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Housing Partnership Funding
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the local authorities which have bid for new housing partnership funding for the period 1999-2002, detailing for each authority (a) if the bid is a feasibility study of stock transfers, how many dwellings are covered by the study and (b) if the bid is for actual transfers of homes, how many dwellings the authority plans to transfer, if funding requirements are met in full. [67499]
Mr. Macdonald: All local authorities except Angus Council have submitted bids for New Housing Partnership funding for the period 1999-2002. Bids are at present being assessed by the New Housing Partnerships Advisory Group which will be making recommendations to Ministers. An announcement on the successful bids, including those involving feasibility work for councils considering the possibility of housing transfer, is expected around the end of February.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
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Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the documents published by the Scottish Office since May 1997 indicating which were sent unsolicited (a) to all Scottish hon. Members and (b) to selected hon. Members. [67496]
Mr. Dewar:
The Scottish Office produces a large number of publications of different kinds. A list of items published between May 1997 and January 1998 was placed in the House Library in February 1998. A further list of items published in the year to January 1999 will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.
Information about which publications were sent to hon. Members is not held centrally, and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. In general, The Scottish Office seeks to ensure that key publications are brought to the attention of hon. Members by sending copies to the hon. Member for each Scottish constituency. In addition, Scottish Office publications are available on the Department's web site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/.
Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the social exclusion projects currently in operation in Scotland indicating for each (a) the number of people benefiting, (b) the Government's financial contribution and (c) the total cost. [67498]
Mr. Macdonald:
The Government are taking forward a wide range of programmes and projects to promote social inclusion in Scotland. Over the next three years, the Government will invest £48 million in the new Social Inclusion Partnerships; £49 million in the National Childcare Strategy; £26 million in New Community Schools; £49 million in Early Intervention schemes; £24 million in Alternatives to Exclusion from School; and an additional £278 million in New Housing Partnerships. The Government have also pledged around £350 million over the lifetime of this Parliament to support the New Deals in Scotland, another key element of the Government's programme to promote inclusion. The Government's programme to promote social inclusion in Scotland will be set out in detail in the context of its "social inclusion strategy", to be published shortly.
From 1 July 1999, action taken forward under the social inclusion strategy will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Miss Begg:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the Government's Education White Paper; and if he will make a statement. [68124]
Mr. Dewar:
I have today published our Education White Paper, entitled Targeting Excellence: Modernising Scotland's Schools. Copies have been sent to all Members with a Scottish constituency, and are also available in the Library of the House.
It sets out a radical programme for improvement and an approach to modernisation to achieve our objective of a world class schools system founded on excellence. At its centre is a focus on the needs of the individual child.
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The programme for improvement incorporates a wide range of proposals in the early years, throughout the work of schools and to support children in learning outside the classroom. Key policies include a strategy on literacy and numeracy, the National Grid for Learning, involvement of parents and the piloting of New Community Schools.
Our approach to modernisation includes proposals on the teaching profession and organisation of schools to ensure that the framework within which schools and teachers operate empowers them to take responsibility for their own improvement. Many of these proposals are for further consideration and consultation.
From 1 July 1999 education will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament, and it will be for them to consider how they wish to take forward the proposals outlined in the paper.
11. Mr. Cash:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he plans to establish representation for the National Assembly in Brussels which is separate from UK representation; and if he will make a statement. [66280]
Mr. Michael:
Wales will continue to be represented formally in Brussels by the Office of the United Kingdom Permanent Representative. However, it will be for the Assembly itself to decide whether it wishes to establish a local presence in Brussels.
12. Ms Julie Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to develop paediatric heart surgery in Wales. [66281]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The University Hospital of Wales is currently engaged in discussions with the Royal College of Surgeons over the best arrangements for delivering cardiac services for children following the departure of a key surgeon. The formal link between Cardiff's paediatric cardiac unit and Birmingham Children's Hospital ensures that children who need treatment are receiving it. The setting up of the associated paediatric intensive care unit at UHW, for which the Department is providing additional funding, will help to maintain and develop a viable high quality clinical service for the children of Wales.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
13. Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of employment trends in the south Wales valleys. [66282]
Mr. Michael:
The Welsh Office will be publishing "A Statistical Focus on Wales: Valleys" on 24 February 1999. It will contain a significant amount of information on the labour market in the Valleys, compared with the rest of Wales.
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Addressing the needs of the Valleys and West Wales is one of my main priorities as set out in "Pathway to Prosperity".
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
14. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) nurses and (b) midwives have undergone training in Wales in the current year. [66283]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
In Wales there were 2,300 nurses undertaking three year diploma or degree courses during 1998 and 63 nurses undertaking a four year degree course. Eighty four nurses have taken the 18 month post basic midwifery diploma course and 36 students are undertaking the three year direct entry midwifery diploma course. In addition 140 nurses were undertaking the Diploma in Community Health studies course.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
20. Mr. Peter Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many whole-time equivalent nurses are currently employed in Wales. [66289]
Mr. Michael:
The NHS in Wales reported that there were 23,691 whole time equivalent staff employed in the nursing, midwifery and health visiting group in September 1998.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
15. Mr. Win Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to encourage the more effective use of beds in the NHS. [66284]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
It is important that all parts of the NHS operate effectively and efficiently. The decisions on trust reconfiguration will enable more effective use of facilities in co-operation with other organisations, and the work already underway on a Corporate Strategy for NHS Wales together with the performance framework set out in "Putting Patients First", will contribute to improved results.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
16. Mr. Sayeed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Language Board regarding the employment policies of Gwynedd county council. [66285]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
My right hon. Friend and I have held no such discussions with the Welsh Language Board.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
19. Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding employment discrimination against non-Welsh speakers by Gwynedd county council; and if he will make a statement. [66288]
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Mr. Michael:
I have not personally received any representations since coming to office. My Department has received one representation. The Welsh Office has no power to investigate or intervene in local authority recruitment matters. Accordingly, the correspondent was advised to bring any concerns he might have to the attention of Gwynedd Council's Monitoring Officer.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
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