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|Financial provision
|1995-96 (£ million)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environmentally Sensitive Areas |5.5
Other Agri-Environment Schemes |1.697
It is too early to anticipate what expenditure will be incurred.
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Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farm conservation plans have been approved, since designation, in the Cairngorms Straths environmentally sensitive area involving payments under tier two in year one of the plan of (a) up to £1,000, (b) £1,000- £2,000, (c) £2,001-£3,000 and (d) £3,001- £4,000. [39749]
Mr. Robertson [holding answer 26 October 1995]: The number of agreements in Cairngorms Straths environmentally sensitive area scheme involving tier two payments in year one of the plan is as follows:
|Number
-------------------------------
(a)Up to £1,000 |1
(b)£1,001-£2,000 |1
(c)£2,001-£3,000 |2
(d)£3,001-£4,000 |35
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farm conservation plans have been approved, since designation, the Cairngorms Straths environmentally sensitive areas. [39748]
Mr. Robertson [holding answer 26 October 1995]: As at 24 October 1995, 37 farmers and crofters have accepted agreements offered under the Cairngorms Straths environmentally sensitive areas scheme.
Prisoners (Closed Visits)
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what arrangements are made for prisoners who are restricted to closed visits to have (a) visits from their legal advisers, and (b) consular visits; [38844]
(2) in which prisons there are prisoners restricted to closed visits and what are the numbers of prisoners involved. [39416]
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. Seamus Mallon, dated 30 October 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Questions about closed visits for prisoners in Scotland. These concerned (a) the arrangements for prisoners on closed visits to have visits from their legal advisers and consular officials, and (b) in which prisons there are prisoners restricted to closed visits and what are the numbers of prisoners involved.
As for as (a) is concerned, regardless of whether a prisoner is on closed visits, visits from prisoners' legal advisers are held in rooms specifically designated for that purpose. Consular visits are also held in these rooms. Both types of visits, in accordance with Prison Rules, take place within sight, but outwith the hearing, of prison staff.
On the (b) the information as at 25 October is as follows:
--------------------
Aberdeen | 3
Barlinnie | 50
Corton Vale | 11
Dumfries | 13
Edinburgh | 9
Glenochil | 33
Greenock | 6
Inverness | 3
Longriggend | 9
Low Moss | 6
Perth | 11
Peterhead | 1
Polmont | 5
Shotts | 7
Total |167
Greater Glasgow Health Board
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the recent employment of Alan Clark Associates by Greater Glasgow health board, and the procedure adopted by the health board in awarding this contract and the involvement of the board itself and the then chairman in the award of this contract. [39406]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: Such information is not held centrally; this is a matter for Greater Glasgow health board.
School Transport
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was spent by his Department for each education authority in Scotland for each financial year since 1987 88 in supporting educational transport; and what were the number of pupils covered by this provision for each local authority, the total number of pupils within each education authority during this period, and the percentage covered by free school transport provision. [39408]
Mr. Robertson [holding answer 26 October 1995]: The detailed information requested cannot be provided in the time scale allowed. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as that information has been collated.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes his Department is considering to the guidance currently in force relating to the criteria for school pupils in Scotland to qualify for free transport and the manner in which he funds this transport provision. [39409]
Mr. Robertson [holding answer 26 October 1995]: Under current legislation, decisions regarding the provision of school transport are entirely a matter for each education authority. Under sections 50 and 51 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, education authorities have a duty to make such transport arrangements as they consider necessary for the provision of free transport, of transport facilities as may be arranged, and for paying all or part of reasonable travel expenses for school pupils belonging to their area. The Government have no plans to amend this legislation, or to change the manner in which this transport provision is funded.
On 24 May 1995, guidance was issued to the chief executives of the new unitary authorities about the current legislation relating to the provision of school transport as part of detailed guidance on their future education responsibilities from 1 April 1996. There are no plans to add to that guidance.
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the arrangements made by Ayrshire and Arran health board to administer its public
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relations and communications since 1987, the names of agencies employed by the health board to undertake these duties during this period, the tendering process involved in awarding these contracts and the monetary value of contracts awarded to these agencies. [39410]Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: Such information is not held centrally; this is a matter for Ayrshire and Arran health board.
Nursing Home Care
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people pay the cost of their nursing home care (a) in full and (b) in part; and how many have their costs entirely met through (i) income support or (ii) their local authority. [40185]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 27 October 1995]: The total number of nursing home residents with preserved rights to the higher levels of income support was 7,940 at November 1994. The number of persons admitted on a permanent basis to nursing homes between 1 April 1994 and 31 March 1995 supported in full or in part by local authorities was 4,256.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of (a) doubling and (b) trebling the present £8,000 capital disregard for nursing home fees. [40189]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 27 October 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on Friday 27 October 1995, Official Report, column 853 .
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of people who have had to sell their homes to fund the cost of their long-term stay in (a) residential and (b) nursing homes in each of the last five years. [40177]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 27 October 1995]: The necessary information on which to base an estimate is not available centrally.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average length of time a person spends in full-time nursing care. [40181]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 27 October 1994]: The information requested is not available. However, the average lengths of stay of inpatients in hospitals in Scotland in 1994 95 are shown in the following table:
$
|Days
------------------------------------
Acute specialties |5.5
Obstetrics |3.3
Long stay specialities |63.8
Psychiatric specialties |104.8
Mental handicap |242.8
During their stay in hospital
inpatients will receive full-time
nursing care.
Nurses' Pay
Mr. Macdonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to advise the Western Isles health board of a settlement on nurses' pay. [39875]
Lord James Douglas Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: I expect to be able to advise all health boards in Scotland of a settlement on nurses pay in early November.
