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Nursery Vouchers
Mr. Bill Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on the provision of nursery education in the pilot areas of the introduction of vouchers. [3090]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The pilot schemes of the pre-school education voucher initiative started only in August. Early indications show that a considerable number of new places have been created and early inspections by HM inspectorate confirm that there is good-quality pre-school education being offered in a wide
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diversity of settings. There are therefore encouraging signs that the aims of the initiative--in terms of growth, quality, and choice for parents--are being met.
A comprehensive evaluation of the operation of the pilot year schemes is being conducted by Stirling university; and the findings of the study will be taken into account in planning for national extension. The authorities involved in the pilot are also conducting their own monitoring and evaluation of the initiative; and this too will contribute to my right hon. Friend's final assessment.
Monofilament Nets
Mr. Bill Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what monitoring arrangements he is putting in place with regard to the reintroduction of monofilament gill nets. [3091]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The Inshore Fishing (Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1996 permits the carriage by UK-registered vessels in Scottish waters
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of monofilament nets only with a mesh size greater than 250 mm. Use of these nets will not be permitted within the six-mile limit. The Scottish Office is monitoring the levels of effort in those fisheries affected by this order.
Dunblane
Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what forms submitted by the late Thomas Hamilton by way of applications for the granting of firearms certificates required him to provide the names and addresses of one or more character references; if that requirement was met in full by the applicant; if in each case public office was held by any such referees cited; and if he will make a statement. [3015]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 7 November 1996]: Under the provisions of the Firearms (Scotland) Rules 1989, all applications for firearms certificates require to be verified by means of countersignature by a person who is not a member of the applicant's family, is resident in Great Britain, has known the applicant for at least two years and is a justice of the peace or someone of similar standing. Lord Cullen's report on the public inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane primary school, Cm 3386, records at paragraph 6.46 that Thomas Hamilton's applications in 1992 and 1995 were countersigned by a justice of the peace.
Mr. Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the consequences of the approaches made by Thomas Hamilton to the ombudsman. [3019]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 7 November 1996]: This is dealt with in chapter 4 of Lord Cullen's report, Cm 3386.
Housing
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the role of low-impact and self-built accommodation in the provision of affordable housing; and if he will make a statement. [3374]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: There are a number of schemes in place designed to encourage the provision of appropriate affordable housing in Scotland. The role of low-impact accommodation within that provision has not yet been formally assessed. Scottish Homes is supporting self-build housing through a number of its existing grant mechanisms and will be evaluating the success of this approach in due course.
Planning Guidelines
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made of the advantages of giving additional weight to environmental impact in determining planning restrictions on agricultural holdings. [3365]
Mr. Kynoch: The Scottish Office has not made any specific assessment of the weight which should be given to environmental impact in relation to agricultural holdings. Each planning application has to be considered on its own merits, taking account of the provisions of the
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development plan and all other material considerations, including environmental impact. It is for the planning authority determining the application to decide what weight to give to particular considerations. However, the Government recognise the importance of protecting the environmental qualities of rural areas and this principle is acknowledged in current planning guidance.
Mr. Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review planning guidance on agricultural and other dwellings in the countryside in order to give greater weight to environmental and social sustainability; and if he will make a statement. [3379]
Mr. Kynoch: The Scottish Office is presently drafting a new national planning policy guideline on rural development which should be issued for consultation early in 1997. Publication of this NPPG will fulfil a commitment in the White Paper "Rural Scotland: People, Prosperity and Partnership", Cm 3041, that the Government would produce guidance intended to encourage positive and sustainable provision for employment and community purposes using the development plan and development control systems.
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy in relation to his Department's non-departmental public bodies (a) consulting with hon. Members on developments in their constituencies and (b) inviting hon. Members to events within their constituencies; what advice or guidance he (i) has given and (ii) proposes to issue on these matters; and if he will make a statement. [3034]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: I have given no specific advice to non-departmental public bodies on these issues. I would, however, expect them to observe the normal courtesies in relation to matters in hon. Members' constituencies.
Crofting Trusts Advisory Service
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown of the number of specific inquiries made to the crofting trusts advisory service since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [3173]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The crofting trusts advisory service has had nine inquiries from crofting communities plus four from individual crofters and 26 from other parties.
