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Court Waiting Time
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what statistics his Department collates on the interval between a charge being made by the police and appearance in court by the accused for different offences in different parts of Scotland. [4725]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The statistics requested are not collated by the Scottish Office. It is not always necessary for the police to charge an accused before reporting that accused to the procurator fiscal for consideration for prosecution.
Police Custody (Deaths)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for those who have died in police custody in Scotland in the last two years (i) the location of their death, (ii) the reasons for the deaths ascertained so far, and (iii) what action was taken in respect of the police officer involved; and if he will make a statement. [4576]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Information on the location of and reason for death in respect of persons who have died in police custody or otherwise with the
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police in Scotland since November 1994 is set out in the table. All such deaths are thoroughly investigated by an appointed senior police officer and reported to the procurator fiscal, who decides whether any criminal proceedings are warranted. In all cases where a person dies in legal custody, the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 requires a fatal accident inquiry to be held, in which all the circumstances surrounding the death are subject to examination.
| Location of death | Reason for death |
|---|---|
| Kilmarnock police station | Acute fatty infiltration of liver. Toxic effects of alcohol. |
| Southern general hospital, Glasgow | Sub-dural haemorrhage. |
| Southern general hospital, Glasgow | Head injury. |
| Levenmouth police station, Methil | Head injuries. Probable alcohol-related fall. |
| Gorbals police station, Glasgow | Hanging. |
| Kilbirnie police station, Glasgow | Head injury with brain damage. Fractured skull. |
| Motherwell police station | Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis. Chronic alcoholism. |
| Edinburgh royal infirmary | Fatal dose of dihydrocodeine in liver. Toxic dose of dihydrocodeine in blood. |
| Oban police station | Acute pulmonary congestion and oedema. |
| Dalkeith police station | Acute alcohol intoxication, hypertensive heart disease and coronary atheroma. |
| Motherwell police station | Pulmonary oedema and congestion. |
| Western general hospital, Edinburgh | Blunt force head injury; haemophilia. |
| Kirkcaldy police station | Hanging. |
| Hawick police station | Inhalation of gastric contents; acute intoxication with alcohol. |
| Aberdeen royal infirmary | Heart attack. |
| Southern general hospital, Glasgow | Head injury/fall. |
| The Victoria infirmary, Glasgow | Hanging. |
| Aberdeen royal infirmary | Myocardial infarction (heart attack). |
| Southern general hospital, Glasgow | Head injury. |
| Inverclyde royal hospital, Greenock | Head injury/fall. |
| Glasgow royal infirmary | Pulmonary oedema and congestion. |
| Edinburgh royal infirmary | Undetermined, pending further laboratory investigations. |
| Foresterhill hospital, Aberdeen | Ischaemic heart disease. |
| Glasgow royal infirmary | Not yet known. |
Housing Associations
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to encourage transfer of local authority housing stock to housing associations. [3718]
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Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: Earlier this year, the Scottish Office issued draft guidance on housing stock transfers to local authorities and other interested parties for comments. The comments received are currently being considered and the final guidance will be issued shortly.
Over the summer, in meetings with housing conveners of Scottish local authorities, I encouraged them to examine the benefits that housing transfers can offer. Scottish Office officials have also been available to discuss the implications of stock transfer with individual authorities.
In addition, a working group has been set up to look at the regulation and monitoring of new social landlords, such as local housing companies. The group, which comprises representatives from Scottish Homes, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland and funders, is due to hold its first meeting in early December.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much capital expenditure local authorities have been permitted to make on education buildings in Scotland (a) in real and (b) constant prices; and how much has been spent in (i) real and (ii) constant prices in each year since 1979. [4443]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The information requested is given in the tables.
| Year | At out-turn prices | At 1995-96 prices |
|---|---|---|
| 1979-80 | 53,605 | 137,371 |
| 1980-81 | 56,678 | 122,757 |
| 1981-82 | 62,213 | 122,861 |
| 1982-83 | 53,669 | 98,940 |
| 1983-84 | 45,755 | 80,611 |
| 1984-85 | 40,310 | 67,621 |
| 1985-86 | 50,275 | 79,955 |
| 1986-87 | 47,480 | 73,299 |
| 1987-88 | 53,175 | 77,941 |
| 1988-89 | 61,315 | 84,235 |
| 1989-90 | 65,555 | 84,181 |
| 1990-91 | 62,619 | 74,465 |
| 1991-92 | 73,291 | 81,909 |
| 1992-93 | 85,647 | 91,853 |
| 1993-94 | 78,489 | 81,826 |
| 1994-95 | 72,989 | 74,755 |
| 1995-96 | 69,258 | 69,258 |
1. Within the total capital allocations made to authorities, allocations applying to specific programmes are advisory and do not restrict to that figure.
2. The total allocations for educational building include elements for further education from 1979-80 to 1992-93, and community education from 1985-86 onwards.
3. These figures include supplementary allocations where appropriate.
4. As from 1996-97 authorities are given a single allocation covering all their non-housing capital programmes. An advisory for educational building is not separately identified.
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| Year | At out-turn prices | At 1995-96 prices |
|---|---|---|
| 1979-80 | 52,926 | 135,631 |
| 1980-81 | 55,799 | 120,853 |
| 1981-82 | 64,283 | 126,949 |
| 1982-83 | 58,159 | 107,217 |
| 1983-84 | 52,825 | 93,067 |
| 1984-85 | 51,429 | 86,273 |
| 1985-86 | 57,522 | 91,480 |
| 1986-87 | 55,150 | 85,140 |
| 1987-88 | 59,414 | 87,085 |
| 1988-89 | 74,102 | 101,802 |
| 1989-90 | 81,593 | 104,776 |
| 1990-91 | 78,284 | 93,093 |
| 1991-92 | 82,046 | 91,693 |
| 1992-93 | 100,860 | 108,168 |
| 1993-94 | 104,609 | 109,056 |
| 1994-95 | 121,942 | 124,892 |
| 1995-96 | Not yet available | Not yet available |
1. Compiled from local authority financial returns.
2. The figures include expenditure on further education from 1979-80 to 1992-93, and community education from 1985-86.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what assessment he has made of the number of schools in a seriously sub-standard condition in Scotland and of the amount of money needed to repair them; [4444]
- (2) what research he has conducted into the physical condition of schools in Scotland; and what conclusions were reached; [4448]
(3) how many replacement schools are currently being constructed in Scotland; and where. [4449]
Mr. Robertson: The overall management of school buildings is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information on the physical condition of schools, or on the progress of individual school building projects, is not held centrally.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on school buildings in Scotland under the private finance initiative. [4445]
Mr. Robertson: There has been no such expenditure to date.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which school building projects in Scotland are currently being considered for financing through the private finance initiative. [4446]
Mr. Robertson: My right hon. Friend is aware that the following authorities are actively considering the following school building projects through the private finance initiative.
Falkirk council: refurbishment of Bo'ness academy; refurbishment of a group of schools including Graeme, Woodlands and Larbert high schools;
Stirling council: replacement of Balfron high school;
Aberdeenshire council: construction of new Garioch academy;
East Renfrewshire council: the extension of St. Ninian's high school; construction of new primary school in Newton Mearns.
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Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from (a) the finance industry and (b) the construction industry about the usefulness of the private finance initiative for school building; and what those representations were. [4447]
Mr. Robertson: Scottish Office Ministers have had frequent contacts with members of the construction and financial services industries concerning progress with the private finance initiative since its launch in 1992. We welcome constructive ideas from the private sector and encourage local authorities to explore the option of the initiative for suitable projects in all areas of public service for which they have responsibility.
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