| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Abortions
Mr. McAvoy: To ask the Secretary of States for Scotland if he will give a breakdown, by procedure, of the number of abortions performed in Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available. [37553]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The provisional number of abortions performed in Scotland in 1995 was 11,136. Of these, 7,868 were performed using surgical methods, 3,266 using medical methods and two cases had no method recorded.
Mr. McAvoy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abortions have been performed in Scotland under the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967; and how many and what percentage of these abortions were performed in emergency to save the life of the mother. [37562]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The number of abortions performed in Scotland between 1968 and 1995 was 233,805 including provisional figures for the last
22 Jul 1996 : Column: 104
year. During this period 17 abortions--0.007 per cent. were performed in emergency to save the life of the woman.
Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many readmissions to the Queen Margaret hospital in Dunfermline there have been over the last three years. [37847]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The total number of patients readmitted within 28 days of discharge from Queen Margaret hospital for the only two available years is given in the table. The reason for a patient being readmitted is not necessarily related to the reason for original admission. The longer after discharge that a patient is readmitted, the less likely it is that the reasons are related.
| Period(40) | Total readmissions within(39) 28 days of discharge |
|---|---|
| April 1993-March 1994 | 2,105 |
| April 1994-March 1995 | 2,880 |
(39) Includes both planned and emergency readmission with any diagnosis at any hospital in Scotland.
(40) Hospital officially opened 28 June 1993 with first patients admitted in April 1993.
Missionaries
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are in place for grants to be provided for university education for the children of missionaries who have been working abroad. [37968]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: In Scotland, the provision of student grants for full-time courses of higher education up to first degree or equivalent level is governed by the Students' Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 1991. To be eligible for an award, a student must normally have been ordinarily resident in the British Islands for at least three years immediately preceding the academic year in which the course starts; and also be ordinarily resident in Scotland on 30 June of that year.
In the case of children whose parents are employed outside the British islands, including those employed as missionaries, eligibility would depend on the nature of the
22 Jul 1996 : Column: 105
parents' absence. A student may be considered for a fees and maintenance award if the absence can be clearly demonstrated to be temporary, by way of fixed-term contracts, continuing links with the UK, and a clear intention at the outset to return to the UK at the end of the contract or contracts. The temporary absence provision is not specifically defined in terms of time and each case is decided on its merits.
There is also provision for a student to be considered for a full award where the parents have returned from employment in the European economic area and are resident in Scotland on the relevant date. Where the parents continue to be ordinarily resident in the European economic area at that time, the student may be considered for an award of tuition fees only.
Ms Rachel Squire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by the Fife health board in the financial year 1995-96 on (a) tendering for services, (b) tendering for the north-east Fife services and (c) administrating the general practitioner fundholding scheme within the health board. [37863]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The additional costs incurred in 1995-96 by Fife health board on tendering for services in north-east Fife and for other services were around £4,000 and £1,100 respectively.
The work involved in any tendering process and in administering the general practitioner fundholding scheme is regarded as part of the normal duties of relevant staff in Fife health board and no additional staff were employed specifically for this work.
Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if section 43 of the Glasgow Boundaries Act 1912 is still in force. [37973]
Mrs. Fyfe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the national planning policy guidelines on sport and physical recreation; and what changes are proposed to the section on open space in the draft document published in August 1995. [37075]
Mr. Kynoch:
Following wide-ranging consultation last year on draft guidance, on 27 June 1996 the Government published national planning policy guideline (NPPG) No. 11: "Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space". Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about plans to develop wind farms at West Garty and Gartymore in Sutherland; and if he will make a statement. [37727]
Mr. Kynoch:
To date, my right hon. Friend has received a total of 613 letters of which 440 are opposed to the development. The applications for planning
22 Jul 1996 : Column: 106
permission have now been notified to my right hon. Friend. He will consider these and decide whether they should be called in for his own determination.
Mr. McAvoy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect of the recent legal decision on the principle of maternal preference relating to the custody of children on shared parenting as provided for by the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. [37869]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The provisions in part I of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 are not due to come into force until 1 November of this year. Accordingly, it is not known what attitude the courts will take to the existing case law on custody of children when deciding whether or not to make an order under section 11(2)(c) of the 1995 Act regulating the arrangements as to the persons with whom a child is to live. Under the present law, and under the provisions of the 1995 Act, the court is required to regard the welfare of the child as its paramount consideration.
Dr. Bray:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) pursuant to the letter from Mr. N. D. MacLennan of the Scottish Office development department to Mr. Alan Patterson, of the Wishaw Business Group dated 3 July, under what powers central Government bears three quarters of the cost of relief from rates on grounds of hardship granted by rating authorities under section 156 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994; and what has been the cost to central Government of doing so; [38577]
(3) what steps have been taken to inform small businesses and rating authorities of the powers under section 156 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 to grant remission from non-domestic rates on grounds of hardship. [38578]
Mr. Kynoch:
The cost of any relief borne by local authorities under section 156 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 is borne in the ratio 25:75, by local authorities and central Government respectively, in accordance with regulations made under schedule 12 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Figures are not yet available on the cost to central Government or the numbers of authorities granting relief under this provision which was introduced with effect from 1 April 1995. All local authorities were informed of the commencement of this provision by circular on 12 January 1995.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate for the last financial year for each of the police forces in Scotland (a) the total amount raised through the payment of fixed penalties for speeding, (b) the total of fixed penalty fines for speeding levied and (c) the average amount levied for each speeding fine. [38646]
22 Jul 1996 : Column: 107
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
In the last financial year, the total number of fixed penalty fines levied for speeding were:
(2) which rating authorities have used their powers to remit payment of rates on grounds of hardship under section 156 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994; [38579]
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Central Scotland police | 4,205 |
| Dumfries and Galloway constabulary | 3,478 |
| Fife constabulary | 3,113 |
| Grampian police | 5,871 |
| Lothian and Borders police | (41)12,768 |
| Northern constabulary | 3,582 |
| Strathclyde police | 31,494 |
| Tayside police | 5,276 |
| Total | 69,787 |
(41) January 1995-December 1995.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |