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European Defence Co-operation
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the prospects for increased European defence co-operation; and if he will make a statement. [815]
Mr. Portillo: The Government are firmly committed to increasing European defence co-operation in a practical way that enhances defence capabilities and complements NATO. We hope our European partners share this objective.
SCOTLAND
Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd.
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of state aid (a) made available to and (b) promised to Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd. to locate in Lanarkshire. [338]
Mr. Kynoch: Details of the financial assistance offered to Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd. are commercially confidential.
The company is, however, eligible for support on exactly the same basis as any other commercial venture bringing investment and jobs to an assisted area. The greater part of the financial support package offered to the company comprised an offer of grant under the regional selective assistance scheme. In accordance with normal practice, brief details of the RSA offered to the company
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will be published in "Labour Market Trends" in the quarter after the first payment of grant is made. No payments have been made to date.
Mr. Macdonald:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received with regard to providing for an enhanced Gaelic television service within any forthcoming legislation for establishing digital terrestrial television services. [163]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
My right hon. Friend has noted representations received last week from Comunn na Gaidhlig--the Gaelic development agency-- and the Gaelic Television Committee which were both anxious to ensure that the needs and aspirations of the Gaelic-speaking community for enhanced Gaelic television and radio services are taken fully into account in the Government's plans for the introduction of digital terrestrial broadcasting services.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedure was used by the Scottish Office in appointing the chairman of Scotland's new water authorities; how many individuals were considered for the posts; what agencies were employed to assist this process; and what was the value of the contracts relating to the process of appointing these individuals. [1181]
Mr. Kynoch:
Candidates for appointment were identified from the public appointments lists and other sources. About 100 names were considered. No external agency was involved.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to restrict further the production of Temazepam; and if he will make a statement. [1580]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
None. Additional controls to prevent diversion from the legitimate trade in Temazepam, including import and export licences, will shortly be introduced.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of Temazepam per capita is distributed annually in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
[1505]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
In 1993-94, 99 grams of Temazepam were dispensed on prescription per 1,000 population in Scotland. In 1994-95 the figure was 89g.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to educate young people about the dangerous effects of Temazepam, with particular reference to its mixture with other drugs or injection in jellied form. [1577]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The Government encourage schools to tackle drugs education within a comprehensive programme of health and social education and good-quality resources have been made available to schools. The content of the curriculum in Scottish schools is, however, the responsibility of education authorities and teachers.
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In addition, the Health Education Board for Scotland runs general drug misuse campaigns aimed at young people and their parents. A current campaign contains information on individual drugs, including Temazepam.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced on 17 October a ban on the prescribing of the gel-filled capsule formulation of Temazepam.
Sir Wyn Roberts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the value, at current prices, of inward investment to Scotland for the last five years.
[1399]
Mr. Kynoch:
The inward investment figures published by Locate in Scotland in each of the last five years are as follows:
| Year | Number of projects | Planned investment (£ million) | Planned jobs (new and safeguarded) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-91 | 63 | 394.1 | 10,244 |
| 1991-92 | 59 | 380.9 | 6,002 |
| 1992-93 | 65 | 352.0 | 8,059 |
| 1993-94 | 95 | 587.6 | 11,072 |
| 1994-95 | 97 | 1,126.6 | 12,329 |
| Totals | 379 | 2,841.2 | 47,706 |
These figures relate only to projects handled by Locate in Scotland or the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department. The figures for planned investment and planned jobs are those provided by the companies concerned at the time of the investment decision and take no account of subsequent developments.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made towards cutting energy consumption in Government buildings for which he has responsibility in each year since 1990. [1438]
Mr. Kynoch: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon Friend the Minister for Construction Planning, and Energy Efficiency gave to the hon. Member for Surrey, East (Mr Ainsworth) on 17 May 1995, Official Report, columns 260-62.
Drugs (Education Expenditure)
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure on education on drug abuse per regional council in Scotland in each of the past five years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information sought is not held centrally by the Scottish Office. In Scottish schools, the life skills approach to drugs, alcohol and smoking will continue to be the core of education programmes rather than the focus on individual substances. It is, therefore, not possible to identify the money that has been spent on education on drug misuse.
NHS Trusts (Termination Payments)
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to issue guidance to NHS
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trusts on the levels of severance payments to (a) NHS managers and (b) other NHS employees. [1783]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Guidance is in preparation on the calculation of termination payments to general and senior managers for issue to the NHS in Scotland. The guidance will also be appropriate to calculate termination payments to any other NHS staff on similar contracts to general and senior managers.
NHS Hospital Doctors
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many hospital doctors have left the national health service who qualified (a) five years previously and (b) 10 years previously in each year since 1991; [2279]
(2) if he will list the number of hospital (a) consultants and (b) doctors who have left the national health service through taking (i) early retirement or (ii) other voluntary reasons in each year since 1991. [2280]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The information requested is not available centrally. Evidence of doctors leaving the profession prematurely is available from studies published in 1991 by Professor James Parkhouse. These studies suggested that although 20 per cent. of doctors were not practising in the national health service five years after qualification, the majority of these were not lost permanently to medicine. Many were working in short-term postings overseas, to develop further their skills, while others were working in United Kingdom medical work outside the NHS, or taking short career breaks.
Clinical Waste
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure that individual general practitioners and other health service providers vet and properly dispose of their clinical waste. [2121]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The NHS manage- ment executive wrote to NHS health bodies on 31 August 1994 reminding them of their responsibilities for the management of clinical waste. General managers of health boards were asked to bring the letter to the attention of general practitioners, dentists and hospital/community pharmacists.
Artificial Limb and Appliance Centres
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how he will distribute the current central funding of artificial limb and appliance centre services to individual health boards as from 1 April 1996; [2134]
(2) if he will list the organisations he consulted about his decision to devolve the provision and funding of artificial limb and appliance centre services from the Common Services Agency to local health boards in Scotland with effect from 1 April 1996. [2131]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: ALAC services are not a designated national service and have been purchased centrally on a temporary basis for only two years. The national services division of the Common Services Agency which is responsible for centrally purchased services set up a working group in early 1995 to look at
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the future provision of these services. The working group was made up of representatives from trusts, health boards and artificial limb and appliance centres; from training, therapy, supplies and primary care interests; and a consumer sub-group and a consultation network. It concluded that funding for ALAC services should be devolved to health boards, a recommendation that I have approved.
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