| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Local Government Finance
Rev. William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce a relief scheme to assist non-domestic ratepayers whose bills will be increased following revaluation. [16173]
Sir John Wheeler: The Government intend to assist small businesses which have experienced relatively large increases in rateable value. To qualify for relief, a business will have to meet two criteria. First, the net annual value of the property shown in the valuation list on 1 April 1997 must not exceed £10,000. Secondly, the rate bill which would be levied on the property in each of the three years following revaluation must, before any rate relief is applied, be at least 25 per cent. higher than it would have been in that year--the base year--if the revaluation had not taken place.
Relief will be available during the three years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000. The amount of relief allowed in any individual case will be based on the difference between the rate bill which is actually received by the ratepayer and an amount 25 per cent. or more above the base year amount--the revaluation effect. The full revaluation effect will be abated in the first year of the scheme, two thirds in the second year and one third in the third year. The full rate will be payable in the fourth year after the revaluation.
Rate accounts for 1997-98 will be adjusted before issue to reflect any relief to which ratepayers are entitled. No ratepayer will need to apply for relief under the scheme.
Judicial Reviews
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many decisions by his Department were challenged through judicial review in Session 1995-96; and in how many cases (a) the Department's decision was upheld by the court, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) the Department submitted to the judgment and (d) the Department appealed successfully against the judicial review decision. [14374]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
During session 1995-96, 10 decisions were challenged by judicial review in the Court of Session; and (a) two decisions were upheld by the court; (b) and (c), one of these decisions was not
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 308
defended by the Secretary of State and accordingly the judicial review petition was successful; and (d) none were appealed. Of the remaining seven cases, four judicial review petitions were withdrawn and three are yet to be decided by the court.
Mr. Home Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the powers of the Scottish Charities Office to recover funds which may have been inappropriately used by registered charities. [14925]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The Charities Office has no power under the legislation to recover funds. The Court of Session may make an order requiring any bank or other person holding money or securities on behalf of a recognised charity or of any person concerned in its control and management not to part with the money or securities without the court's approval. The full powers of the Court of Session are set out in section 7 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the summer use of (a) organophosphates and (b) pyrethroids on the numbers and range of songbirds. [14677]
Mr. Kynoch
[holding answer 12 February 1997]: The Department of the Environment and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee commissioned a consortium, comprising Oxford University and a number of nature conservation organisations including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, to carry out a review of available information on the indirect effects of pesticides on farmland birds. The results are expected to be published later this year.
Mr. Wilson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to strengthen the law in relation to the protection of rights of way in Scotland. [15668]
Mr. Kynoch:
The Government wish to promote responsible access to Scotland's countryside and considers that this can better be achieved through voluntary arrangements than by legislation. Established rights of way are already protected in law. In general,
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 309
other access issues are better tackled through initiatives such as the access concordat concluded last year, and Scottish Natural Heritage's "Paths for All" project.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he proposes to introduce to ensure the take-up of nursery vouchers in remote areas with small numbers of pre-school children. [15500]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
Information so far is that take-up of pre-school vouchers in the four pilot areas has been extremely high--over 97 per cent. overall, and higher in the remoter Argyll and Bute and Highland pilot areas. About 93 per cent. of parents with vouchers are also using them. In the pilots, playgroups have often been key providers in rural areas, and we are taking action, specially through activity by national development officers and support to the Scottish Pre-School Play Association, to help rural playgroups meet the stringent quality standards which we require before they may redeem vouchers.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the Stirling university study of pilot nursery voucher schemes about the (a) take-up of vouchers and (b) availability of nursery places within the scheme in remote areas with small numbers of pre-school children. [15501]
Mr. Robertson:
The four pre-school voucher pilot schemes are proving highly successful: over 97 per cent. of parents there have taken up vouchers, and despite a low level of provision before the pilots began, 93 per cent. of these have been able to use them. The formal independent evaluation of the pilots commissioned from Stirling university has, in accordance with my commitments to the House last year, given priority to operational matters. I welcome the December interim report of the evaluation. Although results are as yet provisional, this shows a very positive response from parents, and has enabled us to make some significant improvements to procedures before national implementation. Though the pilots cover a range of rural areas, including Caithness, Badenoch and Strathspey, parts of Argyll and Bute and Arran, the researchers have not yet addressed issues relating to rural provision. They are expected to do so before submitting their final report in August 1997.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Lord Advocate has given approval to the Scottish Law Commission to give high priority in its fifth programme to the abolition of the feudal system; and if he will make a statement. [15495]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
The Scottish Law Commission has been considering abolition of the feudal system as part of its fourth programme of law reform. I understand that my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has, at my request, said to the Scottish Law Commission that this should be treated as a matter of priority in any fifth programme. Until such time as the Scottish Law Commission's fifth programme of law reform has been presented to Parliament, it would not be proper for me to make a statement on its contents.
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 310
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has received from the Scottish Law Commission as to the likely time for the receipt of its final recommendations on the abolition of the feudal system. [15496]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
I expect the Scottish Law Commission's fifth programme of law reform to be presented to Parliament in the near future. A timetable for the completion of the commission's report on the abolition of the feudal system will be part of the programme but, until such time as the programme has been presented to Parliament, it would not be proper for me to make a statement on its contents.
Mr. Maclennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding he is making available for research into the farming of different fish species; where such work is being conducted; and what findings have been received to date. [15497]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The Scottish Office spends around £1 million a year at the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen on research into the farming of different fish species, including the control of diseases and parasites. Research findings are described in the Marine Laboratory's published annual reviews.
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of European Union Council meetings held in each year from 1979 to 1996, indicating the number (a) attended by Ministers from the Scottish Office and (b) at which Ministers from the Scottish Office are minuted as having spoken. [13892]
Mr. Kynoch
[holding answer 31 January 1997]: The information is as follows:
| Total number of Council Ministers meetings(28) | Scottish Office Minister attendance | |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 60 | -- |
| 1980 | 63 | -- |
| 1981 | 62 | -- |
| 1982 | 70 | -- |
| 1983 | 80 | -- |
| 1984 | 80 | -- |
| 1985 | 73 | -- |
| 1986 | 79 | -- |
| 1987 | 81 | -- |
| 1988 | 77 | 5 |
| 1989 | 87 | 4 |
| 1990 | 91 | 4 |
| 1991 | 84 | 5 |
| 1992 | 90 | 8 |
| 1993 | 98 | 8 |
| 1994 | 94 | 8 |
| 1995 | 81 | 7 |
| 1996 | 88 | 15 |
(28) Information obtained from the press office of the Council of the European Union.
Records of the meetings attended by Scottish Office Ministers between 1979 and 1988 were not collated and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The records of Council meetings do not attribute individual contributions.
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 311
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |