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Genetically Modified Crops

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and the Environment's letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 12 January, what conclusions he has reached in respect of the official study of the Scottish Crop Research Institute report on the computation of safe isolation distances for field-grown genetically modified crops. [17907]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The findings contained in the final report of Scottish Office funded research projects are normally published to inform the wider scientific community and the industries which might benefit. Research conclusions may also have a bearing on policy or legislative considerations and provide a justification for further study.

The conclusion from this particular four year project is that viable pollen will disperse to distances of up to 1.5 km from source. This broadly supports the accepted

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views on pollen dispersal which are taken into account in each relevant case for the release of genetically modified crops.

Homeworkers

Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of (a) the number of homeworkers in Scotland and (b) how many are (i) self-employed and (ii) employers. [19167]

Mr. Kynoch: The Labour Force Survey estimates that in spring 1995 there were 44,000 homeworkers in Scotland working at their own homes. Of these, 27,000 were self-employed. No reliable estimate is available for Scotland for the number of homeworkers who were employers.

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which (a) have a statutory base, (b) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (c) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntarily. [16179]

Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 22 February 1996]: The information requested is as follows.

All executive NDPBs sponsored by my Department have a statutory base except for the following which have no statutory base: Hannah Research Institute, Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Rowett Research Institute, Scottish Crop Research Institute, Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee, Scottish Community Education Council, Scottish Film Council, Scottish Further Education Unit, Scottish Vocational Education Council and those which operate under royal warrant or charter--i.e. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Sports Council.

The river purification boards and Livingston development corporation admit members of the public to board meetings on a voluntary basis.

The following bodies hold on a voluntary basis open meetings or open days which may be attended by members of the public: Crofters' Commission, Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee, National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Sports Council.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests, indicating in each case if this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [16828]

Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 27 February 1996]: The information required is as follows.

Those executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts are required to publish annual reports and some other bodies are also required by the statute creating them to publish annual reports. These bodies are:


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In a number of other cases the body is required by statute to produce an annual report on the exercise and performance of its functions for the Secretary of State which he is obliged to lay before Parliament. These bodies are:



    Crofters Commission
    Highlands and Islands Enterprise
    National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
    National Museums of Scotland--required by statute at least every three years, but voluntarily produces an annual report
    National Galleries of Scotland--required by statute every three years, but voluntarily produces an annual report
    New Town development corporations
    Red Deer Commission
    Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
    Scottish Agricultural Wages Board--as part of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries annual report, which is a Command Paper
    Scottish Enterprise
    Scottish Examination Board
    Scottish Homes
    Scottish Legal Aid Board
    Scottish Natural Heritage
    Scottish Tourist Board.

Some bodies publish reports on a non-statutory basis. They are:



    Accounts Commission for Scotland
    Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee
    National Library of Scotland
    Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
    Scottish Arts Council
    Scottish Community Education Council
    Scottish Film Council
    Scottish Further Education Unit
    Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
    Scottish Medical Practices Committee
    Scottish Sports Council.

Those bodies which are required to publish their annual accounts under the terms of the Companies Acts, the Friendly Societies Acts or other legislation are:



    Hannah Research Institute
    Macaulay Land Research Institute
    Moredun Research Institute
    Rowett Research Institute
    Scottish Crop Research Institute



    River Purification Boards
    Scottish Council for Educational Technology

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    Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust
    Scottish Seed Potato Development Council
    Scottish Vocational Education Council.

Some bodies are required by statute to submit annual accounts to the Secretary of State who is obliged to pass them to the Comptroller and Auditor General. He is then obliged to lay copies of them before Parliament. These bodies are:



    Accounts Commission for Scotland
    Highlands and Islands Enterprise
    National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
    National Library of Scotland
    National Galleries of Scotland
    National Museums of Scotland
    New Town Development Corporations
    Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
    Scottish Enterprise
    Scottish Examination Board
    Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
    Scottish Homes
    Scottish Legal Aid Board
    Scottish Natural Heritage
    Scottish Tourist Board.

The Scottish Sports Council makes its accounts available on a voluntary basis.

No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the minutes of its meetings on a statutory basis. Livingston development corporation voluntarily makes available for public inspection the minutes of those parts of its meetings which it opens to members of the public.

No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the agenda of its meetings and none does so.

Information about members' interests is available from Companies House in relation to executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts and the Friendly Societies Acts. These bodies are:


Although registers of members' interests are held by a number of other executive NDPBs none is required to publish them. The National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland and Scottish Homes voluntarily publish a register of members' interests. The Scottish Legal Aid Board will be publishing a register in its annual report, which will be available about July. Some other bodies hold registers which are, or will be during the course of this year, available for inspection at the offices of the body. These are: Highlands and Islands Enterprise--financial decisions relating to registered interests are published in the annual report; National Museums of Scotland--available from August 1996;

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Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise--summary available at time of annual report and financial transactions involving board members published in annual report and accounts; Scottish Film Council and Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Holyroodhouse

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by job title and salary the staff of the palace of Holyroodhouse. [17899]

Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 1 March 1996]: The staff of the palace of Holyroodhouse paid for by Historic Scotland are:

PostSalary £
Head of security16,023
16 security officers(4)12,836
3 craftsmen(4)15,386
2.5 porters(4)8,624

(4) Average.

Mr. Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply of 13 February 1996, Official Report, column 566, if he will give details of the professional and central administration costs connected with the palace of Holyroodhouse in (a) 1992-93, (b) 1993-94 and (c) 1994-95. [17977]

Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 1 March 1996]: Administrative and professional input to the conservation and maintenance of the palace forms only a part of the duties for a wide range of staff. Records are not collated in a manner which allows the specific palace costs to be extracted without incurring disproportionate costs.

Mr. Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people visited the palace of Holyroodhouse in each of the last three years; and what income was derived from visitors. [17901]

Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 1 March 1996]: The Number of visitors to the palace of Holyroodhouse and the income derived from them in each of the last three years was as follows:

1992-931993-941994-95
Number of visitors276,866299,722253,714
£'000s£'000s£'000s
Operating profit307358340
Central costs(59)(56)(92)
Curatorial expenditure(41)(47)(49)
Net visitor income297255199

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