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Private Finance Initiative

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the revenue spending estimated by his Department in connection with the private finance initiative for (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98. [26636]

Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 2 May 1996]: The estimated revenue payments which may be met from my expenditure programmes in respect of private finance initiative projects reported to the Scottish Office are, for the three years respectively (a) £12 million (b) £20 million and (c) £51 million.

Office Space

Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the square footage and cost of office space rented by his Department and its agencies and the number of his Department or agencies' buildings partly, or fully unoccupied together with the square footage of that unoccupied office space and its estimated rental value where available in each of the past five financial years. [27722]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 9 May 1996]: Most of the leased office space occupied by the Scottish Office during the past five financial years formed part of the common user estate which was the responsibility of the Department of the Environment. My right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service has provided details of rents and vacant space on the common user estate which were held centrally.

Details of payments made to Property Holdings by the Scottish Office in respect of common user estate accommodation, are shown in table 1. Information regarding offices leased directly by the Scottish Office and its agencies is given in table 2. In both cases, figures

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are readily available only for the last three years and information regarding vacant space during that time could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Scottish Office Common User Estate Offices

Year	Total number of buildings	Rental cost (excl. VAT)	Total leased floor area (ft 2 )
1995-96	28	4,166,366	423,769
1994-95	33	3,916,859	484,652
1993-94	34	4,878,211	511,578

Table 2: Scottish Office (and Agencies) Offices

Year	Total number of buildings	Rental cost (excluding VAT)	Total leased floor area (ft 2 )
1995-96	15	182,481	23,697
1994-95	15	173,761	22,434
1993-94	16	180,656	70,547

River Pollution

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the letter of Dr. D. M. Holloway of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency eastern region of 2 April about the River Almond (a) what action he is taking to reduce ammonia concentrations elevated to levels toxic to aquatic organisms, (b) what action is available to him in respect of the deposition of sewage solids on the bed of the river, (c) what help he is giving with the construction of a trunk sewer from the Almond catchment area to Edinburgh and (d) if he will bring responsibility for abandoned minewater drainage within the control of SEPA. [27932]

Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 13 May 1996]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has identified the River Almond as a sensitive area under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994. This means that discharges of urban waste water from agglomerations with a population equivalent greater than 10,000 must by 31 December 1998 receive further treatment than either secondary or equivalent treatment in order that directive requirements may be fulfilled in respect of the watercourse. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has responsibility for the regulation of discharges to controlled waters and will monitor discharges to ensure compliance with the regulations.

The East of Scotland Water Authority, however, intends that discharging into the River Almond should cease and that the proposed River Almond valley trunk sewer should take these discharges direct to Edinburgh sewage treatment works. There should then be a rapid improvement in the biological and chemical quality of the river and, in particular, a reduction in ammonia concentrations and deposition of sewage solids. The authority is at present considering using the private finance initiative to fund this project. The tendering process is likely to commence in June 1996.

Owners or operators of existing abandoned mines have a statutory defence against prosecution for permitting water from an abandoned mine to enter controlled waters. However, the Coal Authority is working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on developing a programme of projects for the treatment of minewater

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discharges. Discharges from mines abandoned after 31 December 1999 will be subject to regulatory control by the agency.

Fishing Safety

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value of grant aid awarded to Scottish fishermen under the Fishing Vessels (Improvement) (Grants) scheme in each year from 1990 to 1995, and the first quarter of 1996. [29175]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson [holding answer 13 May 1996]: Scottish fishing vessels received a total of £4.95 million under the Fishing Vessels (Improvement) (Grants) schemes between 1990-91 and 1995-96. A breakdown of the expenditure per year is given in the table.

Year	Amount paid (£)
1990-91	611,988
1991-92	263,290
1992-93	224,951
1993-94	935,580
1994-95	1,478,303
1995-96	1,437,155

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the average length of time taken to process applications for grants awarded in Scotland under the provisions of the Fishing Vessels (Improvement) (Grants) scheme each year from 1990 to 1995. [29154]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson [holding answer 13 May 1996]: The Sea Fish Industry Authority administers the Fishing Vessels (Improvement) (Grants) scheme on behalf of the Government. It does not keep detailed historical records of the time taken to deal with individual applications, but I understand that the average time taken to deal with an application, from receipt to formal approval, is estimated as four weeks.

Ravenspark Hospital

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had during the last six months with officers of Ayrshire and Arran health board and the Ayrshire and Arran community healthcare NHS trust concerning the closure of Ravenspark hospital. [29005]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 13 May 1996]: Scottish Office officials meet regularly with Ayrshire and Arran health board and the Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS trust to discuss a wide range of issues. The health board is keeping my Department in touch with developments concerning Ravenspark hospital.

NHS (Private Contracts)

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contracts NHS trusts and health boards have entered into with private providers during the financial years (a) 1994-95 and (b) 1995-96; and if he

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will list the NHS bodies involved, the values of the contracts in each case, the private providers used and the nature of each of the contracts. [29074]

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 13 May 1996]: Comprehensive information about the extent to which NHS trusts and health boards contract with the private sector is not available centrally.

ENVIRONMENT

Listed Structures (Demolition)

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings and other structures have been demolished since 1992. [28716]

Sir Paul Beresford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 7 February at column 248, giving figures for the financial years 1993-94 and 1994-5. The corresponding figures for the financial year 1992-93 are:

Grade I: 0
Grade II: 0
Grade II: 68.

The Department is currently compiling figures for 1995-96. I shall write to the hon. Member once they are available.

Opencast Mining

Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made towards finalising the mineral planning guidance note No. 7; what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the restoration of opencast coal sites; and if he will make a statement. [29276]

Sir Paul Beresford: A draft of mineral planning guidance note No. 7 was published for public consultation in December 1995, and comments were requested by 14 February 1996. Responses were received from the local authority associations, three local authorities and the Coalfield Communities Campaign regarding the reclamation of opencast coal sites. Their comments are being carefully considered, alongside all other responses. Revised guidance will be published in due course.

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