| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Control of Advertisements
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the implementation of circular 10/1984, part II, clause 17 on outdoor advertisements; and if he will make a statement. [28329]
Mr. Kynoch: No formal assessment has been made. My right hon. Friend considers that the guidance contained in Scottish Development Department circular 10/1984, including that in paragraph 17 remains appropriate. However, as part of the wider review of the planning system in Scotland, my Department is currently reviewing the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984. A consultation paper will be issued shortly setting out proposals for change to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the advertisements regime.
Water Fluoridation
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent instructions or guidance his Department has issued to Scotland's (a) health boards (b) water authorities relating to the fluoridation of public water supplies. [28614]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Guidance about the procedural and technical aspects of schemes to fluoridate the public water supplies was issued to health boards and water authorities in June 1991. The "Oral Health Strategy for Scotland", which was published in December 1995, described the changes introduced by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. I have arranged for copies of these documents to be placed in the Library.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from (i) Scottish health boards and (ii) Scotland's water authorities during the last 18 months relating to the fluoridation of public water supplies. [28611]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: None.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research his Department has carried out into the fluoridation of public water supplies and the benefits and disadvantages of this policy. [28619]
16 May 1996 : Column: 571
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Although no specific research has been carried out by the Scottish Office, the extensive research undertaken over many years in the United Kingdom and elsewhere has helped inform our view that fluoridation of the public water supplies constitutes a safe and effective means of reducing tooth decay.
Pressmennan Wood
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Forestry Commission's policies for the protection of old native woodlands; and if he will call for a report on the application for a felling licence for oak trees in Pressmennan wood. [28713]
Mr. Kynoch: We are committed to protecting our ancient and semi-natural woodlands, the most important of which have been designated as national nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest.
The Forestry Commission is currently considering an application for tree felling and replanting in Pressmennan wood. The commission has consulted Scottish Natural Heritage and East Lothian district council over the proposals, and will take account of the comments it receives from these bodies and any other organisations and individuals before making a decision on the application.
GP Fundholding (Howie Report)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action his Department has taken in respect of the report on general practitioners fundholding produced by Dr. John Howie; if this report has been circulated to Scotland's health boards; and if his Department is now undertaking additional research on this issue. [28616]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The Department has considered the conclusions of the report and has instigated further work on the development of weighted capitation budget setting.
The report has not been formally issued to health boards, but was launched at a conference in March 1995, attended by around 100 invited participants representing primary care, policy making and research interests in the health service in Scotland.
Additional work, in the form of a national evaluation of total purchasing, which is a development of fundholding, is being undertaken as a joint project between the Departments of Health in England and Wales, and in Scotland.
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will estimate the cost of complying with the Atkins v. Wrekin district council and Department of Transport decision by the advocate general of the European Court of Justice (a) in the current financial year, (b) in future years and (c) for each year between 1984 and 1995; [28984]
16 May 1996 : Column: 572
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The European Court of Justice has not yet given its judgment in the Atkins case. It is not appropriate to speculate as to the implications of the outcome.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much Scottish Homes spent in each operational district on establishing and supporting the work of housing associations in each financial year since April 1989 and from April to December 1995; [28962]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The information requested is a matter for Scottish Homes. I have asked the chairman, Mr. John Ward, to write to the hon. Member with the relevant information.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement indicating what funds his Department operates to alleviate hardship among Scottish students. [28966]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the access funds which we introduced in Session 1990-91 as part of the wider changes in the student support arrangements. They are designed specifically to help those students whose access to, or continuance in, further or higher education might be being inhibited by financial difficulty.
In Session 1995-96 access funds resources totalling £4.3 million were made available to universities and colleges in Scotland. Individual applications for assistance are dealt with by the institutions which are best placed to judge the needs of their own students.
Access funds need to be viewed against the background of the overall level of resources made available to students through maintenance grants and loans. For students in full-time higher education, this package of support is uprated annually, and it is worth virtually the same in real terms as the grant alone in 1979-80.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people working in Scottish local government work in politically restricted posts. [28969]
Mr. Kynoch:
The information requested is not held centrally.
16 May 1996 : Column: 573
Mr. Galbraith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he had made of the Read 3 project; and if he will make a statement. [29051]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The development of the Read 3 project is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. The Scottish Office Department of Health is not contributing to the costs of the development but is monitoring its progress. Many general practitioners in Scotland currently use a form of Read version 2, which is also being piloted for hospitals in Scotland.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the allocation of objective 5 funds made so far within Scotland under (a) RETEX, (b) PESCA, (c) LEADER II and (d) other schemes; [29242]
(3) what extent textile dependency in travel-to-work areas contributes to eligibility for RETEX funding; [29244]
(4) which diversification schemes in the Scottish Borders council area have received financial support from RETEX funding to date; and what additional schemes are currently under consideration. [29245]
Mr. Kynoch:
The table shows the allocations of the relevant Community initiative resources to objective 5b areas in Scotland. In some cases, specific allocations are not made and in others allocations are indicative.
(2) if men who are or have been aged 60 to 65 years since December 1984 will be able to claim compensation from their local authority as a result of the Atkins v. Wrekin district council and Department of Transport case considered by the European Court. [28985]
(2) how many housing associations have received financial support from Scottish Homes since April 1989; how many of these housing associations have had tenancies transferred to them by Scottish Homes; and if he will list these associations, the number of tenancies which have been transferred to them by Scottish Homes and the amount which Scottish Homes has spent on supporting the work of each of these associations. [28983]
(2) what funds have been made available to the Hawick and Peebles travel-to-work areas to date; and what plans he has to make further allocations; [29243]
| £ million | UK allocation | Scotland allocation | Objective 5b allocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RETEX II (1994 to 1997) | 26.600 | (17)5.450 | (17)1.388 |
| PESCA (Non Objective 1 sub-programme 1995 to 1999) | n/a | 10.106 | n/a |
| LEADER II (Objective 5b programme 1995 to 1999) | n/a | 6.906 | 6.906 |
| SME (Lowlands programme 1995 to 1999) | n/a | 7.071 | n/a |
| EMPLOYMENT (1994 to 1999) | 111.778 | n/a | n/a |
| ADAPT (1995 to 1999) | 226.014 | n/a | n/a |
(17) Denotes indicative allocation only.
Textile dependency as set out in article 6 of the
16 May 1996 : Column: 574
Commission's guidelines as decided on 13 May 1992 (Official Journal number C 142, 4 June 1992), determined the eligibility for funding under RETEX.
The Borders objective 5b programme was allocated some £24 million of European funding for the period 1994 to 1999. To date £862,600 of, European regional development funding has been made available to the Hawick travel-to-work area and £367,500 has been made available to the Peebles travel-to-work area. In addition, match funding of £1,497,600 has been provided by project sponsors.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |