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Mr. Oppenheim: I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport following the partial collapse of tunnels under construction at Heathrow airport.
In the early hours of Friday 21 October a ground slip led to a partial collapse into tunnels under construction on a section of the Heathrow express rail link at the central area of Heathrow airport. This section of the work involved the use of the new Austrian tunnelling method--NATM--in a complex of tunnels for a new station. There were no injuries as a result of the collapse. Site safety procedures included sensors to detect ground movement. These gave early warning of abnormal movement. Emergency procedures were put into effect and workers were safely evacuated. There were two further ground slips over the weekend. They were almost certainly as a consequence of the initial event.
The contractors and their specialist advisers have set up an engineering task force to deal with the situation. Tunnelling has of course been stopped. The key task now is to stabilise the ground to prevent further subsidence and secure the safety of the remaining tunnels. The British Airports Authority and the contractors are working together to secure the continued safe operation of the airport and minimise inconvenience.
At the place where the Piccadilly line crosses the Heathrow express rail link tunnels, there has been no ground movement outside of the tolerances predicted before tunnelling began. The monitoring continues. London Underground has, however, suspended the use of the terminal 4 loop as a precaution. The central station serving terminals 1, 2 and 3 continues in service. A temporary bus link is connecting Hatton Cross station and terminal 4.
NATM has also been adopted for use on the Jubilee line extension project. Contractors on the project suspended the use of the NATM technique as a precautionary measure on the day of the collapse at Heathrow.
Column 844
The Health and Safety Executive has asked for tunnelling not to restart at Heathrow, nor on the Jubilee line extension project, until it is clear that this can be done safely. The Health and Safety Executive has also asked London Underground to maintain its voluntary suspension of the railway loop until sufficient information is available to justify its safe restoration. The decision will be made in conjunction with HSE's railway inspectorate. HSE's inspectors are on site and keeping in touch with developments in the major remedial works undertaken by the contractors. The HSE is initiating checks of other significant construction projects currently using NATM. NATM is a tunnelling method that has been used worldwide for over 40 years. The two largest projects under construction in the United Kingdom using NATM are Heathrow and the Jubilee line extension. A trial tunnel was driven at Heathrow in 1992 and the information and experience gained was used in developing the project. Further trials were carried out at London Bridge and Jubilee Gardens at the start of the Jubilee line extension project.NATM is normally the first stage of a two-stage process involving the construction of a initial lining to provide short-term support followed by the construction of a further lining. There is no evidence that, once the work is finished, there is any significant difference between the safety and integrity of tunnels constructed in this way and those using more conventional techniques.
There was a failure, also during the construction phase, in Munich earlier this year. However, because the ground conditions were considered sufficiently dissimilar, there were no reasons to justify halting work in London. There have been no recorded instances of ground collapse once the construction phase of the tunnelling using NATM is complete.
The Health and Safety Commission has asked the Health and Safety Executive to undertake an investigation. The HSE has asked Mr. Stuart Nattrass, HM chief inspector of construction, to lead it. He will be seeking support from independent consultants of international standing. The investigation will initially concentrate on whether the failure at Heathrow is site specific. Once the initial findings are known, the investigation will go on to consider whether there are broader implications for the use of NATM as a construction technique. The evidence will be reviewed with a view to confirming that the safety of tunnels constructed in this way matches the safety of tunnels constructed using more conventional techniques and will take into account any lessons to be learned from the Munich incident. Initial lines of inquiry will include whether:
(a) the design was defective;
(b) the execution of any construction work was defective; (c) adverse ground conditions contributed to the failure. The investigation has begun. Its findings will be made public. The HSE will consider whether there may have been breaches of health and safety legislation and, if so, what action to take.
It is too early to predict time and cost penalties which may result for the Heathrow express and Jubilee line extension as a result of the collapse on the Heathrow project.
Column 845
SCOTLAND
Training Schemes
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who collates the information supplied by managers of Government training schemes on the specific skills acquired by trainees; and where this information is published.
Mr. Stewart: Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the local enterprise companies are all involved in the collation of information supplied by managers of Government training schemes. I have asked the chairmen of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he uses to assess the value of Government training schemes; and if that information is publicly available.
Mr. Stewart: The information used by my right hon. Friend to assess the value of Government training schemes is the same as that which I set out in the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 25 February, Official Report, columns 435 37, save that cost figures are now available for 1993 94 as follows:
|Adult training
Cost |Youth training £ |training for work £
|million |million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |93.451 |93.733
Information on Government training schemes is published as follows:
in "Serving Scotland's Needs", the Government's expenditure plans 1994 95 to 1996 97. Data are shown separately for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, for training for work--number of starts, percentage of leavers going into jobs, further education or training, percentage of leavers gaining recognised qualifications--and for youth training, with number of starts, percentage of participants with employed status, percentage of leavers gaining recognised qualifications;
in the monthly " Employment Gazette " on training for work, youth training and business start-up--number of people participating number of starts;
in the monthly news release by the Scottish Office on training statistics for training for work, youth training and business start-up--number of programme participants number of starts on programme; and
in the annual reports of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the outturn expenditure given to each local enterprise company in Scotland in 1992 93 at 1993 94 prices; and what is the budget for each training and enterprise council in 1993 94 in total and broken down in the same way as given in the written answer of 18 February 1993, Official Report , column 335 .
Mr. Stewart: The budgets of local enterprise companies are a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked their chairmen to write to the hon. Member. There are no training and enterprise councils in Scotland.
Column 846
Hospital Waiting Lists
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the most recent figures for waiting lists for operations in trust hospitals.
Mr Lang [pursuant to his reply, 26 October 1994, Official Report, column 876]: More people are being treated in NHS hospitals than ever before. In the year to June 1994, the number of out-patients treated rose by 2.6 per cent., the number of in-patients treated rose by 1.6 per cent. and the number of day cases treated rose by no less than 18.4 per cent. I am arranging for all the most recent figures for waiting lists to be sent to the hon. Member and published in the Official Report .
Table 1-NHSIS-true waiting lists of NHS trusts at 30 June 1994
Waiting list
NHS trust hospital |Total waiting list|Inpatient |Day case
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary |5,447 |3,216 |2,231
Roxburghe House |1 |1 |-
Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital |982 |667 |315
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |6,430 |3,884 |2,546
Angus NHS Trust
Stracathro Hospital |546 |208 |338
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |546 |208 |338
Ayrshire and Arran Community Health
Care NHS Trust
Arrol Park |2 |2 |-
Strathlea |3 |3 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |5 |5 |-
Caithness and Sutherland NHS Trust
Caithness General Hospital |225 |147 |108
Lawson Memorial Hospital |75 |15 |60
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |330 |162 |168
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and
Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary |2,139 |1,724 |415
Garrick Hospital |118 |59 |59
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,257 |1,783 |474
Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust
Ninewells Hospital |6 |6 |-
Royal Victoria Hospital |6 |6 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |12 |12 |-
Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Dundee Royal Infirmary |2,588 |1,021 |1,567
Kings Cross Hospital |43 |35 |8
Ninewells Hospital |2,557 |1,983 |574
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |5,188 |3,039
East and Midlothian NHS Trust
Eastern General Hospital |615 |354 |261
Roodlands General Hospital |302 |62 |240
Rosslynlee Hospital |2 |2 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |919 |418 |501
Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust
Gogarburn Hospital, Edinburgh |3 |3 |-
Royal Edinburgh Hospital |6 |6 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |9 |9 |-
Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust
RHSC, Edinburgh |842 |508 |334
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |842 |508 |334
Falkirk and District Royal
Infirmary NHS Trust
Falkirk and district Royal Infirmary |1,792 |1,135 |657
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |1,792 |1,135 |657
Fife Healthcare NHS Trust
Adamson Hospital |128 |39 |89
Glenrothes Hospital |2 |2 |-
Queen Margaret Hospital |5 |5 |-
Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital |33 |30 |3
St. Andrews Memorial Hospital |79 |18 |61
Stratheden Hospital |3 |3 |-
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy |6 |6 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |256 |103 |153
Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust
Canniesburn Hospital |4,287 |2,125 |2,162
Glasgow Royal Infirmary |4,037 |3,377 |660
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |8,324 |5,502 |2,822
Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust
Aberdeen City Hospital |2 |2 |-
Arduthie Hospital |9 |9 |-
Campbell Hospital |1 |1 |-
Chalmers Hospital |20 |3 |17
Fraserburgh Hospital |1 |1 |-
Glen O'Dee Hospital |2 |2 |-
Huntly Jubliee Hospital |21 |5 |16
Inverurie Hospital |3 |3 |-
Maidencraig House |4 |4 |-
Maud Hospital |2 |2 |-
Turriff Cottage Hospital |1 |1 |-
Ugie Hospital |1 |1
Woodend General Hospital |732 |585 |147
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |799 |619 |180
Greater Glasgow Community and Mental
Health Service NHS Trust
Parkhead Hospital |23 |23 |-
Woodilee Hospital |3 |3 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |26 |26 |-
Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trust
Hairmyres Hospital |991 |455 |536
Stonehouse Hospital |986 |774 |212
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |1,977 |1,229 |748
Highland Communities NHS Trust
Belford Hospital |105 |44 |61
Mackinnon Memorial Hospital |37 |17 |20
Nairn Town and County Hospital |1 |1 |-
Portree Hospital |1 |1 |-
Ross Memorial Hospital |40 |40 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |184 |103 |81
Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust
Inverclyde Royal Hospital |1,530 |1,095 |435
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |1,530 |1,095 |435
Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy |2,728 |1,604 |1,124
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,728 |1,604 |1,124
Law Hospital NHS Trust
Law Hospital |2,000 |1,228 |772
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,000 |1,228 |772
Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust
Monklands District General Hospital |2,458 |1,616 |842
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,458 |1,616 |842
Moray Health Services NHS Trust
Dr. Gray's Hospital |550 |162 |388
Seafield Hospital |7 |7 |-
Turner Memorial Hospital |2 |2 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |559 |171
North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust
Ayrshire Central and Maternity Hospital |5 |5 |-
Crosshouse Hospital |2,375 |1,636 |739
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,380 |1,641 |739
Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust
Aberfeldy Cottage Hospital |1 |1 |-
Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital |2 |2 |-
Hillside Hospital |8 |8 |-
Irvine Memorial Hospital |7 |7 |-
Meigle Cottage Hospital |7 |- |7
Perth Royal Infirmary |1,532 |687 |845
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |1,557 |705 |852
Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust
Queen Margaret Hospital |2,184 |1,341 |843
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,184 |1,341 |843
Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust
Raigmore Hospital |2,671 |1,812 |859
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,671 |1,812 |859
Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Bridge of Weir Hospital |6 |6 |-
Dykebar Hospital |13 |13 |-
Royal Alexandra Hospital |2 |2 |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |21 |21 |-
Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Royal Alexandra Hospital |3,499 |2,161 |1,338
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |3,499 |2,161 |1,338
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust
Edinburgh City Hospital |1,757 |1,551 |206
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary |3,429 |2,262 |1,167
Princess Margaret Rose Hospital |1,165 |1,072 |93
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |6,351 |4,885 |1,466
South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Ballochmyle Hospital |720 |242 |478
The Ayr Hospital |1,721 |1,356 |365
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,441 |1,598 |843
Southern General Hospital NHS Trust
Southern General Hospital |2,454 |1,764 |690
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,454 |1,764 |690
Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust
Stirling Royal Infirmary |2,349 |1,336 |1,013
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,349 |1,336 |1,013
Stobhill NHS Trust
Stobhill Hospital |2,464 |1,635 |829
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,464 |1,635 |829
The Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust
Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow |2,303 |2,218 |85
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,303 |2,218 |85
The Yorkhill NHS Trust
RHSC, Glasgow |1,176 |804 |372
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |1,176 |804 |372
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust
Beatson Oncology Centre |162 |162 |-
Homeopathic Hospital, Glasgow |46 |46 |-
Western Infirmary, Glasgow |3,111 |2,738 |373
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |3,319 |2,946 |373
West Lothian NHS Trust
St. John's Hospital at Howden |2,668 |1,392 |1,276
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,668 |1,392 |1,276
Western General Hospitals NHS Trust
Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh |12 |12 |-
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh |2,536 |1,323 |1,213
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |2,548 |1,335 |1,213
Source:
SMR3.
