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-
|£ million
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1985 |128
1986 |146
1987 |164
1988 |182
1989 |200
1990 |223
1991 |238
1992 |239
Mr. Barron : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 19 April, Official
Column 93
Report, column 425, what verification the Government require of the returns submitted by tobacco manufacturers under the terms of the voluntary agreement.Mr. Brooke : The figures from the tobacco manufacturers are verified by their own auditors, and the aggregate figures are supplied by a firm of chartered accountants.
St. Ethelburga's Church
Mr. Lidington : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to meet the Bishop of London to discuss the future of St. Ethelburga's church, Bishopsgate ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : I am always happy to meet the bishop, but it is for the diocese to consider the various options for St. Ethelburga's and put forward proposals in due course. Any firm proposals would be likely to involve a need for a faculty or planning permission, or both.
Pub Theatres
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the funding of pub theatres.
Mr. Brooke : Over the past 20 years, pub theatres have added a new and lively dimension to theatre life in London and elsewhere. They have an important role to play in the encouragement of new writing for the theatre. The funding of the theatres is a matter for the Arts Council and the regional arts boards. I understand that the London arts board provides support to the work that takes place in some pub venues, for example this year the King's Head in Islington will receive £38,222, and £15,352 is being allocated to the Gate in Notting Hill.
British Jazz
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much has been spent on the promotion of British jazz in each of the last 10 years ; and how much his Department expects to spend on the promotion of British jazz in the next two years.
Mr. Brooke : Central Government funding of the arts is channelled through the national Arts Councils and, in England, the 10 regional arts boards. It is for these bodies to determine the allocation of funds between the various art forms, including jazz. I understand that, overall, some £850,000 was spent on jazz in England in 1992-93. This is the most recent available figure. Comparable figures for earlier years are not held centrally. Future spending on jazz will reflect the outcome of a national review of jazz funding which has just been launched by the Arts Council of England.
SCOTLAND
Scottish Court Service
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement his decision to establish the Scottish Court Service as an executive agency.
Mr. Lang : I have decided that the Scottish Court Service will be established as an executive agency under
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the "next steps" initiative, with a vesting day of 3 April 1995. Arrangements are now being made to recruit a chief executive for the agency, and advertisements will appear in the national press in the course of this week.Police Authorities
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that each local authority should be represented on the new police authorities covering its area.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Yes. Following reorganisation of local government in Scotland the new councils will be the police authority for their area. Where there will be a joint police board for a combined police area, each constituent authority will be represented on the joint board.
Police
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what Scottish Office guidelines there are about what percentage of a police force may be employed in specialist branches such as CID and CIB.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There are no guidelines. The deployment of staff within forces is an operational matter for chief constables.
Bills (Prompt Payment)
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy on the prompt payment of bills by the Scottish Office.
Mr. Lang : My Department's policy regarding the prompt payment of bills is that the timing of payments should be in accordance with contract terms and conditions. Where there is no contractual provision or other understanding or accepted practice governing the timing of payment, the policy is to pay within 30 days of receipt of goods or services or the presentation of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment, whichever is the later.
My Department carries out annual checks of payment performance and the results for the last three financial years, set out as follows, show a steady improvement in the percentage of payments made early or on time.
|Percentage
|of payments
|paid early or
Year |on-time
------------------------------------------
1991-92 |82
1992-93 |85
1993-94 |89
Internet
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has (a) to utilise the Internet, (b) to make available on the Internet press releases and other departmental information to which the public may wish to have access and (c) to use the Internet as a means of increasing the openness of his Department.
Mr. Lang : My Department has very recently begun to evaluate the use of the Internet for the exchange of
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scientific and research information. News releases are sent electronically to the Central Office of Information for inclusion in on-line databases which are accessible to users of the Internet. There are no plans at present for further use of the Internet.Monklands District Council
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 19 April, Official Report, column 481-82, if he will list those outside Monklands district council to whom the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has written seeking evidence about alleged corruption of Monklands district council.
Mr. Stewart : None of the Scottish Office Parliamentary Under- Secretaries of State--in their capacity as Scottish Office Ministers--has written to anyone seeking evidence concerning the alleged corruption at Monklands district council.
Prisoners
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many people aged (a) between 15 and 17 years, (b) between 18 and 21 years and (c) 22 years and over were received into Scottish Prison Service establishments in each of the past four years ; (2) if he will list the number of people received into Scottish Prison Service establishments for each of the past four years by type of prisoner and length of sentence ;
(3) how many untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners were received into Scottish Prison Service establishments over each of the past four years ; and if he will break down the figure by age, sex, type of custody and outcome of court proceedings ;
(4) how many people were received into Scottish prison establishments in default of a fine over each of the past 10 years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 5 May 1994] : Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 10 May 1994 :
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Questions about the number and type of prisoners received into Scottish penal establishments. This reply deals with Questions 110, 113, 116 and 121. The available information is given in the tables below.
PQ110 : The number of persons aged 15-17 years, 18-21 years and 22 years and over who were received into Scottish penal establishments in each of the past four years.
Table 1: Remand receptions (Note 1)
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
---------------------------------------------
Young offender |7,066|4,750|4,641|4,487
Adult |8,102|8,377|8,905|8,925
Table 2: Sentenced receptions (Note 2)
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
-----------------------------------------------
Age
15-17 |961 |856 |975 |957
18-21 |4,850 |4,559 |5,325 |5,373
22 and over |11,320|12,809|13,665|15,827
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PQ 113 : The number of people received into Scottish penal establishments in each of the past four years by type of prisoner and length of sentence.
Table 3: Adult receptions by sentence length (Note 2)
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
-------------------------------------------------------
Less than 6 months |10,353|11,777|12,338|14,149
More than 6 months
but less than 18
months |1,595 |1,686 |1,937 |2,192
More than 18 months
but less than 4
years |490 |476 |491 |639
4 years and over
(including life) |318 |354 |420 |461
Table 4: Young offender receptions by sentence
length (Note 2)
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
--------------------------------------------------
Less than 6 months |3,511|3,080|3,725|3,549
More than 6 months
but less than 18
months |656 |652 |791 |821
More than 18 months
but less than 4
years |147 |144 |179 |261
4 years and over
(including life) |61 |55 |84 |85
PQ 116 : The number of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners received into Scottish penal establishments over each of the past four years' categorised by age, sex, type of custody and outcome of court proceedings.
Table 5: Adult remand receptions to
Scottish penal establishments by
sex (Notes 2 and 3)
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
---------------------------------------
Untried:
Male |7,171|7,471|7,973|7,831
Female |560 |553 |543 |632
Convicted awaiting sentence
Male |355 |339 |319 |385
Female |16 |14 |70 |77
Table 6: Young offender remand
receptions to Scottish penal
establishments by sex (Notes 1 and 3)
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
---------------------------------------
Untried:
Male |4,857|3,433|3,414|3,305
Female |237 |184 |187 |185
Convicted awaiting sentence
Male |1,940|1,117|1,016|957
Female |32 |16 |24 |40
PQ 123 : The number of people received into Scottish penal establishments in default of a fine over each of the past 10 years.
Table 7: Fine
defaulter receptions
to Scottish penal
establishments
(Note 2)
|Number
---------------------
1984 |8,883
1985 |11,564
1986 |10,626
1987 |10,983
1988 |9,714
1989 |9,154
1990 |6,835
1991 |7,909
1992 |8,339
1993 |9,657
Notes:
1. Only limited
information is
collected centrally
in relation to the
detail of remand
receptions. The
system does not
provide an
individual's age or
details on the
outcome of court
proceedings of those
previously remanded.
Young offenders are
those aged under 21
on reception.
2. Sentenced
receptions do not
equate to "persons
received". For
example, where a
person has several
custodial sentences
imposed on him by
one court in one day
this is counted as
one reception.
However, where
custodial sentences
are imposed on a
person by two or
more courts in one
day, two receptions
are recorded. Also,
if a person is
reconvicted while
serving a custodial
sentence and a
further custodial
sentence is imposed,
this is also
regarded as a
separate reception.
3. The split between
untried' and
convicted awaiting
sentence' should be
treated with some
caution because of
variations in the
information
collected by some
establishments.
4. The 1993 figures
are provisional and
may be subject to
revision.
Advertising
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, Official Report, columns 949-50, how many copies of the further and higher education charter have been requested ; how many responses were made to the drugs and solvent misuse hotline and how many booklets were issued ; what was the response to the national continence week telephone helpline ; and how many follow-up inquiries have been received to the Offshore Europe exhibition and the Europartenariat Scotland.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 5 May 1994] : The details are : Further and Higher Education Charter
Fifty-eight thousand nine hundred and thirty copies of the Further and Higher Education Charter have been issued so far.
