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(a) persons who appear to the Secretary of State for Scotland to have experience of, and to have shown capacity in, the provision of higher education or to have held, and to have shown capacity in, any position carrying responsibility for the provision of higher education and, in appointing such persons, he shall have regard to the desirability of their being currently engaged in the provision of higher education or in carrying responsibility for such provision ; and
(b) persons who appear to the Secretary of State for Scotland to have experience of, and to have shown capacity in, industrial, commercial or financial matters or the practice of any profession. The appointment of members of Scottish Homes is also made having regard to the relevant experience and qualities of potential candidates and according to the particular expertise required by Scottish Homes at the time.
Individuals are appointed by the Secretary of State in their own right and not as representatives of any organisation, or interest group.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the appointments made to public bodies by his Department since April 1992 have been advertised.
Mr. Lang : No specific non-executive appointments to public bodies sponsored by my Department have been advertised since April 1992. However, there is a major publicity campaign, including press advertisement, each year seeking members for children's panels. In the summer of 1992 advertisements also sought applications from those interested in serving on health boards and NHS trusts.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the minimum and maximum numbers of possible board members of (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Island Enterprise, (c) local enterprise companies and (d) Scottish Homes ; what guidelines he has issued concerning the composition of these boards ; and what specific guidance has been given on how many board members should be (i) from ethnic minorities, (ii) women, (iii) from the local business sector, (iv) from local authorities and (v) from trade unions.
Mr. Stewart : The minimum and maximum numbers of possible board members of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are laid down in the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 while the maximum number of board members for Scottish Homes is laid down in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, all as set out
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in the table. My right hon. Friend is responsible for making appointments to the boards of each of these bodies guided by the requirements of the relevant Act.Guidelines published by the Scottish Office Industry Department before the initial award of operating contracts to local enterprise companies stipulated that at least two-thirds of their board members should be drawn from the local private sector, that boards should number a maximum of 12 and minimum of nine (for those contracting with Scottish Enterprise) or seven (for those contracting with Highlands and Islands Enterprise), and that each local enterprise company would have to demonstrate that it had obtained the commitment of a broad range of interested parties in the area it was to cover.
9
Possible numbers of board members
|Minimum|Maximum
---------------------------------------------------------
Scottish Enterprise |9 |12
Highlands and Islands Enterprise |7 |12
Scottish Homes |<1>- |10
<1> No statutory minimum.
Note: Minimum and maximum numbers quoted are inclusive
of the chief executive at each of the three bodies, who
is an ex-officio board member in all cases.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of chairpersons and non-executive board members of local enterprise councils.
Mr. Stewart : There are 22 local enterprise companies (the Scottish equivalent of training and enterprise councils) each of which has a chairman. Arrangements governing the appointment of non-executive board members are operational matters for individual companies, within national guidelines which stipulate that boards should number a maximum of 12 and minimum of nine (for those contracting with Scottish Enterprise) or seven (for those contracting with Highlands and Islands Enterprise).
Inverclyde Enterprise Zone
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the proposed public local inquiry into the Parklea site in the Inverclyde enterprise zone will take place ; and where it will be held.
Mr. Stewart : Once the relevant papers have been received from Inverclyde district council, it should be possible for a public local inquiry to be held into the Parklea proposal within six months or so. The inquiry will be held as near to the proposed development site as is practical.
Advertising
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of advertising by his Department has been for each year since 1979 and for each of the last 12 months.
Mr. Lang : Expenditure by my Department on advertising has been :
|£
------------------------------
1988-89 |994,000
1989-90 |2,081,000
1990-91 |1,542,000
1991-92 |1,550,000
1992-93 |1,366,000
Figures in the form requested are not available for 1979-80 to 1987-88. Total expenditure on information publicity for each year of that period was :
|£
------------------------------
1979-80 |263,000
1980-81 |362,000
1981-82 |393,000
1982-83 |386,000
1983-84 |360,000
1984-85 |704,000
1985-86 |677,000
1986-87 |857,000
1987-88 |1,094,000
Details of advertising expenditure by my Department for each of the last 12 months is not immediately available and I shall reply further to the hon. Member.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the date on which each advertising campaign initiated by his Department since 1987 was launched and its duration.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 10 December 1993] : I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advertising campaigns have been undertaken by his Department each year since 1979 ; if he will list the cost of each campaign, the extent of each campaign, the advertising agency employed in each case, the subject matter and the office within his Department which sanctioned the spending ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 10 December 1993] : I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Press Releases
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many press releases his Department has issued since 1979.
Mr. Lang : The following table shows the number of news releases issued by the Scottish Office information directorate in each year since 1985. The information for the years prior to that is not available.
|Total news releases
|issued
------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |1,660
1986 |1,793
1987 |2,070
1988 |2,231
1989 |2,089
1990 |2,008
1991 |2,028
1992 |1,993
<1>1993 |1,914
<1> As at 10 December 1993.
Administration
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure by his Department on administration in 1992-93 ; what is the estimated outturn for expenditure by his Department on administration for 1993-94 in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms in 1992-93 prices ; and what is his estimate for expenditure on administration by his Department for 1994-95 in (a) cash terms and (b) 1992-93 prices.
Mr. Lang : Information covering provision for running costs spending, including superannuation, in the Scottish Office and its agencies, is as follows :
£ million
|1992-93 Outturn |1993-94 Estimated
|Outturn
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual |319 |326
In 1992-93 terms |319 |316
The GDP deflators required to calculate real terms figure are shown on page 121 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1994-95" (HC 31).
Details of planned provision for 1994-95 and subsequent years will be published in my departmental report "Serving Scotland's Needs" in the new year.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by local authority area, at what age it is the practice to initiate a record of needs for children with learning difficulties ; and if he will outline the statutory obligations in this respect.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Education authorities have a statutory duty, under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 as amended, to establish which children aged two and over who have come to the authorities' attention as having special educational needs require the opening of a record of needs. Authorities must make provision for any special educational needs which are so recorded.
Wool Marketing Scheme
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the prescriptive resolution under the British wool marketing scheme, particularly relating to foreign merchants buying British wool ; what measures his Department intends to implement to halt the alleged disadvantage that British merchants are suffering compared to their foreign counterparts ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : My right hon. Friend has received
representations from a number of hon. Members and from one company of wool merchants about the British Wool Marketing Board's prescriptive resolution of 1981 which exempts producers from the statutory monopoly if they are selling their wool direct for export to an overseas buyer. Although this means that an overseas buyer can, unlike a United Kingdom merchant, buy wool direct from a producer, I do not believe that in practice this damages the interests of United Kingdom merchants.
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Retention of the board's statutory monopoly provides all producers with an outlet for their wool, including those in the more remote areas. It has the full support of the National Farmers Union of Scotland and the Confederation of British Wool Textiles.Speech Therapists
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of speech therapists employed in each health board area indicating, in each case, any shortfall which exists.
Mr. Stewart : The number, in whole-time equivalent terms, of qualified speech therapists employed in the national health service at 31 March 1993 in each health board area is given in the table. Details of the funded establishment for qualified speech therapists in each health board area are not held centrally.
Whole-time equivalent qualified speech
therapists
in the national health service in Scotland
at 31 March 1993
Health board |Whole-time
|equivalents
---------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |38.0
Ayrshire and Arran |31.5
Borders |13.5
Dumfries and Galloway 19.1
Fife |40.3
Forth Valley |21.4
Grampian |52.4
Greater Glasgow |83.1
Highland |23.6
Lanarkshire |44.3
Lothian |69.3
Orkney |2.5
Shetland |2.0
Tayside |39.7
Western Isles |5.7
Distance Selling Directive
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the proposed EC directive on distance selling ; if he intends to raise the matter with European partners ; what evidence he has to suggest that the directive may cause problems for hoteliers and other businesses in Scotland ; what action he intends to take to protect Scottish business ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I have received no such representations. I am, however, fully aware of the problems which the provisions of this directive, if implemented, would pose to the tourist industry in Scotland. The Government are making appropriate representations.
Loch Lomond Report
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial resources he is providing to Scottish Enterprise for the implementation of the Loch Lomond working party report.
Mr. Stewart : The resources which my right hon. Friend makes available to Scottish Enterprise are not generally
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allocated for a particular activity or purpose ; and it is for Scottish Enterprise and the relevant local enterprise companies to determine the level of resources to be devoted to implementation of the Loch Lomond working party report out of the budgets made available to them.Nurses
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his current target for the ratio of nursing teachers to students he considers appropriate ; and what plans he has to review it.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 3 December 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 December 1993 at column 92.
Road Bridge, Queensferry
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to compensate contractors invited to bid to construct a new road bridge across the Firth of Forth at Queensferry ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 30 November 1993] : We have suggested that unsuccessful tenderers in any competition might have a proportion of their properly incurred bid costs up to £500,000 reimbursed by the successful tenderer. Tenderers might also be required to lodge a bond, for a similar amount, designed to secure conforming bids. These measures are consistent with practices elsewhere in the construction industry in relation to projects of such size and complexity where bid costs can be very large. They will stimulate competition to the ultimate benefit of users of the facilities.
No decision on whether or not to proceed to tender will be made until the results of feasibility studies now under way are available.
Mr. Laurence Peterken
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department was consulted by the Greater Glasgow health board about the dismissal of Laurence Peterken ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 2 December 1993] : Officials of the Scottish Office were not consulted by Greater Glasgow health board in relation to the proposed dismissal on 2 November of Mr. Peterken.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the report to be published of the investigation into the dismissal of Mr. Laurence Peterken as general manager of Greater Glasgow health board ; and if he will list those consulted in the course of the investigation.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 2 December 1993] : The investigation by the chief executive, NHS in Scotland, is not yet completed.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland further to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 179, about the appointment of Mr. Peterken to the NHS Management Executive, if he will give details of the issues which Mr. Peterken is to examine.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 2 December 1993] : Mr. Peterken will review the future organisation of the Common Services Agency.
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Departmental Files
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many files marked "not for National Audit Office eyes" are held by his Department.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 3 December 1993] : There is a total of 263 subject files in my Department which carry the marking "Not for NAO Eyes".
The marking "Not for NAO Eyes" is used in accordance with guidance from the Treasury and agreed by the National Audit Office under which documents relating to the handling of relations between Departments and the NAO are not automatically available to NAO while they are current.
The marking is removed once the subject matter is no longer current. The Scottish Office audit unit check from time to time to ensure that the marking is being used and removed correctly.
Prisons (Drugs)
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest information available to him about the prevalence of the illegal taking of drugs by injection in prisons in Scotland.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 13 December 1993] : Independent research undertaken by Power et al over a period of 18 months during 1990 and 1991, when the prison population was some 4,800, found that 28 per cent. (154 prisoners) of a representative sample of 559 prisoners admitted to injecting drugs at some stage prior to imprisonment. A number 15 per cent. (85 prisoners) had stopped injecting prior to imprisonment, principally to reduce the risk of HIV infection. That left 12 per cent. (69 prisoners) still injecting following imprisonment, although most of this group were also attempting various forms of risk reduction such as stopping sharing, sharing less or sterilising before sharing.
The proportion of the total sample who admitted to injecting drugs at some stage during a prison sentence was 8 per cent. (43 prisoners), but 4 per cent. (23 prisoners) had subsequently stopped injecting, again principally as a means of reducing risk of HIV infection. That left 4 per cent. (20 prisoners) continuing to inject at the time of the research of whom 3 per cent. (17 prisoners) had shared needles in prison. The full sample of prisoners was also asked how many prisoners they personally "knew" (ie had seen or firmly believed) to be involved in intravenous drug misuse in prison. The answer averaged out at 2.7 per cent. of prisoners.
Following the outbreak of HIV infection at HMP Glenochil, 227 out of the 378 adult prisoners there took up the offer in June of independent counselling. Of these 76 (33 per cent.) said that they had injected drugs at some time in their lives and 33 of that group (15 per cent. of the total) admitted injecting at some point while in Glenochil.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have been charged with attempting to smuggle drugs into prisons while visiting inmates this year in Scotland.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 13 December 1993] : The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners were put on report for being in possession of drugs this year in Scotland.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 13 December 1993] : In 1992-93, 838 prisoners were put on report for being in possession of illicit drugs or injecting equipment.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made as to the extent of the availability of illegal drugs in Scottish prisons ; and what action is being taken to prevent importation and use.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 13 December 1993] : It is difficult to make an accurate assessment of the true level of the availability of illegal drugs in prisons, but there are some indicators which help to measure trends. Any prisoners found in possession of illicit drugs or injecting equipment is guilty of a disciplinary offence under the prison rules. The number of recorded offences for the last three years were 1990- 91--749, 1991-92--845 and 1992-93--838. Taking account of the prisoner population increase from an average of 4,738 in 1990-91 to 5,395 in 1991- 93, the number of recorded offences suggests a slight decrease in the level of drug taking in prisons. Although detailed figures are not kept, most of these offences involve cannabis. A further indictor of drug activity is the number of finds of injecting equipment uncovered through security checks : 1990-91--72, 1991-92--96, and 1992-93--66.
The Scottish Prison Service makes strenuous attempts to minimise the amount of drugs entering prisons. These include the use of closed circuit television at visits, sniffer dogs, lockers for visitors' hand luggage, staff surveillance at visits, strip searching of prisoners suspected of receiving drugs following visits, use of "closed" visits for those prisoners who abuse the visits facility and regular close liaison with the police and other agencies.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what quantity of drugs and implements for drug use have been found in Scottish prisons in the past 10 years.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 13 December 1993] : Any prisoner found in possession of illicit drugs or equipment is guilty of a disciplinary offence under the prison rules. Information on the quantity of drugs and implements is not collected centrally, but most drug finds in prison are extremely small and comprise of a few tablets or a small amount of cannabis. The number of recorded offences for the last three years were : 1990-91--749, 1991-92--845 and 1992-93--838. The number of finds of injecting equipment uncovered through security checks were : 1990-91--72, 1991-92--96 and 1992-93--66.
Caledonian Paper Mill
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about prospects for inward investment in the second Caledonian paper mill.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 13 December 1993] : All discussions between my Department and companies concerning future investment decisions are held on a strict commercially confidential basis.
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Special Educational Needs
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list his Department's policy on the provision of speech therapy for children with special educational needs ; and if he is satisfied that this policy is being implemented throughout Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Education authorities have a statutory duty to ensure appropriate provision of speech therapy where this has been identified as a special educational need in a child's record of needs. Under new arrangements which came into force in 1992, all education authorities now contract with health boards for the provision of speech therapy services to meet the needs of recorded children and an additional £2 million was included in the local government financial settlement for 1992-93 for this purpose. These new arrangements have been very effective. However, when we implemented them we did not know whether the amount of money set aside would be sufficient. We therefore undertook a joint review of costs with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and, following that review, we have concluded that an annual amount of £3 million is needed to provide fully for speech therapy for children with records of needs. As a result, I am announcing today that an additional £1 million is being included in the local government settlement for 1994-95 for this purpose.
I am confident that these extra resources will ensure that some of our less fortunate children receive the assistance we are all so concerned they should have.
Patients' Travel
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each health board the budget for patient travel.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 10 December 1993] : The information is as follows :
Health Board |1993-94 £ ------------------------------------------------ Argyll and Clyde |224,000 Ayrshire and Arran |75,500 Borders |15,600 Dumfries and Galloway |44,300 Fife |41,700 Forth Valley |31,300 Grampian |156,300 Greater Glasgow |200,600 Highland |352,200 Lanarkshire |65,100 Lothian |83,400 Tayside |49,500 Orkney |380,200 Shetland |481,200 Western Isles |654,100
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by health board, for each year since 1990 (a) the number of patients flown to the mainland, (b) the number of medical staff flown to the mainland, (c) the number of visiting medical staff flying from the mainland and (d) the number of flights which will be affected by the imposition of air passenger duty.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 10 December 1993] : This information is not held centrally.