Ref: Unit2/94348.
Date: 11 October 1994.
Table 2-NHSIS-True waiting lists for nationally guaranteed
operations at NHS trusts at 30 June 1994
Replacements
NHS Trust Hospital |Cataracts |Hip |Knee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals
NHS Trust
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary |116 |- |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust summary |116 |-
Angus NHS Trust
Stracathro Hospital |- |20 |14
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |20 |14
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and
Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary |140 |90 |32
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |140 |90 |32
Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Dundee Royal Infirmary |- |30 |20
Ninewells Hospital |210 |- |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |210 |30 |20
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary |- |29 |15
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |29 |15
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
University NHS Trust
Glasgow Royal Infirmary |64 |42 |42
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |64 |42 |42
Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust
Woodend General Hospital |- |108 |42
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |108 |42
Hairmyres and Stonehouse
Hospital NHS Trust
Hairmyres Hospital |- |7 |1
Stonehouse Hospital |403 |14 |8
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |403 |21 |9
Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust
Inverclyde Royal Hospital |150 |31 |38
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |150 |31 |38
Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy |- |111 |86
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |111 |86
Law Hospital NHS Trust
Law Hospital |- |52 |29
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |52 |29
Monklands and Bellshill Hospital
NHS Trust
Monklands District General Hospital |- |20 |15
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |20 |15
North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust
Crosshouse Hospital |- |21 |29
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |21
Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust
Perth Royal Infirmary |- |70 |37
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |70 |37
Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust
Queen Margaret Hospital |168 |- |-
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |168 |- |-
Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust
Raigmore Hospital |217 |124 |52
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |217 |123 |52
Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Royal Alexandra Hospital |221 |24 |13
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |221 |24 |13
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary |775 |- |-
Princess Margaret Rose Hospital |- |205 |144
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |775 |205 |144
South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust
The Ayr Hospital |334 |36 |33
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |334 |36 |33
Southern General Hospital NHS Trust
Southern General Hospital |610 |23 |21
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |610 |23 |21
Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust
Stirling Royal Infirmary |230 |46 |31
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |230 |46 |31
Stobhill NHS Trust
Stobhill Hospital |363 |21 |28
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |363 |21 |28
The Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust
Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow |- |83 |83
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |- |83 |83
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust
Western Infirmary, Glasgow |132 |88 |50
|---- |---- |----
Trust Summary |132 |88 |50
Source:
SMR3.
Ref: Unit2/94348.
Date: 11 October 1994.
Column 853
Departmental Post
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on postage, and how many items have been posted by his Department, in each of the last five years.
Mr. Lang: The information is set out in the table. The numbers of items posted for years prior to 1992 93 are not available.
Financial year |Expenditure £ |Items posted
|million
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |953,800 |N/A
1990-91 |986,064 |N/A
1991-92 |1,266,195 |N/A
1992-93 |1,140,700 |3.5 million (approx.)
1993-94 |1,316,231 |3.5 million (approx.)
Accurate counts are made of items issuing from main buildings, but estimates have had to be made for other offices throughout Scotland which do not feed into the central mail processing system.
Public Opinion Surveys
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each public opinion survey commissioned by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies since 1 October 1992, showing for each, the subject, objectives, total cost, the period in which it was conducted and the organisation from which it was commissioned.
Mr. Lang: The information requested is shown in the table. The fee paid to individual contractors is commercially confidential and therefore cannot be detailed. The total cost of the 27 surveys listed was £1.061 million.
Column 853
Subject |Period conducted |Contractor |Objectives
|commissioned
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment
Survey of Homeless Applications |June-July 1993 |Public Attitude Surveys Ltd. |To examine the operation of the Code of
| Guidance on homelessness.
