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SCOTLAND
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the British Linen Bank Group relating to the development of the proposed new Edinburgh royal infirmary; to what extent those discussions have included the construction and the management of hospital facilities and hospital services; and what facilities and services are being considered. [27932]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Scottish Office officials have met representatives of a number of private sector financial institutions, including the British Linen bank, construction companies and other organisations to discuss private finance issues. No meetings have taken place with representatives of the British Linen Bank Group specifically to discuss the royal infirmary of Edinburgh. The briefing documents prepared by the royal infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust and issued to
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interested parties describes the scheme as being for the design, building and financing of the new hospital facility, together with the operation of a range of non-clinical support services. Staff involved in providing clinical services will continue to be employed by the trust.Executive Search Agencies
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the occasions on which his Department has employed executive search agencies to recruit for direct or indirect employment in each of the past five years, including for employment in agencies, trusts, quangos and other arms-length bodies which are funded by his Department; what was the value of each assignment; and if he will make a statement. [28564]
Mr. Lang: The occasions on which my Department employed agencies to conduct executive searches are set out. The value of individual contracts is a matter of commercial confidentiality, but the total cost was approximately £300,000. The list does not include occasions when such agencies have conducted open recruitment competitions without search on behalf of my Department.
My Department commissions executive searches when it considers that the particular post will be difficult to fill and where suitable candidates are likely to be in current employment and therefore may not be expected to respond to press advertisement of the open recruitment competition.
Year |Appointment
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991 |-
1992 |Director of Finance, Scottish
| Prison Service
1993 |Chief Executive, NHS
| management executive
1994 |Director of Human Resources
| NHS management executive
|Director of Finance, NHS
| management executive
|Director of Finance, NHS
| management executive (re-run
| competition)
|Chief Executives (3), new
| water authorities
1995 (to date) |Director of Finance and
| Planning, East of Scotland Water
| Authority
|Director of Human Resources,
| East of Scotland Water
| Authority
|Legal Adviser, East of Scotland
| Water Authority
|Director of Operations, North of
| Scotland Water Authority
|Director of Human Resources,
| North of Scotland Water
| Authority
|Head of Public Affairs, North of
| Scotland Water Authority
|Director of Finance, North of
| Scotland Water Authority
|Legal Adviser, North of Scotland
| Water Authority
Floods
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made of the aftermath of the floods in Paisley and Johnstone since February 1995, excluding the visits he and his Ministers paid to the area before then; what benchmark he has used to assess the effect to people's lives and the need for new flood prevention measures since the floods; how such assessments have involved or resulted in the consultation of flood victims; when he next plans to revisit the area to discuss the longer-term impact of flooding on the lives of people'; and if he will make a statement. [28571]
Sir Hector Monro: The effects of the floods have been full considered by the Scottish Office and by Ministers. However, the assessment of flood prevention needs in Paisley and Johnstone is essentially for Strathclyde regional council. An internal report by the council has concluded that it would not be practicable for it to undertake any further major flood prevention works. Indeed, the council has undertaken only one scheme in its 20 years' existence, despite the wide powers available under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 and the availability of Government grant. For the Government's part, we have already proposed a number of measures to enhance the statutory and planning framework so that councils may take well-informed decisions on flooding matters in the light of local concerns and the public interest.
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Glasgow Regeneration Alliance
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much funding has been given in each of the last three years to each of the local employment companies covered by the Glasgow regeneration alliance areas. [29278]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Funding for the local economic development companies in Glasgow comes from a variety of sources, including the local authorities, Glasgow Development Agency, urban programme and European structural funds. The information is not held centrally.
Devolution
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of States for Scotland what recent representations his Department has received in favour of (a) devolution and (b) regional parliaments; and if he will make a statement. [29626]
Mr. Lang: In the period 1 January 1995 to 31 May 1995 my Department has received 43 representations in favour of devolution and none in favour of regional parliaments.
Assisted Places Scheme
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those schools which have participated in the assisted places scheme in the past five years, and the number of placements for each school per year. [29708]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information for the last five school sessions is as follows:
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Participating |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95<1>
schools
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberlour House |8 |7 |10 |11 |9
Albyn School |23 |20 |18 |19 |24
Ardvreck School |2 |3 |3 |5 |6
Beaconhurst School |6 |6 |10 |13 |9
Belhaven Hill School |3 |3 |2 |1 |2
Belmont House School |20 |23 |23 |26 |25
Blairmore School |5 |4 |3 |School closed
Butterstone School |4 |5 |2 |4 |5
Cargilfield School |4 |4 |<>4 |<1>4 |4
Clifton Hall School |7 |7 |8 |7 |6
Craigclowan School |9 |9 |9 |12 |10
Craigholme School |39 |36 |38 |<1>45 |45
Crawfordton House School |6 |6 |6 |6 |6
Croftinloan School |4 |5 |6 |6 |4
Dollar Academy |68 |59 |71 |72 |72
Drumley House School |5 |3 |3 |2 |2
Edinburgh Academy |48 |50 |52 |54 |54
Fernhill School |29 |30 |34 |<1>34 |30
Fettes College |32 |33 |40 |39 |35
Fort Augustus School |33 |34 |28 |School closed
George Heriot's School |236 |247 |247 |250 |255
George Watson's College |243 |238 |234 |238 |248
Glasgow Academy |37 |89 |98 |98 |90
Glenalmond College |30 |33 |33 |38 |41
Gordonstoun School |26 |29 |28 |<1>28 |31
Hamilton College |12 |14 |15 |14 |14
High School of Dundee |182 |180 |197 |196 |194
High School of Glasgow |38 |39 |45 |49 |48
Hutcheson's Grammer School |135 |138 |152 |157 |163
Keil School |66 |67 |66 |65 |69
Kelvinside Academy |58 |67 |80 |85 |87
Kilgraston School |51 |53 |59 |52 |54
Kilquhanity School |18 |18 |20 |20 |11
Lathallan School |5 |5 |6 |6 |6
Laurel Bank School |54 |53 |53 |60 |63
Lomond School |39 |44 |49 |54 |54
Loretto School |31 |33 |35 |33 |33
Merchiston Castle School |60 |62 |65 |<1>68 |65
Morrison's Academy |164 |168 |169 |<1>157 |140
New Park School |3 |3 |4 |5 |4
Oxenfoord Castle School |11 |13 |11 |School closed
Park Lodge School |nil |1 |1 |nil |nil
The Park School |72 |68 |68 |69 |68
Rannoch School |28 |30 |31 |35 |38
Robert Gordon's College |63 |64 |<1>63 |<1>64 |70
Rudolph Steiner School, Edinburgh |56 |57 |59 |63 |57
St. Aloysius College |160 |166 |165 |172 |168
St. Columba's School |32 |42 |39 |36 |33
St. Denis and Cranley School |30 |28 |31 |29 |31
St. George's School |20 |25 |29 |31 |42
St. Leonard's School |31 |35 |37 |36 |37
St. Margaret's School, Aberdeen |19 |22 |22 |20 |20
St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh |68 |70 |72 |71 |74
St. Mary's School |4 |1 |2 |2 |4
Stewart's Melville College and the Mary
Erskine School |274 |276 |282 |296 |284
Strathallan School |42 |42 |46 |47 |46
Wellington School |48 |44 |55 |<1>54 |51
Westbourne School |60 |Amalgamated with
|Glasgow Academy
<1> Provisional figures pending receipt of audited returns from schools.
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many assisted place pupils sat A level examinations in each of the past five years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information is given.
School session |Number of assisted
|place pupils
---------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |69
1991-92 |79
1992-93 |84
1993-94 |91
1994-95 |<1>-
<1> Information not yet available.
Charter Week
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the main events he is proposing for Charter Week; what is the total cost to public funds; and how many (a) civil servants and (b) other public officials will be playing a part. [30681]
Mr. Lang: The Scottish Court Service agency will publish information about their performance against service standards during 1994 95 and several health boards are to launch revised local charters during Charter Week. These events were anyway due to take place at this time and there is therefore no additional cost to public funds. Information on the numbers of civil servants and public officials participating in Charter Week is not available.
