| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Confiscation Unit
Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff there are in the confiscation unit of the Scottish Prosecution Service. [17144]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: There is no dedicated confiscation unit in the Scottish Prosecution Service. Confiscation proceedings are dealt with as part of the duties of the fraud and specialist services unit at the Crown Office. Each of the four legal staff in that unit carry, as part of their workload, confiscation cases. The full resources of the procurator fiscal service are available to assist in necessary investigation in such cases.
Water and Sewerage (Grants)
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants he has made since April 1995 to reduce or stabilise water and sewerage bills in Scotland; what is the estimated annual cost of such grants; and if he will make a statement on the revision for such grants. [17510]
Mr. Kynoch: No such grants have been made by my right hon. Friend since April 1995. For the financial year 1996-97, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 29 November 1995 to my right hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro), Official Report, column 704.
Eye Tests
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what payments his Department made to optometrists in Scotland in respect of free or subsidised eye tests in 1978-79 and in the most recent year for which figures are available. [17517]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
Sight tests may be carried out by ophthalmic opticians--optometrists--or ophthalmic medical practitioners. From April 1989 eligibility to NHS sight tests was restricted to certain groups of the population. The information requested is set out in the table.
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 694
| 1978-79 | (34)1994-95 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sight tests(35) | ||
| Ophthalmic medical practitioners | 168 | 192 |
| Ophthalmic opticians | 2,500 | 7,792 |
| Domiciliary visits(36) | ||
| Ophthalmic medical practitioners | n/a | 117 |
| Ophthalmic opticians | n/a | 175 |
| Total Scotland | 2,668 | 8,276 |
(34) Provisional figures.
(35) Including NHS contributions under the NHS Low Income Scheme to the cost of private sight tests.
(36) Since June 1990 practitioners may claim a visit fee when they carry out a sight test at a patient's home.
Companies (Financial Assistance)
Mr. Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was (a) the number of applications that have been made by companies for financial assistance, (b) the number approved, (c) the total financial value of the approved applications and (d) the average time taken to process and approve these applications in the last three years for which figures are available for (i) the Scottish Development Agency and (ii) the Highlands and Islands development board. [16979]
Mr. Kynoch: The Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands development board were replaced by, respectively, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 1 April 1991. As the information requested concerns the operational activities of these organisations, I have asked their chairman to write to my hon. Friend.
Farm Woodland Premium Scheme
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will revise the regulatory arrangements to make farmers who are not engaged in full-time agricultural activity or farmers wishing to retire to take up support under the farm woodland premium scheme. [17212]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
Under the existing statutory rules, entry to the farm woodland premium scheme is not restricted to full-time farmers, although retired farmers are ineligible. The scheme is currently being reviewed to enable decisions to be taken about its future operation after 31 March 1997. The eligibility rules
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 695
are among the various issues under consideration. It is too early to predict the outcome of the review but an announcement is expected during the summer.
Mr. Hardy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has undertaken of schemes for the encouragement of forestry in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Ireland; and what has been the contribution made to the increase in forestry in Ireland from EC funds. [17415]
Mr. Kynoch:
The Forestry Commission undertook a comprehensive review of the incentives for forestry investment in Britain in 1994. The EC reimburses up to 75 per cent. of the cost of planting grants in objective 1 areas. My right hon. Friend, however, has no responsibility for forestry in the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Hardy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the net change in afforested areas in (a) England and Ireland and (b) Scotland in each of the last 10 years. [17416]
Mr. Kynoch:
The areas afforested in England and Scotland in each of the last 10 years are as follows. My right hon. Friend, however, has no responsibility for forestry in the Republic of Ireland. The area of woodland converted to other land uses each year is not recorded.
| England | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 1.3 | 21.5 |
| 1987 | 1.4 | 22.4 |
| 1988 | 2.0 | 25.8 |
| 1989 | 2.0 | 26.4 |
| 1990 | 3.7 | 15.3 |
| 1991 | 4.4 | 14.1 |
| 1992 | 4.2 | 12.6 |
| 1993 | 5.3 | 12.1 |
| 1994 | 6.2 | 10.5 |
| 1995 | 5.1 | 13.4 |
Mr. Hardy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by what proportion the areas devoted to
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 696
forestry has changed in (a) the United Kingdom as a whole, (b) Northern Ireland (c) in Ireland over the last 10 years. [17417]
Mr. Kynoch:
The area devoted to forestry in the United Kingdom has increased by 10 per cent. in the last 10 years. My right hon. Friend, however, has no responsibility for forestry in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number employed within the Scottish Prison Service; if he will provide a breakdown (a) for (i) uniformed and (ii) civilian employees and (b) for each institution, in each of the last five years. [17837]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Ms Roseanna Cunningham, dated 29 February 1996:
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 695
Uniformed staff: governors, officers, senior officers and principal officers.
Civilian staff: administrative grades in SPS HQ, typing staff in prisons, civilian maintenance staff and drivers.
Shotts unit and barlinnie special unit included in main establishments.
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 697
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 697
(37) 'Other Staff' includes administrative, nursing, maintenance and other staff.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Ms Roseanna Cunningham, dated 29 February 1996:
29 Feb 1996 : Column: 698
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question about the total number employed within the Scottish Prison Service with a breakdown (a) for (i) uniformed and (ii) civilian employees and (b) for each institution in each of the last five years.
I attach a table which gives the information which I think you are seeking. It is in 2 parts. First, the number of uniformed and civilian staff on 31 March each year from 1991 to 1995. In this table, civilian staff means civilian instructors in the SPS workshops, and civilian staff in typing grades in prisons, and in some prison maintenance jobs, as well as administrative staff in the Scottish Prison Service Headquarters. Uniformed staff include all prison officers, senior officers and principal officers, as well as prison governors (although the latter do not in fact wear a uniform).
On 1 April 1995, however, the Scottish Prison Service moved to a New Staffing Structure, which abolished the previous grades and incorporated the HQ staff into the SPS Staffing Structure. In addition, a number of posts which were previously filled by uniformed staff are now filled by civilian staff, such as professional nurses or administrative staff in offices or maintenance staff dealing with the prison estate. The most recent figures available as at 1 February 1996 are in Table 2. These distinguish between operational management and staff, and other staff.
I hope this provides the information which you are seeking.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total expenditure on the Scottish Prison Service and the component allocated to private security firms; and if he will provide a breakdown by institution in each of the last five years.[17836]
1996
Establishment Operational management and staff Other staff(37)
Aberdeen 123 20
Barlinnie 454 59
Castle Huntly 56 10
Cornton Vale 157 32
Dumfries 143 23
Dungavel 57 15
Edinburgh 376 67
Friarton 42 4
Glenochil 370 61
Greenock 141 18
Inverness 89 11
Longriggend 148 26
Low Moss 139 22
NIC 37 1
Noranside 60 10
Penninghame 28 10
Perth 355 69
Peterhead 204 39
Peterhead Unit 18 1
Polmont 271 50
Shotts 330 65
Shotts Unit 24 1
SPS College 33 27
SPS Central Stores 14
SPS Headquarters 24 190
Total 3,679 846
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question about the total expenditure on the Scottish Prison Service and the component allocated to private security firms with a breakdown by institution in the last five years.
The total expenditure on the Scottish Prison Service in the last five years, as shown in the Annual Reports is listed below, no part of which was allocated to private security firms.
Financial year Total expenditure (£000)
1990-91 125,908
1991-92 136,763
1992-93 150,027
1993-94 154,343
1994-95 164,283
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |