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Cable Companies

Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cable companies provide a free feed to educational institutions.

Mr. Ian Taylor: I have had several discussions with the cable companies about connections to institutions in communities within their franchise areas. I therefore welcome the Cable Communications Association announcement last week that the United Kingdom cable industry has agreed to offer a free standard connection to every school passed by cable networks. This policy will be co-ordinated by the association, which has said that it will also liaise with cable companies, programme providers and educational authorities with regard to programme content. So far, 350 schools have been connected to cable networks.

I referred to these initiatives when I gave evidence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee on 25 January 1995.

Information Super-highway

Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade who has ministerial responsibility for ensuring that the social benefits of the information super-highway in education and training, medicine, the public services and Government are maximised.

Mr. Ian Taylor: I am responsible for co-ordinating the DTI's interests in broadband communications and multimedia for the information society. I aim to encourage the public and private sectors to exploit the technology available and to take full advantage of the opportunities emerging. In doing so, I work closely with colleagues from Departments responsible for the sectors concerned, and with industry through the multi media advisory committee.

I discussed these matters in evidence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee on 25 January 1995.

Information Technology

Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the approach to popularising communications and information technology adopted by Manchester city council with accessible electronic village halls for the local community; and how his Department intends to spread best practice in this area.

Mr. Jonathan Evans: My Department supports initiatives to enable local communities to gain access to up-to-date information and telecommunications technology. It is exactly this sort of development which


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the Government are encouraging more widely through initiatives of broadband communications, multimedia and the Internet. Indeed, the creation of electronic village halls in Manchester was an initiative pioneered in partnership with the council by the former Government-funded Manchester/Salford city action team, which provided £157,500 towards the scheme. Projects of a similar nature could be considered for funding via the appropriate Government office through the single regeneration budget.

Information Society

Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what benefits he expects for the United Kingdom from the European information society initiative in the social and economic spheres.

Mr. Ian Taylor: The Government agree with the European Commission in its White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment that the enormous potential for new services relating to production, consumption, culture and leisure activities will create large numbers of new jobs and new patterns of working. As a result of our successful policy of telecommunications liberalisation, the UK is very well placed to gain the maximum benefit from this process in both social and economic spheres.

We are taking forward proposals arising out of the Bangemann report on the information society.

N. M. Rothschild and Son Ltd.

Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade pursuant to his answer of 13 February, Official Report, column 484, how many hours to date N. M. Rothschild and Son Ltd. has worked on the contract on the future of the coal industry; and if he will make a statement on the advice received by the then Secretary of State for Energy from officials.

Mr. Eggar: N. M. Rothschild has, to date, worked approximately 37, 000 hours since the contract was awarded in May 1991. The content of advice from officials to Ministers is confidential.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of the fixed rate export finance scheme of the Export Credits Guarantee Department from 1989 90 to the present.

Mr. Ian Taylor: The cost of ECGD's fixed-rate export finance scheme depends on the prevailing levels of short term interest rates. From 1989 90 the costs have been:


Year                 |£ millions                               

                     |(Rounded)                                

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

1989-90              |349                                      

1990-91              |413                                      

1991-92              |237                                      

1992-93              |111                                      

1993-94              |minus 53                                 

1994-95              |minus 11 (Estimated)                     

Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what staff have been seconded to the Export Credits Guarantee Department, however briefly, since 1992; in


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what capacities they served ECGD; and from which enterprises or companies they came.

Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 20 February 1995]: Since the beginning of 1992, there have been the following two secondments into ECGD:

A Divisional Director from British Aerospace for 15 working days in 1993, under the auspices of the Whitehall Industry Group. An Economist from Barclays Bank plc, for just over three years, working as part of a team responsible for the provision of economic advice and forecasts for country risk assessments.

Mine Closures

Mr. Devlin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the dates and reasons for closure of coal mines in the Northumblerand and Durham coal fields since 1963.

Mr. Page: I am advised by British Coal that the collieries listed in the table have closed in those areas since 1963, in each case through exhaustion of economically viable or technically exploitable reserves.


Colliery closures in Northumberland and Durham since 1963                    

Year                |Area              |Colliery                             

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

1963-64 (15 months) |Northumberland    |Loughbridge                          

                                       |Seaton Burn                          

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Addison                              

                                       |Crookhall                            

                                       |Fenhall Heworth                      

                                       |High Marley Hill                     

                                       |South Pelaw                          

                                       |Stargate                             

                    |South Durham      |Haggs Lane                           

                                       |Lanchester Townley                   

                                       |Roddymoor                            

                                                                             

1964-65             |North Durham      |Derwent                              

                                       |East Tanfield                        

                                       |Lambton `D'                          

                                       |Pelton                               

                                       |Phoenix Drift                        

                                       |Stanley Burn                         

                                       |Watergate                            

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Hole in the Wall                     

                                       |Tudhoe Mill                          

                                                                             

1965-66             |Northumberland    |Algernon                             

                                       |Bedlington `F'                       

                                       |Choppington `B'                      

                                       |Isabella                             

                                       |Stobswood                            

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Beamish Mary                         

                                       |Bradley Drift                        

                                       |Clara Vale                           

                                       |Harraton                             

                                       |Lumley Sixth                         

                                       |Witton                               

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Dean and Chapter                     

                                       |New Shildon                          

                                       |North Tees                           

                                       |Sherburn Hill                        

                                       |West Thornley                        

                                                                             

1966-67             |Northumberland    |Choppington `A'                      

                                       |East Walbottle                       

                                       |Hauxley                              

                                       |Weetslade                            

                    |North Durham      |Barcus Close                         

                                       |Chopwell                             

                                       |Greenside                            

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Deaf Hill                            

                                       |Middridge                            

                                       |Ryhope                               

                                       |Thrislington                         

                                       |Waterhouses                          

                                                                             

1967-68             |Northumberland    |Bedlington `D'                       

                                       |Newbiggin                            

                                       |North Walbottle                      

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Byermoor                             

                                       |Chester South Moor                   

                                       |Hamsterley                           

                                       |Handen Hold                          

                                       |Ravensworth Park                     

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Brancepeth                           

                                       |Brandon Pit House                    

                                       |Bowburn                              

                                       |Kimblesworth                         

                                       |Staindrop Field                      

                                       |House                                

                                       |Trimdon Grange                       

                                       |West Auckland                        

                                                                             

1968-69             |Northumberland    |Cambois                              

                                       |Linton                               

                                       |Longhirst                            

                                       |Pegswood                             

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Burnopfield                          

                                       |Emma                                 

                                       |Washington `F'                       

                                       |Whitburn                             

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Brusselton                           

                                       |Esh                                  

                                       |Mainsforth                           

                                       |Stanley Cottage                      

                                       |Wheatley Hill                        

                                                                             

1969-70             |Northumberland    |Rising Sun                           

                                       |Mill                                 

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Craghead                             

                                       |Harton                               

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Tudhoe Park                          

                                       |Thornley                             

                                                                             

1970-71             |Nil               |-                                    

                                                                             

1971-72             |Northumberland    |Bedlington `A'                       

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Silksworth                           

                                                                             

1972-73             |North Durham      |Washington Glebe                     

                                       |Medomsley                            

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Shotton                              

                                                                             

1973-74             |Northumberland    |Bardon Mill                          

                                       |Fenwick                              

                                       |Netherton                            

                                                                             

                    |North Durham      |Morrison Busty                       

                                                                             

                    |South Durham      |Fishburn                             

                                                                             

1974-75             |North East        |Kibblesworth                         

                                       |Nettlesworth                         

                                       |Usworth                              

                                       |Whitworth Park                       

                                                                             

1975-76             |North East        |Burradon                             

                                       |Langley Park                         

                                                                             

1976-77             |North East        |Havannah                             

                                                                             

