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