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Roads Review
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the results of the Roads Review in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [70266]
Mr. Macdonald: The consultation period on the Government's proposed framework for the appraisal of trunk road investment in Scotland ended on 16 October 1998. The responses have now been analysed and some useful suggestions from respondents incorporated into the appraisal framework. We are now considering the best way forward and the outcome of the review will be announced as soon as is practicable.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the specialist units which provide services to chronic fatigue syndrome/ME patients in Scotland. [70164]
Mr. Galbraith: The information requested is not available in the form requested. The detailed planning and provision of health services, including those for patients diagnosed with chronic syndrome or ME, is a matter for Health Boards and NHS Trusts.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Parliament Building
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the projected capital cost for the Scottish Parliament Building of (a) furniture, (b) catering facilities, (c) exterior decoration and (d) interior decoration; what is the total estimated cost of the building; and how many (i) MSPs, (ii) Parliamentary staff and (iii) ancillary staff will be accommodated in the new building. [69102]
Mr. Dewar [holding answer 8 February 1999]: The budget for the construction of the new Parliament building at Holyrood continues to be estimated at £50 million excluding fees and VAT. The cost of interior and exterior decoration is included in this figure, as is the provision of catering facilities and kitchen accommodation. The cost of furniture cannot be calculated until the final designs are completed. The building will accommodate 129 MSPs and around 300 Parliamentary staff. The number of ancillary staff will depend on the terms of any contracts which are in place when the Parliament moves to Holyrood.
Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals have been put forward by (a) his Department and (b) the City of Edinburgh Council to cope
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with the additional traffic which will be generated by the new Scottish Parliament building and large developments nearby. [69712]
Mr. Dewar:
The Scottish Office and the City of Edinburgh Council, together with LEEL, Historic Scotland and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, are currently considering traffic management issues in the Holyrood area. In the light of a study by Halcrow Fox Associates, possible options for roads in the area include closing the bottom of Holyrood Road and traffic calming Horse Wynd. A further study is presently under way which will help inform proposals relating to improving access to the area by means other than by car.
Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what finance was provided for the increase of nurses' pay in Scotland in 1999-2000 in the Comprehensive Spending Review; and what the cost of the actual increase approved is estimated to be. [69715]
Mr. Galbraith:
While no specific funds were provided for nurses' pay in the Comprehensive Spending Review, the outcome provided sufficient funds to meet the full costs of the nurses pay award. The cost of the actual increase approved for nurses' pay is estimated to be £49 million.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what powers the Scottish Parliament will have to amend the Vaccine Damage Payments Acts 1979. [69737]
Mr. Galbraith:
The subject matter of the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998. The scheme for payments under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 is being reviewed by the Department of Social Security, and when this is concluded consideration will be given to the appropriateness of devolving the legislation as it affects Scotland.
Mr. Beith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions proceedings have taken place under section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [70304]
Mr. McLeish:
There are currently no records in the centrally held database of court proceedings of any proceedings in Scottish courts under section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998. Any such proceedings that do arise will be included in the annual statistics on court proceedings. The 1998 figures are expected to be published later on this year.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list designated sites in Scotland licensed for the landfill disposal of healthcare waste. [69206]
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Mr. Macdonald:
Information on sites in Scotland licensed for the landfill disposal of healthcare waste is not held centrally. Information about all waste management licences is available on public registers held by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the forecast costs to the Lanarkshire health trusts of the disposal of waste by category of disposal (a) in the current financial year and (b) in each of the projected financial years for which figures are available. [69209]
Mr. Galbraith
[holding answer 9 February 1999]: In formulating their forecast costs, the Lanarkshire NHS Trusts have properly anticipated the increasing cost of compliance with more stringent EU legislation governing the disposal of clinical waste. However, the increases in operational efficiency through the use of new technologies should see these costs falling. The forecast costs to the Lanarkshire NHS Trusts are as follows:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 411 |
| 1999-2000 | 425 |
| 2000-09 | (27)434 |
(27) per annum
Gaelic
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the progress of the European Language Initiative in compiling its Gaelic-English dictionary for the public sector; what organisations are involved in the process of compilation; to what extent the project will contribute to the development of Gaelic terminology for the Scottish Parliament; when he expects the project to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [69720]
Mr. Macdonald [holding answer 10 February 1999]: The Scottish Office gave a grant of £10,000 in March 1998 to The European Language Initiative for the initial phase of development work on their Gaelic-English dictionary. The initial phase is now complete. Funding for the rest of the project is currently being sought. The project will be carried out in co-operation with a number of Gaelic organisations. It will be for the Scottish Parliament itself to decide the place of Gaelic in the proceedings of the Parliament.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Student Support
Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on changes in the student support and tuition fee arrangements for Scottish domiciled students in academic year 1999-2000. [71876]
Mrs. Liddell:
I am today publishing the main rates of loans and grants which will be available to students in full-time higher education in 1999-2000; and the level of tuition fees. I am also publishing the rates for those postgraduate courses which do not attract student loans, together with the rates for the various supplementary grants payable to eligible undergraduate and vocational postgraduate students.
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The total support available to undergraduate students in 1999-2000 will be 2.5 per cent. higher than in 1998-99, thus maintaining its value in real terms. Postgraduate maintenance grants and supplementary grants will also be increased by a similar amount.
These changes are consistent with those for England and Wales announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. Details have been placed in the Library.
Dr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many student nurses there are in (a) the Argyll and Clyde Board and (b) Scotland as a whole; and if he will make a statement. [69798]
Mr. Galbraith:
As at 31 march 1998, there were a total of 7,059 student nurses training in Scotland. Of this number, 898 students receive their training at the University of Paisley.
The training of nurses is no longer directly linked to individual Health Board areas, but through contracts let by the Scottish Office with 7 providers in the tertiary education sector. The contract with the University of Paisley covers training formerly provided within the Argyll and Clyde and Ayrshire and Arran Health Boards.
The supply of and demand for nurses in Scotland are assessed annually, taking account of employers' expectations over a 5 year horizon. This year the intakes to nurse training courses will be increased in accordance with the findings of last year's assessment. A new assessment for 1999 is about to be launched.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
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