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Cardiff Bay Barrage
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the water budget agreed for the intake of water for the impounded lake behind the Cardiff bay barrage; what water abstraction rights he has agreed for the Blackweir offtake for the Cardiff dock feeder with the Cardiff Bay development corporation, the National
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Rivers Authority and Associated British Ports; and what impact those water abstraction rights have been assessed to have on prospective water quality and availability in the projected lake behind the barrage. [5996]
Mr. Hague: The details of the water budget are an operational matter for the corporation and I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member and will arrange for a copy of his response to be placed in the Library.
Departmental Decisions (Appeals)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those administrative decisions of his Department affecting (a) United Kingdom citizens and (b) non-citizens where there is no right of appeal. [6038]
Mr. Hague: This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 18 November, Official Report, column 428, what appraisal he has made of the outcome of the lunch he attended for the millennium celebrations; how much support he obtained from the Welsh business community in relation to (a) Welsh presence at the Greenwich exhibition and (b) celebrations within Wales; what funds were used for the lunch; and if he will place in the Library a list of those attending the lunch. [6073]
Mr. Hague: I have made no such appraisal. I have received a number of expressions of interest in Welsh participation in the millennium exhibition. The lunch was sponsored and paid for out of private funds. It would not be appropriate to place in the Library a list of those attending this private function.
Play Wales (Funding)
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had in relation to the funding of Play Wales from 1 April 1997; what consultations he has had with the Welsh Local Government Association concerning future funding arrangements for it; what consideration he has given to the possibility of funding Play Wales after 1 April 1997 via a grant to the Welsh Council for Voluntary Action; and if he will make a statement. [5989]
Mr. Hague: I have had several representations about the funding of Play Wales, including over 50 during the consultation on "Redefining the Relationship". These include letters from the Welsh Local Government Association which have been taken into account. I have considered the possibility of funding Play Wales via a grant to the Wales Council for Voluntary Action but concluded that the position should remain as I announced on 15 October, Official Report, column 866.
The Welsh Local Government Association's decision, that Play Wales should not receive a top-slice of revenue support grant in 1997-98, and the consequences of that decision, are matters for the association.
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Glasgow Southern Orbital Road
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning proposals for a Glasgow southern orbital road; and if he will make a statement. [4264]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: In addition to the representations made by the hon. Member for Eastwood, 37 letters have been received, mainly from residents of Eaglesham, about the need to bypass the village and construct a Glasgow southern orbital route. East Renfrewshire council submitted an outline bid to the 1998-99 transport challenge fund for the Glasgow southern orbital route M77--Newton Mearns--to East Kilbride which would effectively bypass Eaglesham. The application has been placed on the shortlist for consideration in the second stage of the competition and the council has been asked to send a full appraisal and any other information in support of the application to the scottish office by 27 January 1997. Departmental and council officials recently met to discuss the project.
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the reason for the delay in starting lung transplants at Glasgow royal infirmary; [4779]
- (2) what plans he has to start lung transplants at Glasgow royal infirmary; and if he will make a statement. [4780]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: We are currently considering a needs assessment on the introduction of lung and heart/lung transplantation in Scotland. A decision will be announced in due course. Our main concern is to ensure the best outcomes for Scottish patients who require these types of transplantation.
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when funding will be available for the new maternity unit at Glasgow royal infirmary; and if he will make a statement. [4781]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: A business case was approved by the Scottish Office in April 1996 which allowed the Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust to begin work on the procurement process for the new maternity unit. The trust will explore private finance options for this development and have begun work on this process. As the trust is also considering other important capital developments, it has decided to manage these as one project, and so additional planning work has been necessary. The trust aims to undergo the major part of the private finance initiative process in the first half of 1997.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the legal and administrative costs incurred by the Scottish health service central legal office and the royal infirmary in the court case between Mr. Higgins and the royal infirmary, Glasgow; and what was the value of the item upon which the dispute was founded. [4905]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: This is entirely a matter for the Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chief executive, Mr Nigel Clifford, for details.
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Rottenrow Maternity Hospital
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money he estimates will be realised from the sale of the site of Rottenrow maternity hospital. [4782]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS trust has provided an estimate of the marketable value of this property. This is commercially sensitive information which it would be inappropriate to disclose in advance of concluding any sale agreement. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that the trust will seek to maximise the proceeds from the sale of this site.
Legal Aid
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his most recent estimate of the current annual cost of criminal legal aid in Scotland; and what were the equivalent figures for one, two and three years ago. [5130]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The latest estimate of the annual cost of criminal legal aid in Scotland for 1996-97 is £76.6 million.
The equivalent cost for the last three years is set out in the list.
1993-94: £72.8 million
1994-95: £76.2 million
1995-96: £74.4 million.
Women
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to measure and evaluate the effect of his Department's policies on women. [5480]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The Scottish Office has had in place guidelines on policy appraisal for equal opportunities since 1992. We are currently updating these guidelines in the light of the guidance published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in July this year.
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This guidance requires officials to identify policy issues which might impact differentially on women and men, and other groups, to assess whether this is justified in policy terms, and to adjust the policy if it is not.
Prisons (Costs)
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the annual cost of keeping a prisoner in each type of Scottish prison. [5153]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
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