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Housing Benefit (Rent Levels)

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the future relationship between housing benefit subsidy and rent levels in the public sector. [5047]

Mr. Keith Bradley: Housing policy and housing benefit policy should not be considered in isolation from each other, and we need to consider the relationship between personal subsidy and "bricks and mortar" subsidy. This Department will be working with the

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Department of the Environment, Transport and the regions with the aim of developing a housing policy which frees people from the benefit trap and which encourages personal responsibility.

We are examining the financing of local authority housing as part of our Comprehensive Spending Review. This will review all aspects of public expenditure and will see that taxpayers' money is being spent effectively in order to fulfil the Government's manifesto commitments.

Pensioners (VAT on Fuel)

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the effect on (a) a single retirement pensioner and (b) a retirement pensioner couple of reducing VAT on domestic fuel from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent., taking into account the effect of the subsequent annual uprating of pensions and benefits. [6173]

Mr. Denham: pensioners' fuel bills vary considerably. We expect any reduction in VAT to be reflected in their fuel bills.

SCOTLAND

Crofting

Mrs. Ray Mitchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have been held with representatives of the Scottish Crofter's Union regarding (a) changes to land tenure and (b) specific grants for crofters and crofting communities. [3822]

Mr. Chisholm [holding answer 23 June 1997]: My noble Friend the Minister for Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries met representatives of the Scottish Crofters' Union (SCU) on 9 June. There was no discussion of changes to land tenure as such but union representatives outlined their ideas for the establishment of a Pan-Highland Trust. In addition, the SCU mentioned the importance to crofters of the crofters building grants and loans scheme.

Bullying

Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to schools and local education authorities concerning dealing with bullying; and what steps he has taken to encourage schools and LEAs to learn from best practice elsewhere in Scotland in this respect. [5397]

Mr. Wilson: The Government take the problem of bullying very seriously. In recent years, my Department has issued a range of guidance on the subject, as follows.

In 1992, the Department issued to all schools a support pack called "Action against Bullying". The pack contained extensive examples of good practice and stressed that the single most important thing a school can do to prevent bullying is have a clear policy to which staff, pupils and parents are committed.

In 1993, the Department funded the issue to every school of a follow-up resource pack aimed at non-teaching staff and families. The pack is called "Supporting Schools against Bullying in Scotland".

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In August 1994, the Department issued to all schools a leaflet aimed directly at children entitled "Let's Stop Bullying--Advice for Young People". In August the following year, the Department issued a further leaflet providing advice for parents and families entitled "Let's Stop Bullying--Advice for Parents and Families".

We are urgently reviewing what further steps might be taken. I have asked for the report "Which Way Now? A Progress Report on Bullying in Scottish Schools" by Andrew Mellor to be followed up, in order to establish if there are further measures based on the report which could be usefully implemented. I am also taking steps to satisfy myself that every school has an effective anti-bullying policy in place.

Health Boards

Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reform the structure of health boards in Scotland with particular reference to the percentage of the board made up of (a) councillors, (b) NHS representatives and (c) directly elected representatives; and if he will make a statement. [5862]

Mr. Galbraith: In the last week eight new chairmen for health boards have been announced, which signals a new direction for the Scottish Health Service. It is out intention to ensure that health boards are representative of the populations they serve: I have just announced a local authority member for Lothian, Tayside and Grampian health boards. It is my intention to ensure that all health boards have on them a local authority member. I have also indicated that I would welcome nominations of candidates for health boards from the STUC. In all cases I will appoint the best available candidates in order to pursue the Government agenda for the NHS.

Water Authorities

Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when, and in what form, the water authorities in Scotland will be returned to local democratic control.[5866]

Mr. Dewar: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 5 June 1997 to my hon. Friend the member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Mr. Marshall), Official Report, column 233-34 and to the reply given on 26 June 1997 to my right hon. Friend for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Mr. Stewart), Official Report, column 601-02.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the Scottish health projects which were pursuing experimental private finance initiative funding as at 22 June; and if he will indicate the sum spent to date in respect of preparatory work for each project.[5992]

Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 30 June 1997]: Proposals for capital projects which were exploring the PFI route as at 22 June this year and on which information is held by the Department are as listed. It should be noted that projects are considered for PFI only after outline business case approval. In addition there are other smaller projects developed on the same principles which fall within trust and health board delegated limits and for which information is not held centrally.

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Health board/NHS trustProject descriptionCapital value (£ million)
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS TrustRelocation of major acute teaching hospital175
Law Hospital NHS TrustHospital100
Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS TrustNew major acute hospital63
Victoria Infirmary NHS TrustProvision of geriatric beds at Mearnskirk2
Ayrshire and Arran Community Healthcare NHS TrustCommunity Hospital (Cumnock, East Ayrshire)9
Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services TrustReplacement of facilities for delivery of in patient mental health services (Stobhill)8
Southern General Hospital NHS TrustProvision of geriatric medicine9
Western Isles Health BoardCommunity Hospital8
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals NHS TrustProvision of maternity and day care services4
Yorkhill NHS TrustProvision of maternity services10
Orkney Health BoardCommunity Hospital12
Highland Communities NHS TrustProvision of psychiatric unit (Inverness)18
Dundee Healthcare NHS TrustProvision of psychiatric unit (Dundee)9
Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS TrustGeriatric assessment facility9
West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS TrustNew major acute teaching hospital100
Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS TrustPackage of schemes40

On Monday 16 June I announced that due to the urgent nature of proposals for maternity and theatre facilities at Glasgow Royal the Government would provide £36 million of public funding. Other aspects of the package of schemes will continue to explore PFI. I also decided that PFI was inappropriate for proposals for the redevelopment of the Western general hospital in Edinburgh and on Monday 23 June announced that £40 million would be provided for a new ward and theatre block.

Information on sums spent on preparatory work is not centrally available. However we estimate that costs should be not more than 1.5 per cent. of the capital value of a project. In view of the innovative nature of PFI boards and trusts have been provided with some funding to help cover these costs. As at 30 April 1997 grants to projects listed above amounted to approximately £4.7 million. We expect costs to decrease significantly as the PFI process becomes more streamlined. It should also be noted that much of the preparatory work for a project is necessary regardless of whether it will be funded publicly or under the PFI.

Badgers

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions have been recorded under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in Scotland in each year since 1992 broken down by local authority; and if he will make a statement. [5708]

Mr. McLeish: Information on the number of people arrested is not collected centrally.

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The information requested on prosecutions and convictions is not separately identifiable within the Scottish Office Home Department's classification of crimes and offences.


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