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Legal Aid

Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the hourly rate for work carried out under the civil legal aid scheme ; and what provision is there for uplift to be applied in the hourly rates of remuneration.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 25 February 1994] : The rates are governed by the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Regulations 1989. Current rates are set out in the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) (Fees) Amendment Regulations 1992, SI 1992/372, copies of which are in the Library. The regulations also make provision for the circumstances where an uplift may be granted and for the circumstances in which disputes as to the amount of fees allowable may be referred for taxation by the auditor.

Sport and Recreation

Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet issued a draft national policy guideline on sport and recreation containing further guidance on the implicatons of the Taylor report, as indicated in his answer of 27 October 1992, Official Report, column 582 ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 25 February 1994] : A draft national planning policy guideline on sport and recreation has not yet been issued, but we plan to issue a consultation draft to all interested parties in the course of the coming year.

We will also be issuing shortly a further guidance circular dealing with the safety of terracing at football grounds where clubs outwith the Premier Division have opted to retain standing accommodation.

Salmon

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from representatives of the Scottish salmon farming industry on competition in the European Union salmon market ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 February 1994] : Both I and my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for agriculture and the environment in Scotland have received numerous written

representations from the Scottish farmed salmon industry. We have also met representatives of the industry on several occasions in an effort to address the present market imbalance between supply and demand. Following my hon. Friend's meeting with the Norwegian Fisheries Minister on 18 February, my Department is arranging a meeting between representatives of the Scottish and Norwegian industries to discuss the position.

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department received a copy of the report produced by Ernst and Young on competition in the European Union salmon market ; and what has been his reponse.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 February 1994] : I received a copy of the Ernst and Young report on 9


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February, whereupon my Department advised the Scottish Salmon Growers Association to forward a copy to the European Commission for its consideration and possible action.

Fish Farms

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in each of the last four years fish farming applications to the Crown Estate have been referred to the independent advisory committee.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 28 February 1994] : In the last four years two applications to the Crown Estate have been referred to the Fish Farming Advisory Committee, one in 1990 and one in 1991.

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the present members of the independent advisory committee established to assist the Crown Estate in dealing with fish farming applications which give rise to special difficulties.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 28 February 1994] : The present members of the Fish Farming Advisory Committee are :

Chairman :

Professor George Dunnet

Deputy Chairman :

Mr. Alan McMillan

Other Members --Representatives of :

Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Scottish Natural Heritage

Highland River Purification Board

Clyde River Purification Board

Argyll and Bute District Council

Highland Regional Council

Western Isles Islands Council

Orkney Islands Council

Scottish Natural Heritage

Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public relations company is employed by Scottish Natural Heritage ; how much money was paid to them this financial year ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 28 February 1994] : Scottish Natural Heritage does not employ a public relations company.

Wind Farms

Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) wind farms and (b) propellors (i) have been constructed, (ii) have been approved and (iii) are pending.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 28 February 1994] : The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy as regards the construction of wind farms ; and what circulars he has issued to local planning authorities.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 28 February 1994] : The Government's policy is to stimulate the development of renewable energy sources, including wind power, wherever they have the prospect of being economically


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attractive and environmentally acceptable. Such developments should contribute to diverse, secure and sustainable energy supplies. In June 1993, a national planning policy guideline "Renewable Energy" and a planning advice note "Wind Energy Developments" were issued in draft to planning authorities in Scotland. We plan to issue finalised guidelines later this year.

Public Bodies

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Police Advisory Board for Scotland.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 24 February 1994] : The members are :

Chairman

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Fraser of Carmyllie QC, Minister for Health and Home Affairs

Nominated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Councillor G. Bird, Fife Regional Council

Councillor E. B. Fallon, Lothian Regional Council

Councillor A. C. Ferguson, Strathclyde Regional Council Councillor J. Jennings, Strathclyde Regional Council

Councillor R. B. Martin, Lothian Regional Council

Councillor J. P. Robison, Strathclyde Regional Council

Councillor B. A. Topping, Grampian Regional Council

Mr. J. Raymund McCluskey, Assistant Secretary, COSLA

Nominated by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland

Dr. I. T. Oliver QPM, President, Chief Constable, Grampian Police Mr. H. W. C. MacMillan QPM, Vice President, Chief Constable, Northern Constabulary

Sir W. G. M. Sutherland QPM, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Chief Constable, Lothian and Borders Police

Mr. W. Wilson QPM, Chief Constable, Central Scotland Police Nominated by the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents Chief Superintendent J. Johnstone, President

Chief Superintendent J. Urquhart, Honorary Secretary

Nominated by the Scottish Police Federation

Constable J. Fraser, Chairman

Constable D. Keil, General Secretary

Sergeant D. McHugh, Lothian and Borders Police

Sergeant S. Falconer, Tayside Police

Inspector J. McDonald, Tayside Police

Inspector W. Stevenson, Grampian Police

Independent Members appointed by the Secretary of State Mr. Y. Ali OBE, Managing Director of AA Brothers,

Glasgow

Mrs. M. Esslemont, Facilities and Services Co-ordinator, Conoco (UK) Ltd.

