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SCOTLAND
Enterprise Companies
13. Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the strategy of (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) the local enterprise companies. [6704]
Mr. Wilson: My right hon. Friend announced on 6 June that he had asked Scottish Enterprise to bring forward their planned review of strategy. Local enterprise companies will be covered by that review. The review will be carried out by Scottish Enterprise in close co-operation with officials from The Scottish Office.
Local Government Finance
14. Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about central Government funding of Scottish local authorities. [6705]
Mr. Chisholm: Central government is providing Scottish local authorities with almost £6 billion in the current year.
A96 and A92
15. Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on future plans for upgrading the A96 and the A92. [6706]
Mr. Chisholm: As I made clear to the hon. Gentleman at the Scottish Grand Committee last week, the current construction work on the Blackburn and Kintore Bypasses on the A96 will provide a further 10km of new dual carriageway by autumn 1998.
Work on minor improvement schemes, and on measures to promote safety on the A90, formerly the A92, will continue. No further procedural work will be carried out on the major scheme to dual the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty until the conclusions of the strategic roads review are known.
National Health Service Expenditure
16. Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he is considering to increase expenditure on the NHS in Scotland 1997-98. [6707]
Mr. Galbraith:
None, by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, has instructed Health Boards to use £10 million of savings being realised in 1997-98 from reducing bureaucracy, to reduce waiting times and relieve winter pressures.
15 Jul 1997 : Column: 154
17. Mr. Brook:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the Skye bridge. [6708]
Mr. Dewar:
As I announced to the House on Friday 4 July, columns 288-89, I intend to introduce measures to alleviate the impact of the Skye Bridge tolls on frequent users.
18. Mr. Jim Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he will introduce to stop retailers selling alcopops and designer drinks to young people. [6709]
Mr. Galbraith:
The Ministerial Group on Alcopops is considering a range of possible industry and Government measures to tackle underage drinking. These include how alcohol is promoted to appeal to young people and how it reaches them. We will be making a statement shortly.
19. Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings he has had with representatives of Scottish fishermen concerning the conclusions of the Amsterdam conference. [6710]
Mr. Chisholm:
Representatives of Scottish fishermen were invited to participate in high-level talks on the industry's future, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 19 June. The meeting took place this morning and was attended by my noble Friend, the Minister for Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries at The Scottish Office.
20. Mrs. McGuire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review strategies for acute care in Scotland. [6711]
Mr. Galbraith:
We are undertaking a strategic review of Health Services in Scotland. It will set the principles on which Health Boards will continue to develop the acute services in their area.
21. Mr. Canavan
: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public appointments he is responsible for making. [6712]
Mr. Dewar:
I am responsible for 3,652 appointments to public bodies in Scotland of which 2,014 are to children's panels.
22. Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's White Paper on the future government of Scotland. [6713]
Mr. McLeish:
The White Paper will be published on 24 July. This will allow both Houses proper opportunity to debate the White Paper before the summer recess.
15 Jul 1997 : Column: 155
23. Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what new resources are to be made available in the current year under the small towns initiative being mounted by Scottish Enterprise; and if he will make a statement. [6714]
Mr. Wilson:
The allocation of resources within the budget adopted by Scottish Enterprise is an operational matter for that organisation. I shall ask the Acting Chairman of Scottish Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.
24. Mr. Alasdair Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reform the system of milk quotas. [6715]
Mr. Chisholm:
The Government's policy on milk quotas and other elements of the dairy regime will be assessed in the light of the European Commission's proposals for reforming the CAP which are expected to be announced shortly.
25. Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will next attend an EC Council of Ministers meeting to discuss Scottish agriculture. [6716]
Mr. Chisholm:
My noble Friend, the Minister for Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries attended the May meeting of the Agriculture Council and will attend subsequent meetings as appropriate.
26. Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with private sector institutions regarding PFI for new hospitals in Scotland. [6717]
Mr. Galbraith:
The Secretary of State has had no discussions with private sector institutions regarding PFI for new hospitals in Scotland. I had my first discussions with private sector institutions regarding PFI when I met the preferred bidder for two PFI projects last week and Officials have frequent contact with the private sector bodies involved in PFI hospital projects.
27. Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to take account of public opinion in England in drawing up his proposals for a Scottish Assembly. [6718]
Mr. McLeish:
The Government's proposals for the establishment of a Scottish Parliament were included in our UK manifesto, and were endorsed by the electorate throughout the United Kingdom. We will continue to take account of public opinion in all parts of the UK in working up the detail of the proposals.
28. Mr. Grieve:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the prison population in Scotland. [6719]
15 Jul 1997 : Column: 156
Mr. McLeish:
The average daily prisoner population in Scotland in 1996-97 was 5,992 compared with 5,632 in 1995-96 and 5,395 in 1992-93. During 1996-97, the average daily remand population increased by 3 per cent. to 1,021, the highest number recorded in the past five years. The number of adult prisoners and young offenders sentenced increased by 6 per cent. and 10 per cent. respectively. The rise in the number of adult prisoners in 1996-97 can be attributed to the increase in the number of short-term prisoners from 2,022 in 1995-96 to 2,183 in 1996-97.
The projected average daily prisoner population for 1997-98 to 1999-2000 are 6,400; 6,600 and 6,750, excluding the potential effects of the early release provisions in the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his assessment of the cost of granting mandatory rate relief to voluntary sports clubs in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [8006]
Mr. Chisholm:
Rate relief provided to qualifying sports clubs in Scotland is entirely at the discretion of local authorities. Although detailed information on reliefs provided by local authorities to sports clubs is not held centrally, total discretionary relief provided in 1995-96 amounted to £4.4 million.
Mr. Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what Government proposals exist to harmonise rate relief for voluntary sports clubs in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [8005]
Mr. Chisholm:
Rate relief provided to qualifying sports clubs in Scotland is already harmonised. Non-profit-making sports clubs in Scotland are eligible for mandatory relief. If relief is granted 100 per cent. of the cost is borne by the Exchequer.
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