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Nottingham Unitary Authority
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to lay the orders making Nottingham a unitary authority. [11226]
Sir Paul Beresford: I expect to make an announcement shortly.
Mobile Phones
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what agreements his Department and its executive agencies have with companies for the provision of mobile and car phones; and if he will list the companies having these contracts, the duration of the contracts, the number of phones covered by each agreement and the cost to public funds of each agreement. [9758]
Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 17 January 1996]: The companies with which my Department and its executive agencies hold air-time contracts are:
BT Mobile; Carphone Warehouses; HL Communications; Hutchinson Orange; Martin Dawes Communications; Mercury One 2 One; Peoples Phone; Talkland; Vodac; Vodacom.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedures were used by his Department in awarding contracts for the supply of mobile and car phones to his Department and its executive agencies; and which companies were involved in tendering for these contracts. [9759]
Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 17 January 1996]: The procedures followed depended on the value of the contract being awarded and ranged from full competitive tendering processes to obtaining quotations from a number of potential suppliers. The companies involved with these processes were:
BT Mobile, Carphone Warehouse, HL Communications, Hutchinson Orange, Martin Dawes Communications, Motorola, Mercury One 2 One, Peoples Phone, Securicor Cellular, Talkland, Uniqueair, Vodac and Vodacom.
Sir Paul Beresford [holding answer 17 January 1996]: None. My Department has withdrawn from over 250 air-time agreements but has done so by exercising its right to give notice of termination in accordance with the terms of the contract.
SCOTLAND
Prison Population
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the average daily population in each penal establishment for each month from 1990 onwards. [7788]
22 Jan 1996 : Column: 87
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 E. W. Frizzell to Mr. John McFall, dated 22 January 1996:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the average daily prison population in each establishment for each month from 1990 onwards.
I enclose tables which provide the information requested for the calendar years 1990-1994 and January 1995-November 1995. As this information is rather lengthy. I have also arranged for a copy of these tables to be placed in the Library of the House.
Severe Weather Conditions
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by local authority area, the total number of houses in each local authority which have been reported as suffering damage as a result of the recent severe weather conditions. [8939]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The information requested is not yet available centrally as local authorities are continuing to assess the damage caused. However, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is collecting information from individual local authorities on the position. When I met COSLA's housing committee on 12 January I asked for the information that it collects to be passed on to the Scottish Office as soon as a full picture emerges and it has undertaken to do so.
Local authorities may have limited information about houses where the occupants did not call upon the council for assistance.
Flood Prevention Schemes
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what impact the abolition of ring-fencing in relation to the capital programmes of local authorities will have on his plans to impose a statutory duty on local authorities to assume responsibility for flood prevention schemes. [9285]
Mr. Kynoch: It is for each local authority to determine the relative priorities of schemes within its capital programme in the light of its statutory duties and identified local needs. The financial implications of any changes in flood prevention responsibilities will be taken into account in the review which the Secretary of State announced on 1 November 1995. A consultation paper will be issued soon.
Hafez Dalkamoni
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions there have been between the Crown Office and the German authorities concerning Hafez Dalkamoni, and if he will make a statement. [9402]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: There have been no recent discussions between the Crown Office and the German authorities concerning Hafez Dalkamoni. Any decision concerning the release of a national of a third country from a German prison is solely a matter for the German authorities.
22 Jan 1996 : Column: 88
Disabled People (Sport)
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in relation to the development of sports for disabled people. [9214]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The Government are committed to the development of sporting opportunities for disabled people and significant progress has been made in this area in recent years through the Scottish Sports Council. In December 1994 the council appointed a co-ordinator of sport for people with a disability within the framework of the successful team sport Scotland initiative. This appointment came in the wake of the launch of the national ready, willing and able scheme aimed at improving the opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in sport. Ready, willing and able is a partnership between the Scottish Sports Council, the Scottish Sports Association for People with Disabilities and the Royal Mail, whose sponsorship of the programme has been matched through the sportsmatch scheme.
Carpet Industry
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Scottish carpet manufacturing industry, with particular reference to European competition and European Community regulations; what plans he has to promote, enhance and develop the Scottish carpet industry; and when he next plans to meet representatives of the industry to discuss economic advancement. [9288]
Mr. George Kynoch: The census of employment estimates that in September 1993 some 1,300 people were employed in the Scottish carpet manufacturing industry. A wide range of business development advice and assistance to the industry is available from the Scottish Office, the Scottish Enterprise network and the Scottish Textiles Association.
Article 92 of the treaty of Rome requires that all support to the carpet industry from any public source has to comply with the European Community state aid rules. Where aid has been found to be incompatible with the rules the European Commission has ordered its repayment. The UK Government monitor closely cases which arise in other member states. The Government also maintain close contact with representatives from the UK carpet industry.
National Waste Strategy
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to establish a national waste strategy for Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [9207]
Mr. Kynoch: The Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended by the Environment Act 1995, provides for the preparation of a national waste strategy for Scotland. It places a duty on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to prepare a strategy as soon as possible. The agency will become operational on 1 April 1996.
22 Jan 1996 : Column: 89
New Zealand Flatworm
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of dangers arising from the New Zealand flatworm; and what finance the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland allocates to (a) Invergowrie and (b) other research establishments for investigations relating to the New Zealand flatworm. [8412]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: In 1991 the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department commissioned and funded a survey of the distribution of the New Zealand flatworm in Scotland. Further surveillance on horticultural and farm businesses is presently being undertaken and will be completed later in the year.
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