Column 888
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the additional cost to (a) Orkney health board and (b) Shetland health board in respect of sending patients to the United Kingdom mainland for treatment as a result of the proposed introduction of air passenger duty.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 15 December 1993] : Aircraft of under 10 tonnes maximum take-off weight, or seating under 20 passengers are to be exempted from the new excise duty. In practice this will exclude air ambulances operated by the Scottish ambulance service and there will be no additional cost to these health boards.
It is not expected that Orkney and Shetland health boards will require to purchase many tickets for non-emergency patients to be carried on fare paying scheduled flights to the mainland. Any additional costs would be more than offset by the 4.5 per cent. increase in funding for the NHS in Scotland which my right hon. Friend has announced for the next financial year.
Hospitals, Ayrshire
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what facilities in Ayrshire Central and Ravenspark hospitals have been closed by the Community Health Care NHS trust since its establishment ;
(2) what facilities in Crosshouse hospital have been closed by the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust since its establishment ; (3) if he will make a statement about Ayrshire and Arran health board's plans for the future of Ravenspark hospital ; and what steps the health board is taking to safeguard the interests of the hospital patients ;
(4) if he will make a statement on the refurbishment of the reception area of Crosshouse hospital by the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust ; if he will indicate what is the source of funding for this refurbishment ; and what refurbishment work was carried out in the hospital before the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust being established.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 10 December 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to him on Thursday 9 December, at columns 350-51.
Air Passenger Duty
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the implications for health boards of the imposition of air passenger duty.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 10 December 1993] : There are exemptions to the new excise duty announced by the Chancellor in the Budget statement. The new excise duty applies only in respect of fare paying passengers and does not apply to air ambulances for emergency cases. Health boards do not make many arrangements for non-emergency patients to be carried on fare-paying scheduled flights. Most importantly for Scotland aircraft of under 10 tonnes take-off weight or seating under 20 passengers are exempt. In practice this will exclude many of the inter-island flights.
The implications for health boards would therefore be minimal and would be more than offset by the 4.5 per cent. increase in funding for the NHS in Scotland which my right hon. Friend has announced for the next financial year.
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Clean Technology
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken by the Scottish Office to promote the use of clean technology by Scottish industry ; what grants are available to assist industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 December 1993] : The Scottish Office promotes the use of clean technology by raising awareness and by publicising and directing Scottish companies towards schemes of financial assistance which can assist such projects. Assistance may come from a variety of sources. For example, financial support is available under research and development promotion schemes, such as the small firms merit award for research and technology, support for products under research (SPUR) and the innovation element of the regional enterprise grants scheme, for companies planning to develop new products or processes--including those relating to clean technology.
Scottish companies will be eligible for funding under the new £16 million environmental technology best practice programme, which is to be operated jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of the Environment.
Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings(Scotland) Act 1993
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many commissioners have been appointed under section 33 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 ; when they were given their appointments ; how many are women ; what is the length of their term of office ; what is their remuneration ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 15 December 1993] : Under the provisions of section 33 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 which will come into effect on 1 January 1994, a commissioner to take a child's evidence will be appointed by a judge on application. The appointment will last for the duration of the commission.
Remuneration to the commissioner will depend on a number of factors including the commissioner's legal seniority, the duration of the commission and its location.
Highlands and Islands
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many copies of the booklet entitled "The Highlands and Islands Objective 1 Plan, 1994-99" have been published ; by whom they were printed and published ; what was the total cost of the printing, publication and distribution of the document ; how many requests for copies have been received ; and if he will list those individuals and organisations to whom copies have been sent.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 December 1993] : The Highlands and Islands objective 1 plan 1994-1999 was published internally by the Scottish Office. One hundred and seventy copies were printed and distributed at an estimated cost of £2,700. These have been distributed primarily to the Highlands and Islands Partnership, to organisations responding to the consultation exercise on
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