There have also been eight meetings with individual crofting communities, an open meeting in Skye and another in the Uists. In addition, CTAS has assisted one community to meet the cost of a study into the viability of community ownership and helped another with the legal costs of establishing a crofting trust.
Forestry Commission (Woodland Sales)
Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list all Forestry Commission woodlands currently for sale, and indicate for each
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(a) into which English or Welsh county or Scottish region it falls, (b) the number of hectares covered and (c) if an access agreement has been made with the local authority guaranteeing continuing public access; [475]
- (2) how many Forestry Commission woodlands have been sold since October 1991; how many of these were sold without public access protected; how many hectares of Forestry Commission woodland have been sold from October 1991 to the latest available date; and how many hectares have been sold with public access protected; [476]
(3) how many Forestry Commission woodlands have been sold in each month of 1996 to date, indicating for each month (a) the number sold with access to the public protected and (b) the number sold with access to the public not protected; [477]
(4) if he will list all the Forestry Commission woodlands for which the level of existing access has been assessed under the guidelines on continued public access to Forestry Commission woodlands after sale, giving for each (a) the English or Welsh county or Scottish region into which it falls, (b) the number of hectares covered by the woodland (c) the Forestry Commission's formal judgement regarding the importance of access at that woodland, (d) what consultations were carried out by Forestry Commission staff in making their judgment, (e) whether the woodland has been sold, or is currently for sale, or has been withdrawn from sale and (f) whether a public access agreement is currently in force. [478]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 28 October 1996]: The subjects of the questions relate to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. Gordon Cowie, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Gordon M. Cowie to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 12 November 1996:
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(21) Sold under Forestry Commission Sponsorship arrangements.
The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply to your four Questions about the sale of Forestry Commission woodlands.
1. At Annex A, I enclose a list of all Forestry Commission Woodlands currently for sale, either on the Open Market or by Negotiation.
2. The Forestry Commission sold 766 Woodlands covering 39,938 hectares in the period 1 October 1991 to 31 December 1995. Of them 48, 2,421 hectares, have Public Access protected either through a public access agreement or under the sponsorship arrangements.
3. I enclose at Annex B, details of the number of Forestry Commission woodlands sold in each month this year.
4. I regret that I am unable to answer your final question asking for details of the assessment of the level of public use in each individual case. We have assessed well over 1,500 woodlands since these procedures were introduced, and the details of the assessments are only stored on the individual files which are held in local offices throughout Britain; we have not summarised the assessments in any way. I am sure that you will appreciate, therefore, that it would be a very expensive and time-consuming task to provide the information needed to answer your question.
Name of property Area (ha) ENGLAND
Avon
Greyfield Wood 38.0
Buckinghamshire
Back Lane Wood 7.5
Beech and Howlets Wood 7.0
Greens 1.5
Cornwall
Port Eliot Kilquite and Waste 6.6
Wheal Par 5.0
Cumbria
Denton Fell 627.0
Devon
Deershill 11.0
Knowle Wood 8.0
Durham
Stanley Cotts Wood(21) 31.0
East Yorkshire
Black Plantation 14.0
Greenwickdale 43.5
Seaton Old 16.5
Hampshire
Basset Green (land at) 1.9
Hereford and Worcestershire
Newhouse Wood(22) 227.5
Hertfordshire
Dawley Wood 19.0
Hoo Wood 18.0
Priest Wood 28.0
The Square and Cooks Coppice 5.5
Kent
Challock Benacre Wood 25.0
Norfolk
West Rudham 78.0
North Yorkshire
Cold Kirby Woods (21) 116.0
Dunnington Woods 80.0
Glaisdale Blocks 141.5
Hayton Wood(22) 56.0
Hazel Wood(22) 51.0
Nottinghamshire
Roe Wood 47.0
Shropshire
Caldy Bank 8.9
Curnia Bank 13.3
Llan Llwyd 3.8
Somerset
East Cranmore Wood(22) 28.0
Higher Bitcombe 30.0
Pink Wood 33.0
The Bushes 15.0
Wanstrow(22) 45.0
South Yorkshire
Green Springs Wood(22) 12.0
Old Park Wood(22) 41.0
Wiltshire
Stanton Park 58.0
WALES
Aberconwy and Colwyn
Blackthorn Covert 21.5
Cefn Mawr 81.7
Cerrigellgwm 20.0
Coed Bryn Kenrick 8.0
Coed Melin Y Moch 12.0
Coed Plas Isaf 6.0
Coed Salisbury 4.0
Gelli Wood 6.0
Gwrych Castle Woodlands 49.0
Caerphilly
Bedwas 2.0
Craig Y Parc 16.0
Craig Yr Arail 58.0
Hafodrisclawdd 24.0
Carmarthenshire
Allt Cil Y Llyn Fawr 2.5
Allt Maes Yr Awdy 6.0
Allt Pant Glas 9.0
Allt Parc Y Dilfa 14.0
Allt Wig Wen 8.2
Allt Y Fron-Abermarlais 2 5.6
Cathilas 51.4
Cefn Wig 19.0
Coed Caeau Gwynion-Abermarlais 4.8
Coed Glyn Aeron(22) 57.0
Cwmllannarch 32.0
Falcondale Big Wood 10.0
Farthings Hook 18.0
Gallt Fydr 33.0
Henfeddau Ty Hen and Long Wood 23.0
Maesgwyn 20.0
Martletwy Wood 18.0
Nant Ffrwd 26.0
Penhill Wood 4.0
Pentre Mawr Trebwi 10.0
Rosehill Wood-Abermarlais 3 3.9
Tannerdy and Allt Y Fan Glansefi 22.0
Ty Rhyg(22) 120.0
Gwynedd
Amnodd Wood 87.5
Bodfuan 101.0
Bronaber 10.0
Bryn Hendre 10.0
Brynffynnon 7.0
Brynffynnon Coed 6.0
Caeau Bodfel 28.0
Cefn Glas 12.0
Coed Cefn 16.0
Coed Mynydd Mawr 24.0
Cwm Prysor 56.0
Cymerau(22) 87.5
Dolymoch(22) 22.0
Flat Covert 15.0
Frochas 1 7.5
Frochas 2 3.1
Frochas 3 5.4
Frochas 4 7.4
Gelli Dywyll(22) 25.0
Graianog(22) 19.0
Hafotty Covert 35.0
Pengwern 15.0
Rhiwbach and Tyddyn Bach(22) 106.0
Tan Y Clawdd(22) 13.0
Ynys Creua 67.0
Ynys Galed 22.0
Ty Coch North 7.1
Neath and Port Talbot
Graig Ynysgollen 10.0
Nant Y Stalwyn(22) 44.0
Powys
Cefn Derw Cil Owen 10.0
Cefn Perfa Wood 3.4
Cil Llwyn(22) 15.0
Freezeland(22) 10.5
Geufron 10.1
Gloddfa Nursery 5.2
Gorther Rough 8.0
Husky Hall 1.8
Llys Coppice and Penllys 16.0
Lower Ceulannau 3.8
Lower Wig 2.2
Penycarreg East 3.0
Penycarreg West 11.0
Penycastle Wood 10.4
Pool Plantation and Kerry Hill 12.7
Rock Wood and Fronfraith Wood(22) 30.5
The Smatcher(22) 35.5
Tyn Y Cwm 3.5
Y Wern(22) 453.0
SCOTLAND
Dumfries and Galloway
Cairnhead(21) 1,361.0
Euchenhead(21) 689.0
Glaisters 383.0
Glenluce(21) 40.0
Polskeoch(21) 830.0
Shinnelhead(21) 843.0
Grampian
Auchinroath Plantation 62.0
Balmakewan (3222M) 0.6
Haremoss 21.0
Highland
Ardbrecknish(22) 626.0
Kirkton 92.0
Orbost Plantation 575.0
Waternish 1,159.0
Strathclyde
Ardlamont(21) 749.0
Knockbain 145.0
Little Clyde 650.0
Scoor Wood, Lot 5 360.0
Tayside
Easter Muirhead 34.4
Newbigging and Braedownie 413.0
Warroch 68.0
1 CPA agreement being negotiated. 2 CPA agreement completed.
Without CPA agreement With CPA agreement Public access protected(21) January 18 3 --
February 9 3 --
March 16 7 --
April 10 1 1
May 13 1 --
June 10 3 --
July 13 1 --
August 6 1 --
September 6 3 --
October 6 2 --
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