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Column 625
Prisons
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new money is to be made available and how much for building new prison establishments in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 30 November 1993 :
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the funding for the construction of new prison establishments. On 2 September 1993 the Home Secretary announced that the design, construction, management and potential financing of future new prisons would be contracted out to the private sector. It is intended that both the construction and operation of the six new prisons planned will be funded in this way. It is too early to indicate the cost of these prisons which will be assessed on the basis of value for money obtained for the complete financial package comprising both capital and operating costs. Outline proposals and expressions of interest in the first two prisons have recently been invited. It is expected that almost all of the expenditure will fall outside the period covered by the 1993 Public Expenditure Survey (that is, beyond 1996-97).
Doncaster prison which is due to open next year is the last of the current programme of 21 new prisons to be built.
Temazepam
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now considered the recommendations of the Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs for measures to reduce Temazepam misuse.
Mr. Maclean : I am considering the report of the advisory council in consultation with other Government Departments and I hope to reach a decision shortly.
Domestic Fires
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic fires occurred in (a) 1963 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available ; what were the casualty figures in each year ; and what proposals he has to reduce these.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information required is given in the table.
Fire certification arrangements under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 are not possible in single dwellings. The Government therefore continue to seek reductions in casualties from fires in such dwellings through effective initiatives in publicity and education.
Domestic fires and casualties from domestic fires
attended by
local authority fire brigades in the United
Kingdom
Year Domestic fCasualties
(includes fire
brigade)
|Fatal |Non-fatal
--------------------------------------------------
1963 |37,600 |656 |2,652
<1>1992 |64,500 |576 |11,219
<1>1992 figures are provisional.
Source: Home Office Fire Statistics, based on
reports from local authority fire brigades.
Criminal and Motoring Cases
Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) criminal and (b) motoring cases were brought to trial at Redbridge magistrates court and Snaresbrook Crown court for each quarter of 1991, 1992 and 1993 to date.
Mr. Maclean : Information for 1991 and 1992, which is provisional, is given in the table. Information for 1993 is not yet available.
Number of defendants prosecuted at Redbridge magistrates' court and
the number of defendants tried at Snaresbrook Crown Court for
"criminal"<1> and "motoring"<2> cases by quarter 1991 and 1992*
Year/Quarter Redbridge PSD Snaresbrook CC
|<1>Criminal|<2>Motoring|<1>Criminal|<2>Motoring
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991
Q1 |925 |1,066 |1,020 |4
Q2 |906 |1,103 |1,064 |4
Q3 |956 |1,189 |1,074 |4
Q4 |901 |1,365 |935 |3
1992
Q1 |1,116 |1,101 |1,101 |5
Q2 |1,002 |1,223 |916 |4
Q3 |1,014 |1,051 |894 |4
Q4 |<3>1,000 |1,330 |724 |1
<1> Indictable and summary non motoring offences.
<2> Summary motoring offences.
<3> Improvements in the data collection methods used by the
Metropolitan police district (MPD) have led to an increase from this
quarter in the number recorded as proceeded against in magistrate
courts for indictable and summary non-motoring offences of about a
third in the MPD area as a whole.
Special Constables
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions he intends to take to improve the training for special constables ; and what further action he will take before recruiting.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Chief constables are responsible for the recruitment and training of special constables in their force area. The central planning and training unit has developed a number of standard training packages as a resource for training special constables. National special constable training packages covering induction and basic training are now in use in the majority of forces in England and Wales, and a new development training package is being introduced in a number of police forces.
Suspects' Rights
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure of his Department on promoting the rights of suspects under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 since the coming into force of the Act and for each subsequent year.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The approximate expenditure incurred in distributing to police forces new or revised versions of the codes of practice required under section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and notices to detained persons required under paragraph 3.2 of code C was as follows :
Column 627
|£
------------------------
1985 |33,700
1986 |2,000
1988 |14,600
1991 |138,300
1992 |<1>-
<1> No expenditure.
Police Resources, London
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on existing police resources covering the Greater London area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend meets the Commissioner from time to time to discuss matters of common concern, including resource matters.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits abroad he has made during 1993 ; and what was (a) the cost of each visit to public funds and (b) the purpose of each visit.
Mr. Howard : I have not made any official visits abroad since becoming Home Secretary.
Details of visits made by my predecessor during 1993, and the associated travel and subsistence costs, including those of a private secretary, are as follows :
Purpose |Cost £ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Official visit to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh |12,504 European Conference on Uncontrolled Migration, Budapest |2,430 Ad Hoc Immigration/TREVI Ministerial Meeting, Copenhagen |1,784
Fire Inspections
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has had from local authorities to the Government's proposal to end local authority fire inspections of bed- sitters and multi-tenant flats.
Sir George Young : I have been asked to reply.
Local housing authorities have a statutory duty under the Housing (Means of Escape from Fire in Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 1981 to require that houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) with at least three storeys (excluding basements) and with a combined floor area of over 500 square metres are provided with adequate means of escape from fire.
Housing authorities have discretionary powers to inspect smaller HMOs under section 395 of the Housing Act 1985.
We have no plans to remove these powers.
SCOTLAND
Forestry Commission
Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Government have to privatise the landholdings of the Forestry Commission.
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Sir Hector Monro : Forestry Ministers have asked the forestry review group to review options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands, and to make proposals for changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives, having regard to the Government's other economic and environmental policies.
Once they have received and considered the advice of the review group, they will decide what further action, if any, should be taken.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by generic and specific name the trees and shrubs, indigenous or otherwise, which are most commonly grown by the Forestry Commission ; if he will show the density of each species as a percentage of land use ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : The species most commonly grown by the Forestry Commission are listed in the table, together with the percentage of the total area of the commission's productive woodland which each occupies.
Species |Percentage of Total
|Area
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conifers
Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) |48.0
Pinus contorta (Lodgepole pine) |11.6
Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) |9.5
Larix kaempferi (Japanese larch) |5.3
Picea abies (Norway spruce) |5.0
Pinus nigra var maritima (Corsican pine) |4.2
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) |2.7
Larix eurolepis (Hybrid larch) |1.5
Larix decidua (European larch) |0.7
Tsuga heterophylla (Western hemlock) |0.7
All other conifers |1.4
|-------
Total Conifers |90.6
Broadleaves
Quercus spp (Oak) |3.1
Fagus sylvatica (Beech) |2.6
Betula spp (Birch) |2.0
Fraxinus excelsior (Ash) |0.5
Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore) |0.3
Castanea sativa (Sweet Chestnut) |0.3
All other broadleaves |0.6
|-------
Total Broadleaves |9.4
Sir Hector Monro : A broad estimate is given in the table.
|Number of Trees
|(Millions)
------------------------------------------------
Nottinghamshire |7
England |300
Scotland |800
Wales |200
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Training
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trainees were recruited to employment training and the successor training for work programme in each local enterprise company area in (a) 1991-92, (b) 1992-93 and (c) between 1 April and 1 October.
Mr. Lang : In Scotland the responsibility for the monitoring of recruitment to employment training and its successor training for work rests with Scottish Enterprise and with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have therefore asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sum of money was spent by each local enterprise company on employment training and its successor programme, training for work, in (a) 1991-92, (b) 1992-93, (c) between 1 April to 30 September, actual and (d) 1993-94, estimated outturn.
Mr. Lang : In Scotland the responsibility for the monitoring of local enterprise company expenditure on employment training and its successor training for work rests with Scottish Enterprise and with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have therefore asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what analysis has been made in each local enterprise company area of the leaver destination of trainees on employment training or its successor programme, training for work; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : In Scotland the responsibility for analysis of leaver desinations of trainees on employment training and its successor training for work rests with Scottish Enterprise and with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have therefore asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.
Nursery Education
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the percentage of (a) three-year-old children and (b) four-year-old children who attend nursery school in each local education authority area in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : The information is set out in the table. The percentage figures are based on the mid-1992 estimates of the three- and four-year-old population.
Percentage of three-year-olds and four-year-olds attending education
authority nursery schools/departments at September 1992.
Education Authority |Per cent. of |Per cent. of
|three-year-olds |four-year-olds
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |19.3 |50.9
Borders |4.2 |34.0
Central |20.6 |61.9
Dumfries and Galloway |8.6 |56.3
Fife |19.1 |79.2
Grampian |12.0 |57.1
Highland |5.0 |28.3
Lothian |27.8 |66.8
Strathclyde |20.2 |42.1
Tayside |22.8 |51.2
Orkney |18.2 |50.7
Shetland |30.4 |47.1
Western Isles |0.0 |0.0
Strathclyde Divisions:
Argyll and Bute |0.0 |0.0
Ayr |14.4 |39.1
Dunbarton |13.7 |61.1
Glasgow |38.3 |33.5
Lanark |10.2 |28.6
Renfrew |15.4 |42.6
Scenic Areas
Mr. Charles Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those notified applications for developments in national scenic areas which have been called in since 1979.
Mr. Stewart : The Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 1980 was issued in August 1980. Since then, the Secretary of State has called in four notified applications for developments in national scenic areas. These were : an application for a hill track at Little Gruinard ;
two applications for housing development at Kelton, Dumfries and Galloway ; and
an application for seven houses on the foreshore at Ballachulish.
Smoke Detectors
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions have taken place between his officials and
representatives of Convention of Scottish Local Authorities concerning the installation of smoke detectors in homes in (a) the public housing sector and (b) private homes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : In discussions earlier this year with COSLA, and also with Scottish Homes, about the implementation of the health promotion initiatives outlined in "Scotland's Health--A Challenge to Us All", the Chief Medical Officer and officials of the Scottish Office Home and Health Department emphasised the importance of smoke detectors in reducing fatalities from fires and encouraged COSLA and Scottish Homes to continue their efforts to secure the installation of detectors throughout their housing stocks.
Regulations making the fitting of mains-operated smoke alarms compulsory in all new dwellings came into force in Scotland on 23 July 1993.
Sports Centres
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the provision of (a) swimming pools and public baths and (b) indoor sports centres by each relevant Scottish local authority on a per capita basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : This information is not held centrally.
Locate in Scotland
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the budget of Locate in Scotland in each year since its establishment ; andwith inflation.
Column 631
Mr. Stewart : Locate in Scotland was established in 1981. Between 1981-82 and 1983-84 costs were not held in a format to identify separately those attributable to Locate in Scotland.
The cost of running Locate in Scotland from 1984-85 to 1992-93, taking account of salaries, administration expenses, travel, overseas offices and marketing is shown.
£ million Year |Cost ------------------ 1984-85 |3.3 1985-86 |3.5 1986-87 |3.8 1987-88 |3.9 1988-89 |4.0 1989-90 |4.3 1990-91 |4.6 1991-92 |5.1 1992-93 |6.2
Had costs since 1984-85 kept pace with inflation, the budget in 1992-93 would have been £5.1 million.
Hardy Nursery Stock
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the health of the hardy nursery stock industry in Scotland ; and what plans he has further to develop and promote it.
Sir Hector Monro : The container sector of the industry has seen increasing sales and prices whereas in the bare-root sector overproduction of some lines has led to price reductions. Overall demand is good and activity on the landscape supply side shows signs of an increase. Growers have generally accepted the new single market plant health regime--plant passports--without major problems. I was pleased to be able to lend my personal support this year again to the Scotgrow exhibition and I hope to attend the launch of Scottish Plants early next year. In the meantime we are considering whether the Government could make a financial contribution towards a joint initiative by the National Farmers Union of Scotland, the Horticultural Trade Association and Scotgrow to employ a full-time promotional officer.
Community Councils
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his plans for community councils.
Mr. Stewart : I announced, on 11 November, new measures to strengthen the role of community councils following local government reform.
Under the changes, community councils will gain the legal right to be consulted on local planning issues and schemes which the new councils will be preparing for decentralising service delivery arrangements. In addition, local licensing boards will be urged in new Government guidance to keep community councils fully informed of local developments in their area.
Column 632
Glasshouse Crops
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to promote the use of waste heat from incinerators, distilleries and industrial units for the production of glasshouse crops ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : The Energy Efficiency Office commissions a wide range of studies, including waste heat recovery projects. The results of these studies are widely promoted.
Renfrewshire Enterprise
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of full-time permanent jobs that have been created by Renfrewshire Enterprise since its inception ; and how many full- time permanent jobs have been lost in its catchment area in the same period.
Mr. Stewart : Estimates of jobs created by the local enterprise companies are made not by my right hon. Friend but by the local enterprise companies themselves, since it is they who have access to all necessary details about the projects and activities in which they have been involved. Renfrewshire Enterprise estimates that, during the period April 1991 to October 1993, its activities have created 6, 500 jobs ; and that it has had a considerable impact over and above this in maintaining and safeguarding jobs across its area. No central register of jobs lost in the area is held. However, Renfrewshire Enterprise's monitoring of major job losses over the same period suggests losses of around 3,500.
Lending Libraries
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the provision of lending libraries by each relevant Scottish local authority on a per capita basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : Local authorities revenue expenditure on library provision in 1991-92, the latest year for which figures are available, is set out in the table.
Local Authorities net revenue expenditure on
libraries 1991-92
Authority |£ per Capita
--------------------------------------------------
Borders |14.04
Dumfries and Galloway |12.55
Highland |11.46
Orkney |19.94
Shetland |18.86
Western Isles |13.27
Clackmannan |16.61
Falkirk |13.63
Stirling |18.92
Dunfermline |11.91
Kirkcaldy |12.21
North East Fife |12.74
Aberdeen |17.07
Banff and Buchan |14.09
Gordon |10.73
Kincardine and Deeside |10.08
Moray |15.73
East Lothian |11.08
Edinburgh |16.99
Midlothian |13.98
West Lothian |12.85
Argyll and Bute |10.30
Bearsden and Milngavie |17.97
Clydebank |19.64
Clydesdale |13.53
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |13.30
Cumnock and Doon Valley |15.23
Cunninghame |13.87
Dumbarton |16.01
East Kilbride |18.06
Eastwood |16.72
Glasgow |20.92
Hamilton |14.17
Inverclyde |12.10
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |9.87
Kyle and Carrick |14.04
Monklands |16.17
Motherwell |15.65
Renfrew |20.74
Strathkelvin |13.99
Angus |13.00
Dundee |19.52
Perth |13.36
Scotland |15.62
Benomyl
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines his Department currently issues on the use of benomyl as a crop fungicide ; what precautions he advises on its use ; what are the effects of misuse ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : My Department receives advice on pesticide safety issues from the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, an independent body of scientific and medical experts. Following a review of benomyl by the ACP, it was announced in March of this year that there was no cause for concern over its continued use in the United Kingdom.
In addition to the statutory conditions governing pesticide usage in general, benomyl products carry label restrictions including warning not to contaminate waterways, to keep off skin, to wash after use, to empty the container completely and dispose of safely ; and, for home garden produce, to store away from children. Exposure to extremely large amounts of benomyl can cause anophthalimia and microphthalmia in rats. However, provided conditions of use are followed, exposure of consumers and operators is 1,000 times less than that demonstrated as a no-effect level in rats.
Paisley
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will commission a study by Scottish Enterprise into the potential for the development of manufacturing of Paisley pattern goods in Paisley.
Mr. Stewart : Renfrewshire Enterprise, in partnership with Renfrew district council, is already supporting the industry and examining a number of strategic issues through the Paisley pattern initiative. The initiative covers the heritage of the industry ; commercial and product development ; and marketing and promotion of Paisley pattern and its links with the local area.
Column 634
Renfrewshire Enterprise plans to examine in the new year the full market potential for the manufacturing of Paisley pattern products, to build on the strategic examination of the industry conducted under the Initiative.I am sure Renfrewshire Enterprise would be happy to provide the hon. Member with further details about the initiative should he wish to contact it direct.
Windyhill Farm, Elderslie
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will consider the appeal against refusal of planning permission by Renfrew district council for the development of a quarry at Windyhill farm, Elderslie; what procedures will be followed before final determination of the appeal; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : Evidence on this appeal will be heard by a reporter at a public local inquiry scheduled to commence on 14 June 1994. The reporter appointed will subsequently submit a comprehensive report based on the evidence led at the inquiry and the many other written representations submitted by local residents and other parties. The report and reporter's recommendations will, thereafter, be referred to my right hon. Friend who has directed that he should determine this appeal on the grounds that the proposal would constitute a significant development within a designated green belt.
Lord Lieutenants
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the procedure for the appointment of a lord lieutenant of Renfrewshire to replace the retiring incumbent; if he will publish a table showing the name, occupation and date of appointment of (a) the vice-lord lieutenant and (b) each deputy lord lieutenants of (i) Glasgow and (ii) Renfrewshire; how nominations can be made for these positions; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Lord lieutenants in Scotland are appointed by Her Majesty under section 131 of the Reserve Forces Act 1980. Deputy lieutenants are appointed by the lord lieutenant under section 133 of that Act, which includes the requirement that the lord lieutenant must ascertain that Her Majesty does not disapprove of the proposed appointment. Under section 135 of that Act, each lord lieutenant may, with Her Majesty's approbation, appoint a deputy lieutenant or a lieutenant as vice-lord lieutenant. Current information about the occupations of vice-lords lieutenant and lords-lieutenant is not held centrally. The other information requested by the hon. Gentleman is as follows :
Renfrewshire
Name |Date of appointment
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vice-Lord Lieutenant
Colonel Sir Houston Shaw-Stewart of Greenock
and Blackhall, Bt, MC TD |11 November 1980
Deputy Lieutenants
Lieutenant-Colonel A. Leonard Aitkenhead,
MBE TD |13 February 1962
Major David A. Kerr, MC TD |13 February 1962
Sir William J. Lithgow, Bt, of Ormsary |31 May 1970
Major John G. Stewart, TD |31 May 1970
Sir Eric Yarrow, Bt, MBE |31 May 1970
Sir Ian Denholm, CBE |20 October 1980
George G. MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap |15 September 1983
Alan R. Devereux, Esq., CBE |31 May 1985
The Right Hon. The Lord Goold |31 May 1985
The Right Hon. The Lord Maclay |29 July 1986
Commander Henry C. Abram, VRD OStJ |7 October 1987
Brigadier John Brown, OBE MM TD |7 October 1987
Guy W. N. H. Clark, Esq. |7 October 1987
Captain William H. Hunter, CBE |7 October 1987
Mrs. Helen M. Laird, OBE |7 October 1987
Wing Commander C. Hector MacLean, AE |7 October 1987
James R. Minto, Esq., OBE |7 October 1987
Sir Simpson Stevenson, LLD |14 May 1990
Mrs. Margaret J. Baird |20 July 1993
Colonel Archibald D. Bremner |20 July 1993
Miss Annabel M. Goldie |20 July 1993
Archibald L. Morton, Esq. |20 July 1993
Cameron H. Parker, Esq., OBE |20 July 1993
Glasgow
Name |Date of appointment
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vice-Lord Lieutenant
Robert Gray, Esq., CBE OStJ LLD |15 July 1992
Deputy Lieutenants
Group Captain Marcus Robinson, CB AFC AE |1955
Lieutenant-Colonel Leonard E. Dickson, CBE
MC TD |3 May 1963
Colonel A. Walker Naddell, ERD KStJ |3 May 1963
Sir Samuel Curran, LLD FRS |30 June 1969
William L. Smith, Esq., MC TD |30 June 1969
Peter M. Gemmill Esq. |31 August 1971
Air Vice-Marshal Alexander V. R. Johnstone,
CB DFC |31 August 1971
Captain John Mallard, MBE VRD |31 August 1971
Colonel A. T. Wilson, VRD |31 August 1971
Lord Wallace of Campsie, KStJ |31 August 1971
Colonel Lachlan Robertson, OBE TD |15 May 1975
Sir William Gray, LLD |1 July 1975
Peter T. McCann, Esq., OStJ |26 December 1977
Miss Agnes M. Patrick |7 November 1979
John K. Richmond, Esq. |7 November 1979
Mrs. Jean A. McFadden, CBE |2 July 1980
Gerald McGrath Esq. |30 April 1980
John H. Young, Esq., OBE |21 September 1981
Bashir A. Maan, Esq. |7 December 1982
Dr. Michael Kelly, CBE OStJ LLD |26 June 1984
James Mullen, Esq. |9 July 1985
Philip O'Rourke, Esq. |9 July 1985
Iain J. A. Dyer, Esq., MBE |4 November 1987
Patrick Lally, Esq. |4 November 1987
William Aitken, Esq. |26 May 1992
Mrs. Susan Baird, CBE OStJ |15 July 1992
Planning Regulations
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider extending planning regulations to make it the duty of planning authorities to ensure that service copies of proposed developments which are available to the public exactly match development plans on planning application forms and associated plans.
Mr. Lang : Responsibility for completion of neighbour notices rests with the applicant. It is intended that the description given of the proposed development should be consistent with the information on the planning application
Column 636
form. However, there is no requirement for it to match exactly. If it comes to light that there is a general problem on this matter, I will of course be willing to look into it.Land (Public Access)
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes planning authorities are enacting or proposing when approached for planning permission for a change of ownership of forestry regarding freedom to roam ; what representations he has had on this matter ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : Change in the ownership of a forest is not subject to planning permission. The Forestry Commission operates procedures, where it plans to dispose of forestry land, which offer local authorities the opportunity of entering into an access agreement between the commission and the authority. These arrangements are being reviewed at present in conjunction with the work of the forestry review group. The review group and Ministers have received many representations of which a large proportion are concerned about maintenance of access.
Procurators Fiscal
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the arrangements for reporting perceived cases of maladministration by local procurator fiscal's offices ; how many such cases have been reported in relation to the operation of the procurator fiscal's office in Paisley since 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Where my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate receives a complaint about the conduct of business in a procurator fiscal's office, he obtains an immediate and full report of the circumstances. Procurators fiscal know that they may be called upon at any time to explain their actings to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. In addition, a programme of practice review involves inspection of local offices. Procurators fiscal also submit monthly returns of their activities to the Crown Office. In matters of administration procurators fiscal are accountable through their regional procurator fiscal to the Crown Agent. Regional procurators fiscal have powers to visit and inspect offices in their regions, and routinely do so. Local offices are also subject to regular financial auditing.
There have been no reports of maladministration as such in relation to the operation of the procurator fiscal's office at Paisley, although a number of complaints have recently been made about the handling of particular cases by that office. The Crown Agent has discussed these with the procurator fiscal, and certain new procedures have been adopted as a result.
Job Creation
Mr. Gallie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what major job-creating projects have been announced in Scotland in the last 12 months.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 30 November 1993] : There have been many announcements of job creating projects in Scotland in the last 12 months. Those involving 200 or more jobs are listed.
Column 637
Organisation |Location |Jobs expected to be
|created
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Muir Construction Ltd. |Kirkcaldy |250
Aulds (Food) Ltd. |Inchinnan |270
Jabil Circuit Ltd. |Livingston |400
Mimtec Ltd. |Livingston |400
Marks and Spencer plc and Sainsbury plc |Glasgow-Renfrew |5,000
Mitsubishi Corporation (UK) Ltd. |Livingston |200
Hoover Ltd. |Cambuslang |400
Scotcable Ltd. |Uddingston |500
Marshall Food Group Ltd. |Edinburgh |300
Direct Line Insurance plc |Glasgow |200
David A. Hall Ltd. |Broxburn |400
VRG International Inc. |Livingston |300
Costain plc and Taylor Woodrow plc |Hunterston |500
Shell Ltd. and Esso Ltd. |North East Shetland|3,000
Fullarton Fabrication Ltd. |Kilwinning |200
Kvaerner Govan Ltd. |Glasgow |500
Ministry of Defence |Glasgow |700
Conoco (UK) Ltd. |Aberdeen |400
Kvaerner H and G Offshore Ltd. |Aberdeen |300
Safeway Food Stores Ltd. |Glenrothes |250
Motorola Ltd. |Glenrothes and East|980
| Kilbride
Shoprite Group Ltd. |Dunfermline |360
Solectron Scotland Ltd. |Dunfermline |300
Great Britain plc
Hamilton Oil Company |Port Glasgow |300
PCI Ltd. |East Kilbride |300
Hoskyns Group plc |Forres |200
DAKS Simpson Group plc |Larkhall |256
British Sky Broadcasting plc |Bathgate |200
Levi Strauss (UK) Ltd. |St. Andrews |230
British Telecommunications Ltd. |Glasgow |200
European Monitors Ltd. |Ayr |350
Local Government Review
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a detailed explanation of his reasons for proposing to detach Musselburgh from the East Lothian local authority area, citing the specific representations or evidence of public opinion which supported that plan.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 30 November 1993] : In reaching the decision to include Musselburgh in the proposed Lothians authority, particular attention was paid to the petition of 8,000 names from the "Hands Off Musselburgh" campaign which expressed opposition to Musselburgh's inclusion within an expanded Edinburgh authority. The fact that Musselburgh traditionally formed part of Midlothian, and became part of East Lothian as recently as 1975, was also taken into account.
Gourock Rope Works
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he or his officials last discussed the subject of the current circumstances surrounding the Gourock rope works, Port Glasgow, and its future with representatives of Historic Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 30 November 1993] : Historic Scotland, as an executive agency responsible to my right hon. Friend, reports to me for my interest in the Gourock rope works as a listed building.
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Historic Scotland officials had a meeting with officials of Inverclyde district council regarding the rope works building on 12 August. Regular communication has been maintained since then. I hope the future of the category A listed building will be made secure by a scheme for its restoration.I shall write to the hon. Member as matters develop.
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of Ayrshire and Arran health board's valuation committee have recently resigned from the evaluation committee.
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