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Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether NATO encouraged the Bosnian Muslims to mount an offensive against the Serbs from Sarajevo.
Mr. David Davis: No. NATO acts in the former Yugoslavia under an impartial UN mandate in support of the UN's peacekeeping, humanitarian and sanctions operations.
Burundi
30. Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect the continuing instability in Rwanda will have on the situation in Burundi; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry: We agree that the continuing instability in Rwanda will make attempts to find a lasting solution to the problems in Burundi more difficult. The fragile, and relative calm that exists at the moment is threatened by the activities of armed Rwandan bands, retaliatory military measures and the presence of many Rwandan refugees in Burundi. The international community remains very concerned and focused in these events and the UN is fully engaged in Bujumbura.
Middle East
31. Mr. Norman Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments in the middle east.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We welcome continued progress in the middle east peace process, including the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Jordan, and the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians on elections and Israeli redeployment in the west bank. We look forward to progress on the Syrian track, leading to a comprehensive settlement.
Japan
32. Dr. Twinn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a
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statement on British relations, including trade relations, with Japan.Mr. Goodlad: United Kingdom relations with Japan are generally excellent. Our exports rose 19 per cent. last year to £2.65 billion, and have so far risen a further 14 per cent. this year. The "Action Japan Campaign" helps British business take advantage of the opportunities in 10 key sectors.
Hong Kong
33. Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current position of discussions with China about Hong Kong.
Mr. Goodlad: The 31st plenary session of the Sino-British joint liaison group began in London today. It should build on the useful achievements of the plenary sessions held in June and September, and offer more evidence of enhanced co-operation.
Intergovernmental Conference
34. Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Foreign Ministers of the other European Union countries about the preparations for the 1996 intergovernmental conference.
Mr. David Davis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have had and continue to have regular discussions with our counterparts in the European Union on preparations for the 1996 intergovernmental conference.
Malaysia
36. Mr. Canavan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Government of Malaysia; and what was the agenda.
Mr. Goodlad: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Malaysian Foreign Minister in April. There was no fixed agenda. They both attended the European Union--Association of South-East Asian Nations ministerial meeting in Karlsruhe in September, although there was no formal bilateral meeting on that occasion.
Entry Clearance Guidelines
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance he has issued to entry clearance officers at British posts overseas about the appropriate gross incomes of women sponsors working full time in west Yorkshire sufficient to maintain their spouses and dependent children without recourse to public funds.
Mr. Baldry: Entry clearance officers are not given guidance on the gross income necessary to meet the maintenance requirements of the immigration rules: each case is considered on its individual merits having regard to the total financial resources available and likely to become available to the parties. These vary considerably from case to case. Entry clearance officers are further guided by rulings from the adjudicators, the tribunal and the higher courts.
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Gibraltar
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's intentions for the future constitution and development of Gibraltar and its people's status within the European Union.
Mr. David Davis: Gibraltar is part of the European Union by virtue of the United Kingdom's membership. The British Government see no reason for this to change.
Indonesia
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received regarding human rights violations in East Timor and other part of Indonesia; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad: We have received many representations from non- governmental organisations and individual correspondents. We make our human rights concerns clear to the Indonesian Government, bilaterally and with our European Union partners.
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to make representations to the Government of Indonesia about their actions in East Timor and human rights in Papua.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: In our contacts with the Indonesian authorities, we and our European Union partners regularly raise our concerns about the situation in East Timor and, more generally, the human rights situation in Indonesia, including, whenever appropriate, the province of Irian Jaya.
Africa (Conflict Resolution)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he plans to take to follow up his initiative on preventative diplomacy and conflict resolutions in Africa, announced in his recent speech to the United Nations General Assembly; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hurd: We wish to gain African support for measures which will strengthen their own capacity for preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution. We have been working with African countries, the Organisation of African Unity, and with European partners to identify practical steps-- including the establishment of UN peacekeeping skills centres at African staff colleges, and the creation of UN logistics centres in Africa. We plan to report on progress to the UN early in 1995.
