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Railway Incidents
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incidents have been reported at (a) Congleton, (b) Wilmslow, (c) Litchfield and (d) Tamworth over the last 30 years of passengers alighting from a train short of the platform. [19247]
Mr. Watts: The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has no record since 1984 of any reportable major incidents concerning passengers alighting from trains short of the platforms, at the locations specified. Records before 1984 are no longer available.
Railways (Short Platforms)
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those railway stations where
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platforms are shorter than the length of trains stopping at that platform. [19246]
Mr. Watts: Details of railway stations where platforms are shorter than the length of the trains stopping there are not held centrally.
Railways (Staff Assistance)
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the text of the instructions given by (a) regional railways and (b) North West Railways in respect of assistance to be given by their staff to inter-city staff on board trains travelling through their stations. [19243]
Mr. Watts: This matter is for the train operating companies concerned. I suggest that the hon. Member seeks this information direct from them.
West Coast Main Line Service
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the last 21 days the west coast main line service between Manchester Piccadilly and Euston via Stoke-on-Trent has been (a) delayed and (b) cancelled as a result of points failure; and what were the date and time of the services affected. [19248]
Mr. Watts: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
SCOTLAND
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 are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [16021]
Mr. Kynoch: The information requested is as follows: (a) the Crofters' Commission, new town development corporations, Red Deer Commission, Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Homes, Scottish Legal Aid Board, Scottish Medical Practices Committee, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Sports Council, Scottish tourist board; (b) none, as the Audit Commission does not operate in Scotland. The Accounts Commission for Scotland scrutinises the accounts of the seven Scottish river purification boards; (c) this information is listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1995", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House; (d) none, although all executive NDPBs are expected to comply with all reasonable requests for information from Parliament, users of services and individual citizens; (e) performance indicators are part of the management statement or corporate plan for each NDPB; (f) the citizens charter applies to all public services, including NDPBs. NDPBs serving the public, including those sponsored by my Department, are therefore expected to meet the charter standards.
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National Continence Day
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what support he is offering for National Continence Day on 19 March, and what plans he has to improve the incontinence service in Scotland in 1996-97. [16806]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 28 February 1996]: The Scottish Office is providing funding for the expansion of a telephone helpline facility at the continence resource centre, Southern general hospital NHS trust, Glasgow, for a four-week period including National Continence Day on 19 March. Leaflets and posters advertising the helpline and encouraging sufferers to seek help have been distributed widely, advertisements will be placed in the local press, and a number of events are being organised across the country by local health service professionals, including continence advisers. In addition, we are working with health boards to encourage them to pursue improvements in incontinence services locally.
Landfill Tax
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the effects the new landfill tax will have on the value of brown-field land; and if he will make a statement. [18278]
Mr. Kynoch: My right hon. Friend has received several representations regarding the possible effect of the landfill tax on remediation schemes for contaminated sites. My right hon. Friend the Paymaster-General has agreed to consider the feasibility of an exemption for waste resulting from the restoration of historically contaminated land.
Holyroodhouse
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who currently holds the position of deputy keeper of the palace of Holyroodhouse and the baille and clerk of the Abbey court; what accommodation within the palace is available to them; and what is the cost to public funds. [17898]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 1 March 1996]: The position of deputy keeper of the palace of Holyroodhouse is currently held by Lord James Douglas-Hamilton. The position of baille and clerk of the Abbey court is currently held by Mr. Patrick Cadell. No accommodation is provided for them within the palace, they are unpaid and there is no cost to public funds arising from their appointments.
Mr. Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 22 February, Official Report, column 288, if he will give details of the accommodation available to the hereditary keeper; what services are provided to him; what duties are undertaken by him; and what is the total cost to public funds arising from the office of hereditary keeper. [17976]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 1 March 1996]: The accommodation available to the hereditary keeper comprises three reception rooms, two bedrooms and an office. Unless he is occupying the accommodation is connection with his ceremonial duties, the hereditary keeper is required to meet the costs of all services such
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as heating, lighting and water incurred during periods of occupation. The present hereditary keeper hardly ever occupies the accommodation, which is available for use by the royal household whenever required.
The duties of the hereditary keeper are entirely ceremonial. He receives the Queen and the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when they visit the palace. There are no costs to public funds arising from the office of hereditary keeper.
Social Housing Rents
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current average gross weekly rent for (a) council rented accommodation and (b) housing association rented accommodation in Scotland; and what were the figures in 1991. [19166]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson [holding answer 6 March 1996]: The average unrebated weekly rent for local authority accommodation in Scotland in 1995-96 is estimated to be £28.78. The most recent available information on housing association rented accommodation relates to 1994-95, when the average weekly rent was £29.13. The average local authority rent in 1991-92 was £23.12. Figures for housing association rent in 1991-92 on a comparable basis are not available.
Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if grants made to Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich can be spent within the United Kingdom but outside Scotland; [19118]
- (2) what audits have been conducted in respect of grants made to, and other public expenditure provided for, the work of Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich in the past three years; [19119]
(3) what inspections have been conducted of community nurseries promoted or provided by Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich in the past three years; [19120]
(4) what is his Department's responsibility for the grant funding or inspection of the London-based Gaelic medium community nurseries provided by Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich; [19121]
(5) what (a) public funds and (b) grants are made available to Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich. [19122]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Scottish Office grants totalling £61,200 in 1995-96 are made to support the administrative costs associated with Comhairle nan Sgoiltean Araich--the Gaelic Pre-School Council--work in developing Gaelic pre-school groups in Scotland. None of our grants, which are closely monitored and audited annually, are spent outside Scotland. Information on the levels of funding for the individual pre-school groups provided by Government agencies, local authorities, companies, trusts, voluntary organisations, individuals and by the pre-school groups themselves is not held centrally.
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