NHS (Private Sector Involvement)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 29 March, Official Report , column 702 , if he will make a statement indicating what specific provision within (a) Dundee Teaching Hospital NHS trust, (b) the Grampian
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Healthcare NHS trust, (c) the Law Hospital NHS trust, (d) the Hairmyres and Stonehouse NHS trust, (e) the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust, (f) the Western General Hospital NHS trust hospital, (g) the Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services NHS trust and (h) the South Ayrshire Hospital NHS trust is being considered for private finance initiatives; what companies have been consulted on the possible provision of these facilities; and what is the value of the services being considered under the private finance initiative and the current position as regards the formal conclusion of contracts between the NHS trusts and the potential investor in the facilities. [29688]Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 21 June 1995]: The following schemes are in progress at the trusts listed, each of which involves a private finance element.
Dundee Teaching Hospital NHS trust--equipment for the new accommodation at Ninewells hospitals into which services provided at Dundee royal infirmary will be transferred.
Grampian Healthcare NHS trust--the preparation of a proposal for Grampian health board to provide clinical facilities including GP beds in Stonehaven, which has been offered by the board to open competition.
Law hospital, Hairmyres and Stonehouse, and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trusts--provision of new facilities to replace the existing hospitals.
Western General Hospitals NHS trust--extensive new build, refurbishment and alterations on current site.
Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health NHS trust--an inpatient facility for the acute mentally ill at Stobhill.
South Ayrshire Hospital NHS trust--the preparation of a proposal for Ayrshire and Arran health board to provide specified clinical facilities in East Ayrshire, which has been offered by the board to competition between Ayrshire trusts.
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Four NHS trusts have advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities seeking private sector partners and all have shortlisted, or are in the process of shortlisting, tenderers. The shortlist for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust contains three consortia--BICC/BET/Royal Bank of Scotland; Laing/Miller Group/British Linen bank; Wimpey/Serco Services/Impreglio SpA, Morrison Construction. Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health NHS trust consists of four consortia--British Linenbank/McAlpine/Serco; Royal Bank of Scotland/Balfour Beatty/Initial; Henry Boot/Quayle Munro/Trigon; Laing/Nikko bank. The Western General Hospital and Hairmyres and Stonehouse NHS trusts have not announced their shortlists. None of the schemes has yet reached the stage of concluding contracts. The value of the services will not be known until final proposals have been received from the consortia.
Crown Immunity
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all areas within (a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28646]
Mr. Lang [holding answer 15 June 1995]: An Act of Parliament is presumed not to bind the Crown unless the contrary intention is clearly stated, or there is necessary implication that the Crown is to be bound. The Government's policy on Crown immunity--as set out in Cm 1599--"The Citizen's Charter--Raising the Standard"--is that Crown immunity is being progressively reduced, as legislative opportunities arise. In the meantime, Crown bodies are expected to behave as though they were bound by regulations.
Council Tax Appeals
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appeals are outstanding in (a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in respect of the valuation of properties for council tax. [27311]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 13 June 1995]: The available information relates to all classes of proposal to change the valuation list made to assessors and subsequent appeals, and is available only for regions and for Scotland as a whole. At March 1995, the latest date for which information is available, there were 5,974 outstanding proposals/appeals lodged in Strathclyde and 14,422 in Scotland.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Live Animal Exports
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep in a consignment exported from Shoreham on the Northern cruiser on 17 May were dead on arrival in Dieppe; what was the cause of death; how many sheep gave birth during the journey; how many sheep died during the unloading and how;
Column 524
whether any prosecutions are to be brought in respect of any sheep that died and any sheep that were transported contrary to the prohibition of the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1994 on the transportation of an animal which is likely to give birth during transport; and if he will make a statement. [27105]Mrs. Browning: The French authorities have reported that two sheep were dead on arrival at Dieppe and that one gave birth during the journey. The Ministry is supporting the local authority in investigations into these matters.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by him or his Ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28498]
Mr. Jack: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 21 June 1995, Official Report , column 241 .
Agricultural Grants
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the mean, median and standard deviation for the length of time between receiving a claim and the payment of a claim for each agricultural grant handled by his Department. [29454]
Mr. Jack: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Targets for the payment of claims for grants and subsidies are set out in the Ministry's regional customer service standard "Commitment to Service". A revised edition was published in January 1995. For details of performance against targets, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 20 July 1994, Official Report , column 356 .
Similar details on performance for 1994 95 will be announced later this year. I should emphasise that for many schemes Community rules prescribe dates for submission of applications and payment of eligible claims. These vary between individual schemes.
Privatisation
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those parts of his Department or departmental agencies which were privatised without an in-house bid; if he will indicate the expertise which was absent in his Department or departmental agencies which prevented an in-house bid taking place; which future parts of his Department or departmental agencies he intends to privatise; and which of them do not have the necessary in-house expertise to mount an in-house bid. [29424]
Mr. Waldegrave: I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to my hon. Friends the Members for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) and for Barking (Ms Hodge) on 16 December 1994, Official Report , columns 867 68 and 8 June 1995, Official Report , columns 313 18 inclusive.
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Market testing, strategic contracting out and efficiency review exercises either in process or yet to start cover information technology service provision from the information technology directorate; staff training; the management maintenance and operations of the fisheries research vessels at DFR Lowestoft; IT services--other than that provided by the ITD--HQ reprographic services; non-scientific services, CSL; national food survey; training services procured from ATB landbase; fisheries aerial surveillance; and the national diet and nutrition survey, with Department of Health. In addition, it is intended that some elements of the industry development press and industry relations and marketing directorate functions of the Meat and Livestock Commission will be market tested.For the future it is not possible to predict in advance of recommendations following structural, strategic or management reviews which services or functions will be contracted out. Contracting out without an in-house bid can occur when my Department judges that the private sector is clearly better equipped to deliver a specific service, has a better understanding of market needs or has a capacity to invest in new technology. This has been true, for example, in some cases of information technology services provision. Where an activity may be relatively small and peripheral to my department's functions, a strategic decision to contract out could also be taken. Decisions over whether services are most effectively discharged in- house or contracted out are taken in light of one of my Department's stated aims-namely, to ensure the best use of internal resources in support of the Ministry's business.
Milk
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the change of cost of milk to the milk processing industry since the introduction of Milk Marque; and what assessment he has made of the change in employment in the dairy and milk processing industry since then. [29513]
Mr. Jack: It is not possible to make a general comparison between the price of milk for processing under the old and new milk marketing arrangements because of the different selling systems involved and the variety of contracts now on offer by Milk Marque. Some companies have announced restructuring plans since 1 November 1994, but most of the job losses are in the bottling and distribution of liquid milk where the principal factor is the intense competition from supermarkets rather than deregulation.
Advisory Committees
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the members of (a) the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods, (b) the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and (c) the Food Advisory Committee together with their current employers. [29996]
Mrs. Browning: The current membership of the committees is as follows:
(a) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
Professor D. C. Burke, CBE, BSc, PhD, HonLLD, DL (Chairman)
Vice Chancellor, University of East Anglia
Column 526
Professor G. E. Adams BSc, PhD, DSc, FACRDirector, MRC Radiobiology Unit, Oxford
Professor P. J. Aggett MSc, MB, ChB, FRCP(L)(E)(G), DCH Head of the Department of Nutrition, Diet and Health, Institute of Food Research, Norwich Laboratory, Norwich
Professor A. T. Atkinson BSc, PhD
Retired-Former Deputy Director, PHLS Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton Down
Professor H. M. Dick CBE, MD, FIBiol, FRCP, FRCPath, FRSE Department of Medical Microbiology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee
Dr. M. J. Gasson BSc, PhD
Head, Genetics and Microbiology Department, Institute of Food Research, Norwich
Professor W. P. T. James CBE, MA, MD, DSc, FRCP (London and Edinburgh), FRSE
Director, Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen
rofessor D. A. Ledward MSc, PhD, FIFST
Professor of Food Science, University of Reading
Professor B. J. Miflin BSc, MS, PhD
Director of Research, Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted Experimental Station
Mrs. H. Millar MA, FRSA
Adult Education Department, University of Glasgow
Professor B. E. Moseley OBE, MSc, PhD
Retired-Former Head of Reading Laboratory, Institute of Food Research Reading
Rev. J. Polkinghorne MA, PhD, ScD, FRS
The President, Queens' College, Cambridge
Dr. P. J. Rodgers MA, DPhil
Zeneca Bioproducts, Billingham, Cleveland
Professor T. Sanders BSc, PhD
Head of Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Kings College, London
Professor J. E. Smith BSc, MSc, PhD, DSc, FIBiol, FRSE Head of Applied Microbiology Division, University of Strathclyde Professor R. Walker BSc, PhD, FRSD, CChem, FIFST
Professor of Food Science, University of Surrey
Professor H. F. Woods BSc, BM, BCh, DPhil, FFPM, FRCP (London and Edinburgh)
Head of Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sheffield
(b) Advisory Committee on Pesticides--
Professor Sir Colin Berry DSc, MD, PhD, FRCPath, FFPM, FRCP (Chairman)
Professor of Morbid Anatomy, and Dean of the London Hospital Medical College.
