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Scottish Office Quangos
Mr. Norman Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the (a) total running costs of Scottish Office quangos and (b) the running costs of each such quango in each year since 1992, showing in each case the total (i) salary bill and (ii) expenses paid to members; and what were the salary and expenses paid to each individual in respect of quango membership in the latest year for which figures are available. [19231]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Information about payments made to individual board members of executive non-departmental public bodies in Scotland in 1996-97 is given in "Scottish Office Appointments to executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies and NHS Bodies at 1 December 1996", copies of which were placed in the House of Commons Library on 23 December 1996. All NDPBs publish annual reports which are also placed in the House of Commons Library. With one exception, these include such information as is available on running costs, staff salaries and members expenses. The exception is the Crofters Commission, for which the available information is:
| 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | |
| Running costs | 1,307 | 1,397 | 1,607 | 1,446 |
| Staff costs | 936 | 1,037 | 1,046 | 1,006 |
| Board member expenses | 37 | 33 | 47 | 34 |
Employment
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) male and female employees were engaged in (i) manufacturing and (ii) agriculture and fishing in the constituencies of (x) Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale and (y) Roxburgh and Berwickshire in the (1) 1979, (2) 1983, (3) 1987, (4) 1991, (5) 1993 and (6) the last year for which figures are available. [21545]
Mr. Kynoch: Information for the parliamentary constituency areas requested is available for years since 1984 in which the census of employment has been held, and is shown in the table:
(43) The annual employment survey replaced the biennial census of employment in 1995.
(44) Data are available under the 1992 standard industrial classification only from 1991. Some employees previously classified under manufacturing in the 1980 SIC are classified under services in the 1992 SIC. For 1991, both bases are given for manufacturing for comparison.
(45) A census was not held in 1983; 1984 figures are provided.
(46) Confidential under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.
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Mr. McAvoy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on public relations (a) in actual terms and (b) in real terms in each year since 1979. [20540]
Mr. Michael Forsyth:
Information is not available in the form requested.
Whitburn Street Relief Road, Bridgnorth
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the application for a transport supplementary grant in respect of the Whitburn street relief road in Bridgnorth; and if he will make a statement.[21174]
Mr. Watts: Shropshire county council included this scheme in its transport policies and programme bid for resources in the local transport capital settlement for 1997-98. The scheme was part of the council's general minor works programme. It was not possible to meet any bids under that heading. All resources for 1997-98 under the TPP system have been allocated. The county council could bid for additional supplementary credit approval should any surplus SCAs become available for redistribution.
A46 Dualling
Sir Kenneth Carlisle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the start of construction work on the dualling of the A46 between Lincoln and Newark; and if he will make a statement. [21173]
Mr. Watts:
I have instructed the Highways Agency to complete the statutory procedures as rapidly as possible. The next stage would be to make the compulsory purchase order. This would enable preparation to begin for the invitation of tenders for building the scheme, with a view to start of works in 1999.
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Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he plans to issue to fishing vessels working in the same vicinity as that in which the Westhaven AH190 sank. [20842]
Mr. Bowis
[holding answer 19 March 1997]: I have asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Andrew Welsh, dated 20 March 1997:
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date responsibility for the collation and dissemination of information about the emergency position indication radio beacon for the Westhaven AH190 was transferred from the Marine Safety Agency to the Coastguard agency; what were the procedures for that transfer; and in what form the information was expressed. [20844]
Mr. Bowis
[holding answer 19 March 1997]: I have asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Andrew Welsh, dated 20 March 1997:
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) co-ordination and (b) staff training took place in the Coastguard service related to the transfer of emergency position indication radio beacon
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administration from the Marine Safety Agency; and what staff and at what grades worked at the Coastguard agency on the date of the transfer. [20845]
Mr. Bowis
[holding answer 19 March 1997]: The transfer of the emergency position indicating radio beacon--EPIRB--administration from the MSA to the Coastguard Agency took place on 24 February 1997.
In addition to the "double entry" period during which Coastguard staff improved their familiarity with the database, they also received appropriate software application training on 13 December 1996.
The Coastguard staff involved with the EPIRB database on 24 February were:
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the emergency position indication radio beacon documentation was received from the skipper of the Westhaven AH190; when it was processed; on what dates it was logged; and which authorities dealt with it; [20841]
(3) at what time and what date the emergency position indication radio beacon of the Westhaven AH190 was activated; [20846]
(4) what steps he intends to take to implement compulsory registration of emergency position indication radio beacons on fishing vessels. [20847]
Mr. Bowis
[holding answer 19 March 1997]: The loss of the fishing vessel Westhaven is the subject of an inspector's inquiry carried out by the marine accident investigation branch. Investigations of this type should be completed within 12 months of the date of the accident. Interim recommendations can, however, be made at any time if there are urgent lessons to be learned emerging from the investigation.
The registration of the Westhaven's emergency beacon is being examined by the Marine Safety and Coastguard agencies. The results will be passed to the MAIB.
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Navigational information is promulgated and regularly updated through Admiralty charts and Notices to Mariners. Information about pipelines, cables and other seabed installations is set out on specialist charts produced for the fishing industry by the Sea Fish Industry Authority.
Responsibility for collation and dissemination of information about Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons, including that for the 'Westhaven AH 190', was transferred from the Marine Safety Agency (MSA) to the Coastguard Agency (TCA) on the 24 February 1997. Training on registry procedures was given by the MSA to TCA during week commencing 13 January 1997. Both written and verbal instruction on the mechanisms for EPIRB registration was provided during this period.
(a) The co-ordination of the transfer was conducted by the appropriate operations managers of both organisations at a series of meetings and involved:
(i) conversion of the MSA database to operate under Coastguard software;
(ii) one month period "double entry" on the MSA and Coastguard databases to ensure consistency in the input process;
(iii) the familiarisation and training of Coastguard staff on the database system.
(b) Coastguard staff training related to the transfer covered a five-day period from 13-17 January 1997, and included:
(i) familiarisation on the background to the EPIRB registration database;
(ii) the general administration regime of the database;
(iii) data input training.
One coastguard station officer; one administration assistant; one part-time clerk/typist.
(2) what actions his Department intends to take in respect of the loss of the Westhaven AH190; and what is the planned time scale for these actions; [20843]
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