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Sir Hector Monro: At the end of 1993, there were 54 licensed red meat abattoirs in Scotland, of which 27 fully met European Community standards and were approved to trade throughout the EC. Of the remainder, 17 plants were operating under a temporary derogation while upgrading towards full EC status and 10 plants were low-throughput premises.
At the end of 1994, 31 of the 49 licensed red meat abattoirs were up to the full EC standard. Ten plants continued to operate under a temporary derogation and eight plants had low-throughput status.
Social Work Trusts
Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of state for Scotland what consideration he has given to the establishment of social work trusts.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Guidance to local authorities has said that, in relation to community care, they should distinguish between their purchasing and providing functions. The establishment of social work trusts is one option which could assist social work authorities in developing their enabling functions.
Care Services
Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue detailed guidelines on the criteria to be used to determine whether a person is in need of health care or social care.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: In his statement to the Scottish Grand Committee on 1 March, Official Report, Scottish Grand Committee, columns 1- 12, my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State announced that as part of an on-going review of all aspects of
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continuing care and care in the community the Scottish Office has continued to refine the guidance that is available in this respect. Consistent with the approach adopted by the Department of Health, to which the Scottish Office contributed, detailed guidance on the operational aspects of arranging and funding continuing care services is to be issued from the Scottish Office.A letter issued on 1 March from the Scottish Office on this matter to directors of social work, general managers of health boards and chief executives on NHS trusts in Scotland. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
NHS Management Executive
Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what examination the NHS management executive is giving to the merger of health boards and local authorities in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: None.
Salmon Roe
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he had to legalise the sale of salmon roe produced in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro: Interested parties will be consulted shortly on proposals which would permit trade in farmed, but not wild, salmon roe.
European Regional Development Fund
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the allocation of the European regional development fund to each of the objective 1, 2 and 5b regions in Scotland for the current programming period.
Mr. Kynoch: The objective 1 and 2 single programming documents were approved on 29 July and 16 December respectively. Allocations from the European regional development fund are shown in the table. Approval of the Scottish objective 5b programmes is still awaited. However, the proposed allocation for each programme from the ERDF is also shown. All allocations are at 1994 prices.
|ERDF |ERDF
Designation |Period |Area |mecu |£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Objective 1 |1994-99 |Highlands and
| Islands |180.000 |142.068
Objective 2 |1994-96 |Eastern Scotland|96.000 |75.770
|Western Scotland|222.910 |175.935
Objective 5b |1994-99 |Borders |20.400 |16.101
|Dumfries and
| Galloway |33.900 |26.756
|North and West
| Grampian |28.250 |22.297
|Rural Stirling/
| Upland Tayside|16.875 |13.319
* Exchange rate £ = 1.267 ecu.
Each area is eligible to receive further ERDF resources from Community initiatives.
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Prisons (Drugs)
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many drug and related finds, broken down by type of drug, were made in gaols in Scotland in each year since 1990.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive,Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 9 March 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question on how many drug and related finds, broken down by type of drug, were made in jails in Scotland in each year since 1990. Any prisoner found in possession of illicit drugs or injecting equipment is guilty of a disciplinary offence under The Prison and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 1994. The number of such recorded offences since 1990 are as follows:
1990 91: 749
1991 92: 845
1992 93: 838
1993 94: 895
Detailed information for these years is not available on the type of drugs found but records indicate that most of the disciplinary offences involved cannabis.
Water Authorities
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the proposed salaries and expenses for (a) the chairman, (b) the chief executives and (c) all other board members for the proposed new water authorities.
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 7 March 1995]: The chairman of the North and West water authorities will each receive £40,000 per annum while the chairman of the East of Scotland water authority will receive £24,000 per annum. The chief executives of new water authorities have yet to be appointed, but the salary of each will be around £80,000, plus a possible performance bonus to be settled each year. The other members of the new water authorities will normally receive £6,000 per annum. In all cases, expenses incurred on water authority business will be reimbursed.
Voluntary Bodies (Grants)
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has reached a decision on the allocation to voluntary bodies of grant under the special grants (environmental) programme in 1995 96.
Sir Hector Monro: I am pleased to have been able to offer 51 individual grants totalling £429,930 to 46 voluntary bodies in Scotland to assist them in carrying out their valuable environmental conservation, improvement and education work. The sums available in the special grants (environmental) programme in 1995 96 represent an increase of some 12 per cent. over 1994 95. This increase demonstrates both the value that the Government place on the work carried out by the voluntary sector, and its role in taking forward the Government's environmental objectives.
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|Grant
Organisation |£
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Association for the Protection of Birds |4,500
Association of Deer Management Groups |5,000
Biological Recording in Scotland Campaign |5,000
Buchan Countryside Group |3,000
CSV Scotland |18,000
Council for Scottish Archaeology |16,000
Easter Ross Rights of Way Society |800
Friends of the Earth Scotland |5,000
Game Conservancy Trust |5,000
Garden History Society |4,000
Glasgow Building Preservation Trust |10,000
Heartland FM |2,000
Heather Trust |8,000
Heatwise Glasgow |5,000
Highlands and Islands Forum |18,000
Landwise Glasgow |4,000
Lothian and Edinburgh Environmental Partnership |5,000
National Society for Clean Air and Environmental
Protection |4,400
Planning Aid for Scotland |19,000
Plantlife |3,500
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds |20,000
Rural Forum Scotland |16,000
Rural Forum Scotland/Reforesting Scotland |10,000
Scottish Bat Groups |1,730
Scottish Conservation Projects Trust |42,000
Scottish Ecological Design Association |8,000
Scottish Environmental Education Council |37,000
Scottish Environmental Forum |8,000
Scottish Farm and Countryside Education Trust |5,000
Scottish Historic Buildings Trust |11,700
Scottish Landowners Federation |4,000
Scottish Native Woods Campaign |6,000
Scottish Rights of Way Society |7,000
Scottish Scenic Trust |1,000
Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link |12,000
Scottish Wildlife Trust |39,500
Strathclyde Greenbelt Company |10,000
Sustrans (Sustainable Transport Scotland) |8,000
Treewise |5,500
Touchstone |1,500
Venture Scotland |3,300
Vision 21 |4,000
Water of Leith Conservation Trust |4,500
West Galloway Fisheries Trust |4,000
Woodland Trust |5,000
Youth Clubs Scotland |10,000
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet determined the level of fee remission grant which will be available to parents under the assisted places scheme in school session 1995 96.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: My right hon. Friend is making £10.656 million available for fee remission in 1995 96. Fifty-five schools across Scotland will participate in the scheme. This funding should enable the number of pupils currently benefiting to be maintained at slightly above 3,000.
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the income scale which will apply to the assisted places scheme in Scotland in school session 1995 96.
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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: For school session 1995 96, I propose to lay regulations before the House in due course providing for progressive parental contribution for one assisted pupil in relation to family income as follows:
|Parental
Part of relevant |contribution
income to which the
specified
percentage applies |(percentage)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That part (if any) which exceeds £9,545 but does
not exceed £10,378 |9
That part (if any) which exceeds £10,378 but does
not exceed £11,226 |12
That part (if any) which exceeds £11,226 but does
not exceed £12,909 |15
That part (if any) which exceeds £12,909 but does
not exceed £15,494 |21
That part (if any) which exceeds £15,494 but does
not exceed £18,872 |24
That part (if any) which exceeds £18,872 |33
The relevant income scale is open ended, but the remission can, of course, be given only where the parental contribution is less than the school tuition fee.
Cable Television Franchises
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those areas of Scotland which are covered by cable television franchises.
Mr. Ian Taylor: I have been asked to reply.
Fourteen franchises, covering 1,123,000 homes have been awarded in Scotland to date, in the following areas:
Aberdeen
Dundee and Carnoustie
Perth
Glenrothes and Kirkaldy
Edinburgh
Falkirk and Livingston
Cumbernauld, Airdie and Coatbridge
Motherwell and East Kilbride
Greater Glasgow
North West Glasgow and Clydebank
Bearsden and Milngavie
Dumbarton
Paisley and Renfrew
Greenock and Port Glasgow
The ITC is considering further local delivery operator franchises in Scotland.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Framework Document
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what complaints he has received about the non-availability of the framework document; how many copies of the document had been distributed by Tuesday 28 February; and what proposals he has to make the framework document readily available to all the people of Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ancram: There was enormous public interest in this document and, as a result, there was some initial difficulty in quickly meeting immediate demand.
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At 28 February, approximately 60,000 copies had been distributed through post offices and approximately 40,000 through the freephone and freepost mechanisms.The Government recognise the importance of everyone in Northern Ireland having an opportunity to consider the proposals. Copies continue to be available in the 30 main post offices and are still being issued in response to requests to the freephone and freepost systems.
Fair Employment
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the J. Hawthorne listed as a consultant in the fair employment small firms employment scheme in his answer of 15 February, Official Report , columns 679 80 , is the same person as James Hawthorne CBE, the head of the Community Relations Commission and the former controller of BBC Northern Ireland.
Abattoirs
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many abattoirs there were in 1993 and 1994; and how many of these met European Community standards.
Mr. Ancram: All abattoirs in Northern Ireland are approved in accordance with the terms of European Community directives, laying down the hygiene, operation, supervision and structural conditions of abattoirs, so that they will meet European Community standards. At the end of 1993, there were 16 approved red meat abattoirs, of which 15 were fully approved to trade throughout the Community and one was a full throughput premises with a temporary derogation. At the end of 1994,
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there were 15 approved red meat abattoirs, of which 14 were fully approved and one had a temporary derogation. Premises with temporary derogations are approved to trade on the national market.Portaferry-Strangford Bridge
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to build a bridge linking Portaferry and Strangford village; what is the estimated cost of such a bridge; and what EU funding could be available for such a scheme.
Mr. Moss: There are no proposals to build such a bridge, which, in the absence of detailed costings, is estimated to cost between £15 million and £20 million. It is not possible to say whether European Union funding could be available without first considering a full economic and financial appraisal.
Expenditure
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent from the law, order, protective and miscellaneous services programme on (a) the probation service, (b) training schools, (c) grants to voluntary bodies concerned with the rehabilitation of offences, (d) crime prevention, (e) victim support, (f) civil defence, (g) civil emergencies, (h) elections (i) services in support of the security forces, (j) legal services, (k) the Standing Advisory Committee on Human Rights, (l) information services and (m) Northern Ireland Office administration in 1993 94 and 1994 95; and what is the estimated expenditure in 1995 96 and 1996 97.
Sir John Wheeler: The amount spent in 1993 94, forecast spend for 1994 95 and planned expenditure for 1995 96 and 1996 97 from the law, order protective and miscellaneous services programme are as follows:
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|Spend 1993-94 |Forecast 1994-95 |Planned 1995-96 |Planned 1996-97
|£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. |Probation Service |10,097 |10,496 |10,087 |10,374
B. |Training Schools |12,017 |13,173 |12,316 |12,540
C. |Grants to Voluntary Bodies |812 |712 |690 |690
D. |Crime Prevention |121 |239 |158 |165
E. |Victim Support |197 |267 |270 |298
F. |Civil Defence }
| } |-1,154 |473 |368 |145
G. |Civil Emergencies }
H. |Elections |1,243 |1,255 |1,254 |1,232
I. |Services in support of the Security
| Forces (PANI non police pay
| expenditure plus NIO Security
| Responsibility Centre) |133,890 |133,797 |137,971 |133,164
J. |Legal Services
|Crown Solicitor's Office |684 |1,014 |927 |990
|Department of the Director of Public
|Prosecutions |7,054 |7,170 |7,134 |7,203
K. |Standing Advisory Commission on
| Human Rights |227 |289 |254 |261
L. |Information Services |1,259 |1,285 |1,410 |1,425
M. |Northern Ireland Office Administration|756,983 |755,735 |715,816 |718,766
This includes:
a. |RUC Pay |478,139 |480,198 |477,913 |499,768
b. |Compensation Agency Costs |106,689 |95,338 |65,257 |45,287
c. |Prison Costs |141,130 |147,485 |143,813 |144,365
Ms Mowlam: To aks the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount of money spent under the law and order, protective and miscellaneous services programme on criminal damages and injuries compensation in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95; and what is the estimated expenditure in (i) 1995 96 and (ii) 1996 97.
Sir John Wheeler: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Compensation Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Denis Stanley. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from D. A. Stanley to Ms Mowlam, dated 8 March 1995: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply, on behalf of the Compensation Agency, to your recent Question regarding criminal injuries compensation.
The following table details how much was spent on criminal damage and criminal damage and criminal injuries compensation in 1993 94, the forecast for 1994 95 and the current estimate for 1995 96 and 1996 97:
|Criminal damage |Criminal injuries
|compensation |compensation
Year |£ Million |£ Million
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |67.9 |29.6
1994-95 (forecast) |55.0 |31.7
1995-96 (estimate) |26.0 |33.8
1996-97 (estimate) |9.0 |30.8
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Television Licence Fee
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to seek parliamentary authority for an increase in the television fee.
Mr. Dorrell: On 1 December 1994, Official Report , column 805 , I announced that, from 1 April 1995, the fee for a colour television licence would increase to £86.50 and that for a monochrome licence to £28.50. I have today laid before the House the regulations necessary to bring these fees into force.
Whitehall Study
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what brief and limits he set for the study he has commissioned on the future of Whitehall and of its urban design consequences; (2) what is the cost of the study of the future of Whitehall and of its urban design consequences will be published;
(3) when he expects the study of the future of Whitehall and of its urban design consequences will be published.
Sir Paul Beresford: I have been asked to reply.
Property Holdings commissioned a portfolio review last year to examine the scope for rationalising the Whitehall estate and for reuse of surplus space. Property Holdings with the Department of National Heritage also commissioned an urban design study of the Government estate in the Whitehall conservation area, which will provide day-to-day best practice advice to Departments carrying out maintenance and alterations affecting the
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external appearance of their Whitehall buildings. Copies of the reference for both studies will be placed in the Library of the House.The portfolio review is on-going and the initial report was received in October 1994. It is estimated to cost up to £75,000 plus VAT, but it will not be published as it includes market-sensitive information that could affect any property negotiations resulting from the study. The design is expected to be completed by July 1995 and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House. It is estimated to cost £40,000 plus VAT, including the printing and production costs of the guide.
Children's Play
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which organisations he has invited to bid for funds to carry out work under his new arrangements for children's play.
Mr. Dorrell: I will shortly be meeting a number of organisations to discuss the new arrangements which we propose to introduce and will then invite bids for funds from these and other interested organisations.
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he has taken to ensure that all children's play activities are recognised by the Sports Council for the purposes of national lottery funding.
Mr. Dorrell: Under the National Lottery etc. Act 1994, it is for the Sports Council to consider the eligibility of projects submitted to it in the light of the Act and the directions which I have issued to it. I understand that the council is considering this matter in the light of the announcement which I made on 2 March about new arrangements for children's play, Official Report , column 640 .
National Lottery
Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to conduct research into the effect that the introduction of an instant win game by the operators of the national lottery will have on fund raising by charities, sports clubs and other organisations, especially through the medium lotteries.
Mr. Dorrell: I have no such plans.
Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations he has had with the Director General of the National Lottery with regard to placing a limit on the first prize payable in respect of any single winning ticket.
Mr. Dorrell: I have had no such consultations.
Tourism Promotion
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he takes to establish the accuracy of local claims regarding the origins of historical figures used in terms of tourism promotion; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 7 March 1995]: It is not my function to check the accuracy of traditional associations of historical figures with specific localities.
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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Election Law Breaches
Mr. Straw: To ask the Attorney-General how many allegations of (a) fraudulent voting, (b) misuse of proxies, (c) breach of financial limits and (d) other breaches of election law and been (i) received by the police or the Crown Prosecution Service, (ii) investigated and (iii) prosecuted, and with what result, for each year since 1992.
The Attorney-General: The number of cases reported to the CPS with a view to investigation for election offences between 1992 and 1995 and covering both parliamentary and local government elections is a follows:
1992
101 cases
1993
30 cases (between 1 April and 31 December)
1994
61 cases
1995 (to date)
3 cases
There are no accurate figures for the first three months of 1993. Categorisation of the cases in the manner requested by the hon. Member could be effected only through recovery from archives and scrutiny of each individual file. This would involve disproportionate cost. In 1992, there were five successful prosecutions for the personation of those entitled to vote; two of double voting; and one case of a person convicted on an eight- count indictment of theft and forgery of ballot papers and personation.
In 1993, there was one successful prosecution for a failure to return a declaration of expenses; one of making a false statement of fact about the personal character or conduct of a candidate; and one case of two offences of falsification of proxy forms. There was also an acquittal in a case of incurring unauthorised expenses. In 1994, a case of falsification of a nomination of candidate form was commenced. The case has been committed for trial but no trial date has yet been fixed.
There is no central record of allegations received by the police but not submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service.
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