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Commercial Premises (Valuation Appeals)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate for each regional and island council in Scotland the total number of appeals lodged against the valuation of commercial premises, the number and percentage of appeals which have so far been dealt with, the number of appeals which so far have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful and the average amount of time taken to deal with a valuation appeal for each council. [21770]
Mr. Kynoch: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 17 January 1996, Official Report, column 641. The first information on the progress of appeals up to the end of March 1996 should become available around the end of April 1996.
Capital Receipts
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate for each stock transfer undertaken by Scottish Homes the amount of capital receipt generated, the organisation which took over the housing stock, the number of properties involved and the average capital receipt generated for each property. [21766]
Mr. Kynoch: Both the Panel Secretaries' Association and the regional valuation panel chairmen's committee were consulted on the regulations providing for all expenses incurred by a panel or valuation appeal committee, including any remuneration or allowances payable, to be defrayed by the appropriate unitary council or joint board as the valuation authority for the area served by the panel.
Valuation Appeals Committees
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department decided to transfer the responsibility for the operation of valuation appeals committees to the new joint valuation boards. [21777]
Mr. Kynoch: After local government reorganisation responsibility for funding valuation appeal panels and committees will continue to rest, as at present, with the relevant valuation authority, or as the case may be, joint board. Powers were taken in the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, following consultation, for the Secretary of State to specify the combination of areas for which a single assessor should be appointed and how the joint arrangements will work and for the establishment of valuation appeal panels and committees to parallel the new valuation authorities or joint boards.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the valuation appeals committees operating in Scotland indicating (a) the membership of each and (b) how many committee members have been appointed by the Scottish Office. [21769]
Mr. Kynoch: Following are the current local valuation appeal panels, from which valuation appeal committees are drawn as required to deal with appeal hearings. Appointments to valuation appeal panels are made by sheriffs principal and lists of panel members are not held centrally. No valuation appeal panel or valuation appeal committee members have been appointed by the Scottish Office.
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Borders region valuation appeal panel
Central region valuation appeal panel
Dumfries and Galloway region valuation appeal panel
Fife region valuation appeal panel
Grampian region valuation appeal panel
Highland region valuation appeal panel
Lothian region valuation appeal panel
Strathclyde region valuation appeal panel
Tayside region valuation appeal panel
Orkney valuation appeal panel
Shetland valuation appeal panel
Western Isles valuation appeal panel
Local Government Employees (Political Restrictions)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local government employees have appealed against political restriction because of their employment in local government; and how many of these appeals have been successful for each calendar year since its introduction. [21767]
Mr. Kynoch: Appeals relating to the rules on political restrictions are considered by the political restrictions exemptions adjudicator. Information supplied by his office indicates that the total number of employees who have appealed against political restriction because of their employment in local government is 172. Of this total, 146 made successful appeals as follows:
1990: 79
1991: 38
1992: 10
1993: 6
1994: 5
1995: 7
1996: 1 (to date).
Dykes
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dry stone dykers have been employed on repairing or rebuilding dykes on Scottish farms with support from grants under the farm and conservation grant scheme; if he will make a statement on the effect of the closure of that scheme; and what plans he has for further incentives for such work in future. [21874]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: Responsibility lay with farmers to employ dykers for projects on which grant was claimed from the farm and conservation grant scheme. Dykers were not employed directly by the Scottish Office, and no records are held on the numbers engaged in grant-assisted works.
The nationally-funded component of FCGS closed on 19 February when the governing legislation expired. Improvement plans approved under the EC-funded component of the scheme are not affected. Closure of the scheme was widely anticipated by Scotland's farming communities, and most farmers were able to submit claims for grant before the 19 February deadline.
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It is important to note that the FCGS is not the only source of public assistance towards dyking projects. For example, farmers in environmentally sensitive areas can receive payments for dyke building, depending on the terms of their management agreements. In addition, the agricultural business improvement scheme, which operates in the Highlands and Islands, provides 70 per cent. grants for dyking projects on inbye and hill land, and the crofting counties agricultural grant scheme currently provides grants at the rate of 55 per cent. for traditional walls in the crofting counties. Scottish Natural Heritage can also provide assistance towards traditional field boundaries such as dry-stone walls which enhance the attractiveness of the landscape.
With regard to the future, the Government announced in the Scottish rural White Paper our intention to consult on proposals for a new conservation scheme for farmers and crofters which would extend the range of conservation incentives currently available, and also contribute to the rationalisation of the agri-environment programme. Our proposals are set out in a consultation paper published on 8 March. It is intended that the restoration of traditional stone dykes will feature in the scheme as a capital item eligible for assistance.
Mr. Bryan Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the total assessed parental contribution to higher education students' maintenance awards. [22223]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The total assessed parental contribution to awards made under the student allowances scheme and the postgraduate students allowances scheme for the academic year 1994-95, the latest year for which data are available, was estimated to be £82 million.
Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals the Government have to bring forward changes in Scots law to allow an individual to leave all their property by will to a local organisation in order to disinherit their family; and if he will make a statement. [22445]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The Government have no proposals to bring forward changes in Scots law whereby an individual could leave all of his or her property to an organisation or an individual outside the family.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate for each stock transfer undertaken by Scottish Homes the amount of capital receipt generated, the organisation which took over the housing stock, the number of properties involved and the average capital receipt generated for each property. [21766]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The information requested is as follows.
| Area | Number of units | Receipt raised £ | Average receipt £ | Acquiring landlords |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | ||||
| Borders | 1,191 | 5,003,000 | 4,201 | Waverley HA |
| 1992-93 | ||||
| Dumbarton | 126 | Nil | Nil | Bellsmyre HA |
| Milton of Kildary | 107 | 462,000 | 4,318 | Albyn HA |
| Ugievale | 55 | 202,000 | 3,673 | Ugievale Co-operative |
| Moray | 207 | 898,000 | 4,338 | Moray Housing Co-op |
| 1993-94 | ||||
| Windlaw | 162 | Nil | Nil | Northview HA |
| Tweeddale | 142 | £1,164,000 | £8,197 | Eildon HA |
| Whiteinch and Scotstoun | 32 | 311,000 | 9,719 | Whiteinch and Scotstoun HA |
| West Lothian | 1,822 | 16,644,000 | 9,135 | Weslo Housing Management |
| Perth | 100 | Nil | Nil | Perth HA |
| Aberdeen | 156 | 1,144.00 | 7,333 | St. Machar, Deeside and Sheddocksley Co-operatives |
| 1994-95 | ||||
| Glasgow West | 349 | 3,650,000 | 10,458 | Queens Cross HA |
| Glasgow West | 2,503 | 4,394,000 | 1,755 | Cube HA |
| Cadder | 108 | Nil | Nil | Cadder HA |
| Shettleston | 567 | 4,464,000 | 7,873 | Shettleston HA |
| Milnbank | 74 | 481,000 | 6,500 | Milnbank HA |
| Edinburgh | 966 | 10,071,000 | 10,425 | Manor HA |
| 1995-96 | ||||
| Auchterderran | 132 | Nil | Nil | Auchterderran HA |
| Glasgow | 405 | 2,788,00 | 6,884 | Parkhead HA |
| Edinburgh | 57 | Nil | Nil | Noredin HA |
| Midlothian | 2,025 | 15,490,000 | 7,649 | Melville HA |
| Glasgow | 1,452 | 6,990,000 | 4,814 | Thenew HA |
| Glasgow | 103 | 790,000 | 7,670 | Dalmuir Park HA |
| Dunbeg | 16 | 140,000 | 8,750 | Bield HA |
| Lanarkshire | 19 | 203,000 | 10,684 | Lanarkshire HA |
| Glasgow | 26 | 176,000 | 6,769 | West of Scotland HA |
| Edinburgh | 137 | Nil | Nil | Findlay HA |
| Fife | 14 | 175,000 | 12,500 | Bield HA |
| Fife | 32 | 364,000 | 11,375 | Viewpoint HA |
| Nairn | 78 | 891,000 | 11,423 | Albyn HA |
| Easter Ross | 235 | 1,650,000 | 7,021 | Albyn HA |
| East Lothian | 632 | 7,200,000 | 11,392 | East Lothian HA |
| Inverness | 698 | 7,269,000 | 10,414 | Cairn HA |
| Caithness | 157 | 306,000 | 1,949 | Cairn HA |
Nil receipts raised represent negative valuation or Housing Association Grant paid to meet acquisition costs.
26 Mar 1996 : Column: 585
26 Mar 1996 : Column: 585
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