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Mr. Redwood: The Welsh Health Common Services Authority has invited the Prescription Pricing Authority and four other organisations to submit bids to supply prescription pricing and checking services in Wales. Bids are expected later this month. It is for the PPA to satisfy WHCSA that it has the legal basis to take on this work and I understand that WHCSA has asked the PPA to confirm this.
Psychiatric Services
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date each of the health authorities and trusts responsible for community services last supplied information to him pertaining to the regular medical audit of psychiatric services. [28659]
Mr. Redwood: My Department does not monitor audit activity to this level of detail. Medical audit is a professionally led activity, and is an issue for NHS trusts and local purchasers.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how frequently he requires the psychiatric services of each community health care trust and health authority in Wales to be submitted to medical audit; and how frequently he requires each trust and authority to apply comprehensive information to his Department for that purpose. [28660]
Mr. Redwood: Hospital doctors are required to regularly review and audit their activities. In addition, health authorities and NHS trusts can agree on programmes of audit and reflect that agreement in their contracts. NHS trusts are not required to submit information of this kind to the Department, although the Department does support projects that promote effective audit.
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University Hospital of Wales--A48 Link Road
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made for meeting councillors and officers of South Glamorgan and Cardiff city council to discuss the funding arrangements for the Eastern avenue flyover access directly into the University hospital of Wales site, Heath, Cardiff. [28661]
Mr. Redwood: My officials are continuing discussions with the relevant parties.
EC Urban Initiative
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had concerning the number of applications he will be forwarding from Wales to the European Commission under the urban initiative; when he expects a further round of urban initiative applications; and if he will make a statement. [28638]
Mr. Redwood: None. At present, I have no plans to invite additional applications for the urban initiative. The European Commission requested one bid for Wales and I have selected Swansea city council's application for Townhill. Negotiations have commenced and approval is currently scheduled for July.
SCOTLAND
Antanas Gecas
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors led the Lord Advocate not to pursue the prosecution of Antanas Gecas. [25621]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: It is not the normal practice of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate to disclose the names of individuals who may have been under investigation. Allegations that persons living in Scotland were responsible for war crimes committed during the second world war were investigated by a specialised Crown Office unit formed in 1991. The results of those investigations were reported to Crown counsel, who decided in 1994 that there was not at that time sufficient available evidence for a criminal prosecution in any of the cases reported to it. That remains the position.
GP Fundholders
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what external legal advice has been (a) sought and (b) received in respect of parliamentary approval for the payment of practice management expenses by GP fundholders. [27016]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer6 June 1995]: No such advice was sought or received.
A76
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the volume of traffic on each identifiable stretch of the A76 for comparable periods during the past five years. [27377]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information is set out in the following table. It has been supplied from records extracted from various automatic traffic counters
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located on the route in question. Due to the nature of the counting "regimes" of Dumfries and Galloway regional council and of Strathclyde regional council, which manage the counters on behalf of the Scottish Office, there is little continuous counting. The table therefore does not contain data for all stretches for all years and reflects some seasonal variation. However, examination of some of the more permanent sites suggest that the variation is not significant. The Scottish Office published in October of last year a pamphlet on the on-going A76 route action plan.
Annual average daily flows
"Route"and Counter
location |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dumfries-Thornhill
A76 north of A75 |- |17,776 |- |18,258 |18,929
A76 Newbridge |- |- |- |- |8,011
A76 Monks Lodge |- |- |- |- |5,499
A76 N/W of Auldridge |- |- |- |- |5,632
Thornhill-Carronbridge
A76 S/E of Carronbridge |- |- |- |- |4,807
Carronbridge-Cumnock
A76 Mennock |- |- |2,737 |3,401 |2,111
A76 Reyhill Farm |- |- |- |- |4,017
A76 Gateshead Cottages |- |- |- |- |4,899
A76 Polshill |3,653 |- |- |- |-
Cumnock-Kilmarnock
A76 Little Heateth |7,532 |7,005 |- |- |-
A76 Cumnock bypass (S of A70)<1> |- |- |- |- |4,701
A76 Cumnock bypass (N of A70)<1><> |- |- |- |- |5,371
A76 south of Mauchline<1> |- |- |- |- |8,856
A76 north of Mauchline<1> |- |- |- |- |8,438
A76 Bellfield to A719<1> |- |- |- |- |9,127
<1> Figures based on 12 hour counts (factored up to provide annual average daily flows) carried out in October 1994.