Professor Geoffrey Sagar CBE, BA, MA, DPhil (Oxon) (Deputy Chairman)
Professor of Agriculture Botany and Vice Principal of the University College of North Wales.
Dr Andree Carter BSc, MISoilSci, MIWEM
Principal Research Officer and Laboratory Manager at the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre, Cranfield Institute of Technology. Professor Nicola Cherry MD, PhD, FFOM
Professor and Director at the Centre for Occupational Health at the University of Manchester's Faculty of Medicine.
Column 527
Professor Michael Claridge MA, DPhil, FIBiol, FLS, FRES Head of School and Professor of Entomology, University of Wales, Cardiff.Professor Anthony Dayan BSc, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, FFPM, FIBiol Professor of Toxicology and Director of the DH Toxicology Laboratory, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, University of London.
Mr John Leahy MA(Oxon), CChem, MRSC
Retired--Formerly General Manager of the Severn Trent Laboratories.
Professor Donald L. Lee BSc, PhD(Cantab), FIBiol, FRSA Professor of Agricultural Zoology, University of Leeds.
Dr. Alexander Proudfoot BSc(Hons), MB, ChB, FRCP, FRCPE Consultant physician, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Director of the Scottish Poisons Information Bureau.
Dr. Eve Roman BSc, PhD
Staff Scientist at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Oxford.
Mr. Roger Tayler BSc(Agric), Postgrad Dip Agric(Reading), NDA, CBiol, MIBiol
Senior Tutor in the Faculty of Agriculture and Food and Senior Lecturer in crop production, Department of Agriculture, University of Reading.
Professor Paul Webster BSc, PhD, FBIM, FRSA
Department of Agricultural Economics at Wye College, University of London.
(c) Food Advisory Committee
Professor Sir Colin Campbell LLB (Chairman)
Vice Chancellor, University of Nottingham
Professor Douglas Georgala CBE, PhD, FIFST (Deputy Chairman) Independent Scientific Consultant. Formerly Director of the Institute of Food Research
Dr. Margaret Ashwell OBE, BSc, PhD, FIFST, FRSH
Independent Scientific Consultant. Formerly of the British Nutrition Foundation
Mr. Robin Evans BSc, MChemA, CChem, FRSC, AIFST
Public Analyst, Tayside Regional Council
Mrs. Joy Hardinge BSc, FIFST
Head of Legislation (Flavours and Ingredients), Quest International
Mr. Roger Manley OBE, FITSA
County Fair Trading and Advice Officer, Cheshire County Council Miss Patricia Mann FCAM, FIPA, CMInst, FRSA
Director of External Affairs, J. Walter Thompson Company Ltd. Mr. Tom Martin BSc, MIFST, FIBrew
Technical Director, Carlsberg-Tetley Brewing Ltd.
Mr. Tom Miller BSc, FIFST, FRSH, MHCIMA
Technical Services Manager, Whitbread plc
Mrs. Jill Moore OBE
Vice-Chairman of the National Federation of Consumer Groups and Member of the Meat and Livestock Commission's Consumer Committee Dr. Richard Pugh BSc, PhD, CChem, FRSC, FIFST, FRSA
Technical Director, Tesco Stores Ltd.
Professor Christopher Ritson BA (Econ), MAgr Sc
Professor of Agricultural Marketing, University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Ms Barbara Saunders BA
Freelance consultant on consumer policy
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