Ms J. Freeman, Director, Apex Scotland

Mrs. P. V. Hayden, Managing Director, Hayden

Entertainment and Leisure Ltd., Inverness

Mrs. L. McKay, Depute Principal, Glenrothes College

Secretary

Mr. B. J. O'Connor, Scottish Office Home and Health

Department

Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members currently appointed to the Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace, Scotland.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 24 February 1994] : The current membership of the Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace is :

The Right Hon. Lord Ross (Chairman)

Councillor Mrs. H. Biggins

Sir David Butter, KCVO, MC

Councillor A. M. Craig

Councillor Mrs. V. J. Crerar


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Mr. J. C. Gordon

Sir William Gray

Mr. J. Henry

Mr. J. Henshelwood

Councillor Mrs. L. Hinds

Councillor D. C. Leslie

Mr. A. E. McIlwain, CBE

Provost B. M. C. Milne

Mr. W. W. Milne

Mr. D. R. Smith

Viscount Thurso

Professor D. Walker CBE

Mrs. P. Wallace

Councillor F. W. Welsh

Infertility Treatment

Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what statistics are available on the level of infertility treatment available in Scotland ; and what plans he has to collect further data ;

(2) if he will list the regional health boards which provide infertility treatment (a) under the national health service, (b) under the national health service to men and (c) privately ; and if he will list the establishments which have contracted with the boards to provide such treatment.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 February 1994] : All health boards purchase infertility services. The table gives the number of in- patient and day case treatments and investigations for female infertility in NHS hospitals in 1992. Infertility services are also provided in primary care settings. Information on male infertility services and on private providers is not held centrally.

The management executive is currently reviewing the collection of data on infertility services.


Hospital                                                |Number of            

                                                        |Discharges           

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

Ninewells Hospital, Dundee                              |742                  

Glasgow Royal Infirmary                                 |505                  

Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh                              |458                  

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary                                |332                  

Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock                         |253                  

Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow                              |206                  

Monklands District General Hospital, Lanarkshire        |190                  

Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow                             |179                  

Royal Alexandra Hospital (Aka Paisley DGH)              |169                  

Glasgow Western Infirmary                               |144                  

Southern General Hospital, Glasgow                      |132                  

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries         |118                  

Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy                            |108                  

Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock                     |107                  

Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary                    |106                  

Raigmore Hospital, Inverness                            |96                   

Stirling Royal Infirmary                                |95                   

Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride, Lanarkshire          |93                   

Law Hospital, Carluke, Lanarkshire                      |86                   

Vale of Leven District General Hospital, Dumbartonshire |85                   

Eastern General Hospital, Edinburgh                     |77                   

St. John's at Howden, West Lothian                      |74                   

Borders General Hospital                                |64                   

Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital                      |61                   

Perth Royal Infirmary                                   |60                   

Caithness General Hospital                              |49                   

Roodlands General Hospital, East Lothian                |22                   

Other                                                   |58                   

                                                        |---                  

Total                                                   |4,669                

Note: Hospitals with 20 or fewer discharges have been grouped with Other'.    


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Roads, Highland Region

Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Highland regional council about grant- aided expenditure for road maintenance in the highland region ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart [holding answer 22 February 1994] : The convener and officials of Highland regional council have made representations about this matter. The 1994-95 grant-aided expenditure assessment for road maintenance was allocated to regional and islands authorities in accordance with the methodology agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in the distribution committee of the working party on local government finance.

NATIONAL FINANCE

Income Tax

Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the change in income tax in 1994-95 against the 1978-79 indexed regime broken down into the top 1 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent. and bottom 50 per cent. of taxpayers showing the total and the average change.

Mr. Dorrell : This calculation produces the figures in table A. But the comparison is hypothetical since if an indexed version of the 1978-79 tax regime had prevailed over the last 14 years the income base would not have grown in the way it has.


Table A                                                                                             

Calculations using the 1994 income base                                                             

Quantile group of   |Number             |Reduction          |Average                                

taxpayers under the |of taxpayers       |in tax             |reduction                              

1978-78 indexed regime                                                                              

Per cent.           |Thousands          |£ million          |£                                      

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

Top 1               |300                |10,200             |38,000                                 

Top 5               |1,300              |13,900             |10,400                                 

Top 10              |2,700              |16,300             |6,100                                  

Bottom 50           |13,400             |4,300              |320                                    

                                                                                                    

All taxpayers       |26,800             |31,400             |1,170                                  

In contrast to these hypothetical figures, table B shows how the share of income tax actually paid by high income groups has risen since 1979, while the share of the income tax burden borne by low income tax payers has fallen.


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