Edinburgh Castle Visitors Survey |May-December 1993 |System Three Scotland |To provide information on visitors to The
(Historic Scotland) | Castle, their attitudes to services and
| facilities and to identify priorities
| for improving these facilities.
Awareness of Right to Buy and |March-April 1994 |System Three Scotland |To identify tenants' awareness of Right to
Rents to Mortgages | Buy schemes.
Public Knowledge and Perception |September 1994 |The MVA Consultancy |To ascertain current public knowledge
of Local Government | and awareness of local government,
| public perceptions of remoteness/accessibility
| and their identification with local
| government units as a base-line for
| monitoring change.
Rural Community Development Study |February 1994 |System Three Scotland |To provide a baseline picture of life in four
| representative rural areas in order to
| monitor change and the impact of rural
| policy initiatives.
Water and Sewerage |March-August 1994 |Market Research Scotland |To test the comprehensibility of the design
| and contents of the information leaflet; to
| evaluate recall of the contents and
| purpose of leaflet.
Sustainable Development |September 1994 |The MVA Consultancy |To investigate public awareness
| and understanding of the concept of
| sustainable development.
Home and Health Department
Car Crime |November 1992 |Research Resources |To determine amongst car users the steps
| taken to prevent car crime; their
| perception of car crime compared with
| other crimes; awareness of the "Hyena" campaign.
Scottish Crime Survey |December 1992-December 1993 |The MVA Consultancy |Provide alternative
| indicator of the level and justice system
| extent of household and personal
| victimisation in Scotland; provide
| information about public perceptions and
| experiences of crime and the criminal
| more generally.
Fire Prevention |February-March 1993- February 1994 |Research Resources |To measure awareness and understanding of
| the television commercial and assess the
| impact of the commercial in motivating
| householders to maintain their smoke alarms.
Information Needs of Victims |January-August 1994 |The MVA Consultancy |Collect information on current provision of
| information to victims; provide overview
| of experience and needs of victims with
| reference to information provided by
| criminal justice agencies and identify gaps
| between needs and actual provision;
| identify what information could
| specifically be provided by the fiscal
| service and in what form.
Domestic Violence Media Campaign |July-December 1994 |System Three Scotland |Assess the extent of public awareness and
| comprehension of Scottish Office
| domestic violence media campaign.
Survey of NHS staff in Scotland |July-August 1993 |System Three Scotland |To measure progress in meeting the goals
| set out in the Patient's Charter and
| Framework for Action for NHS staff.
Survey of users' experiences of |May-June 1994 |MORI Ltd. |To measure progress being made in
the NHS in Scotland | delivering the commitments made in the
| Patient's Charter about the standards of
| service people should expect from the
| NHS in Scotland.
Maternity Services |October 1992-October 1993 |Mrs. Yvonne Bostock |To explore women's view on topics
| (Independent Consultant) | concerned with the provision of maternity
| care in Scotland; to confirm that
| CRAG-SCOTMEG Consumer Group's
| interpretation of the existing research
| corresponded with women's views and
| expectations of the services; to provide a
| sound basis for the Group to form
| recommendations on women's
| expectations of services.
Industry Department
Evaluation of "Cars Kill" TV Campaign |June-November 1993 |System Three Scotland |To evaluate the "Cars Kill" TV campaign
| through testing children's awareness and
| attitudes to this campaign, and to other
| related national road safety campaigns
| and general road safety issues.
Hotel Signposting Evaluation |July-November 1993 |The MVA Consultancy |To investigate inter alia whether the
| provision of new accommodation signs
| improve ease of access for visitors and
| guests and to monitor whether these signs
| are associated with an increase in
| occupancy rates.
Scottish Drivers' Attitudes to |December 1993-June 1994 |Market Research Scotland Ltd
changes in the attitudes of
Speeding Survey | Scottish drivers towards speeding since
| November 1991 and to explore reasons
| for these changes.
Setting Forth: Economic |March-April 1994 |Oscar Faber TPA |To understand how transport affects
Development Study | transport-sensitive businesses and how
| changes in transport provision contribute
| to maintaining or enhancing economic
| growth in the Lothian and Fife regions;
| understand how transport is taken into
| account by inward investment companies
| in making investment and location decisions.
Setting Forth: Stated Preference Survey |June 1993 |Oscar Faber TPA |To provide the data necessary to model the
| impact of toll increases on driver
| behaviour across the Firth of Forth.
An Evaluation of Scotland's |June-November 1994 |Colin Buchanan and Partners |To evaluate the effectiveness of the National
National Tourist Routes | Tourist Routes (NTR's) in encouraging a
| wider spread of tourist traffic, and to
| measure the availability of STB and ATB
| promotional material relating to the NTRs.
Urban Partnership Household Surveys (Wester |March 1993-May 1994 |Social and Community Planning Research |Repeat of household surveys carried out in
Hailes, Whitfield, Ferguslie Park) | 1989-90 in order to evaluate the impact
| of the Urban Partnerships now that
| initiatives are 5 years old.
Urban Partnership Household |March-May 1994 |Public Attitude Surveys
Surveys (Castlemilk)
Education Department
Further and Higher Education |October-November 1992 |British Market Research Bureau |To identify issues of importance to current
Charter for Scotland | and potential students, their parents, and
| the general public to help shape the
| priorities of the Charter.
School Education |April-October 1993 |Social Community and Planning Research |To provide information on the public's
| attitudes towards, and expectations of,
| school education at senior stages for an
| international study under the auspices of
| the Organisation for Economic
| Co-operation and Development.
Agriculture and Fisheries Department
Crofting |January-April 1993 |Independent Norther Consultants |To obtain information on the aspirations of
| crofters for the future, and ways in which
| the Crofters Commission may help to
| meet these aspirations.
Central Services
The Scottish Office Central Enquiry Unit |July-December 1993 |Research Resources |To assess the impact of the press
| advertisement on awareness and on
| motivating the public to use the Enquiry
| Unit; determining the public's understanding
| of the role of The Scottish Office.
Residential Care Homes
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) residential homes and (b) residents of residential homes there are in each regional council in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1994]: Information on the numbers of local authority and registered private and voluntary residential homes and the number of residents in these homes in each regional or islands council in Scotland are contained in the table. The figures are as at 31 March 1992--the latest complete figures available.
Region |Number of |Number of residents
|residential homes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |41 |546
Central |40 |892
Dumfries and Galloway |42 |702
Fife |47 |983
Grampian |100 |2,078
Highland |68 |1,113
Lothian |187 |3,152
Strathclyde |312 |7,434
Tayside |133 |2,706
Orkney |7 |102
Shetland |5 |85
Western Isles |20 |217
|---- |----
Scotland |1,002 |20,010
Health Care International
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy on ensuring that any plans relating to Health Care International will not involve hospital closures or cuts in beds in Greater Glasgow health board or other neighbouring health boards.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 24 October 1994]: HCI's business plan is largely based on treating overseas patients and private patients from Britain.
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when plans were made for a medical school within Health Care International; and at what stage the plans were abandoned.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 24 October 1994]: Before the hospital was established, the management of HCI discussed proposals for academic links with Scottish universities, including Glasgow
Column 858
university. They also intended to work with the royal colleges. I am not aware however of there being any plans for an independent medical school within Health Care International.Bankruptcy
Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to amend Scottish housing regulations to make it an offence for an English property seller not to disclose bankruptcy to a Scottish buyer.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 24 October 1994]: No. A solicitor acting on behalf of a purchaser should undertake all the necessary searches to protect the client's interest, including, where appropriate, a search of the Land Charges Department with which all bankruptcy orders in England and Wales are registered.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid Programme
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been established to avoid future entanglement of overseas aid grants with military export agreements.
Mr. Baldry: British aid grants are not linked to military export agreements. All bilateral project proposals are subject to economic, financial, technical and environmental appraisal before they are approved, to ensure that they meet the needs and priorities of recipient countries.
UN Conference on Population and Development
Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the outcome of the United Nations conference on population and development which took place in Cairo in September.
Mr. Baldry: This conference was a success. I have placed a copy of the Government's report on the conference in the House Library, with a copy of the programme of action agreed in Cairo.
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