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Incontinence Products
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is provided in this year's allocations for NHS for the cost of VAT on incontinence products. [19717]
Mr. Milburn: Resources are not allocated to fund particular services or costs. It is for health authorities and general practitioners to use these resources to plan and arrange services for their residents, following an assessment of their needs, and to make decisions about the level of resources required for any particular service. However, the National Health Service has always been liable to Value Added Tax and NHS funding allocations take account of this.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how health authorities and trusts are notified of the amounts in their allocations which are provided to fund them to meet the costs of VAT on incontinence products. [19715]
8 Dec 1997 : Column: 460
Mr. Milburn:
There is no separate allocation of funds to health authorities in respect of Value Added Tax liability.
National Health Service trusts receive most of their income through contracts with commissioners of health care services, i.e. health authorities and general practitioner fundholders. Contract prices are intended to recover all relevant costs including liability to VAT.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department was notified of the Treasury's intention to table the Value Added Tax (Drugs, Medicine and Aids for the Handicapped) Order 1997. [19718]
Mr. Milburn:
The Department was notified of the intention to legislate on 13 August 1997.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will fund the cost of the special support covering the proposed tuition fees beyond year four for English and Welsh medical and dental students studying at Scottish universities; and what estimate he has made of the costs. [19589]
Mr. Milburn:
It is the Government's intention that all eligible United Kingdom medical and dental students should benefit from the special provisions announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 23 September. Clarification of the arrangements and costs will be the subject of discussions between the departments concerned.
Language Teaching
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secondary schools offer the opportunity to study two languages at each level indicating the number offering (a) French, (b) German, (c) Spanish and (d) any other modern languages; and what were the figures (a) two years ago and (b) 10 years ago. [18132]
Mr. Wilson:
The information requested is not available centrally in the form requested. The table shows the number of education authority secondary schools with pupils presented in more than one modern language subject at SCE Ordinary or Standard Grade and at SCE Higher Grade by the time they had left school.
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| SCE Ordinary/Standard Grade | SCE Higher Grade | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 1994-95 | (49)1996-97 | 1986-87 | 1994-95 | (49)1996-97 | |
| Total number of schools | 440 | 405 | 401 | 440 | 405 | 401 |
| Number of schools with leavers presented in more than one modern language | 379 | 323 | 336 | 343 | 247 | 271 |
| of which making presentations in: | ||||||
| French | 379 | 323 | 336 | 343 | 246 | 271 |
| German | 336 | 296 | 301 | 279 | 212 | 239 |
| Spanish | 127 | 113 | 134 | 78 | 66 | 100 |
| Other languages | 118 | 79 | 95 | 74 | 48 | 70 |
(49) Based on pupils in school at the end of session.
8 Dec 1997 : Column: 461
Student Tuition Fees
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with the CBI regarding the effect on the labour market of the introduction of tuition fees for students. [18349]
Mr. Wilson: I wrote to Mr. Lain McMillan, Director, CBI Scotland on 23 July, inviting the CBI Scotland to comment inter alia on the Government's preferred approach to future funding arrangements for higher education, which were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in Parliament on that day, Official Report, columns 949-51. I received the CBI Scotland response on 26 September.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he had with Sir Ron Dearing prior to his announcement of tuition fees for students. [18350]
Mr. Wilson: I have not met with Sir Ron Dearing. However, I met Sir Ron Garrick, Chairman of the Scottish Standing Committee of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education, on two occasions prior to the Government's announcement on 23 July 1997, Official Report, columns 949-51, of its plans to reform higher education funding, and also when I addressed the COSHEP Annual Forum on 27 October.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the principals of higher education institutions in Scotland regarding the introduction of tuition fees. [18358]
Mr. Wilson: In addition to various informal discussions with individuals and representative bodies, I received a paper from the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals responding to various aspects of the Dearing and Garrick Reports including the introduction of tuition fees. I am placing copies of the paper in the Libraries of both Houses.
School Transport
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue guidance to Scottish local authorities to require them to provide free school transport for all children whose families are in receipt of means-tested benefits. [17206]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 1 December 1997]: No. It is entirely a matter for each authority to decide whether or not to provide free school transport, taking account of individual circumstances.
Council House Sales
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reinstate the cost floor arrangement for council house sales; and if he will make a statement. [18649]
Mr. Chisholm:
The current cost floor rules relating to sales of council houses in Scotland have been in place since 1989. My right hon. Friend is considering possible changes to these rules. Any changes proposed would be subject to consultation.
8 Dec 1997 : Column: 462
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of council houses sold for less than the outstanding debt in each of the past five years and the amount of remaining debt involved (a) in total and (b) in each council area. [18608]
Mr. Chisholm:
Information on the selling prices and outstanding debt of individual council houses is not held centrally.
Mr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for repeal of the legislation which allows schools to opt out of education authority control; and if he will make a statement. [18906]
Mr. Wilson
[holding answer 4 December 1997]: My right hon. Friend will bring forward legislation to repeal these provisions at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools have opted out of education authority control; where they are located; and if he will make a statement. [18905]
Mr. Wilson
[holding answer 4 December 1997]: Two--St. Mary's Episcopal Primary School, Dunblane and Dornoch Academy. Fort William Primary School's proposal for self-governing status was accepted last December but it has not been implemented.
Guinness Affair
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will place in the Library the text of the legal advice taken by her Department on which she based her decision not to institute proceedings under the Companies Act 1985 against any of the individuals referred to in her Department's report on Guinness PLC. [19459]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: No. The decision by the President of the Board of Trade not to institute proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 against any of the individuals referred to in the inspectors' report into Guinness PLC was based on, and in accordance with, the legal advice she had received. That legal advice included advice from independent Counsel.
Technology Foresight Programme
Mr. Breed: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made with the technology foresight programme; and if she will make a statement. [19289]
Mr. Battle:
The Government are committed to driving forward the Foresight programme. They have brought Foresight into the heart of Government policy on business competitiveness. Soon after the election, the President of the Board of Trade commissioned an audit to assess the level of departmental activity in support of Foresight and identify areas where more emphasis is required. The findings and recommendations were published in October. Following the audit, the Government have set up a Ministerial Foresight Group, to provide top-level co-ordination of the programme across Whitehall. Progress is also being made in increasing business
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participation in Foresight, the top priority for the current phase of the Programme and a key objective for the next round of Foresight which will start in 1999. Planning for this exercise is already under way. A consultative document seeking views from interested parties will be published in the Spring of next year.
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