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ENVIRONMENT
Air Monitoring Stations
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the location of all air monitoring stations in the United Kingdom and what pollutants each station measures. [39363]
Mr. Clappison: The Department of the Environment monitors air pollutants at 50 automatic monitoring sites in its urban, rural and hydrocarbon networks. A list of the stations and the pollutants they measure is given in the table.
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DOE automatic monitoring stations-October 1995
County name |Site name |Network |Species measured<1> |Grid ref.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |Bristol Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |ST594732
|Bristol East |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |ST599729
Belfast |Belfast East |Urban |SO2 |J357740
|Belfast Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |J339744
|Belfast South |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |J333726
Cheshire |Glazebury |Rural |O3 |SJ690959
Cleveland |Billingham |Urban |NOX |NZ470237
|Middlesbrough |Urban Affiliate |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10,VOCs |NZ505194
Cumbria |Great Dun Fell |Rural |O3 |NY711322
|Wharleycroft |Rural |O3 |NY698247
Derbyshire |Ladybower |Rural |O3,NOX,SO2 |SK164892
Devon |Yarner Wood |Rural |O3 |SX867890
Dumfries and Galloway |Eskdalemuir |Rural |O3 |NT235028
East Sussex |Lullington Heath |Rural |O3,NOX,SO2 |TQ538016
Fermanagh |Lough Navar |Rural |O3 |IH065545
Greater London |Bridge Place |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2 |TQ289788
|Bexley |Urban Affiliate |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |TQ518763
|Cromwell Road |Urban |NOX,CO,SO2 |TQ264789
|West London |Urban |NOX,CO |TQ251788
|London Bloomsbury |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |TQ302820
|London UCL |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |TQ299822
|London Eltham |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |TQ440747
Greater Manchester |Manchester |Urban |NOX,CO |SJ838980
Hampshire |Southampton Centre |Urban Hydrocarbon |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10,VOCs |SU429121
Highland |Strath Vaich |Rural |O3,NOX,SO2 |NH347750
Humberside |Hull Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |SE105293
Leicestershire |Leicester Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |SK587040
Lothian |Bush |Rural |O3 |NT245635
|Edinburgh Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |NT254738
|Edinburgh Med. Sch |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |NT257730
Merseyside |Liverpool Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |SJ349908
|Liverpool Speke |Urban |VOCs |SJ438835
North Yorkshire |High Muffles |Rural |O3 |SE776939
Nottinghamshire |Bottesford |Rural |O3 |SK797376
Oxfordshire |Harwell |Rural |O3 |SU474863
Powys |Aston Hill |Rural |O3 |SO298901
South Glamorgan |Cardiff Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |ST184765
|Cardiff East |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |ST193773
South Yorkshire |Sheffield |Urban |NOX,CO |SK403905
|Barnsley 12 |Urban |SO2 |SE342067
Strathclyde |Glasgow |Urban |NOX,CO |NS595653
Suffolk |Sibton |Rural |O3 |TM364719
Tyne and Wear |Sunderland |Urban |SO2 |NZ398570
|Newcastle Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |NZ251649
West Glamorgan |Swansea Centre |Urban Affiliate |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |SS655931
West Midlands |Walsall |Urban |NOX |SO995985
|Birmingham Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |SP064868
|Birmingham East |Urban Affiliate Hydrocarbon|O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10,VOCs |SP116889
West Yorkshire |Leeds Centre |Urban |O3,NOX,CO,SO2,PM10 |SE299343
|Leeds Potternewton |Hydrocarbon |VOCs |SE307367
<1> VOCs=Volatile organic compounds
O3=ozone
NOX=oxides of nitrogen
SO2=sulphur dioxide
PM10=fine particles
Details of the non-automatic smoke and sulphur dioxide sites (approximately 225 sites) are available in "UK Smoke and Sulphur Dioxide Monitoring Networks Summary
Tables for April 1993-March 1994".
Details of non-automatic nitrogen dioxide sites (approximately 1,100 sites) are available in "UK Nitrogen Dioxide Survey results for the first year-1993".
