terrorist known as the Jackal in the murder of Adrian Carroll.
Sir John Wheeler : Criminal investigations into the murder of Adrian Carroll are continuing. All evidence or information which comes to the knowledge of the police is fully investigated.
Boarding Schools
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many boarders there were at each boarding school in Northern Ireland at the most recent available date.
Mr. Ancram : At the end of October 1993 the number of boarders in each boarding school was as follows :
|Number
---------------------------------------------------
Voluntary Grammar Schools
Campbell College, Belfast |94
Coleraine Academic Institution |78
Dominican College, Portstewart |35
Friends School, Lisburn |44
Hunterhouse College, Belfast |82
Methodist College, Belfast |177
Portora Royal School |16
Royal School, Armagh |66
Royal School, Dungannon |39
St. Colman's College, Newry |58
St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh |72
Victoria College, Belfast |48
Controlled Grammar Schools
Coleraine High School |34
Countryside
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on preservation of the countryside in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Atkins : The Government are continuing their work to maintain and enhance the quality of the countryside and to protect habitats and landscape, thereby providing enjoyment and pleasure for present and future generations. This work is undertaken on a number of fronts, including the declaration of areas of special scientific interest, environmentally sensitive areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty and national nature reserves.
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to Northern Ireland.
Column 468
Mr. Atkins : Legislation broadly equivalent to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is being introduced in Northern Ireland by a series of Orders in Council.
An Order in Council containing enabling powers to deal with genetically modified organisms similar to the provisions in part VI of the Act was made in July 1991 and will come into operation by means of a commencement order once the necessary regulations enacting its provisions have been finalised.
A further Order in Council containing provisions on litter equivalent to those in part IV of the Act will shortly be laid before Parliament and should become operative early in 1994.
I have already announced my plans for two further Orders in Council to introduce provisions on air pollution and waste management control respectively, similar to those in parts I and II of the Act. These are now being prepared. I hope to lay both draft orders before Parliament by the end of 1994.
Hedgerows
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on hedgerow preservation in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Atkins : The Government are encouraging hedgerow improvement through financial incentive schemes operated by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment. Both Departments provide advice on hedgerow management.
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the hedgerow incentive scheme applies to Northern Ireland.
Mr. Atkins : The hedgerow incentive scheme is operated by the Countryside Commission and applies only in England. In Northern Ireland the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment have schemes which provide financial incentives for hedgerow improvement and both Departments provide advice on hedgerow management.
Postal and Proxy Votes
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much he will spend in the lead-up to the European and local elections next year on promoting the use of postal and proxy votes by sick, disabled and absent voters ; what arrangements are in place for this exercise ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ancram : The nature and extent of advertising or publicity related to the European parliamentary elections in 1994 have yet to be decided. Any advertising there might be on absent voting would not be directed at any specific groups of electors. Local elections have already taken place in Northern Ireland, in May this year.
EC Students
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total estimated cost per annum for the provision of university and third-level education for European Community students studying in Northern Ireland.
Column 469
Mr. Ancram : The total costs of making provision for EC students undertaking third-level education at institutions in Northern Ireland is not available in the form requested.
However, the estimated cost to public funds of tuition fees for students in institutions in Northern Ireland from EC countries, including the Republic of Ireland, and holding mandatory or postgraduate awards in the 1992-93 academic year, was £4.586 million.
School Extensions
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the proposed major school extension schemes at (a) Comber high school and (b) Regent House grammar school.
Mr. Ancram : An economic appraisal recommending a new school for a long-term enrolment of 540 pupils has been approved for Comber high school and planning of this is at outline sketch plan stage. An economic appraisal recommending the extending and refurbishing of the existing premises has been approved for Regent House school. A schedule of accommodation is being considered by the school and the South-Eastern education and library board.
Forensic Science Departments
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to provide permanent forensic sciences departments following the destruction of the forensic science laboratory at Newtownbreda in September 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Wheeler : Following the serious damage to the laboratory on 23 September 1992 it was relocated at Seapark outside Carrickfergus in County Antrim. The location of the laboratory in the longer term remains under consideration.
Student Nurses
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many student nurses there are at present ; how many of them originate from the Republic of Ireland ; how many nurses are unemployed ; and if he will make a statement on job prospects for nurses.
Mr. Ancram : At 31 October there were 2,316 student nurses in training in Northern Ireland of whom 263 originate from the Republic of Ireland, while at 14 October 1993 there were 701 unemployed claimants who last worked in the nursing profession in general. My hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) wrote to you in April this year about job prospects in the nursing profession. He explained that improved retention of nursing staff has reduced employment opportunities for newly qualified nurses and that the proposals for rationalisation of services will impact on nurse employment in the future. The position has changed little since April as decisions have yet to be taken on the rationalisation of the service. Until these decisions are taken, it is not possible to assess accurately the implications for the nursing profession.
Column 470
Republic of Ireland (Links)
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research he has commissioned into the benefits of closer trading and other links between Northern Ireland and the Republic ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : None. Other bodies have, however, examined the potential benefits of increased cross-border trade and, while their estimates differ considerably, all agree that more trade is possible and can benefit both parts of Ireland. The two Governments are co-operating to promote trade in a number of ways, and are jointly organising a conference on cross-border trade in Dublin on 15 December.
Gardens of Historic Value
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the applicants for European Community financial assistance under this year's awards for the conservation of gardens of historic value and (b) details of the reasons for those that failed to secure such funding ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The following applications were received :
(1) Antrim Borough Council, Antrim Castle gardens, Co. Antrim (2) Armagh District Council with the Armagh Regeneration Trust and the Mall Trustees, Armagh Mall, Co. Armagh
(3) Mr. B. T. Little on behalf of the Duke of Abercorn, Barons Court, Co. Tyrone
(4) Mrs. J. R. Beresford-Ash, Ashbrook, Drumahoe, Co. Londonderry (5) Mr. J. Langham, Tempo Manor, Co. Fermanagh
(6) Mr. G. B. L. Brown, Walworth, Co. Londonderry
(7) Mr. M. G. Parkinson on behalf of Belfast City Council, Botanic Gardens, Belfast
(8) Clandeboy Estate Company Ltd., Clandeboye House, Bangor, Co. Down
All applications were forwarded to the Commission of the European Communities. The Antrim castle gardens application was the only one which was successful in being awarded financial assistance. The Commission was responsible for the assessment of all applications. I am not in a position to comment on the reasons for its decisions.
Road Schemes
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the new road schemes at (a) Comber bypass and (b) Forster Green junction.
Mr. Atkins : Work on the next phase of the Comber bypass scheme and on the Forster Green junction improvement will start in the 1997-98 and 1996-97 financial years respectively, subject to the availability of finance.
SCOTLAND
Paisley
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to support Paisley being awarded city status ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : None. City status in Scotland can be achieved only through the granting of a royal charter. It has no statutory significance in Scotland and there has been no such grant in modern times.
Column 471
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future local government arrangements for the Dykebar area of Paisley.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 25 November 1993] : I have written to the hon. Member about this and I will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will visit the Glenburn, Hunterhill, Dykebar, Lochfield, Foxbar, Thrushcraigs and South End areas of Paisley to assess the need for public sector housing investment and economic regeneration.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Paisley. Officials from the Scottish Office Environment Department recently met with representatives of Renfrew district council and Scottish Homes to discuss the housing problems in the district.
Public Appointments
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons are currently included in his Department's public appointments list ; and how many of these are women.
Mr. Lang : The number of people currently on the Scottish Office public appointments list is constantly changing. At present there are in the region of 2,500 people on the list of whom some 880 or 36 per cent. are women. Until recently, the proportion of women on the list averaged 25 per cent. The higher proportion is a result of action taken by my Department to increase the number of women on the list. I am always happy to receive the names of people based in Scotland, of either sex, who are interested in undertaking public appointments work.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to how many and which organisations he is able to make appointments ; and what are the top salary levels of these appointments.
Mr. Lang : The nationalised industries, non-departmental public bodies and NHS bodies sponsored by the Scottish Office to which I make appointments are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". The information includes the number of appointments I make to each body and the remuneration where appropriate. The 1992 edition is available in the Libraries of the House and the 1993 edition is scheduled to be published in mid-December.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a document, similar to the one recently published by the Secretary of State for Wales, entitled "Public Bodies : Appointments Made by the Secretary of State for Wales", listing detailed information concerning appointments made by him to public bodies in terms of (a) appointments, (b) remuneration, (c) occupations of appointees and (d) time commitment.
Mr. Lang : A list of members of bodies listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies" whom I appoint is being updated. I am considering how the information might most conveniently be made available.
Column 472
Sheltered Housing
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning private owner-occupied sheltered housing ; what help is available to those living in non-regulated or non- registered accommodation ; and if he will consider setting up an ombudsman scheme.
Mr. Lang : The Scottish Office has received a number of representations about private owner-occupied sheltered housing, most of which have alleged a lack of control over managing companies and agents operating these developments. These representations are essentially about contractual issues between the parties concerned and it would be inappropriate for the Government to intervene. Independent legal advice should be sought in such cases.
Details of vand the law of the tenement. We shall study carefully any recommendations that the commission may make.
Written Answers
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many written parliamentary questions he or his predecessors have answered in each year since 1979.
Mr. Lang : Figures before the 1980-81 parliamentary Session are not held centrally. Annual figures from 1980 onwards for House of Commons written questions answered by Scottish Office Ministers are as follows :
Year |Annual number ------------------------------------------ <1>1980 |355 1981 |1,588 1982 |1,618 1983 |1,750 1984 |2,009 1985 |2,026 1986 |1,981 1987 |2,928 1988 |2,973 1989 |2,917 1990 |2,739 1991 |2,432 1992 |1,650 <2>1993 |2,105 <1> For the period 27 October 1980 to 31 December 1980. <2> As at 18 October 1993. Source: POLIS.
Elderly Forums
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support his Department has provided to elderly forums ; what plans he has to develop the elderly forum movement ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Scottish Office currently provides financial assistance to two elderly forums through the urban programme at an estimated cost of £149,138 in the present financial year. Grant of 75 per cent. is payable by the Scottish Office on approved expenditure. The projects cover eligible areas in
Column 473
Strathclyde and Edinburgh. As for the future development of elderly forums, this is a matter for the forums themselves to take forward. In this connection, local authorities have powers under section 10(3) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to grant aid voluntary organisations in providing social welfare in their areas.Fox Hunting
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy on fox hunting on estates and property owned or managed by his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : Fox hunting on land owned by my right hon. Friend and managed by the Forestry Commission is permitted only where it has traditionally taken place or where the right to hunt or to grant facilities to hunt has been reserved in the title. No permissions are currently granted for the hunting of foxes on any of the remaining land owned by my right hon. Friend.
Pupils (Behavioural Problems)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his most recent estimate of the number of children of school age in Scotland who do not attend school for reasons associated with behavioural problems ; and if will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Figures for non-attendance at and exclusions from schools for reasons associated with behavioural problems are not held centrally ; nor is sufficient information centrally available on which to base informed estimates.
Regulations which came into force in 1993 now require education authorities to collect information on schools attendance and truancy. This information will be published in school handbooks from December 1994 and will also be the subject of report by the audit unit of Her Majesty's inspectorate. Discussions are currently proceeding with education authorities about the collection of exclusion figures across Scotland on a consistent basis.
Rents
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the average weekly rental charge for houses owned by (a) Renfrew district council, (b) Eastwood district council, (c) Inverclyde district council and (d) Scottish Homes or its predecessors since 1983 ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The table shows the average weekly unrebated rent for Renfrew, Eastwood and Inverclyde district councils, Scottish Homes and its predecessor, the Scottish Special Housing Association since 1983-84 :
|Renfrew district |Eastwood district |Inverclyde district|SSHA/Scottish Homes
|council |council |council
|£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |8.33 |10.52 |8.31 |11.96
1984-85 |8.81 |11.02 |9.08 |13.06
1985-86 |9.81 |11.50 |11.30 |14.23
1986-87 |11.50 |11.94 |12.40 |15.79
1987-88 |12.99 |12.45 |13.33 |17.28
1988-89 |13.92 |13.91 |14.37 |19.02
1989-90 |16.73 |15.10 |16.85 |20.88
1990-91 |18.70 |16.59 |19.17 |23.81
1991-92 |20.68 |18.10 |21.44 |26.73
1992-93 |22.45 |21.06 |23.93 |29.14
1993-94 |24.41 |21.73 |25.94 |31.76
Correspondence
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how long on average it takes his Department to reply to letters from hon. Members ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : My Department has set a target of replying to correspondence from hon. Members and others within 17 working days of receipt. During the period 1 August 1992 to 31 July 1993--the first year of operation of the target--11,279 items of such correspondence were dealt with. Fifty-five per cent. of these letters received a substantive reply within the 17 working day target, and 86 per cent. were answered within 30 working days. Replies may be delayed because it is necessary to gather information from various sources ; in such cases, the normal procedure is for an interim reply to be issued.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has further to develop the concept of infobuses on the model of that provided by Renfrew District Disability Council ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : As the provision of information on disability matters is the responsibility of local authorities, it is for these bodies to determine the level and nature of the service to be provided.
HIV Education
Mr. Chisholm : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Government's policy on HIV education in Scottish schools.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Government attach high priority to the provision of HIV education in schools. The school curriculum in Scotland is not statutorily prescribed and responsibility for the detailed curricular content, including that in relation to HIV education, rests with education authorities and individual head teachers.
The Government's policy is to encourage schools to tackle HIV education within a comprehensive programme of health and social education. This co- ordinated approach is designed to ensure that information about HIV is given not in isolation but as part of a programme that considers a number of issues relating to moral choices and healthy living.
To assist schools, national guidance is issued by the Scottish Office Education Department and the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum. Guidelines on health education were issued recently by the Scottish Office as part of the 5 to 14 programme on environmental studies. That gives health education a firm place in the curriculum and highlights AIDS as a key feature. In
Column 475
addition, in 1992 the Scottish Office published a booklet entitled "HIV and AIDS : A Guide for the Educational Services in Scotland". This was distributed to all education authorities and schools in Scotland.Homelessness
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were defined as homeless in (a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in each of the past five years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The most recent published information is set out in the table.
Households assessed as homeless<1>
1987 to 1991-92
|Inverclyde |Strathclyde|Scotland<2>
------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |178 |4,509 |9,595
1988-89 |112 |4,551 |9,644
1989-90 |142 |5,150 |11,470
1990-91 |156 |7,333 |14,900
1991-92 |146 |9,663 |17,600
<1> Figures do not include households assessed as
potentially homeless. In 1991-92 no households in
Inverclyde, 3,537 households in Strathclyde and 8,700
households in Scotland were so assessed.
<2> Figures up to 1989-90 relate to the number of case
returns received from local authorities. From 1990-91
figures are based on authorities' estimates of the total
number of applicants.
Abbeyfield Housing Movement
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the work of the Abbeyfield housing movement in Scotland.
Column 476
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The work of the Abbeyfield housing movement in Scotland is consistent with the Government's care in the community policy. My right hon. Friend regards the movement as making an important contribution to the welfare of elderly people who no longer wish or who are unable to live in their own homes, or who need additional care. In 1992-93, Scottish Homes, the organisation responsible for funding registered housing associations, provided 11 locally based Abbeyfield societies with £500,000 in grant through its development programme.
Housing
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of homes built by (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) private developers in each year since 1980 in(i) Inverclyde and (ii) Strathclyde ; and what is his current estimate for such completions in 1993.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Information on the number of dwellings completed in Inverclyde district and Strathclyde region by local authorities, housing associations and private developers, for the years 1980 to 1992 and the first half of 1993, is set out in the table. Further information on house completions across Scotland is available in the quarterly statistical bulletin "Housing Trends in Scotland" published by the Scottish Office.
Column 475
Housebuilding in Inverclyde district and Strathclyde region
House completions for the years 1980 to 1992
Inverclyde Strathclyde
district region
Agency
Year |Local authority|Housing |Private sector |Local authority|Housing |Private sector
|association<1> |association<1>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |8 |- |87 |1,593 |128 |4,332
1981 |- |69 |155 |1,349 |879 |3,830
1982 |26 |32 |99 |712 |263 |4,240
1983 |- |23 |107 |493 |321 |4,720
1984 |- |20 |199 |489 |420 |5,316
1985 |- |12 |205 |404 |412 |5,660
1986 |- |74 |242 |315 |314 |6,243
1987 |64 |- |284 |281 |252 |6,254
1988 |- |- |201 |324 |274 |6,458
1989 |- |- |239 |136 |394 |7,688
1990 |- |- |326 |114 |483 |7,130
1991 |37 |26 |226 |145 |824 |6,365
1992 |- |- |57 |195 |851 |5,811
1993<2> |- |- |118 |8 |188 |2,561
<1> Figures for 1986 to date are provisional as data are under review.
<2> Figures are for quarters 1 and 2 only.
Advocates Depute
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many advocates depute there are ; and how many are women.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are 13 advocate deputes, of whom four are women.
Column 476
Procurators Fiscal
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many procurators fiscal there are ; and how many are women.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are 42 procurators fiscal, of whom two are women. The total number of legal staff in the procurator fiscal service is 271, of whom 109 are women.
Column 477
Home Insulation
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce a home insulation programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The home energy efficiency scheme is funded by the Energy Efficiency Office of the Department of the Environment on a Great Britain basis. The scheme provides grants for loft, tank and pipe insulation, draughtproofing and energy advice to low-income households in receipt of certain social security benefits and regulations have been laid to abolish the client contribution. Housing authorities have powers to give improvement and repairs grants to householders, which can include works for energy efficiency measures. Scottish Homes can also provide grants in certain designated areas.
| Next Section
| Home Page |