Partnership for Peace
Mr. John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in developing the NATO partnership for peace proposal; and what practical military co-operation has flowed from it so far.
Mr. Hurd: Partnership for peace is developing very well. Twenty- three countries, including Russia, have become partners. Many have already negotiated individual programmes of activities with NATO. Three PFP military exercises have taken place so far, with United Kingdom forces participating each time. The extensive range of practical co-operative activities scheduled for 1995 is
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concrete evidence of the lasting success of this important initiative.Rwanda
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current British financial contribution to the United Nation's operation in Rwanda excluding explicit humanitarian assistance; and what services it supports.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The United Kingdom's assessed contribution to the United Nations assistance mission for Rwanda is 6.373 per cent. of the budget total. We anticipate that in the current financial year, Britain's contribution will amount to £5.05 million. This contribution supports the full range of services associated with the mission outlined in UN document A/48/837, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.
Market Testing
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which programmes and projects of his Department are planned for market testing; and if he will make a statement in respect of progress in each element of the programme, together with the number of current jobs involved and their location.
Mr. Baldry: The FCO's "Competing for Quality" programme, which reviews the scope for abolition and contracting out as well as market testing, for 1994 95 is as follows:
Function |Number of staff -------------------------------------------------------------- Security Guards-Hanslope Park |47 Queen's Messengers |32 Administration of Calculation of Salaries/ Pensions 11, Overseas Security Officers 34
Reviews of all these activities are under way. All posts are located in London or Hanslope Park, except the overseas security officers who serve at a number of different overseas posts. In addition, a market test of reprographics, delayed from the 1993 94 programme is under-way involving 32 staff.
Homosexuals
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards those members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who have now admitted their homosexuality but who were originally recruited when homosexuality was a bar to recruitment to his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry: Each case is taken on its merits. No officers who have admitted their homosexuality subsequent to their recruitment have been required to leave the Department.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department operates a policy of non- discrimination against homosexuals in recruitment to all sections of his Department.
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Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what questions pertinent to the homosexuality of potential recruits to his Department are still being asked during recruitment interviews; and to what purpose.
Mr. Baldry: No questions about a candidate's sexual orientation are asked at selection interviews as such. After a candidate has been recommended for a position in the diplomatic service, however, questions about sexual orientation are asked during the security vetting procedures. The purpose of these questions is to minimise an officer's vulnerability to blackmail, and so that a homosexual officer can be given suitable advice before bidding for postings for certain overseas countries where homosexual practices are illegal or socially unacceptable.
Mr. Jonathan Moyle
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 30 November to the Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen), Official Report , columns 709 10 , if he will list the number and general nature of his communications or correspondence with the Chilean authorities since 9 November 1991; and whether documentation or other evidence relevant to the death of Mr. Jonathan Moyle in his Department's possession or in the possession of agencies responsible to his Department has been passed to the Scott inquiry.
Mr. Baldry: We have had numerous exchanges with the Chilean authorities since Mr. Jonathan Moyle's death. More recently the case was raised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State during his visit to Chile in January 1993. The hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, raised it with the Chilean Defence Minister designate in January this year. We await the Supreme court's response to a formal request sent to it through diplomatic channels for information required by the coroner for Exeter and East Devon, Mr. Van Oppen.
Documents relevant to the death of Mr. Moyle were passed to Lord Justice Scott. On 31 March 1993, Lord Justice Scott announced that he did not believe that an investigation into Mr. Moyle's death would further his inquiry.
Romania
Sir Michael Neubert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations, including trade relations, with Romania.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: Britain's relations with Romania are developing positively. We continue to support the consolidation of political and economic reform in Romania, including through the use of the know-how fund and the activities of the British Council. The frequency of high-level contacts has increased, and in November this year President Iliescu paid a successful visit to the United Kingdom. Britain's trade with Romania has increased significantly, now standing at over £225 million. The United Kingdom is the eight largest investor in Romania. My right hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad), Minister of State for Foreign and
Column 710
Commonwealth Affairs, recently led the largest trade mission yet mounted to Romania.EU Fraud
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to help combat fraud in the European Union, particularly in the spending of the common agricultural policy and structural and cohesion budgets.
Mr. David Davis: Steps are being taken in all areas of Community budget to eradicate fraud and irregularity.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister secured important commitments in this respect at the Essen European Council on 9 and 10 December. The Council called on the Community's institutions and member states to make full use of the new powers given to them in the Maastricht treaty, and urged them to ensure special reports submitted by the European Court of Auditors are pursued thoroughly. The Council will actively pursue agreement in the first half of 1995 to a proposal for intergovernmental co-operation against criminal aspects of fraud and will seek rapid progress toward concluding a regulation on the protection of the Community's financial interests. Each member state also undertook to report back on measures they take at a national level to counter fraud, waste and mismanagement. These reports will be submitted to the European Council in December 1995.
Embassy, Moscow
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total estimated cost of the new embassy in Moscow; when it is expected to be ready; what is the capital valuation of the present embassy; how many rooms the present embassy has; and what is its proposed use once the new embassy is in operation.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The total estimated construction cost of the new embassy in Moscow is £50 million at current prices and rates of exchange, providing offices for about 80 United Kingdom and 80 local staff plus 31 flats for United Kingdom staff. Subject to all the necessary planning approvals, it is expected to be ready in 1999. The present embassy is leased at a peppercorn rent from the Russian authorities, in reciprocity for the lease of part of the accommodation occupied by the Russian embassy in London, also at a peppercorn rent. We do not know the valuation put on our buildings in Moscow by the Russian authorities. The present embassy provides office accommodation for 170 staff.
The Russian authorities require us to remove our offices from the present site. They have agreed that the present embassy buildings may be retained for residential use. Some of the space will be used to make a limited extension to the Ambassador's flat. Most will be converted into staff accommodation, to save on the very high rents which are charged in Moscow by both public and private landlords.
Croatia
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the Serb population of Croatia before recent hostilities began; and how many Slovenians are in Slovenia.
Column 711
Mr. Douglas Hogg: According to the 1991 census, the population of Croatia was 4.76 million, of which about 12 per cent. were Serbs. Slovenia has approximately 1.8 million citizens, of whom about 90 per cent. are ethnically Slovenian.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Serbs left Croatia as a result of ethnic cleansing in 1992.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: Accurate figures for the number of people who left Croatia in 1992 are not available.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Germany recognised Croatia as a state; and for what reason.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: Germany recognised Croatia on 23 December 1991. It is not for us to comment on the reasons for policy decisions taken by other states.
Nato
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans NATO has for extending membership to countries on the Russian border; and if he will make a statement about its role following the extension of membership.
Mr. David Davis: The NATO summit in January confirmed that the alliance expected and would welcome expansion of its membership to include democratic states to its east, as part of an evolutionary process, and taking into account political and security developments in the whole of Europe. At their meeting in Brussels on 1 December, NATO Foreign Ministers endorsed this approach, and set in hand work on a study into the modalities and principles of enlargement. The initial results of this study will be made available to all partners, including Russia, by next December's North Atlantic Council in Brussels. NATO Foreign Ministers also agreed that it would be premature to discuss at this stage the time frame for enlargement on which countries would be invited to join the alliance.
NATO's role after expansion will continue to be to provide for the collective defence of its member states, to play a leading part in enhancing stability and security in Europe, and to undertake peacekeeping and other missions under the UN or the Conference on Security and Co- operation in Europe auspices.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual cost of NATO membership to the United Kingdom.
Mr. David Davis: For the financial year 1993 94, the total cost of NATO membership to the United Kingdom was £168,676,935. This comprised £69,129,000 for the military budget, £82,495,000 for the infrastructure budget and £17,052,935 for the civil budget.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the continued validity of NATO.
Mr. David Davis: NATO continues to play an essential role in reinforcing stability and security in Europe. Through the North Atlantic Co -operation Council, it is
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expanding co-operation in a wide range of issues with the countries of central and eastern Europe. This process has been augmented by the partnership for peace launched at the NATO summit last January, which is developing into an important feature of European security, linking NATO and its partners, and providing the basis for joint action with the alliance in dealing with common security problems.The alliance also continues to adapt its own structures to meet the challenges of the changed security environment, and to allow it to contribute effectively to its new missions, including peacekeeping.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Select Committees
Sir Terrace Higgins: To ask the Lord President of the Council, when he expects to place in the Library the revised memorandum of guidance for officials appearing before Select Committees.
Mr. Newton: Copies of the revised memorandum of guidance with a new, more accurate title of "Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees" are now being issued to Government Departments. I have today sent copies to the hon. Member and to Chairmen of Select Committees. I have also placed copies in the Library.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Block Grants
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the income that each university received under the block grant system and the amount received under the new dual support system.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: Details of universities' recurrent income for spending on teaching and research and in support thereof for the years up to and including 1992 93, excluding for the former polytechnics and colleges, are published in the Universities' Statistical Record's "University Statistics" series, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Research Councils
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will produce figures of research overheads paid to universities by the research councils since the dual support funding system was put in place.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: Payments made to universities by the research councils for research overheads since August 1992, when the councils became liable to meet these costs under new arrangements for the dual support system, are as follows:
Column 711
|SERC |AFRC |NERC |MRC |ESRC
Financial year |£ millions |£ millions |£ millions |£ millions |£ millions
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991-93 |16.98 |2.84 |1.42 |5.54 |4.17
1993-94 |46.75 |5.37 |5.47 |17.52 |6.56
Civil Service White Paper
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will list the persons and organisations which have replied to the White Paper, "The Civil Service-Continuity and Change"; and if he will place the replies in the Library.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: Those who sent responses on the White paper, "The Civil Service--Continuity and Change," and who have not requested that their comments remain confidential are listed. I am placing copies of their responses in the Library.
Those who sent comments in response to the White Paper, "The
Civil Service-Continuity and Change"
|Organisation
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anonymous |Civil Servant
G. A. Holley |Department for Education
G.E. Malone |Civil Servant
R. Sellars |Civil Servant
Anonymous |Civil Servant
D. Faulkner |St. John's College, Oxford
P. Walton |Government Office for the North West
F. Smith |Civil Servant
P. W. Moran |Moran Webb
R. D. Cramond |Ex-Civil Servant
A. R. Baker |Civil Servant
I. Miller |Civil Servant
Miss S. Mason |Department of Transport
B. Sawbridge |Her Majesty's Treasury
P. Wood |Department of Transport
Dr. D. R. Langslow |English Nature
D. R. Fisher |Ministry of Defence
R. A. Allan |Department of Transport
B. Wadsworth |Department of Transport
D. Simpson |Public Record Office
D. J. Goddard |Forestry Commission
R. Gray |The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
B. Clayden |Association of Metropolitan Authorities
C. W. Dyment |Law Commission
Ms R. Doveton |The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Professor C. Hood |The University of Manchester
H. M. G. Stevens |Ex-Civil Servant
J. N. Ellis |Council of Civil Service Unions
|The Association of First
Ms E. Symons |Division Civil Servants and
Ms J Thurston |Institution of Professionals,
|Managers and Specialists
R. Hardy |Executive Interim Management
G. A. Johnson |Lancashire County Council
Dr. P. Barberis |The Manchester Metropolitan University
J. N. Caton |Chertsey and Walton Constituency, Conservative Political Centre
J. Sheldon |The National Union of Civil and Public Servants
C. Darracott |Charter 88
J. Stevens |Institute of Personnel and Development
Professor N. Lewis |The University of Sheffield
A. G. Thornton |FDA, Welsh Office Branch
H. Ouseley |Commission for Racial Equality
I. B. Beesley |Price Waterhouse
J. M. Wynn |Price Waterhouse
B. Reamsbottom |The Civil and Public Services Association
M. W. Sayers |Law Commission
M. Devereau |Government Information Service
D. Casey |The Sports Council
SCOTLAND
Hip Replacements
Ms Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were on waiting lists for hip replacement surgery in each year from 1983 to 1993 in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Reliable information on waiting lists relating to specific operations was not available centrally until last year. The information requested for 31 March 1994 and 30 June 1994 is shown in the table:
Date |Number on waiting
|list
------------------------------------------------------
31 March 1994 |1,314
30 June 1994 |1,323
Note:
The information relates to patients on NHS waiting
list in Scotland.
Ms Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hip replacement operations have been carried out in each year from 1983 to 1993.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information requested is shown in the table:
Year ended |Total hip
|replacement
|operations
-----------------------------------------
31 December 1983 |2,755
31 December 1984 |2,877
31 December 1985 |3,118
31 December 1986 |3,236
31 December 1987 |3,485
31 December 1988 |3,798
31 December 1989 |3,567
31 December 1990 |3,718
31 December 1991 |3,747
31 December 1992 |3,850
31 March 1994<1> |3,916
<1> Provisional.
Note:
The information relates to operations
carried out by the NHS in Scotland.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his consideration of the application by Scottish Nuclear to construct a dry store for waste nuclear fuel at Torness power station; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang: Following a public inquiry, I accepted the Reporter's recommendation that my decision on the application should be deferred until an appraisal of the
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implications of a multistore strategy compared with the potential benefits of a single store strategy had been carried out. This appraisal is being carried out in the context of the radioactive waste management review announced by the Secretary of State for the Environment on 19 May.Electricity Charges
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was (a) the price charged in pence per kilowatt hour to standard tariff domestic consumers, (b) the percentage change from the previous year's average household electricity bills and (c) the average annual household electricity bill in respect of each electricity company for each year since 1990.
Mr. Stewart: On the assumption that an average household consumes 3,300 KWh of electricity each year, the information requested is as follows:
(a) Price of electricity to domestic consumers (p/KWh)<1> <2> Company |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------- ScottishPower |7.17 |7.81 |8.09 |8.30 Scottish Hydro-Electric |7.18 |7.82 |8.27 |8.37
(b) Percentage change from the previous year's average<2> annual household electricity bills in current price terms Company |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------- ScottishPower |+8.5 |+8.9 |+3.7 |+2.6 Scottish Hydro-Electric |+8.8 |+8.9 |+5.8 |+1.2 Percentage change from the previous year's average annual household electricity bills in real (1990) price terms<3>.
Company |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------- ScottishPower |+2.16 |+2.11 |-0.83 |-0.83 Scottish Hydro-Electric |+2.16 |+2.11 |+1.65 |-2.44
(c) Average annual household's electricity bill in current price terms (£ per year) Company |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------- ScottishPower |237 |258 |267 |274 Scottish Hydro-Electric |237 |258 |273 |276 Average annual household's electricity bill in real (1990) price terms.
(£ per year)<3> Company |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------- ScottishPower |237 |242 |240 |238 Scottish Hydro-Electric |237 |242 |246 |240 Notes: <1> These are current prices based on standard domestic tariffs; standing charges have been taken into account. <2> No account has been taken of any rebates paid by electricity companies in recent years nor of discounts for direct debit payments. <3> Real prices are the cash figures adjusted to 1990 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP (market prices) deflator.
A1
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to award the contract for
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dualling the A1 road between Meadowmill and Amisfield; what are the expected dates for the start of work and completion; and if he will make a further statement on his plans for dualling the A1 from Amisfield to Dunbar and for further improvements between Dunbar and the English border.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Tenders for the dualling of the A1 from the Bankton roundabout to east of Haddington are currently due to be submitted on 23 December. Subject to the receipt of a satisfactory tender, a contract will be awarded early next year to allow a work start in the early spring. The construction of the new road is expected to take up to two years. Draft proposals for the extension of the dualling to Dunbar have now been published. A number of comments and objections have been received and are currently being considered. South of Dunbar, improvement schemes shall be brought forward for construction as resources and other priorities allow. The statutory procedures for three schemes are now very near completion and they will be well placed for consideration next year.
Rough Sleepers
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to ensure that no one has to sleep rough in Scotland; and whether he plans to make resources available in Scotland which are comparable to those set aside by the Department of the Environment for the rough sleepers initiative in central London.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Local authorities, which have the primary statutory responsibility for dealing with homelessness, should give top priority to helping roofless people. In 1991 94 we have made available around £29 million extra capital allocations earmarked for homelessness projects, many of which will help people, particularly young homeless people, who would otherwise have been roofless. We are also providing grants amounting to over £300,000 in 1994 95 for voluntary bodies who support homeless and roofless people.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Kynoch: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the 1995 96 grant-aided expenditure figures each Scottish local authority.
Mr. Lang: The grant-aid expenditure figure in respect of each local authority for 1995 96 is set out in the table. Each authority's allocation of the GAE total has been determined having regard to the client group methodology which is agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in the distribution committee of the working party on local government finance. The table excludes figures for urban programme GAE which is not allocated to individual authorities. The addition of this amount--£63.4 million--brings the GAE total to the previously announced sum of £5,318.2 million.
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|GAE 1995-96
Regions and Islands |£000s
----------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |97,770
Central |232,150
Dumfries and Galloway |138,129
Fife |296,358
Grampian |430,557
Highland |211,295
Lothian |611,991
Strathclyde |2,076,639
Tayside |348,940
Orkney |29,203
Shetland |30,256
Western Isles |44,574
|--------
Total |4,547,862
Districts
Berwick |2,228
Ettrick and Lauderdale |3,980
Roxburgh |4,206
Tweeddale |1,809
Clackmannan |7,032
Falkirk |18,516
Stirling |12,194
Annandale and Eskdale |4,075
Nithsdale |6,671
Stewarty |2,875
Wigtown |3,571
Dunfermline |17,284
Kirkcaldy |21,343
North East Fife |10,329
Aberdeen |28,532
Banff and Buchan |11,981
Gordon |10,771
Kincardine and Deeside |7,314
Moray |11,788
Badenoch and Strathspey |1,625
Caithness |3,109
Inverness |7,675
Lochaber |2,542
Nairn |1,298
Ross and Cromarty |6,501
Skye and Lochalsh |1,716
Sutherland |1,944
East Lothian |11,802
Edinburgh |59,137
Midlothian |10,576
West Lothian |20,481
Argyll and Bute |10,297
Bearsden and Milngavie |5,248
Clydebank |5,170
Clydesdale |8,211
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |8,134
Cumnock and Doon Valley |5,771
Cunninghame |18,583
Dumbarton |10,019
East Kilbride |12,339
Eastwood |7,436
Glasgow |120,932
Hamilton |14,794
Inverclyde |11,408
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |10,558
Kyle and Carrick |15,626
Monklands |13,990
Motherwell |19,167
Renfrew |27,736
Strathkelvin |11,001
Angus |13,003
Dundee |24,287
Perth and Kinross |18,293
|--------
Total |706,908
|--------
All Scotland total |5,254,770
New Town Development Corporations
Mr. Norman Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to new town development corporations on the treatment of staff in the wind-up of the Scottish new towns and the transfer or engagement of such staff by the new authorities to be set up under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 28 November 1994]: Since the White Paper, "The Scottish New Towns--The Way Ahead", CM 711, was published in July 1989, the Government have been consistent in their view that every effort should be made to retain the expertise of new town staff for the wider benefit of Scotland. In accordance with the guidance on winding-up the development corporations are pursuing staffing in discussion with organisations taking over their functions. With effect from 1 April 1995, some staff may transfer to East Kilbride and Kirkcaldy district councils; other may transfer before dissolution of the Corporations. The other new towns are consulting existing local authorities about staff transferring with the functions they currently perform. Guidance on the staffing of the new local authorities is currently being considered by the local government staff commission (Scotland).
Clyde Tunnellers
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department will carry out an inquiry into the failure to monitor regularly the health of tunnellers who worked on the Clyde tunnel between 1959 and 1964.
Mr. Oppenheim: I have been asked to reply.
The records available show that medical surveillance was carried out in accordance with the then new Work in Compressed Air Special Regulations 1958, and the doctors performing the work were experienced in medical surveillance of the workers involved in the operations.
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