Details of the Department's other non-automatic networks (metals, acid deposition, rural sulphur dioxide and toxic organic micro pollutants; 86 sites) are available in
"Air Pollution in the UK: 1993/94".
Copies of all three reports are available from the National Environmental Technology Centre, Culham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3DB.
Restoration Orders
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made on proposals to introduce restoration orders for sites of special scientific interest. [39362]
Mr. Clappison: We shall consult interested parties shortly.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for (a) the financial year 1994 95 and (b) the estimated figures for the financial year 1995 96, for each executive agency for which he is responsible. [39521]
Sir Paul Beresford: Estimated outturn for 1994 95 and plans for 1995 96 for civil service manpower and pay bill are set out in my Department's annual report, Cm 2807, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. A breakdown by grade and individual agency could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Nirex (Cumbria)
Dr. John Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the RM Consultants report for Her Majesty's Inspector of Pollution on the movement of groundwater in the area of the proposed Nirex nuclear waste repository in Cumbria; [39732]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the W S Atkins report for Her Majesty's inspector of pollution on the movement of groundwater in the area of the proposed Nirex nuclear waste repository in Cumbria. [39733]
Mr. Gummer: A set of reports arising from the work undertaken by HMIP will be placed in the Library. This will include the reports by RM Consultants and W S Atkins.
Asylum Seekers (Housing Application)
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of housing applicants, for each local authority, refused permanent housing due to being asylum seekers since the introduction of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993. [39882]
Mr. Clappison [holding answer 27 October 1995]: Under the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993, asylum seekers found to be statutorily homeless by a local housing authority are entitled only to temporary accommodation for as long as they remain an asylum seeker. Data are collected from local authorities in England on their activities under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 on a quarterly basis.
I have today placed in the Library a table of the reported data on applicants registered with the Home Office as an asylum seeker and found to be statutorily homeless between January 1994 and June 1995. Such data were not collected prior to January 1994.
Information about the number of asylum seekers who have applied to register on a housing waiting list is not held centrally.
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Mineral Extraction (Yorkshire Dales National Park)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the quarries in the Yorkshire Dales national park with the dates on which the permissions for mineral extraction expire. [40469]
Sir Paul Beresford: This information is not held centrally, but may be available from the minerals planning authorities for the area--North Yorkshire county council and Cumbria county council.
Thames Path
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take compulsory purchase powers to allow the river frontage in Hurlingham park to be used for the Thames path. [40470]
Mr. Clappison: Since the Countryside Commission's proposals for the Thames path where it runs through Hurlingham park--and the subsequent approved route in this area--did not include the river frontage, the question did not arise.
Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Countryside Commission concerning difficulties of securing access to the river frontage where the new Thames path could run across open land next to the water's edge. [40472]
Mr. Clappison: In approving the route proposed by the Countryside Commission after consultation with the interested parties, the Secretary of State acknowledged the special issues arising out of implementation of the path where it goes through London. [40471]
Mr. Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at how many places along its route in London the Thames path leaves the river frontage other than because of a building or other similar obstruction.
Mr. Clappison: The Thames path in London leaves the river where access would otherwise be physically possible at four places--the Hurlingham club, the Houses of Parliament, Syon park, a site of special scientific interest, and the Nazareth house convent.
Water Consumption
Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has issued in respect of the preparation of contingency plans prepared to meet water consumption requirements in each region next summer in the event of below average winter rainfall; and if he will make a statement. [40685]
Mr. Clappison: It is the responsibility of water companies to safeguard supplies to their customers, and prepare any contingency plans they consider to be necessary to maintain supplies next summer in the event of below average winter rainfall. The Government have requested the National Rivers Authority to continue monitoring the water resources situation and report whenever it considers further action is needed. The Government announced a review in consultation with the National Rivers Authority, water companies and other interested parties, of the lessons to be learnt from this year's drought and what action needs to be taken.
