House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24 Jul 1997 (pt 4)

Education (Fees and Awards) (Scotland) Regulations

Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to revise the Education (Fees and Awards) (Scotland) Regulations. [10870]

Mr. Wilson: I confirm that an amendment to the Education (Fees and Awards) (Scotland) Regulations 1997 will be laid before Parliament to introduce a requirement of being settled in the United Kingdom under the immigration laws. The amendment will add this requirement to the existing residency criteria for establishing a "relevant connection" for the purpose of student fee classifications by institutions and the rules of candidate eligibility for certain awards which may be adopted under the regulations.

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Registers of Scotland

Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the targets he expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in the three-year period 1997 to 2000. [10871]

Mr. Dewar: I have set Registers of Scotland the following key targets for 1997-2000:

for the trading fund to achieve a return of 6 per cent. on net capital employed over the three-year period ending 31 march 1999 and on a rolling basis thereafter;

to continue the land register's extension programme and achieve the transfer of the counties of Perth, Angus and Kinross on 1 April 1999; Berwick, East Lothian, Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles on 1 October 1999; and Argyll and Bute on 1 April 2000;

to maintain and enhance customer service through the retention of charter mark and by improving customer satisfaction on first registration turnround times to 75 per cent. by 31 March 2000;

to reduce progressively the turnround time for sasine writs to 25 days by 31 March 1999 and 23 days by 31 March 2000;

to reduce progressively the turnround time for dealings with whole on the land register to 25 days by 31 March 1999 and to remain at 25 days during 1999-00;

to reduce unit costs by 5 per cent. in real terms for sasine writs by 31 March 2000 from the base of £33.07 at 31 March 1997;

to reduce unit costs by 2.4 per cent. in real terms for dealings with whole by 31 March 2000 from the base of £56.05 at 31 March 1997;

to launch a direct access service to existing pilot customers by 30 April 1997; and

to complete the conversion of the existing land register counties to a digitised map and computer-based text system by 31 October 1997.

Land Register (Scotland) Act 1979

Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in extending registration of title under the Land Register (Scotland) Act 1979 to further areas of Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [10872]

Mr. Dewar: The original programme to extend the land register was announced in 1992. At that time, the counties of Renfrew, Dunbarton, Lanark and the barony and regality of Glasgow were already on the land register. Since 1992, the counties of Clackmannan, Stirling, West Lothian, Fife, Aberdeen, Kincardine, Ayr, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Wigtown have been made operational. The areas where the land register currently operates over 60 per cent. of total housing stock.

Following the 1994 report of the Committee of Public Accounts, "Registers of Scotland: Service to the Public" Cmd 2739, the keeper of the registers considered whether the programme should be amended. A revised programme was adopted in 1996.

Registers of Scotland is now operating as a trading fund. Because it has been experiencing unexpected difficulties in assimilating its new computer systems, and in order that it can meet its objectives in its first three years of its trading fund status, I have now approved a revised programme for the remaining counties as shown below. The main change is simply that no new counties

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will be taken into the land register in 1998, but the year 2003 remains the target date for completion of the extension programme.

Land Register Extension Programme: 1997

Ferry Services

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made a decision for the award of subsidy for the operation of passenger ferry services to Orkney and Shetland; and if he will make a statement. [10873]

Mr. Dewar: I intend to lay before the House as soon as practicable a draft undertaking to secure the continuation of these ferry services. The draft undertaking will propose the payment of a block grant subsidy for the operation of the northern isles passenger ferry services to P and O Scottish Ferries. The duration of this agreement will be from 1997 to 2002. The Government have taken this decision following an evaluation of the bids received in response to an open competitive tendering exercise. I propose to commence a new open tendering exercise next year for the award of a longer-term subsidy agreement commencing in 2002. The Government expect that, by 2002, new vessels will be needed for these services and an early decision will allow sufficient time for the successful operator to build new ships. Prior to initiating a new competition, the Scottish office will, as part of the Government-wide comprehensive spending review, be re-evaluating northern isles services. The future service specification will be based on this review.

The Government have examined the option of allowing a bid from Caledonian MacBrayne for the immediate block contract. It is clear that CalMac does not have vessels in its fleet capable of taking over the northern isles services in the short-term, nor does the current second hand vessel market currently offer suitable tonnage. However, the Government have decided to invite CalMac

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to consider whether it can identify a basis for entering the open tendering exercise for the new subsidy agreement commencing in 2002 which would be consistent with the overall level of public expenditure affordable for shipping services.

The previous Government initiated the open competitive tendering exercise in June 1995. Three bids were received and, after thorough consideration, the Government now conclude that P and O Scottish Ferries offers the best value for money.

The Government's agreement with P and O Scottish Ferries will safeguard the existing pattern of services for the next five years and includes guarantees for the export of livestock and the carriage of hazardous goods. Under the agreement, P and O Scottish Ferries will be paid a basic annual block grant of £11.018 million subject to clawback arrangements should profits exceed current forecasts.

The profitability of northern isles passenger ferry services has been declining over a number of years due to fierce competition from freight-only operators. This competition has resulted in a sharp fall in tariffs which, whilst good news for businesses and consumers in the northern isles, reduces the income from passenger ferry services which carry a substantial amount of freight.

Passenger ferry operators are also required to adhere to much stricter safety regulations than freight operators. The latest regulations, the Stockholm agreement--introduced following the Estonia tragedy--will require either expensive modifications or the withdrawal of non-compliant vessels by 2002. By that date, P and O Scottish Ferries' three passenger ships will be some 30 years old. Costly upgrades to ships this old are not judged worthwhile. Instead, the Government have agreed to cover the increased depreciation charges required to write down the vessels to a realistic market value by 2002. If any modifications to P and O Scottish Ferries' three passenger ferries are required to meet safety of life at sea--SOLAS--95 regulations in the period before 2002, the Government will fund these by capital grant.

Declining freight profits and the additional cost of depreciation require an addition to subsidy costs compared with previous years, even although P and O Scottish Ferries' bid was lower than any other. The alternative would be to impose significantly increased fares on islanders or visitors, which the Government have rejected. This subsidy agreement represents a substantial financial commitment by the Government to safeguarding the passenger ferry services to Orkney and Shetland and to keeping fares down.

PRIME MINSTER

Digital Communications Systems

Mr. Gale: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to transfer powers between the Department of Trade and Industry and/or the Home Office and/or the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, in respect of the convergence of digital communication systems. [10339]

The Prime Minister: None.

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