Drugs and Solvent Misuse
Following the campaign this year, 2,635 calls were made to Drugline Scotland, and 3,032 requests were made for booklets.
National Continence Week
As a result of the publicity for National Continence Week, during March 1994 472 calls were received from members of the public, carers and health professionals by the national helpline. This was 250 per cent. of the normal monthly average. An increase in the number of calls received has continued throughout April.
Offshore Europe Exhibition
It is not always possible to relate specific company contacts to particular elements of The Scottish Office Industry Department's marketing programme. But at Offshore Europe officials responded to 420 requests for assistance and in addition directed a number of enquirers to other business support organisations.
Europartenariat Scotland
The success of Europartenariat Scotland is still being evaluated and enquiries arising from the event continue. Over 5,600 meetings with the 350 Scottish host companies took place during the event and Scottish Trade International, together with Local Enterprise Companies, is working closely with the Scottish host companies to assess the number of deals and agreements arising from those meetings and the other contacts made during Europartenariat Scotland. The organisation of the event has been highly praised and those involved are often approached for advice in running similar events in the rest of the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.
Medical Consultants
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of medical consultants per head of population.
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Mr. Stewart [holding answer 28 April 1994] : There were 4.6 whole-time equivalent medical consultants per 10,000 population at 30 September 1993, the latest date for which information is available ; this figure is provisional.
NHS Computer Services
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of state for Scotland (1) what conclusions he has reached at this stage in his review of computer services in the NHS ;
(2) what is the scope of his review of computer services in the NHS ;
(3) when he expects to complete his review of computer services in the NHS ;
(4) which individuals and bodies he is consulting for his review of computer services in the NHS.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 May 1994] : A group representing health boards and NHS trusts has been established to take forward the review of computer services in the NHS in Scotland. It is expected that the group will make recommendations to the chief executive by the end of June 1994. The scope of the review encompasses computer operations and applications sofware support and development. The group will be consulting with NHS trusts and health boards.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which health boards have sought assistance from computer consultants in the past five years ; for what length of time ; at what cost in each case ; and with what improvements in efficiency on savings as a result.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 May 1994] : This information is not held centrally.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current value of investment in software for computer services in the NHS.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 May 1994] : In 1994-95 approximately £28 million was made available from central funds to assist health boards and NHS trusts in the purchase and development of computer hardware and software. In addition, health boards and trusts are able to make investments from their own resources but information is not held centrally on the value of such investments.
Ambulance Service
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his future plans for the Scottish ambulance service ; and what scope his policy includes for (a) market testing or (b) privatisation.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 May 1994] : The Scottish ambulance service has prepared an application for NHS trust status which will be considered following the process of public consultation. From 1 April 1995, subject to existing contractual arrangements with the Scottish ambulance service, health boards and NHS trusts may invite other suppliers to tender for the provision of non-emergency patient transport services. There are no plans to seek provision of accident and emergency services from suppliers other than the Scottish ambulance service.
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Common Services Agency
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make it his policy to keep the Common Services Agency's building division within the public sector ;
(2) what discussions he has had with the Common Services Agency's board on future plans for the Common Services Agency's building division ;
(3) if he will estimate the costs and savings that would result from privatisation of the Common Services Agency's building division ;
(4) what plans he has for the future of the work force in the Common Services Agency's building division ;
(5) what consultations he has had, or is planning to have, with those who are clients of the Common Services Agency's building division.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 May 1994] : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced on 25 March his agreement in principle that the opportunity should be taken to invite tenders for a management buy-out or from the private sector to take over the building division of the Common Services Agency. There has been no change in this position.
The board of the Common Services Agency has given regular consideration to the building division and its future. The board is taking forward the proposals for privatisation of the division. It is not possible to quantify the benefits to the NHS until the tender process has been completed and bids evaluated. The Common Services Agency will invite tenders for the division as a going concern. Staffing is therefore a matter for the successful tenderer. The building division of the Common Services Agency has been fee earning and competing with private firms for NHS work for the past three years. It is not necessary to consult NHS clients who will continue to be able to obtain the appropriate service from the successful tenderer or from another commercial source.