Prisons
Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of receptions of young people to prison for 1994 shown by (a) sex, (b) age, (c) offence, (d) institution and (e) whether remand or sentenced. [27673]
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 Mr. Michael Connarty dated 15 June 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of receptions of young people to prison for 1994 by sex, age, offence, institution and whether remand or sentenced.
Table 1 enclosed with this letter shows remand receptions by sex and by establishment. Information on the types of offences allegedly committed by- -or the individual ages of--those received on remand is not collected centrally.
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Information on sentenced receptions is shown in the age groups under 16, 16 17 and 18 20 (where appropriate). Tables 2A and 2I set out information in relation to direct receptions from court and Tables 3A to 3L in respect of receptions for final default. As regards Tables 2A and 3A on females, the only all female establishment is Cornton Vale. In addition to the female receptions shown in these tables there were five others: one direct and three fine defaulter receptions to Dumfries and one fine defaulter reception to Inverness. Sentenced receptions are defined as follows. Where a person has several custodial sentences imposed on him by one court in one day this is counted as a reception. However, where custodial sentences are imposed on a person by two or more courts in one day, two receptions are recorded. Also, if a person is reconvicted while serving a custodial sentence and a further custodial sentence is imposed, this is also regarded as a reception. Remand and sentenced receptions cannot be added together to produce a total receptions figure due to some double-counting. For example, if an individual is first received untried or convicted awaiting sentence and is subsequently awarded a custodial sentence, there will be two receptions relating to this individual's time in prison--appearing both as a remand and sentenced reception.As the information requested is rather lengthy I have arranged for a copy of the tables to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of prison receptions in each year from 1990 by sex and offence. [27670]
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.
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Letter from Mr. E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Michael Connarty, dated 15 June 1995:Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of prison receptions in each year from 1990 by sex and offence.
I attach two tables which provide the information in relation to sentenced receptions, showing direct receptions from court and receptions for fine default separately. Sentenced receptions are defined as follows. Where a person has several custodial sentences imposed on him by one court in one day this is counted as a reception. However, where custodial sentences are imposed on a person by two or more courts in one day, two receptions are recorded. Also, if a person is reconvicted while serving a custodial sentence and a further custodial sentence is imposed, this is also regarded as a reception.
Information on the types of offence allegedly committed by those received on remand is not collected centrally, but remand receptions were as follows:
Remand and sentenced receptions cannot be added together to produce a total receptions figure due to some double-counting. For example, if an individual is first received untried or convicted awaiting sentence and is subsequently awarded a custodial sentence, there will be two receptions relating to this individual's time in prison--appearing both as a remand and sentenced reception.
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994<1>
--------------------------------------------------------
Male |14,323 |12,360 |12,722 |12,478 |13,985
Female |845 |767 |824 |934 |937
Total |15,168 |13,127 |13,546 |13,412 |14,922
<1> Information for 1994 is provisional.