1977-78             |North East        |Dudley                               

                                                                             

1978-79             |North East        |Metal Bridge                         

                                       |Rainton Adventure                    

                                                                             

1979-80             |North East        |Hylton                               

                                                                             

1980-81             |North East        |Eccles                               

                                       |Eden                                 

                                       |Woodhorn                             

                                                                             

1981-82             |North East        |Blackhall                            

                                       |Houghton                             

                                                                             

1982-83             |North East        |Boldon                               

                                       |Marley Hill                          

                                                                             

1983-84             |North East        |East Hetton                          

                                                                             

1984-85             |North East        |Bearpark                             

                                                                             

1985-86             |North East        |Brenkley                             

                                       |Sacriston                            

                                       |Herrington                           

                                       |Bates                                

                                       |Horden                               

                                                                             

1986-87             |North East        |Whittle                              

                                                                             

1987-88             |North East        |Ashington                            

                                                                             

1988-89             |Nil               |-                                    

                                                                             

1989-90             |Nil               |-                                    

                                                                             

1990-91             |Nil               |-                                    

                                                                             

1991-92             |North East        |Dawdon                               

                                       |Murton                               

                                                                             

1992-93             |Nil               |-                                    

                                                                             

1993-94             |North East        |Vane Tempest                         

                                       |Westoe                               

                                       |Easington                            

                                       |Wearmouth                            

                                       |Ellington                            

Nuclear Review

Miss Lestor: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish his Department's review of the future prospects for nuclear power.

Mr. Eggar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 19 October 1994, Official Report, column 239 .


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Business Link Wirral

Ms. Eagle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the projected losses by Wirral Business Link in its first year of operation.

Mr. Ian Taylor [holding answer 16 February 1995]: No. Business Link Wirral is a private sector company, and the financial management of the company is a commercial matter for the board.

Pacific Crane

Mr. Dafis: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the radioactive waste from the Pacific Crane and the reprocessing of its cargo at THORP will be (a) returned to Japan and (b) retained in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Eggar [holding answer 16 February 1995]: The Pacific Crane is one of the five ships used to transport spent fuel from Japan to be reprocessed in Europe. Since 1976, BNFL's contracts for the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that reprocessing contracts with overseas customers shall continue to contain such options, that the options should be exercised and that wastes should be returned.

Objective 1 Programme

Mr. Alton: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the impact of DTI co- financed schemes in 1994 in Merseyside; when this will be available to the objective 1 partnership; and what improvements Her Majesty's Government are planning to introduce in the current year.

Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 20 February 1995]: No separate assessment of the impact of DTI co-financed schemes has been undertaken at this early stage of the objective 1 programme, although a progress report will be submitted to the monitoring committee in due course. There are no current plans for an enhancement of the additional support available through co-financing. DTI schemes are subject to on-going evaluation to ensure value for money.

Regional Electricity Companies

Mr. Cummings: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what matters of public interest he will take into account in the event of a foreign conglomerate proposing to take over one of the regional electricity companies.

Mr. Jonathan Evans: In the event of such a takeover qualifying for investigation under the Fair Trading Act 1973, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade would be advised on the matter by the Director General of Fair Trading. In giving his advice, the DGFT would take account of all relevant factors, as would the President in making his decision.

Mr. Cummings : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to meet the Director General of Offer to discuss proposals for the regulation of foreign-owned regional electricity companies.

Mr. Charles Wardle: I and my colleagues discuss a wide range of issues with the Director General of the Office of Electricity Regulation from time to time.


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SOCIAL SECURITY

Retirement Pension

Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the value of the basic state pension as a proportion of gross average earnings in the United Kingdom for each year since 1978.

Mr. Arbuthnot: The information is in the table.


Standard weekly rate of Category A Retirement Pension expressed                      

as a percentage of all adults average earnings                                       

                                  |Weekly rate     |Percentage of                    

                 |Date            |£               |average earnings                 

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

November         |1978            |19.50           |23.2                             

November         |1979            |23.30           |23.2                             

November         |1980            |27.15           |22.6                             

November         |1981            |29.60           |22.4                             

November         |1982            |32.85           |23.1                             

November         |1983            |34.05           |21.7                             

November         |1984            |35.08           |21.4                             

November         |1985            |38.30           |21.4                             

July             |1986            |38.70           |20.5                             

April            |1987            |39.50           |19.9                             

April            |1988            |41.15           |18.8                             

April            |1989            |43.60           |18.2                             

April            |1990            |46.90           |17.8                             

April            |1991            |52.00           |18.3                             

April            |1992            |54.15           |17.8                             

April            |1993            |56.10           |17.7                             

April            |1994            |57.60           |17.7                             

Notes:                                                                               

The date shown is that from which the applicable rate became payable.                

Average earnings are based on the Employment Department's new earnings survey        

estimates of all adults earnings as at the relevant dates.                           

Figures for 1978 to 1993 are taken from the "Abstract of Statistics" published by    

the Department of Social Security, analytical services division.                     

Social Fund

Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what grounds unsuccessful applications to the social fund for a payment for rent in advance are refused.

Mr. Roger Evans: The social fund can help with requests for rent in advance in the form of budgeting and crisis loans. The social fund officer, when using his discretion in reaching a decision, has to take account of all the circumstances surrounding each application, as well as the guidance provided by Secretary of State on priorities. There will inevitably be some variations between decisions in a flexible, discretionary scheme.

Public Bodies

Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which will (a) follow the pay arrangements of the sponsoring Department and (b) pursue an independent and separate route under the delegated pay option (i) from April 1995 and (ii) from April 1996.


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Mr. Hague: None of those bodies listed in "Public Bodies 1994" will pursue separate pay arrangements from April 1995 or April 1996.

Single payments

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the total expenditure on single payments for (a) the Greenock and Port Glasgow district offices and (b) the Lothian central district office for (i) 1985 86, (ii) 1986 87 and (iii) 1987 88.

(2) what was the total expenditure on single payments for (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland in (i) 1985 86, (ii) 1986 87 and (iii) 1987 88.

Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available.

National Insurance

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of those gaining national insurance credits in the 1992 93 year were previously in employment or approved self-employment; and what would be the cost to public funds to contribute the sums which employers would have paid in national insurance contributions; assuming earnings at (a) two thirds average earnings and (b) average earnings.

Mr. Arbuthnot: In 1992 93, some 7.2 million employed earners and 0.6 million self-employed earners were awarded an average of 35 credits. If the employed earners were receiving earnings of two thirds average earnings for each of the 35 weeks they were awarded a credit, their employers would have paid £871.15 in contributions at current rates; on average earnings employers would have paid £1, 306.55 .

Notes :

Calculations based on weekly male average earnings of £366 (New Earnings Survey April 1994).

Calculations assume that contributions were paid at the not contracted out rate of 10.2 per cent.

Cold Weather Payments

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many days in the last five years cold weather payments have been paid to people in Inverclyde; and which weather station covers this area.

Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of the cold weather payments scheme is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Michael Bichard to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 20 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about Cold Weather Payments. The Inverclyde region broadly corresponds to the geographical area covered by the Benefits Agency District of Clyde Coast and Cowal. Postcodes in that area are linked to the weather station at Glasgow Airport.

Cold weather periods are forecast or recorded on a weekly basis and, if appropriate, a payment is made for the same period. Including this year to date, Cold Weather Payments have been made to people living in the area covered by the Benefits Agency's Clyde Coast and Cowal District on six occasions over the last five years.


Column 116

I have provided a table showing the number of weeks for which Cold Weather Payments were made in each year for the area in question.


                |Number of weeks                

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

1990-91         |3                              

1991-92         |0                              

1992-93         |0                              

1993-94         |3                              

1994-95         |0                              

I hope you find my reply helpful.

SCOTLAND

River Clyde (Dredging)

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are made for the waste dredged from the bed of the Clyde by Clydeport to be inspected by public agency to see if it bears any toxic substances.

Sir Hector Monro: The disposal of dredge spoil at sea is licensed by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. It is a condition of licensing that samples are provided to the Department's marine laboratory at Aberdeen. These are analysed for a range of substances to enable the Department to check that the spoil being disposed of conforms to agreed international standards with respect to the levels of contamination.

Water (Discharges)

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what differences exist in the right of the public to know about substances discharged into a river, estuarial or coastal waters by pipe and by boat.

Sir Hector Monro: Under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, discharges from pipes to rivers, estuaries and coastal waters require the consent of the relevant river purification authority. The Act also requires the river purification authorities to maintain public registers containing particulars of all consents, the conditions set and monitoring results. In the case of the deposit of substances or articles from ships, similar registers are maintained by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department which grants licences under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 relating to deposits in the sea.

Other discharges from boats and ships are controlled by local byelaws, by the Prevention of Pollution Act 1986 or the international convention on the prevention of pollution--MARPOL--but none have associated public registers. However, certain permitted discharge levels are available for public scrutiny.

Local Government Finance

Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the effect on local


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authority investment of the ending of the provisions whereby notional capital receipts can be generated from 21-year leases of capital assets.

Mr. Lang: Outturn information for the latest available year, 1993 94, shows authorities raised £34.8 million of notional capital receipts. This represented 3.5 per cent. of their total expenditure in that year on non-housing programmes. Local authorities' financial plans for 1995 96 indicate that authorities expected to raise £27.9 million of notional capital receipts in 1995 96, representing just over 2 per cent. of their total planned expenditure of around £1,200 million on their non- housing programmes.

National Heritage Designations

Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the system of area designations and to include the national parks model in the review; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro: A review of natural heritage designations, including consideration of national parks, is part of the work programme of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Fur Farms

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many arctic fox fur farms there have been, by region, in each of the last five years.

Sir Hector Monro: There has only been one Arctic fox farm operating in Scotland during the past five years. This was in Strathclyde region. It was depopulated in 1992 and has not been restocked.

Learning Difficulties

Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average annual cost of caring for a person with learning difficulties in (a) the community and (b) hospital.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The average annual cost of caring for a person with learning difficulties in a national health service hospital in 1993 94 was £34,675. The cost of providing services for people with learning difficulties in the community varies greatly depending on their level of learning difficulty and need for support. Figures are not available centrally which would allow a meaningful average figure to be prepared.

European Funds

Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schemes approved for European funding in Scotland by (a) name, (b) region and (c) level of funding for the first year of the (i) Urban, (ii) Pesca, (iii) Leader II, (iv) SME, (v) Konver, (vi) Resider II, (vii) RECHAR II and (viii) ADAPT European funds for industrial change.

Mr. Kynoch: No schemes have yet been approved under these Community initiatives. Operational


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programmes were submitted to the European Commission in early November and we await the Commission's response. Programmes must be approved by the Commission before projects can be considered.

Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 February, Official Report, columns 358 59, when he expects to be able to give the total responses received and from his analysis list those organisations which supported (a) map 1 in his consultative document, (b) map 2 in his consultative document and (c) the whole of the present Strathclyde region.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: We will announce the outcome of the consultation exercise on the boundary and constitution of the proposed Starthclyde passenger transport authority after detailed and thorough consideration of the responses received.

Student Allowances

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the administrative cost of operating the mature students' allowance in Scotland for each of the last five years for which information is available.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The mature students' allowance is administered as an integral part of the students' allowances scheme and it is not possible to identify the administrative costs separately.

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students received the mature students' allowance in each of the last five years for which figures are available at universities in Scotland; and what percentage of all mature students in each year these figures represent.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information is not available in the form requested.

The table shows the number of Scottish domiciled award holders under the students' allowances scheme who were in receipt of a mature students' allowance in each of the academic years 1989 90 to 1993 94, the latest year for which complete figures are available. The figures distinguish between award holders attending higher education institutions, including universities, in Scotland; other institutions in Scotland; and institutions outwith Scotland. The number of award holders in receipt of the mature students' allowance is expressed as a percentage of the total number of mature award holders in that academic year.

The responsibility for the provision of student support for students domiciled in England and Wales and Northern Ireland who may be attending institutions in Scotland rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.


Table 1-Number of Scottish domiciled award holders in receipt of the mature students' allowance by category of institution                         

                     |Higher education                                                                   |Percentage of                            

                     |institutions,       |Other institutions, |Institutions outwith                     |mature award                             

                     |Scotland            |Scotland            |Scotland            |Total               |holders                                  

                                                                                                                                                   

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

1989-90              |1,895               |355                 |150                 |2,400               |40                                       

1990-91              |2,331               |440                 |158                 |2,929               |42                                       

1991-92              |2,878               |1,099               |191                 |4,168               |43                                       

1992-93              |3,644               |1,716               |211                 |5,571               |47                                       

1993-94              |4,440               |2,540               |292                 |7,272               |49                                       

Notes:                                                                                                                                             

1. The mature students' allowance is means tested and not all holders will necessarily have received the full amount.                              

2. For this purpose "mature award holder" is one who was aged 26 or over on entry to full-time higher education.                                   

Further Education Colleges

Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding was allocated to each further education college in Scotland in (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96.


Column 120

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The funding allocated to further education colleges in Scotland and Islands councils in respect of the provision of further education in Orkney and Shetland in 1994 95 and 1995 96 is as follows:


                                                    1994-95               1995-96                         

                                                   |Recurrent |Capital   |Recurrent |Capital              

                                                   |£         |£         |£         |£                    

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

Aberdeen College                                   |12,622,000|386,766   |13,348,100|199,750              

Angus College                                      |2,779,200 |151,512   |3,176,700 |140,883              

Anniesland College                                 |3,659,100 |836,310   |3,938,900 |161,093              

Ayr College                                        |4,389,700 |157,738   |4,591,600 |290,425              

Banff and Buchan College of Further Education      |2,921,500 |39,147    |3,379,900 |0                    

The Barony College                                 |1,018,100 |35,582    |1,252,600 |317,250              

Bell College of Technology                         |5,287,900 |146,840   |5,304,500 |565,727              

The Borders College                                |3,746,000 |121,461   |3,899,400 |146,053              

Cambusland College                                 |3,982,300 |46,607    |4,112,700 |55,930               

Cardonald College                                  |5,782,700 |444,129   |6,124,000 |917,675              

Central College of Commerce                        |3,905,595 |384,940   |4,392,200 |356,378              

Clackmannan College                                |2,304,900 |182,080   |2,399,500 |100,815              

Clydebank College                                  |6,595,700 |415,356   |6,801,600 |474,818              

Coatbridge College                                 |3,697,000 |684,230   |3,768,500 |24,881               

Cumbernauld College                                |2,468,800 |34,304    |2,683,600 |173,066              

Dumfries and Galloway College                      |4,933,400 |230,272   |4,916,000 |418,952              

Dundee College                                     |10,711,800|628,813   |10,501,600|285,643              

Elmwood College                                    |3,000,900 |134,551   |3,106,800 |63,333               

Falkirk College                                    |8,063,700 |161,293   |7,885,400 |458,838              

Fife College of Further and Higher Education       |6,918,700 |140,361   |7,464,700 |193,875              

Glasgow College of Building And Printing           |5,351,500 |907,688   |5,495,000 |477,191              

Glasgow College of Food Technology                 |3,324,500 |242,966   |3,374,300 |323,125              

Glasgow College of Nautical Studies                |3,862,300 |284,994   |3,821,200 |208,927              

Glenrothes College                                 |4,643,800 |105,249   |5,018,200 |51,935               

