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Community Service Orders
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the additional costs likely to be incurred by social work departments in Scotland from implementation of the proposals for an increase in the number of hours for which community service orders are to be made contained in the White Paper "Crime and Punishment". [38754]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Community service is 100 per cent. funded by central Government. No net increase in costs is anticipated following from the increases in minimum and maximum hours. Any increase in costs resulting from the increase in maximum hours under solemn procedure is estimated to be offset by a reduction in the number of short orders which are relatively more expensive to manage.
CSC Computing Contract
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who specified the computing contract won by CSC; and who evaluated the CSC bid. [39174]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: A statement of service requirements was prepared by each customer and formed the basis of the contract negotiated with each of the shortlisted bidders. The bid was evaluated by an evaluation group appointed by the national working group on computer services which was representative of customer interests. Customer preferences were sought and taken into account in the evaluation process.
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the disaster recovery plan if CSC fails to discharge its obligations in accordance with its computing contract. [39162]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: In the normal course, contingency plans are prepared against events which might cause major disruption to the service. Provisions against the possibility of either party failing to discharge their obligations are included in the contract and these are intended to provide a framework to ensure, as necessary, transfer and continuity of service. A high-level contingency plan based on these contract provisions is in
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hand and this addresses the range of issues which might arise, options for action and the responsibilities for taking them forward.
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect the performance of CSC has had on the billing of general practitioner fundholders by national health service trusts. [39160]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: No significant difficulties have arisen. Only one minor difficulty has been brought to the attention of the Common Services Agency and this has been addressed by CSC with the client concerned.
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which targets and deadlines were included in the computing contract won by CSC; and what progress has been made in meeting them. [39159]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Targets for quality and delivery are set, as necessary, by each customer of the contract. These cover the full range of services and developments identified by health boards, NHS trusts and the Common Services Agency and are specified in individual customer agreements. Monitoring is carried out by individual customers on the basis of service reports provided to them by CSC. Responsibility for providing an overview of the contract rests with the Common Services Agency.
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sanctions are available if CSC fails to discharge its obligations in accordance with its computing contract. [39161]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: If services are not supplied in accordance with service levels specified in customer agreements each customers is entitled to liquidate damages which reflect the loss to the customer. In addition, each customer is entitled to insist on compliance with the service levels specifications regardless of the impact on the resource required by the supplier. If the service falls below the agreed minimum services standard, each customer has additional rights which may include termination if the defaults are not remedied within the three months of notice being given.
Private Landed Estates
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the criteria for monitoring non-agricultural grants made to owners of landed estates of more than 500 acres to (a) improve or maintain private buildings, (b) improve or maintain private roads and (c) promote tourism; and if he will make a statement; [39168]
- (2) how much public money in (a) grants and (b) loans has been given to owners of landed estates of more than 500 acres to (i) improve or maintain private buildings or (ii) improve or maintain private roads on those estates in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [39169]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: Grants for such purposes may be available from a range of public bodies and agencies in addition to the Scottish Office, and there will be different monitoring criteria for each scheme. Not all this information is held centrally, nor can it be obtained, except at disproportionate cost.
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Ms Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 407, if he will set out the methods for monitoring non-agricultural grants to owners of landed estates of more than 500 acres; and if he will make a statement. [39166]
Mr. Robertson: The methods employed do not discriminate as between owners of landed estates and other applicants and include, as appropriate, checking of plans and costings, examination of invoices, physical inspection of completion and supervision of usage for approved purpose and of compliance with conditions.
Ms Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 407, when the information relating to the criteria upon which monitoring conditions imposed on applicants for financial assistance are based will be published; if he will give details of those criteria; and if he will make a statement. [39167]
Mr. Robertson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Dr. Wright) on 21 February, Official Report, column 194. Making such information available is an on-going process and I shall be pleased to send the hon. Member copies of the explanatory literature for any of the schemes administered by the Scottish Office in which she is interested.
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer from the Minister with responsibility for education, housing and fisheries of 15 July, Official Report, column 407, in each year since 1990 (i) how many departmental officials were involved in the monitoring of grants of public money to (a) agricultural and (b) non-agricultural schemes, (ii) how many schemes were found not to have met the requirement conditions, (iii) how much in assistance was recovered, (iv) in how many cases the monitoring of the schemes involved on-site visits and (v) what methods were adopted by departmental officials in monitoring the effectiveness of scheme; and if he will make a statement. [39171]
Mr. Robertson: The information sought in categories (i) to (iv) is not held centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. The methods adopted in monitoring effectiveness vary from scheme to scheme, but include such procedures as physical inspection of completed works and regular supervision to check that the grant-aided work continues to meet all the conditions of approval imposed.
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated annual saving to private business and public funds form the Deregulation (Gaming on Sunday in Scotland) Order 1996. [39156]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: None. The order removes the restriction on licensed casinos and bingo clubs in Scotland opening on Sunday afternoons. The extension of the permitted gaming hours is likely to result in a financial benefit to the industry in the form of an increase in turnover.
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Electricity Interconnector
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his decision on the report of the public inquiry into the proposed electricity interconnector to Northern Ireland. [38973]
Mr. Kynoch: My right hon. Friend is still considering the report on the public inquiry into proposals to construct the Scottish section of the proposed Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector and representations on these proposals. He will announce his decision in due course.
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the need for a public inquiry into the undersea section of the electricity interconnector to Northern Ireland; what is the outcome of his consideration of these representations; and if he will make a statement. [38975]
Mr. Kynoch: I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 19 January, Official Report, column 804.
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