Direct receptions to Scottish penal establishments by crime and offence, 1990-1994<1>
Crime/offence 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994<1>
|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total crimes and offences |9,751 |519 |9,729 |578 |11,022|562 |11,818|678 |11,491|713
Total crimes: sub total |7,038 |427 |7,099 |479 |7,880 |464 |8,511 |561 |8,131 |603
Non-sexual crimes of
violence: sub total |1,001 |32 |933 |24 |1,134 |18 |1,361 |25 |1,241 |25
Homicide |66 |5 |56 |1 |74 |4 |76 |4 |77 |5
Serious assault etc. |557 |20 |560 |16 |682 |6 |717 |15 |612 |11
Handling offensive weapons |14 |0 |17 |1 |19 |0 |56 |0 |126 |4
Robbery |340 |4 |275 |4 |335 |4 |489 |4 |396 |3
Other |24 |3 |25 |2 |24 |4 |23 |2 |30 |2
Crimes of indecency: sub total |203 |9 |176 |8 |162 |8 |186 |9 |210 |6
Sexual assault |78 |1 |67 |0 |68 |0 |69 |0 |64 |0
Lewd and libidinous practices |98 |0 |84 |1 |75 |1 |90 |0 |129 |0
Other |27 |8 |25 |7 |19 |7 |27 |9 |17 |6
Crimes of dishonesty: sub total |5,021 |351 |5,110 |406 |5,594 |402 |5,654 |476 |5,487 |498
Housebreaking |1,858 |11 |1,823 |16 |1,842 |14 |1,878 |15 |1,782 |17
Theft by opening lockfast places |262 |2 |358 |1 |352 |2 |409 |1 |551 |1
Theft of a motor vehicle |368 |0 |435 |3 |596 |0 |648 |0 |594 |0
Other theft |1,871 |307 |1,800 |351 |2,018 |355 |2,029 |416 |1,852 |433
Fraud |209 |9 |192 |14 |171 |7 |181 |22 |163 |31
Other |453 |22 |502 |21 |615 |24 |509 |22 |545 |16
Fire-raising, vandalism etc.:
sub total |149 |9 |118 |6 |149 |7 |162 |6 |173 |2
Fire-raising |29 |2 |27 |1 |31 |3 |38 |2 |43 |1
Vandalism etc. |120 |7 |91 |5 |118 |4 |124 |4 |130 |1
Other crimes: sub total |664 |26 |762 |35 |841 |29 |1,148 |45 |1,020 |72
Crimes against public justice |356 |10 |385 |20 |441 |15 |643 |20 |481 |33
Drugs offences |297 |16 |368 |14 |375 |14 |493 |25 |521 |38
Other |11 |0 |9 |1 |25 |0 |12 |0 |18 |1
Total offences: sub total |2,713 |92 |2,630 |99 |3,142 |98 |3,307 |117 |3,360 |110
Miscellaneous offences: sub total |2,063 |88 |1,939 |99 |2,274 |96 |2,388 |114 |2,366 |108
Petty assault |566 |24 |560 |25 |566 |36 |681 |36 |749 |36
Breach of the peace |1,290 |59 |1,214 |70 |1,541 |58 |1,496 |74 |1,391 |71
Drunkenness |91 |2 |68 |0 |88 |1 |124 |0 |123 |0
Other |116 |3 |97 |4 |79 |1 |87 |4 |103 |1
Motor vehicle offences: sub total |650 |4 |691 |0 |868 |2 |919 |3 |994 |2
Reckless and careless driving |43 |2 |24 |0 |59 |0 |63 |0 |67 |0
Drunk driving |85 |1 |133 |0 |145 |0 |119 |0 |110 |0
Speeding |1 |0 |2 |0 |3 |0 |7 |0 |5 |0
Unlawful use of vehicles |505 |0 |518 |0 |650 |2 |720 |3 |807 |1
Vehicle defect offences |2 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0
Other |14 |1 |13 |0 |11 |0 |10 |0 |4 |1
<1> Information for 1994 is provisional.
Fine defaulter receptions to Scottish penal establishments by crime and offence, 1990-1994<1>
Crime/offence 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994<1>
|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female|Male |Female
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total crimes and offences |6,455 |380 |7,295 |614 |7,792 |547 |8,878 |738 |8,174 |701
Total crimes: sub total |3,104 |273 |3,434 |427 |3,649 |395 |3,895 |543 |3,502 |473
Non-sexual crimes of violence:
sub total |42 |1 |41 |3 |63 |3 |63 |3 |89 |4
Homicide |0 |0 |0 |1 |3 |0 |2 |0 |2 |0
Serious assault etc. |17 |1 |12 |0 |29 |1 |27 |0 |39 |3
Handling offensive weapons |14 |0 |18 |0 |12 |0 |14 |2 |30 |0
Robbery |9 |0 |6 |0 |15 |0 |15 |0 |15 |0
Other |2 |0 |5 |2 |4 |2 |5 |1 |3 |1
Crimes of indecency: sub total |10 |99 |14 |151 |15 |143 |12 |242 |8 |162
Sexual assault |0 |0 |1 |0 |2 |0 |1 |0 |4 |0
Lewd and libidinous practices |8 |1 |4 |0 |5 |0 |3 |0 |3 |0
Other |2 |98 |9 |151 |8 |143 |8 |242 |1 |162
Crimes of dishonesty: sub total |2,538 |160 |2,753 |233 |2,805 |219 |2,937 |270 |2,456 |257
Housebreaking |510 |1 |573 |4 |484 |5 |511 |5 |428 |9
Theft by opening lockfast places |184 |3 |205 |2 |191 |2 |195 |2 |198 |0
Theft of a motor vehicle |135 |1 |172 |4 |227 |2 |198 |3 |169 |3
Other theft |1,302 |129 |1,397 |183 |1,439 |180 |1,586 |213 |1,240 |194
Fraud |148 |12 |121 |25 |132 |11 |134 |22 |125 |45
Other |259 |14 |285 |15 |332 |19 |313 |25 |296 |6
Fire-raising, vandalism etc.:
sub total |175 |3 |203 |6 |208 |7 |218 |7 |260 |3
Fire-raising |7 |0 |6 |0 |6 |1 |2 |1 |2 |0
Vandalism etc. |168 |3 |197 |6 |202 |6 |216 |6 |258 |3
Other crimes: sub total |339 |10 |423 |34 |558 |23 |665 |21 |689 |47
Crimes against public justice |184 |9 |230 |31 |299 |18 |297 |16 |365 |29
Drugs offences |150 |1 |187 |3 |257 |5 |261 |4 |318 |18
Other |5 |0 |6 |0 |2 |0 |7 |1 |6 |0
Total offences: sub total |3,351 |107 |3,861 |187 |4,143 |152 |4,983 |195 |4,672 |228
Miscellaneous offences: sub total |2,486 |102 |2,856 |170 |2,856 |138 |3,393 |180 |2,928 |202
Petty assault |495 |14 |492 |23 |463 |17 |621 |26 |505 |26
Breach of the peace |1,710 |69 |2,011 |102 |2,102 |95 |2,469 |132 |2,103 |152
Drunkenness |161 |6 |177 |4 |136 |3 |180 |3 |168 |2
Other |120 |13 |176 |41 |155 |23 |123 |19 |152 |22
Motor vehicle offences: sub total |865 |5 |1,005 |17 |1,287 |14 |1,590 |15 |1,744 |26
Reckless and careless driving |72 |1 |74 |0 |87 |1 |74 |0 |86 |0
Drunk driving |155 |1 |193 |2 |244 |1 |220 |2 |250 |0
Speeding |10 |0 |9 |0 |14 |1 |25 |1 |23 |0
Unlawful use of vehicles |579 |2 |652 |13 |864 |9 |1,177 |10 |1,308 |25
Vehicle defect offences |14 |0 |19 |0 |15 |0 |20 |0 |29 |0
Other |35 |1 |58 |2 |63 |2 |74 |2 |48 |1
<1> Information for 1994 is provisional.
Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the prison population in Scotland in each year since 1990 by sex and offence.
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 Mr. E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Michael Connarty dated 15 June 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the prison population in Scotland in each year since 1990 by sex and offence.
Information by offence is not available in relation to the average daily prison population. Details of offence type are only collected on reception following sentence. The table below provides information on the average daily prison population by sex for the years 1990 1994.
# Average daily population in Scottish penal establishments by sex Year |Male |Female|Total ----------------------------------- 1990 |4,587 |137 |4,724 1991 |4,696 |143 |4,839 1992 |5,099 |158 |5,257 1993 |5,466 |171 |5,637 1994 |5,408 |177 |5,585
Miscarriages of Justice
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of alleged miscarriages of justice his Department has considered in each of the last 10 years; and what action has been taken in each case. [27990]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The number of cases in respect of which representations were received by my right hon. Friend are as follows:
1984: 54
1985: 43
1986: 61
1987: 61
1988: 46
1989: 60
1990: 39
1991: 54
1992: 58
1993: 52
1994: 30
Eighteen cases are at present under consideration. Seven cases were referred by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the Court of Appeal under section 263(1) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975. Petitions were refused in all other cases.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of alleged miscarriages of justice he has referred to the Court of Appeal in each of the past 10 years; and with what result.[277991]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: My right hon. Friend has referred seven cases, relating to eight persons, to the Court of Appeal during the past 10 years. The number of cases in each year and the outcome of the subsequent appeals are set out in the table:
Column 672
Year of |Number of cases |Outcome of appeal
referral |referred (persons)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |- |-
1985 |- |-
1986 |1(1) |Conviction quashed
1987 |- |-
1988 |1(1) |Conviction quashed
1989 |1(1) |Conviction quashed
1990 |- |-
1991 |1(2) |Appeals dismissed
1992 |1(1) |Amended verdict of guilty
|substituted
1993 |2(2) |Appeal dismissed/appeal
|abandoned
1994 |- |-
Rape
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of rape were (a) reported to the police, (b) reached court and (c) resulted in a guilty verdict in (i) 1985 and (ii) 1993. [28245]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Information on the number of cases of rape reported to the police is not collected centrally. The available information is given in the following table:
Number of offences of rape recorded by the police,
persons called
to court where the main charge was rape and those
with a main
charge of rape proved in Scotland<1>
|Number of
|offences |Persons
|recorded |Persons |with a
|by the |called to|charge
Year |police |court<2> |proved<2>
--------------------------------------------------
1985 |248 |76 |39
1993 |339 |78 |40
<1> Cases of attempted rape are included in the
above table but cases of assault with intent to
rape or ravish are not included.
<2> For persons called to court and with a charge
proved only those cases where the main charge was
rape are included in the table; all recorded
cases of rape are counted even where rape is not
the main offence.
Sheriff Courts
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current position in relation to the review committee chaired by Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson into how the programming of business in the sheriff courts could be improved. [28574]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Following an initial report on the programming of business in the sheriff courts, a number of pilot schemes have been introduced and the results of these, with the implications for court programming of new legislative provisions, are shortly to be reviewed by the group under the chairmanship of Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson QC.
Hire Vehicles
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what legislation and regulations govern the operation of public hire vehicles at Scotland's airports; what measures are in place to ensure that operators and/or
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drivers cannot, by whatever means, refuse to transport passengers on the grounds that the journey is too short or too local; and if he will make a statement. [28527]Mr. Kynoch: Taxis and private hire vehicles operating at airports may require a licence from the appropriate district or islands council under sections 10 to 23 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and a permit under airport byelaws drawn up by the airport operator. The terms and conditions of the licences and permits may vary accordingly to area. If the hon. Member has a particular area in mind he may wish to pursue the matter with the relevant authorities. In the case of Glasgow airport, the authorities would be Renfrew district council and the British Airports Authority.
Local Government Finance
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the amount of (a) revenue support grant and (b) aggregate external finance allocated to each district council on a per capita basis in the current financial year; if he will explain the formulae which resulted in this calculation; and if he will make a statement. [28537]
Mr. Kynoch: The information requested is set out in the following table. An explanation of how the amounts payable to each authority in 1995 96 were determined is set out in the report to the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 1995, copies of which are in the Library.
|1995-96|1995-96
|RSG |AEF
|<1> Per|<1> Per
|capita |capita
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------
Berwickshire |120.26 |121.82
Ettrick and Lauderdale |110.93 |112.38
Roxburgh |127.58 |129.46
Tweeddale |127.89 |129.34
Clackmannan |137.42 |139.62
Falkirk |127.10 |128.91
Stirling |161.04 |162.64
Annandale and Eskdale |97.95 |99.33
Nithsdale |111.59 |113.17
Stewartry |95.82 |97.07
Wigtown |131.55 |133.85
Dunfermline |116.86 |118.50
Kirkcaldy |127.98 |129.96
North-East Fife |130.78 |131.85
Aberdeen City |134.25 |135.70
Banff and Buchan |119.12 |120.35
Gordon |111.20 |111.90
Kincardine and Deeside |105.90 |106.55
Moray |131.08 |132.43
Badenoch and Strathspey |135.23 |137.02
Caithness |132.16 |133.69
Inverness |113.16 |114.61
Lochaber |167.18 |168.88
Nairn |111.98 |113.56
Ross and Cromarty |172.68 |174.32
Skye and Lochalsh |206.15 |207.69
Sutherland |177.94 |179.46
East Lothian |134.24 |135.82
Edinburgh City |181.59 |183.88
Midlothian |124.24 |125.58
West Lothian |134.32 |135.80
Argyll and Bute |228.63 |230.58
Bearsden and Milngavie |95.62 |96.05
Clydebank |155.73 |158.51
Clydesdale |136.71 |138.12
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |120.99 |121.91
Cumnock and Doon Valley |138.82 |140.96
Cunninghame |147.82 |149.67
Dumbarton |127.01 |128.82
East Kilbride |126.97 |127.43
Eastwood |77.07 |77.53
Glasgow City |221.66 |225.40
Hamilton |146.23 |148.10
Inverclyde |175.00 |177.35
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |129.27 |131.22
Kyle and Carrick |124.75 |126.46
Monklands |159.27 |161.74
Motherwell |146.96 |149.23
Renfrew |136.72 |138.68
Strathkelvin |118.29 |119.20
Angus |112.93 |114.34
Dundee City |163.97 |166.75
Perth and Kinross |126.87 |128.32
<1> The per capita figures have been calculated
using the Registrar General for Scotland's
mid-1993 estimates of total population.
Scottish Homes
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed Her Majesty's Government's policy on the concepts of democracy and accountability with the chairman and chief executive of Scottish Homes; what was the result of these discussions; and if he will make a statement. [28569]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: My right hon. Friend and I meet the board of Scottish Homes from time to time to discuss a range of issues. I shall next be meeting the board on 4 September. Scottish Homes is accountable to my right hon. Friend and, through him, to the House.
Johnstone Bypass
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents have occurred on the Johnstone bypass since it was opened; how many of these accidents have been fatal; how many have involved serious or critical injury; what assessment he has made of the reasons for the incidence of accidents on this stretch of road; what plans he has to take measures to reduce the potential accident risk; what discussions he has had with Strathclyde regional council on this subject; and if he will make a statement. [28528]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: There have been 10 accidents, involving 15 casualties, on the Johnstone bypass since it opened to traffic in May 1993. Four accidents resulted in six fatalities and five accidents resulted in nine serious or slight injuries. Responsibility for the Johnstone bypass, including all road safety matters, rests with the local roads authority, in this case Strathclyde regional council. I understand that the regional council is actively monitoring the route and has already made a number of modifications to reduce the risk of accidents on the road.
Health Trusts and Boards
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what age restrictions exist on membership of health trusts and boards. [27596]
Column 675
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: There are no formal age restrictions on membership of health boards and NHS trusts.
Public Offices
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to set uniform age limits for the holding of all public offices appointed by him. [27597]
Mr. Lang: I have no such plans. Appointments are made on merit and suitability, regardless of age.
Gateside School for the Deaf
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the importance of the role performed by the Gateside school for the deaf in Renfrewshire and its future. [28556]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Gateside school makes a valuable contribution to provision for the special educational needs of hearing- impaired children in Strathclyde region. The management of all its schools, including Gateside school, is in the first instance a matter for Strathclyde regional council. After local government reorganisation, it will be for the new Renfrewshire council, and for the other two councils whose schools are currently served by the staff based at Gateside school, to determine how to discharge their statutory duties towards children with special educational needs resulting from hearing impairment in their areas. I am sure that the new councils will recognise the advantages offered by existing and new opportunities for effective and efficient co-operation.
Raymond Gilmour
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the application on behalf of Raymond Gilmour for the exercise of the prerogative of mercy; and when he expects to reach his conclusion. [28557]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: I refer the hon. Member to my replies of 6 March, Official Report , columns 86 87 and of 21 April, Official Report , column 215 . Inquiries into the matters raised on Mr. Gilmour's behalf are continuing.
Ferguslie Park Partnership
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the (a) names, (b) civil service posts, (c) designations and (d) specific duties of each member of staff who (1) is or (2) has been seconded by the Scottish Office on a whole-time or part-time basis to the Ferguslie park partnership or any of its offshoots or associated companies, trusts, bodies or organisations since its establishment; and if he will make a statement. [28560]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Two members of Scottish office staff are presently on secondment to the Ferguslie park partnership and a further two have completed period of secondment at the partnership. Their details are as follows:
Column 676
1.(a) D. R. Dickson
(b) Unified Grade 5
(c) Chief Executive of the Partnership from 1 August 1989 to 31 August 1992
(d) to manage the implementation of the regeneration strategy for Ferguslie Park
2.
(a) A. M. Burnside
(b) Unified Grade 5
(c) Chief Executive of the Partnership from 28 August 1992 and continues in post
(d) continuing management of the implementation of the regeneration strategy for Ferguslie Park
3.
(a) A. C. M. Baker
(b) Senior Executive Officer; Unified Grade 7
(c) Depute Executive from 26 March 1990 to 15 November 1992; Economic Director from 16 November 1992 to 24 October 1994
(d) implementing strategies for regeneration of Ferguslie Park; managing and developing the Partnership Training and Employment Initiative
4.
(a) J. M. Mitchell
(b) Higher Executive Officer
(c) and (d) No specific designation. Short term assignment from February to July 1995.
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of States for Scotland if he will list all contracts awarded by (a) Ferguslie park partnership and (b) his Department or any other body to which he appoints, to FCB Securities, or its parent, associated or predecessor companies since 1988, or for the latest year for which the information is available; if he will specify the projected and actual value of each contract; and if he will make a statement. [28563]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Details of the contracts are as follows:
Awarding body |Company contracted |Projected value
|and nature of |of contracts in
|contract |1995-96
|(excluding VAT)
|£ Thousand
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ferguslie Park Training, |FCB Securities |25.0
Economic and Enterprise |security services
Development Company |(since 1989)
Ltd.
|
(a) Ferguslie Park |FCB Securities security|50.5
Community Centre Ltd. |services (since
|spring 1995)
|
(b) |FPCH Limited |3.0
| accountancy services
| (since autumn 1993)
|
(a) Craigielea Pre-5 |FPCH Limited wage |1.0
Centre Limited |administration (since
|spring 1993)
|
(b) |FCB Securities |4.0
| security services
| (since spring 1993)
Scottish Hospices
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of the national lottery on fund raising by Scottish hospices; and if he will make a statement. [28558]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The Scottish partnership agency for palliative and cancer care is keeping this under review. A representative of the Scottish Office attends meetings of the agency.
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