Inverness College                                  |6,467,900 |396,102   |6,287,000 |291,400              

James Watt College of Further and Higher Education |6,034,100 |158,032   |7,372,900 |470,588              

Jewel and Esk Valley College                       |7,689,000 |356,766   |7,336,300 |246,868              

John Wheatley College                              |2,836,600 |449,017   |3,241,000 |426,525              

Kilmarnock College                                 |4,311,100 |516,955   |4,859,600 |576,455              

Langside College                                   |5,121,300 |813,210   |5,705,300 |1,136,813            

Lauder College                                     |4,844,700 |378,590   |5,126,100 |203,275              

Lews Castle College                                |1,964,100 |183,452   |2,063,500 |417,889              

Moray College                                      |4,561,000 |105,869   |4,826,700 |252,038              

Motherwell College                                 |6,484,700 |215,329   |6,944,100 |379,103              

North Glasgow College                              |5,881,900 |1,174,397 |5,695,900 |765,806              

Oatridge Agricultural College                      |1,803,600 |484,353   |1,888,900 |369,126              

Perth College                                      |5,431,200 |45,008    |5,573,600 |239,113              

Reid Kerr College                                  |7,205,700 |717,745   |7,685,100 |737,313              

Stevenson College                                  |10,054,900|394,472   |9,827,900 |378,938              

Stow College                                       |3,694,500 |603,760   |4,182,800 |338,635              

Telford College                                    |12,491,900|938,441   |12,543,600|646,250              

Thurso College                                     |2,444,500 |67,364    |2,660,300 |474,348              

West Lothian College                               |5,047,300 |285,539   |4,825,500 |396,927              

                                                                                                          

Orkney Islands Council                             |410,600   |0         |444,800   |0                    

Shetland Islands Council                           |1,154,600 |0         |1,203,800 |0                    

Access Funds

Mr. Gallie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the level of access funds provision in Scotland for Session 1995 96.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: A total of £4.33 million will be available for the access funds at higher and further education institutions in Scotland in academic year 1995 96. This compares with a total of £4.14 million in 1994 95, and the provision for 1995 96 thus represents an increase of about 4.6 per cent. over the current session.

The sum has been allocated between the three funds as shown:


                       |£ million          

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

Higher Education fund  |2.61               

Postgraduate fund      |0.83               

Further education fund |0.89               

The detailed 1995 96 allocations will be notified to the individual academic institutions in late summer.

Pollok Estate

Mr. Dunnachie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much it cost to provide police officers in Pollok estate on 14 February to supervise tree felling in preparation for the building of the M77; how many police officers were involved; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 20 February 1995]: No separate record is kept by Strathclyde police of the costs incurred in providing police officers to mount this operation. Some 267 officers were deployed in and around the Pollok estate during the course of that day, leading to a total overtime payment estimated by the force to be approximately £5,000.

Public Bodies

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the outturn figures for 1993 94 and the expected outturn figures for 1994 95 for the management running costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 7 February 1995]: The information for executive non-departmental public bodies receiving Government funding is shown in the table. There are differences between bodies in the precise definition of "management running costs".


£000                                                                                      

                                          |1993-94        |1994-95                        

                                                          |Estimated                      

Executive NDPBs                           |Outturn        |outturn                        

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

Royal Commission on the Ancient and                                                       

  Historical Monuments for Scotland       |2,855          |2,947                          

Scottish Natural Heritage                 |16,934         |19,561                         

Scottish Film Council                     |300            |300                            

Scottish Further Education Unit           |611            |623                            

Scottish Council for Educational                                                          

  Technology                              |1,488          |1,442                          

Scottish Community Education Council      |595            |600                            

National Museums of Scotland              |8,962          |8,912                          

National Galleries of Scotland            |5,293          |5,255                          

Scottish Sports Council                   |3,034          |3,004                          

National Library of Scotland<1>           |7,518          |7,754                          

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council |3,600          |3,350                          

Scottish Arts Council<2>                  |0              |1,934                          

Scottish Enterprise<3>                    |55,501         |49,950                         

                                                                                          

New Town Development Corporations<4>                                                      

Cumbernauld Development Corporation       |4,536          |4,445                          

East Kilbride Development Corporation     |6,942          |5,014                          

Glenrothes Development Corporation        |6,001          |5,568                          

Irvine Development Corporation            |5,137          |4,510                          

Livingston Development Corporation        |6,164          |6,149                          

Highlands and Islands Enterprise<5>       |10,644         |10,092                         

Scottish Homes<6>                         |42,000         |42,400                         

Scottish Tourist Board<3>                 |3,546          |3,810                          

Scottish Conveyancing and Executory                                                       

  Services Board<7>                       |22             |17                             

Police (Scotland) Examination Board       |4              |4                              

Scottish Legal Aid Board<8>               |5,366          |5,422                          

National Board for Scotland (Nursing and                                                  

  Midwifery)<6>                           |1,896          |2,082                          

Crofters Commission                       |1,397          |1,559                          

                                                                                          

The Scottish Agricultural and Biological                                                  

  Research Institutes                                                                     

Hannah Research Institute                 |2,902          |2,878                          

Macaulay Land Use Research Institute      |5,947          |5,911                          

Moredun Research Institute                |3,447          |3,420                          

Rowett Research Institute                 |5,941          |5,892                          

Scottish Crop Research Institute          |7,428          |7,366                          

Scottish Agricultural Wages board<9>      |26             |28                             

Red Deer Commission                       |517            |630                            

Royal Botanic Garden                      |5,083          |4,636                          

Edinburgh New Town Conservation                                                           

  Committee<10>                           |153            |144                            

<1> National Library costs increased in 1994-95 to take account of additional staffing    

requirements for the new building at Causewayside.                                        

<2> Scottish Arts Council previously funded by Arts Council, Great Britain. Separate      

figures for 1993-94 unavailable.                                                          

<3> Includes expenditure on the management of the programme activities of the Scottish    

Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise networks, including running costs of the     

local enterprise companies.                                                               

<4> Management running costs have been taken to be the total gross administration costs   

of the Development Corporations including the costs of managing their industrial and      

commercial portfolios and housing which are revenue generating activities.                

<5> Takes account of a transfer from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to the Scottish     

tourist board for restructuring costs arising from the tourism review.                    

<6> This includes the costs of salaries, general running costs of the Office and          

accommodation including rent and rates, etc.                                              

<7> Includes a retainer for the members and for the rent of the board's premises.         

<8> Includes the running costs of the staff, board members and reporters, accommodation   

costs and general expenditure-postage, telecommunication, stationery and audit fees.      

<9> The only expenditure of this body is payments of fees and travel subsistence.         

<10> This represents the Secretary of State's share of funding. Other funding is provided 

by Edinburgh district council.                                                            

Pilmuir Quarry

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will implement, in the case of the construction of a landfill site at Pilmuir quarry, Newton Mearns, the European Union directives 85/337 on environmental impact assessment, 80/68 on ground waste, 75/442 EEC on waste, and 78/339 on toxic and dangerous waste; and if he will publish his response to the European Commission's article 169 infringement proceedings.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 15 February 1995]: The Government have fully carried out their obligations under directives 85/337, 80/68, 75/442 and 78/339 in connection with the development of Pilmuir quarry as a landfill site.

Correspondence between member states and the European Commission on infraction proceedings is regarded as confidential between the parties and it would not be appropriate to publish it. We consider that we can provide a full and satisfactory answer to all the points contained in the Commission's article 169 letter.

WALES

Cardiff Bay Opera House

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what way he intends to make his views concerning the design of the Cardiff Bay opera trust known to the Millennium Commission.

Mr. Redwood [holding answer 20 February 1995 ]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage made clear on 20 December 1994,


Column 124

neither Ministers nor Departments will comment on the merits of applications to the millennium fund.


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