House of Commons Hansard Debates for 25 Feb 1994

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Ancram : The members currently appointed to the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland are :

Chairman

Mr. H. E. Pierce

Legal Member

Mrs. M. T. O'Neill

Medical Members

Dr. W. A. Norris

Dr. G. J. Calvert

Dr. P. S. Curran

Nursing Members

Mr. K. Toal

Mrs. M. Kennan

Social Work Members

Miss W. Gregg

Mr. R. D. Poole

Psychology Member

Dr. R. Davidson

Lay Members

Dr. D. Paulin

Mrs. M. Hall

Dr. A. Williamson

Mrs. M. B. Porter

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Vaughan's charity.

Mr. Ancram : The members currently appointed to the Vaughan's charity are :

Mr. K. Murnaghan

Mr. S. B. Morrow

Mr. V. Cassidy

Mr. E. Rogers

Mr. S. Gormley

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who are the members currently appointed to the Public Service Training Council.

Sir John Wheeler : At present no members are appointed to the Public Service Training Council. The

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work of the council is currently under review and the terms of office of all former members have expired. No new appointments will be made until decisions have been taken on the future of the council.

Salmon

Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of spawning salmon and grilse which are needed to (a) maintain and (b) enhance the number of fish running each river in the Foyle system ; what has been the average (i) counted and (ii) estimated in each such river in each of the last five years ; what is his estimate of the optimum number of (1) parr and (2) smelts needed to bring each of these rivers up to maximum numbers ; and what numbers of salmon he would take as the maximum run for each river.

Mr. Ancram : The basis for management of salmon stocks in the Foyle system, including estimates of the number of spawning fish required in each of the principal tributaries, is set out in the report by P. F. Elson and A. L. W. Tuomi entitled, "The Foyle Fisheries : New Basis for Rational Management". Information on the status of stocks in recent years is contained in the Foyle Fisheries Commission annual report for 1992. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

There are no facilities for counting parr or smelts but fish counting facilities for ascending stocks are available for a major part of the system and these indicate that runs for the past six seasons have significantly exceeded the estimated spawning requirement. The estimated spawning requirement was still significantly exceeded after deduction of reported angling catches.

Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) one sea winter, (b) two sea winter, (c) three sea winter and (d) four sea winter fish were salmon and grilse fish running the River Bush in each available year ; how many fish were caught by rod in each class in each year since 1964 ; and what was the average weight of fish in each class in each year.

Mr. Ancram : The available information is given in the table :


Year      |1SW      |2SW      |Hatchery |Total              

                                        |reported           

                                        |rod catch          

------------------------------------------------------------

1973      |2,334    |213      |0        |192                

1974      |3,246    |214      |10       |374                

1975      |2,969    |289      |80       |688                

1976      |2,842    |205      |40       |245                

1977      |1,631    |152      |528      |254                

1978      |1,366    |189      |81       |160                

1979      |1,662    |158      |6        |256                

1980      |2,593    |271      |65       |321                

1981      |1,142    |396      |43       |307                

1982      |1,373    |119      |42       |271                

1983      |833      |133      |11       |169                

1984      |504      |88       |20       |108                

1985      |1,922    |454      |140      |642                

1986      |2,402    |434      |868      |641                

1987      |1,799    |587      |710      |606                

1988      |2,647    |358      |1,078    |796                

1989      |896      |97       |270      |300                

1990      |1,649    |194      |329      |374                

1991      |2,021    |254      |1,021    |472                

1992      |2,186    |301      |484      |677

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No three or four sea winter fish have been identified. Although the number of hatchery origin salmon returning as adults are also given in the table, these are not segregated into age groups as they are almost entirely one sea winter fish. Rod catch statistics are available only from 1973 and are not separated to show wild/hatchery segregation, sea age class or average weight. Average weights for wild-salmon are not routinely summarised and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Quotas

Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the value of (a) milk quota and (b) suckler cow quota and sheep quota for the old and new less-favoured areas in Northern Ireland ; and what provision is made for recognising those sums in the income and value of Northern Ireland farm production or capital formation in his Department's assessment of Northern Ireland farm income.

Mr. Ancram : The information sought in the first part of this question is not available. There is no need to take explicit account of quotas in estimating income, output or capital formation.

SCOTLAND

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was (a) the number and (b) the total cost in 1992-93 of management agreements between Scottish Natural Heritage and owners and occupiers of sites of special scientific interest to (i) compensate for profit forgone and (ii) facilitate positive conservation management.

Sir Hector Monro : In 1992-93 Scottish Natural Heritage made payments in respect of 442 management agreements of £3,617,616. Agreements which provide compensation payments can also contain an element of positive conservation management. Payments on the 307 such cases amounted to £3,258,534. In 135 cases providing for positive conservation management payments totalled £359,082.

School Leavers

Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school leavers there were in each of the past 10 years from the maintained and independent sectors ; and what percentage in each category were intending to enter degree or teacher training courses.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Information for the years 1982-1992, based on the Scottish school leavers survey is set out in the table.


School leavers                                          

School        |Education    |Independent                

session       |authority and|schools                    

              |grant-aided                              

              |schools                                  

--------------------------------------------------------

<1>1982-83    |89,343       |1,645                      

1983-84       |88,164       |1,573                      

1984-85       |84,146       |1,673                      

<2>1985-86    |79,607       |3,469                      

1986-87       |76,654       |3,702                      

1987-88       |72,366       |3,693                      

1988-89       |68,942       |3,753                      

1989-90       |63,978       |3,919                      

1990-91       |58,534       |3,536                      

1991-92       |56,848       |3,748                      

<1>Numbers of leavers from the independent sector are   

estimated for                                           

1982-83 to 1984-85.                                     