Privatisation (Consultants)
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with privatisation programmes in which his Department has been engaged since 1980.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 4 May 1994] : As recorded in the relevant National Audit Office reports my Department paid advisers fees of £19.6 million and £0.4 million respectively for services in connection with the sale of the Scottish Electricity companies and the Scottish Bus Group. The proceeds of the sales came to well over £3 billion.
Column 100
WALES
Palace Close, Flint
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 11 January, Official Report, column 96, (1) what response his officials have received from the National House Building Council with regard to complaints about inspections of properties at Palace close, Flint ;
(2) if he will meet residents of Palace close, Flint, to discuss their concerns about the performance of the National House Building Council with regard to inspection of their properties ;
(3) if he will instigate an investigation into building control inspection with regard to properties at Palace close, Flint, Clwyd ; (4) when a report was submitted to his Department from Clwyd fire service in relation to building regulation 1985 schedule 1 with regard to properties at Palace close, Flint.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : My right hon. Friend has no powers to supervise or regulate an approved inspector in the discharge of its functions in relation to individual cases and he has not commissioned a report from the Clwyd fire service.
NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. has a statutory duty under regulation 10 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 1985 to ensure that all work inspected by them as approved inspectors conforms with the building regulations. NHBC has assured me that they have every intention of doing everything necessary to discharge that duty. The Building Act 1984 provides for reference to the courts where an approved inspector has acted improperly. In cases of dispute, home owners have recourse to conciliation and independent arbitration procedures under NHBC warranty arrangements, but this is entirely a matter for the NHBC.
In all these circumstances a meeting would not be appropriate.
Special Educational Need
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children in each local education authority were assessed for statements of special educational need in each of the last five years ; and what proportion of those children received statements.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Full information on assessments is not collected centrally. The number of pupils who received a statement of special education needs for the first time in each local education authority and the number assessed but not issued with a statement are shown in the table.
Column 99
Number of pupils Number of pupi
for whom statements who
of special
educational needs were assessed
were made for the not
first time<1>
issued with a
statement<2>
|1988|1989|1990|1991|1992|1991|1992
--------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |213 |264 |318 |251 |251 |10 |25
Dyfed |121 |193 |225 |272 |397 |22 |7
Gwent |463 |338 |402 |480 |497 |1 |2
Gwynedd |99 |133 |130 |205 |178 |12 |31
Mid Glamorgan |643 |543 |490 |545 |583 |36 |60
Powys |30 |78 |120 |134 |55 |7 |7
South Glamorgan |174 |243 |184 |215 |274 |28 |29
West Glamorgan |304 |307 |358 |354 |415 |87 |55
<1>The numbers of pupils for whom statements were made
for the first time may include a number of pupils
receiving statements who had been assessed during the
previous calendar year and exclude a number who while
having been assessed, are awaiting receipt of their
statement.
<2>Prior to 1991 this information was not collected.
Mobile Telephones and Pagers
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) portable telephones, (b) pagers and electronic bleepers and (c) car telephones are currently used by his Department ; what are the annual costs of operating this equipment ; and to which personnel it is made available.
Mr. Redwood : My Department has in operation 123 portable telephones, 21 pagers and electronic bleepers and two car telephones. The running costs of the equipment in 1993-94 were £24,429. Portable communication systems have been made available for use by Ministers, senior officials and others who are regularly engaged in official business away from the office and need to maintain contact with the Department and/or other organisations. Eighty one of the portable telephones are held specifically for issue on a temporary basis to officials who might need them while on official business and while working or travelling in areas where standard telephones may not be readily available.
Land Authority for Wales
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the occasions when the Land Authority for Wales has used its compulsory purchase powers in the last five years ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list the applications for compulsory purchase currently being pursued by the Land Authority for Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The compulsory purchase orders made by the land authority since 1988 are given in the table :
Land Authority for Wales (Land at Mostyn Street, Llandudno) Compulsory Purchase Order 1988.
Land Authority for Wales (Queen Street/Working Street, Cardiff) Compulsory Purchase Order 1988.
Land Authority for Wales (Greyfriars Redevelopment, Carmarthen) Compulsory Purchase Order 1988.
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Land Authority for Wales (Castle Park Redevelopment, Caerphilly) Compulsory Purchase Order 1989.Land Authority for Wales (Land at Ynys-y-Plwm, Llantrisant) Compulsory Purchase Order 1991.