Health Boards
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the status of the Scottish health boards' general managers' group in relation to the Scottish Office. [39397]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: The Scottish health boards' general managers' group advises the Scottish Office Department of Health on matters affecting health boards. It provides a forum for two way communication between the Scottish Office and health boards on health service policy and the performance of the NHS in Scotland.
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he applied in deciding to allocate additional funding to Grampian health board and to Highland health board from moneys available through an underspend in the previous year's NHS budget in Scotland. [38501]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 October 1995]: The additional funding to Grampian health board and Highland health board is part of a £16.3 million allocation to be distributed to all health
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boards in Scotland on a weighted capitation basis. The boards were notified about the funds in August and formal allocations are expected to issue in November.Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what work his Department has so far undertaken to implement the expansion of the assisted places scheme in Scotland; which bodies have been consulted about this, and when he expects to announce further movements on this issue. [39399]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson [holding answer 26 October 1995]: Officials are currently considering possible options for expanding the assisted places scheme in Scotland, in line with our plans to double to around 6,000 the numbers of children whose parents would otherwise be unable to send them to a Scottish independent school. We are consulting the Scottish Council of Independent Schools about how best to expand the scheme, taking account of the geographic spread. We will, however, seek to ensure that particular priority is given to extending choice and opportunity for the poorest families. We are aiming for the first additional places to be provided in the 1996 97 school session.
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children on the assisted places scheme had parents whose relevant family income was (a) below £9,450, (b) between £10,000 and £15, 000, (c) between £15,000 and £20,000 and (d) between £20,000 and £24,000 as defined by notes and definitions, section 1.3 of "The Scottish Office Statistical Bulletin, Education series", Ref. No. Edn/C5/1995/9, entitled "The Assisted Places Scheme 1983 84 to 1993 94", in the latest five years for which figures are available. [38878]
Mr. Robertson: The available information is as follows:
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School Session |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below full fee remission threshold |1,219 |1,292 |1,385 |1,388 |1,423
Threshold-£10,000 |270 |148 |89 |70 |43
£10,000-£15,000 |815 |719 |671 |644 |612
£15,000-£20,000 |485 |552 |583 |591 |584
Over £20,000 |72 |200 |310 |352 |388
Total |2,861 |2,911 |3,038 |3,045 |3,050
Notes:
<1.> Figures from 1992-93 are provisional pending receipt of final audited claims. The numbers of schools with outstanding
claims for 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95 are one, seven and 48 respectively.
<2.> Annual adjustments are made to the income scales on which parental contributions are calculated, including the
threshold level at which full fee remission is applicable. The threshold was £8,200 in 1990-91, £8,987 in 1991-92, £9,384 in
1992-93, £9,522 in 1993-94 and £9,616 in 1994-95.
<3.> Figures are not collected centrally on the number of pupils whose parents' relevant incomes are between £20,000 and £24,
000.
Public Relations and Press Officers
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance his Department has issued to NHS trusts and health boards relating to the employment of public relations and press officers by these bodies. [39405]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: No specific guidance has been issued to NHS trusts and health boards relating to the employment of public relations and press officers.
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Dental Services
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each health board area in Scotland for each financial year since 1990 91 the numbers of patients registered with a dentist and the total number of patients registered with a dentist in Scotland for each year during this period. [39395]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the answers
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which I gave him on 23 March 1995, Official Report, columns 956-57, and 23 May 1995, column 739.Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each health board area in Scotland for each financial year since 1990 91 the number of patients removed by dentists from their
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treatment and the number of dentists involved in this de-registration. [39396]Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 26 October 1995]: Formal arrangements for patients to be registered with a dentist were introduced in October 1990. Information supplied by health boards about de- registrations since that date is contained in the table.
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October April 1991-March April 1992-March April 1993-March April 1994-March
1990-March 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
|No of |No of |No of |No of |No of |No of |No of |No of |No of
|No. of patients|dentists |patients |dentists |patients |dentists |patients |dentists |patients |dentists
Health board |de-registered |involved<1> |de-registered |involved<1> |de-registered |involved<1> |de-registered |involved<1> |de-registered |involved<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |3 |1 |25 |2 |2,241 |14 |42 |7 |- |5
Ayrshire and Arran |- |- |14 |10 |1,309 |11 |400 |13 |91 |17
Borders |1 |1 |11 |4 |1,432 |4 |683 |4 |41 |4
Dumfries and Galloway |- |- |11 |2 |4,518 |10 |1,388 |10 |901 |17
Fife |1 |1 |- |- |295 |32 |417 |21 |510 |24
Forth Valley |- |- |42 |12 |201 |23 |63 |18 |210 |35
Grampian |- |- |9 |5 |257 |21 |179 |18 |361 |44
Greater Glasgow |7 |5 |41 |36 |579 |45 |339 |49 |1,070 |87
Highland |4 |3 |19 |12 |210 |24 |73 |24 |78 |33
Lanarkshire |4 |4 |70 |10 |252 |29 |145 |25 |83 |65
Lothian |18 |2 |101 |21 |483 |23 |1,625 |17 |1,319 |23
Orkney |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Shetland |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Tayside |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |206<3> |29<3> |57 |11 |641 |48
Western Isles |- |- |- |- |37 |4 |16 |4 |- |4
n/a-not available.
<1> Number of dentists involved in de-registration in a particular year.
<2> For 1994-95 the figures show the running total of dentists involved in de-registration from July 1992 to March 1995.
<3> From July 1992.
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