<2>In 1985, most of the then grant-aided schools in     

Scotland became                                         

independent.

No statistics are collected of the intended destinations of school leavers in either category.

In November 1993, the audit unit of the schools inspectorate published the first of a new series of data on actual school leaver destinations in Scotland showing figures for 1992-93. A copy of the publication "Leaver Destinations for Scottish Secondary Schools 1992-93" is available in the Library.

Habitats

Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional financial resources he will make available in Scotland to implement the European Union directive--92/43/EEC--on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I made to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 3 February, Official Report , column 778 .

Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what actions he will take or policy changes he will make to implement the requirements of European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro : The Government's proposals for action to implement this directive were set out in the consultation paper "Implementation in Great Britain of the Council Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora", published on 4 October 1993. Copies are in the Library of the House. The Government are currently considering the responses to this consultation paper.

GP Fundholders

Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment the Scottish Office has made of the extent to which differential treatment is being offered to national health service patients dependent on whether they are the patients of general practitioner fundholders ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : Under the rules governing contracts in the NHS under the procedural manual on contracting, together with the procedural manual on general practice fund-holding, copies of which are being placed in the Libraries of the House, GP fundholders may enter into contracts to develop new services or improve standards of care for their own patients provided only that as a consequence they do not directly disadvantage national health service patients being referred to the provider from other GP practices.

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Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance the Scottish Office has issued to NHS trusts on the financial incentives which they can offer to general practitioner fundholders in order to secure contracts for treating their patients ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : Section 6.7 of the procedural manual on contracting sets out the rules on costing and pricing of contracts by NHS trusts for all purchasers including GP fundholders. Contract prices should always reflect full costs calculated in accordance with the general principles set out in the manual.

Planning Permission

Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the increase in the fee scale for applications for planning permission approved by Parliament in December 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : The latest increases in the levels of fees to be paid by applicants for planning permission have not produced any representations to my right hon. Friend.

Royal Northern Yacht Club

Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what powers Dunbartonshire Enterprise made a grant to the Royal Northern yacht club, Rhu, for stone cleaning and minor stone repairs ; what was the amount of the grant ; and how many permanent jobs were created as a result.

Mr. Stewart : The payment was made under the local enterprise company's delegated authority and questions about the project would be best addressed to its chairman. However, I understand Dunbartonshire Enterprise agreed in December 1991 to provide grant assistance of £49,786, representing less than 15 per cent. of the total cost of the project, towards the refurbishment of the Royal Northern yacht club. The statutory authority for the payment was section 6 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990. Job creation is not necessarily the criterion by which environmental expenditure is justified ; but Dunbartonshire Enterprise suggests that the refurbishment project safeguarded the jobs of five full- time and 11 part-time staff.

Howie Report

Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Howie report was published ; and when he expects to make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Howie committee's report was published on 5 March 1992 and the consultation period closed on 31 December 1992.

Following consideration of the report, I was pleased to announce, on 19 January, that standard grade will remain in S4. My right hon. Friend expects to make a further announcement in due course.

NHS Trusts (Ayrshire)

Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 7 February, Official Report, columns 53-54, for what reason the information

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available for the NHS trusts in Ayrshire on public relations costs is not collected centrally in respect of other health boards and NHS trusts ; if he will make it his policy to collect and publish the information requested ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart : Public relations expenditure is such a small, though necessary, item in the budgets of health boards and NHS trusts that it would not be apropriate for my right hon. Friend to monitor it in detail. Information on the costs involved is therefore not normally collected centrally but was specially obtained for the answers given to the hon. Member on 24 January 1994, at column 71 and on 7 February 1994 at column 53 in respect of bodies in his constituency.

Forestry

Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if all access agreements for privatised Forestry Commission land are binding on all subsequent owners of that land.

Sir Hector Monro : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 27 January 1994, Official Report, column 347.

Audit Commission

Mr. Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many councils are currently subject to investigation by the Audit Commission ; what is the nature of these investigations ; and if he will list the councils concerned.

Mr. Stewart : I assume the hon. Member has in mind the Commission for Local Authority Accounts in Scotland--the Accounts Commission. The commission is responsible for the audit of all local authorities in Scotland. Information about the commission's detailed activities is not held by the Scottish Office.

Homosexuality

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the policy of the Lord Advocate on the prosecution of men who engage in consensual sexual acts and who are aged between 16 and 18 years of age ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : As was made clear in my answer of 8 February 1994, Official Report, column 180, to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman), since December 1991 procurators fiscal have been directed by the Lord Advocate to report to Crown office for Crown counsel's consideration cases of consensual homosexual acts where both of the participants are over 18 years but one or both are under 16 years. That remains the position. As with any case, Crown counsel will consider all the circumstances in deciding on the question of proceedings.

Public Bodies

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Edinburgh new town conservation committee.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 24 February 1994] : The present membership of the Edinburgh new town conservation committee is as follows :

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Chairman :

Lord Cameron of Lochbroom PC QC FRSE

(appointed by the Secretary of State, after consultation with the City of Edinburgh District Council)

Members :

Mr. Patrick W. Simpson, Deputy Chairman

(appointed by the Cockburn Association)

Miss C. H. Cruft OBE HonFRIAS

(appointed by Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland) Mr. J. G. Malcolm -Smith

(appointed by Great King Street Association)

Mr. David Price

(appointed by Drummond Civic Association)

Mrs. Marjorie Appleton

(appointed by Central New Town Association of Edinburgh) Councillor David Guest