Land Authority for Wales (Land at North Pentwyn) Compulsory Purchaster Order 1992.
Land Authority for Wales (Land off Tyn-y-Bryn Road, Tonyrefail) Compulsory Purchase Order 1992.
Land Authority for Wales (Land at Maes-y-Bryn/Tyn-y-Gwern, North Pentwyn) Compulsory Purchase Order 1993.
Land Authority for Wales (Land adjacent to Broad Close, Pontypridd Road, Barry) Compulsory Purchases Order 1994.
Land Authority for Wales (Lion Street and Bethel Square, Brecon) Compulsory Purchases Order 1993.
Land Authority for Wales (Land to the South West of West Terrace, Penarth) Compulsory Purchase Order 1993.
Land Authority for Wales (Cefn Hirgoed, Bridgend and Bridgend Northern Distributor Road) Compulsory Purchase Order 1994. The last three are subject to confirmation.
Lamb Losses
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what figures are available for financial losses to farmers resulting from extreme weather conditions during the 1993-94 lambing season.
Mr. Redwood : None. Farm income data are derived from the farm business survey which collects data on a March to February financial year basis. Provisional income figures for 1994-95 will not be available until the autumn.
Housing Finance
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of housing revenue account subsidy for 1992-93 and 1994-95 for each district council and for Wales as a whole, in constant prices, indicating the percentage change in each case.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The amount of housing revenue account subsidy claimed by local authorities in constant (1994-95) prices is given where available in the table :
Column 101
Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
Local Authority |1992-93 |1994-95 |Percentage Change
|(at 1994-95 prices)|(Current prices)
|(a) |(b)
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberconwy |1,701,197 |1,685,231 |-0.9
Alyn and Deeside |2,706,548 |2,749,532 |1.6
Arfon |3,159,987 |2,877,908 |-8.9
Blaenau Gwent |11,571,250 |11,111,674 |-4.0
Brecknock |767,778 |707,901 |-7.8
Cardiff |20,818,346 |21,600,204 |3.8
Carmarthen |2,698,949 |2,176,051 |-19.4
Ceredigion |2,035,634 |1,744,286 |-14.3
Colwyn |2,265,533 |2,218,740 |-2.1
Cynon Valley |5,312,351 |4,752,984 |-10.5
Delyn |3,887,413 |* |*
Dinefwr |1,338,639 |897,071 |-33.0
Dwyfor |902,725 |928,694 |2.9
Glyndwr |888,939 |653,273 |-26.5
Islwyn |5,765,274 |5,588,479 |-3.1
Llanelli |7,564,489 |8,194,581 |8.3
Lliw Valley |4,626,932 |3,690,814 |-20.2
Meirionnydd |1,139,356 |980,299 |-14.0
Merthyr Tydfil |7,376,127 |7,789,436 |5.6
Monmouth |4,069,340 |3,609,593 |-11.3
Montgomeryshire |715,718 |* |*
Neath |5,128,501 |5,431,585 |5.9
Newport |12,074,472 |10,413,293 |-13.8
Ogwr |8,260,628 |7,315,393 |-11.4
Port Talbot |5,100,295 |5,179,763 |1.6
Preseli Pembrokeshire |2,959,354 |2,918,254 |-1.4
Radnorshire |596,482 |432,666 |-27.5
Rhondda |9,259,418 |8,350,844 |-9.8
Rhuddlan |1,422,069 |1,609,798 |13.2
Rhymney Valley |11,687,268 |11,482,000 |-1.8
South Pembrokeshire |1,763,496 |1,444,414 |-18.1
Swansea |17,205,861 |18,102,741 |5.2
Taff Ely |7,450,938 |6,757,252 |-9.3
Torfaen |14,085,751 |12,500,222 |-11.3
Vale of Glamorgan |4,027,592 |3,304,096 |-18.0
Wrexham Maelor |7,514,704 |7,472,127 |-0.6
Ynys Mon |4,630,014 |4,383,832 |-5.3
|------- |------- |-------
Wales |204,479,369 |* |*
(a) Audit Final Subsidy Claims for 1992-93.
(b) First Advance Subsidy Claims for 1994-95 except for Delyn and Montgomeryshire which have not been
received.
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