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Low Pay
Mr. Tom King: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees or his Department and its agencies are paid (i) less than £4 an hour, (ii) less than £3.50 an hour and (iii) less than £3 an hour. [4193]
Mr. Dewar: Of those employed in my Department and its Executive Agencies in April 1997, 383 full-time employees have basic salaries below £4/hour; 3 adults and 25 staff aged under 18 have basic salaries below £3.50/hour; with a further 17 staff all aged under 18 below £3/hour. Among part-time staff, 27 have basic salaries below £4/hour with no-one under £3.50/hour.
Radioactive Discharges
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's regulation of radioactive discharges in Scotland will fall within the responsibilities of the proposed Scottish Parliament. [4223]
Mr. McLeish [holding answer 19 June 1997]: The Government's proposals for a Scottish Parliament will be set out in a White Paper which my right hon. Friend expects to publish before the House rises for its summer recess.
Environment Protection Agency
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate for each of the organisations replaced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in 1996; and whether they operated under an exemption in terms of the Value Added Tax Act 1994, section 33. [4220]
Mr. Chisholm [holding answer 19 June 1997]: The predecessor bodies of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency were River Purification Boards, District and Islands Councils, Her Majesty's Industrial Pollution Inspectorate (HMIPI) and the Hazardous Waste Inspectorate (HWI). With the exception of HMIPI and HWI, both formerly parts of The Scottish Office, all those bodies had the right to precept on local taxation and thus were entitled to claim refunds of VAT under the terms of Section 33 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994.
SEPA does not have the power to precept on local taxation and is therefore not eligible to claim refunds of VAT in this way.
23 Jun 1997 : Column: 367
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the responsibilities of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. [4221]
Mr. Chisholm
[holding answer 19 June 1997]: The principal responsibilities of SEPA are:-
In carrying out these specific responsibilities, SEPA is required to:-
consenting of discharges to the water environment (surface, tidal and ground waters);
conserving water resources as far as practicable and promoting the conversation and enhancement of the natural beauty and amenity of controlled waters;
providing flood warning systems, assessing the risk of flooding on any area and advising planning authorities on flood risk;
granting abstraction licences for irrigation where a control order is in force;
issuing authorisations to prevent, minimise or render harmless the release of substances into the environment from prescribed processes;
authorising the handling and disposal of radioactive materials and registering persons holding or using such materials;
licensing of waste management activities;
registering waste carriers and brokers and regulating the transfrontier shipment of waste;
taking enforcement action against persons breaching licence conditions or illegally polluting the environment;
carrying out assessments of the general state of the environment (if required by the Secretary of State);
keeping up-to-date on pollution control technology, with powers to undertake relevant research and development;
creating smoke control areas;
ensuring compliance with the "producer responsibility" regulations as directed by the Secretary of State.
Ms Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the refusal to grant the Scottish Environment Protection Agency an exemption in terms of the Value Added Tax Act 1994, section 33; and if he will make a statement. [4222]
have regard both to the desirability of conserving and enhancing the natural and man-made environment and to the social and economic needs of any area; and
take into account the likely costs and benefits of exercising its powers.
Mr. Chisholm [holding answer 19 June 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland regularly discusses various issues with colleagues, including my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Forestry
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate for each of the past five years for (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales the total (a) broadleaf tree cover, (b) evergreen tree cover, (c) area felled and (d) area planted; and if he will make a statement. [4409]
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Mr. Chisholm:
The information is set out in the tables below.
All areas in thousands of hectares
| Year ending 31 March | Area of broadleaved woodland(8) | Area of conifer woodland(8) | Area approved for felling(9) | Area planted(10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGLAND | ||||
| 1993 | 574 | 393 | 11 | 12 |
| 1994 | 581 | 392 | 11 | 13 |
| 1995 | 587 | 390 | 8 | 10 |
| 1996 | 591 | 390 | 8 | 9 |
| 1997 | 596 | 389 | 7 | 9 |
| SCOTLAND | ||||
| 1993 | 171 | 976 | 8 | 20 |
| 1994 | 181 | 975 | 9 | 18 |
| 1995 | 188 | 979 | 10 | 20 |
| 1996 | 192 | 984 | 11 | 17 |
| 1997 | 197 | 990 | 10 | 19 |
| WALES | ||||
| 1993 | 77 | 171 | 4 | 3 |
| 1994 | 79 | 169 | 3 | 3 |
| 1995 | 80 | 167 | 4 | 3 |
| 1996 | 81 | 167 | 4 | 3 |
| 1997 | 82 | 166 | 4 | 3 |
(8)The areas of broadleaved and comfier woodland are based on the 1980 Census of Woodlands. They have been updated by including the estimated changes since then.
(9)The Forestry Commission does not record the areas felled by private woodland owners, but it does record the areas approved for felling. However, approvals are valid for a five year period, and large areas which are approved for felling are never felled.
(10)The areas planted include both the areas of felled woodland which are replanted and the areas of new woodlands which are created.
Transport Policy
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how he proposes to provide an effective and integrated transport policy; and what plans he has to carry out a strategic review of the roads programme in Scotland.[5142]
Mr. Dewar: My noble Friend, the Minister with responsibility for agriculture, the environment and fisheries announced on Thursday--Official Report, House of Lords, column 136--our intention to publish a White Paper early next year which will set out our proposals for a workable, effective and integrated transport policy appropriate to the needs of Scotland. Our development of that will operate in parallel with the development of the planned White Paper on integrated transport policy announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 5 June, column 226.
One key strand of developing an integrated transport strategy is the strategic review of the trunk roads programme promised in the Manifesto. We believe that we need a thorough examination of our rationale for new roads construction. Possible new roads projects must be properly examined in the context of their local and wider economic and environmental impacts and with the possible provision of alternative modes of transport properly considered in parallel. Our eventual decisions must meet our commitment to sustainable development.
This review will consider the full range of factors, including traffic growth, which will give rise to pressure for further major improvements across the trunk road
23 Jun 1997 : Column: 369
network over the next decade. In parallel with the review, as part of the work leading to the White Paper, we shall examine means of restraining growth, including consideration of the opportunities for doing so on the trunk road network. We will also consider the role which new technology and improved information systems can play.
The review will examine the criteria (including accessibility, safety, economy and environmental impact) for setting priorities within the trunk road programme. It will also review the scope for improved value for money for expenditure on maintenance, structural repairs and minor schemes.
The review is being conducted against the background of our clear commitment to control public expenditure overall and fundamentally to review expenditure priorities through the comprehensive spending review. Given this, no further procedural work on major schemes will be undertaken before the reviews are concluded. However, schemes under construction will continue; and the schemes for the A828 (Creagan Bridge) and the A75 (The Glen), which are both close to commencement, will also continue. Tenders are expected in July for a privately financed design, build, finance and operate contract on the M8 (Baillieston to Shotts) and a decision on that will be announced after the evaluation of tenders, in the light of the information provided by the tenders and other relevant factors. The review will reach conclusions on options for the Kincardine Bridge in advance of those on other projects because of the uncertainties attaching to the operational condition of the bridge and the need to progress contingency plans.
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