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Newbury Bypass
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environ- ment if the A34 Newbury bypass river crossings have been assessed to estimate their impact on otters. [38210]
Mr. Clappison: At the time of the environment assessment for the A34 Newbury bypass there was no evidence that the rivers in question were populated by otters.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if licences have been issued permitting the removal of badgers from land affected by the construction of the A34 Newbury bypass. [38211]
Mr. Clappison: No. However, licences have been issued to allow surveys of badger populations to be carried out.
Mesothelioma (Hillingdon)
Sir Michael Shersby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is available about the incidence of mesothelioma in the London borough of Hillingdon during the past 25 years; and if he will publish details of the number of cases. [40651]
Sir Paul Beresford: The Health and Safety Executive maintains a register of deaths in Great Britain for which mesothelioma is mentioned on the death certificate. The numbers of deaths from mesothelioma in the London borough of Hillingdon are shown for each year for 1976 to 1991 in the table:
Year |Male |Female ---------------------------- 1976 |3 |0 1977 |0 |1 1978 |2 |0 1979 |2 |0 1980 |1 |0 1981 |0 |0 1982 |0 |1 1983 |4 |1 1984 |2 |0 1985 |3 |2 1986 |5 |1 1987 |5 |0 1988 |10 |0 1989 |2 |1 1990 |5 |0 1991 |3 |0
The register records only a geographical code for area of usual residence at death from 1976 onwards. The latest year for which complete data is available is 1991. The incidence of mesothelioma is closely linked to the number of deaths as mesothelioma is almost always fatal within one year of diagnosis.
Private Finance Initiatives
Mr. Hargreaves: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he is taking to encourage private finance initiatives in local government, and if he will make a
statement. [41095]
Mr. Curry: A year ago we announced a first package of measures under the private finance initiative, whose aim was to encourage joint ventures between local
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authorities and the private sector, and the disposal of surplus assets. We are continuing to implement and develop those proposals. Today, I can announce another set of changes to the capital finance rules to encourage further private sector involvement in the upgrading and, when necessary, replacement of local authority facilities. I am also announcing new research into the operation of joint public and private sector ventures.The rule changes I am announcing will increase from 50 per cent. to 90 per cent. the usable proportion of receipts from the sales of county farms for two years from 1 April 1996, as announced in the rural White Paper; increase from 50 per cent. to 75 per cent. the usable proportion of receipts from the sale of educational assets for two years from 1 April 1996; increase from 25 per cent. to 50 per cent. from 1 April 1996 the usable proportion of receipts from the sale of shares in education companies; reduce the capital cost for authorities when they enter into "design, build, finance and operate" type contracts for the replacement or upgrading by the private sector of facilities such as schools, leisure centres and theatres; give authorities greater scope for financing the replacement of these facilities out of the proceeds of their sale, by a number of rule changes whereby authorities can take account of the cost of replacement assets in calculating set-aside, including relaxations in respect of the treatment of leased assets; remove disincentives to the dual use of such facilities by an authority and the private sector; reduce the capital cost of equipment replacement contracts, making it easier, for example, for authorities to use energy services packages which improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. I hope to publish draft regulations embodying these changes within the next few weeks, and to lay them before the House, following consultation with interested parties, so that they can come into effect by 1 April 1996. In parallel with this consultation, I hope that further changes can be developed to extend the "design, build, finance and operate" concept to virtually the full range of local authority capital expenditure.
The new research into the working of the private finance initiative, commissioned by my Department and to be carried out by Coopers and Lybrand, will establish the nature and extent of authorities' involvement in joint companies through a questionnaire sent to all English local authorities. This will be followed by an investigation in detail of the role of companies in a number of case-study local authorities.
In addition to a report on the research findings, it is intended that the study will lead to the publication of a good practice guide, designed to help local authorities in developing private sector partnerships through the medium of companies.
Authorities' responses to the private finance initiative have been very encouraging. There is now much greater consciousness of what private finance can achieve, improving local authority facilities and services. The Treasury's private finance panel has worked with the local authority associations to prepare a consultation paper drawing authorities attention to the scope for such action. The setting up of the local government public private partnerships programme, with its own staff to help authorities find the most effective opportunities, is a welcome further step.
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My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment is making a separate announcement about the specific implications for private finance in education. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is also making an announcement.Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State what progress has been made by the independent review panel commissioned to consider further written representations from consultees dissatisfied with the Government's response, published in May, to the consultation on proposed nitrate vulnerable zones. [41096]
Mr. Gummer: The independent review panel, chaired by Mr. Terence Etherton QC, has completed its work. Today my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Secretary of State for Wales and I have published the panel's report. It is being sent to all those who submitted further written representations to the panel.
We are impressed by the quality of the report and, subject to resolution of the issues which it recommends us to consider further, including with the National Rivers Authority, we intend to be guided by its recommendations.
The panel received 87 submissions relating to 29 of the 72 proposed nitrate vulnerable zones. It has considered these submissions to assess whether the Government's published methodology has been correctly and consistently applied in drawing up the boundaries of the proposed zones. The report presents the panel's views on the case made by each objector, in relation to a specific proposed zone, and makes recommendations for Government to consider. It also presents the arguments for and against the proposed surface water zone at Nayland, and the panel's conclusions on the proposed designation. Furthermore, the report also discusses various issues of principle raised in the submissions received by the panel.
The panel has had a difficult task in dealing with a great deal of information in a relatively short period of time and we are grateful for its endeavours.
I am placing copies of the panel's report in the Library.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Heritage Green Paper
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to publish the Green Paper on heritage announced by her predecessor, the right hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell), at the annual dinner of the Architects Association. [38749]
Mr. Sproat: I hope to publish the Green Paper around the end of the year.
Buildings of Historical Importance
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many buildings listed as of historical importance were cleared of such listing and demolished in each of the past five years in Humberside
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and the three counties of Yorkshire; if she will list locations; and if she will make a statement. [39573]Mr. Sproat: Responsibility for controls over the demolition of listed buildings rests with the local planning authorities and the Department of the Environment. The Department has provided the following details of the number of listed building consents granted for the total demolition of a listed building in Humberside and the three counties of Yorkshire:
1991: 8
1992: 2
1993: 6
1994: 1
1995: 3 (up to 31 February 1995)
It is not possible to say how many of these consents have been implemented and information on the location of the buildings is not readily available.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many buildings of historical importance were renovated, and at what cost, in each of the past five years in Humberside and each of the three counties of Yorkshire; how many of these were industrial buildings; if she will list the locations of each; and if she will make a statement. [39481]
Mr. Sproat: Information on the total number of historic buildings renovated during a given period is not available. Government funding for the repair of historic buildings in England is channelled through English Heritage. All repair grants offered by English Heritage to buildings and monuments of outstanding national importance are listed in its publications, "Grants 1984 92", "Grants 1992 93 and "Grant 1993 94", copies of which are available in the Library. I will arrange for a copy of "Grants 1994 95" to be placed in the Libraries of the House when it is published.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many buildings listed as being of special architectural or historical importance are currently located in Humberside and each of the three counties of Yorkshire; how many of these (a) have been and (b) are currently subject to grant aid; if she will list the locations of each; and if she will make a statement. [39482]
Mr. Sproat: Until the statutory lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest are computerised next year, details of the number of listed buildings in specific areas are not readily available. Government funding for the repair of historic buildings in England is channelled through English Heritage. All repair grants offered by English Heritage in respect of buildings and monuments of outstanding national importance are listed in its publications, "Grants 1984 92, "Grants 1992 93" and "Grants 1993 94", copies of which are available in the Library. I will arrange for a copy of "Grants 1994 95 to be placed in the Library when it is published.
Royal Palaces
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much of the expenditure on the occupied royal palaces in each year since 1986 has been in respect of (a) the exceptional work started in 1987 88 and (b) the Windsor fire. [38858]
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Mr. Sproat: The costs of the exceptional work associated with the rewiring of Windsor castle are:
|£ million
---------------------------------------
1986-87 to 1990-91 |13.87
1991-92 |4.29
1992-93 |6.41
1993-94 |3.18
1994-95 |0.46
Figures for each year between 1986 87 and 1990 91 are not available.
Since the Windsor castle fire in November 1992, the following amount has been spent from grant in aid on restoration work:
|£ million
------------------------------
1992-93 |1.16
1993-94 |1.86
1994-95 |2.69
Mr. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was expenditure on the occupied royal palaces in 1994 95 and in 1984 85; and what principal elements of cost account for the difference. [38859]
Mr. Sproat: Expenditure on the occupied royal palaces as shown in the 1990 report of the Royal Trustees was £11.2 million--equivalent to £18.3 million at 1994 95 prices. In 1994 95 it was £20.5 million. Grant in aid in 1994 95 included £2.7 million for exceptional costs associated with the restoration of Windsor castle, £2 million for the installation of automatic fire detection equipment in the occupied palaces, and £2.1 million for items such as rates and VAT which were not included in the 1984 85 allocation.
Defence of Britain Project
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list by location (a) the world war II pill-boxes that will be saved under her defence of Britain project and (b) those that are deemed not worth saving; and if she will make a statement. [39058]
Mr. Sproat: The primary aim of the defence of Britain project, which is being part funded by my Department, is to compile a database of 20th century military defences in the United Kingdom. Completion of the database will take several years and, when completed, will be used as a planning and research tool. English Heritage is represented on the project management panel and is also carrying out a thematic survey of defence structures in tandem with the defence of Britain project. Any structures considered to be of national architectural or historic importance will be recommended for listing when English Heritage's survey is complete.
Elizabethan Dove-cote (Barnburgh)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will ask English Heritage to consider the preservation of the Elizabethan dove-cote on British Coal land in the parish of Barnburgh, Doncaster, in the county of South Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement. [39516]
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Mr. Sproat: This dove-cote is, in fact, already listed at grade II. As such, any proposals which would affect its architectural or historic interest would require listed building consent. I understand that the development proposals for the adjoining land will not, in any case, affect the dove-cote and that the local planning authority is anxious to preserve its historic setting.
National Lottery Funds
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what is the interest accruing to the Exchequer from those parts of awards from national lottery funds which have been allocated but not yet disbursed for each of the last 12 months; [39744]
(2) what extra projects have been funded by the interest accruing to the Exchequer from those parts of awards from national lottery funds which have been allocated but not yet disbursed for each of the last 12 months. [39745]
Mr. Sproat: The national lottery distribution fund is maintained under the control of the Secretary of State for National Heritage. All money paid into the fund not immediately required for distribution is paid over to the national debt commissioners and invested by them in accordance with Treasury directions. All interest accruing on the fund as a whole is added back and reinvested. It is not possible to identify separately projects which have been supported from this interest. I have set out the interest which accrued on the fund as a whole for the 10 full months since the start of the lottery.
Month |Interest £000
------------------------------------------
1994
December |239
1995
January |578
February |1,261
March |1,172
April |2,136
May |3,113
June |1,139
July |6,199
August |7,238
September |6,449
Total |29,524
Grants
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage for what grant-giving funds her Department is responsible, requiring a private sector contribution, where the use of national lottery funds is not allowed to count towards that private sector portion. [38604]
Mr. Sproat: National lottery funds can partner funds from any source, including other public sector sources, provided other grant schemes do not preclude sector funding in partnership. Lottery money may partner private sector contributions, but cannot count as such. Proceeds from the national lottery are classified as general Government expenditure, because, under the terms of section 21 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, the
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national lottery distribution fund is under the control and management of the Secretary of State. However, the Government do not seek to control the spending of this fund since it does not affect the burden of taxation on the economy. National lottery proceeds are not, therefore, brought within the public expenditure control total. Information on schemes which seek exclusively non-public sector funding in partnership is not held centrally. Officials are collating this information and I will ensure that details are placed in the Official Report in due course.SCOTLAND
Barnacle Geese
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department has taken to monitor the one-year voluntary pilot management to protect barnacle geese in the Solway area; and if he will make a statement on the progress of the scheme. [37243]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 23 October 1995]: The one-year pilot for the Solway barnacle goose management scheme was undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage to address conflicts between farmers and barnacle geese in the Solway area.
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SNH has reported that the operation and monitoring of the scheme have shown that the approach adopted has been successful and has had the general support and participation of most local farmers. Approval has now been given to the continuation of the project as a three-year demonstration scheme to build on the work already undertaken; SNH will continue to monitor and report on the development of the scheme.NHS Budget
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on underspending in the NHS budget in Scotland for each year since 1989 90, indicating the extent to which such underspend was re-invested in the NHS in the following year; [38500] (2) what was the total underspend or overspend in the NHS budget in Scotland in 1994 95; and if he will provide a breakdown of where the underspend or overspend occurred. [38502]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 October 1995]: The figures showing the underspends in the NHS hospital and community health and family health service budgets in Scotland since 1989 90, and the end year flexibility entitlement for each year, are set out in the table. Family health services overspent in 1993 94. The appropriation accounts for 1994 95 have still to be finalised and the figures for that year are provisional.
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£000s
|(Provisional)
|1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Health Services |10,392 |22,983 |2,916 |8,039 |-20,661 |7,836
Hospital and Community Health Services |6,797 |20,130 |8,175 |9,072 |56,736 |48,236
End year flexibility entitlement |8,409 |10,068 |- |8,401 |29,709 |48,492
Family health services are demand led and funded from non cash limited provision. Underdrawings against this provision are not available for redistribution in subsequent years. Most underdrawings on the cash limited provision for hospital and community health services are available for redistribution though in earlier years the eligibility criteria were more restrictive.
Underdrawings on the cash-limited hospital and community health services comprise mainly health board and NHS trust carry-forward balances. In the interests of sensible financial management, boards may carry-forward an element of their underdrawings. Once boards' annual accounts have been audited, the carry-forward balances, after parliamentary approval, will be formally allocated back to individual health boards, together with any additional resources secured from central underdrawings which in 1995 96 amounts to £16.3 million. A similar procedure is applied to NHS trusts.
Health boards and NHS trusts can utilise their carry- forward funds to purchase patient care and for capital projects. The funds distributed from central underdrawings are to be used for local initiatives with the emphasis on pump-priming initiatives in priority areas particularly mental health, cardio and cerebro vascular disease, and cancer.
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Scabies (Dykebar Hospital)
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken by the chief executive for the NHS in Scotland to ensure that the risk of a further epidemic of scabies is minimised at Dykebar hospital, Paisley. [39164]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS trust has taken appropriate action to confine an outbreak that affected a handful of people at Dykebar hospital, Paisley.
Public Bodies
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each non-departmental public body, research council, executive agency, board, trust, public body and other organisation to which he has a right to make (a) appointments and (b) nominations; and if he will make a statement on the equivalent figures for 1980. [39222]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The list of non-departmental public bodies, NHS bodies and nationalised industries to which I make appointments is contained in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". The total number of appointments made to those bodies sponsored by the Scottish Office at 1 September 1994--the latest date for which figures are available --was 3,567, of which 3,253
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were made by Ministers. This compares with 5,013 in 1983, the earliest date for which comparable figures are available, of which 3, 818 were made by Ministers. In respect of executive agencies, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 9 February 1995, Official Report , columns 235-36 . In addition I make a number of appointments jointly with other Ministers to some executive agencies and to some non-departmental public bodies of other Departments. This information is not held centrally by my Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Ministerial Visits
Mr. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to visit Scottish universities over the coming year. [38885]
Mr. Raymond S. Roberton: My right hon. Friend intends to visit universities, and other higher education institutions, throughout the year. I also plan to visit higher education institutions on appropriate occasions in the coming year.
Scottish Homes
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the chairman or chief
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