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Housing Debt
Mrs. Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra funding he plans to provide to assist local authorities to repay housing debt. [70320]
Mr. Macdonald:
We have indicated that, in certain circumstances, we will be prepared to provide assistance with housing debt to councils which tranfers their housing stock into community ownership. This assistance will be available where the transfer represents good value for money and is selected to proceed under the New Housing Partnerships initiative. Detailed arrangements will need to
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be agreed in individual cases and be affordable. The resources necessary will be found from within the funding available under the New Housing Partnerships initiative.
From 1 July this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mrs. Laing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on homeless initiatives on in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99. [70316]
Mr. Macdonald:
Expenditure by The Scottish Office on homeless initiatives in 1996-97, 1997-98 and provision for 1998-99 is set out in the table:
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish Office grants to voluntary bodies | 354,000 | 454,000 | 577,000 |
| Rough sleepers initiative | -- | 2,173,000 | 3,331,000 |
| Total | 354,000 | 2,626,000 | 3,908,000 |
In addition, local authorities in Scotland and Scottish Homes commit resources to help meet the needs of the homeless through their ongoing housing programmes.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mrs. Laing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which organisations will be responsible for spending the extra funding for the Rough Sleepers Initiative announced on 16 December 1998. [70319]
Mr. Macdonald:
These additional resources will be available in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Decisions about their use will be a matter for the Scottish Administration and Parliament.
Mrs. Laing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland from which budget the extra funding for the Rough Sleepers Initiative announced on 16 December 1998 was funded; and from what programmes funding has been taken as a result. [70317]
Mr. Macdonald:
The additional funding for the Rough Sleepers Initiative announced on 16 December 1998 was identified following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review. It has not been taken from resources previously allocated to other programmes.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from lawyers about a decline in their work at sheriff courts because of changes in administrative practice. [70344]
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
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Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of changes in the last five years in the (a) number and (b) proportion of cases that are going to the Sheriff Court as a result of changes in administrative practice. [70343]
Mr. McLeish:
The long-term trend has been for growth in business in the Sheriff Courts. In the past 5 years, the general trend in summary and solemn business and in civil business has been for a small reduction in the number of cases and for a small increase in the average of length of cases going to trial or proof. Many factors influence trends in court business but there is no evidence that administrative practice in the courts has significantly affected the national picture.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the financial return from fiscal fines in the last recorded year and the distribution of fines by amount. [70342]
Mr. McLeish:
Information provided by the district courts shows that in 1997-98 approximately £527,000 was collected from the payment of fiscal fines. Information on the amount of fines by value is not held centrally.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Ernie Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the White Paper on improving Scotland's health will be published; and if he will make a statement. [71997]
Mr. Dewar:
The White Paper "Towards a Healthier Scotland" is being published on 17 February. Copies will be laid before the House and will be available in the Library of the House and the Vote Office.
The White Paper sets out the Government's strategy for improving health for all in Scotland, and builds on the positive response to the Green Paper "Working Together for a Healthier Scotland", published in February 1998.
Our drive to better health includes a coherent attack on the roots of ill health such as poverty, unemployment, and a polluted environment, combined with action to encourage healthier lifestyles and to address Scotland's key health problems. An over-arching aim is to tackle health inequalities. There is a specific focus on measures to improve the health of children and on new initiatives against Scotland's 2 major killing diseases--cancer and coronary heart disease. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of a concerted approach to health improvement across Government, and involving the National Health Service, local authorities, voluntary and other bodies whose policies and actions impact on health.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
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Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 February 1999, Official Report, columns 173-74, on education expenditure, if he will list the figures for 1996-97 and 1998-99 in 1997-98 prices. [71475]
Mrs. Liddell:
The following table shows the final outturn for 1996-97 and 1998-99 at 1997-98 prices. Final outturn figures for any year are generally higher than the budget estimates.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
| (at 1997-98 prices) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Councils | 1996-97 Final outturn | 1998-99 Budget estimates |
| Aberdeen, City | 89,341 | 85,849 |
| Aberdeenshire | 112,428 | 108,748 |
| Angus | 49,212 | 48,531 |
| Argyll and Bute | 50,745 | 47,781 |
| Clackmannanshire | 24,686 | 24,524 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 69,220 | 68,752 |
| Dundee | 72,078 | 67,317 |
| East Ayrshire | 60,566 | 59,034 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 54,677 | 52,479 |
| East Lothian | 38,496 | 36,867 |
| East Renfrewshire | 43,711 | 42,963 |
| Edinburgh, City | 163,076 | 159,645 |
| Eilean Siar | 24,181 | 23,945 |
| Falkirk | 64,331 | 62,503 |
| Fife | 171,942 | 162,655 |
| Glasgow City | 297,819 | 280,488 |
| Highland | 116,861 | 112,712 |
| Inverclyde | 43,894 | 44,286 |
| Midlothian | 41,639 | 40,132 |
| Moray | 42,935 | 40,600 |
| North Ayrshire | 66,870 | 67,062 |
| North Lanarkshire | 165,163 | 160,818 |
| Orkney | 15,756 | 14,947 |
| Perth and Kinross | 57,593 | 57,221 |
| Renfrewshire | 84,710 | 82,385 |
| Scottish Borders | 49,522 | 46,425 |
| Shetland | 24,483 | 23,183 |
| South Ayrshire | 53,847 | 45,889 |
| South Lanarkshire | 149,232 | 137,007 |
| Stirling | 41,655 | 38,478 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 50,896 | 51,861 |
| West Lothian | 85,289 | 77,231 |
| Scotland | 2,476,854 | 2,372,320 |
Note:
All figures are net current expenditure excluding loan and leasing charges as returned by the individual local authorities to The Scottish Office, adjusted to 1997-98 prices using the GDP deflator.
Scottish Parliament (Income Tax)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 February 1999, Official Report, column 172, on income tax and the Scottish Parliament, if he will estimate for (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 the extra money which would be paid into the Scottish Consolidated Fund from a decision to raise income tax by one penny by the Scottish Parliament (i) gross and (ii) net of deductions. [71476]
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Mr. Dewar:
It is currently estimated for 2000-01 that the yield from a decision to increase the basic rate of income tax by one penny for Scottish taxpayers is as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Gross | Net (8) |
| 180 | 175 |
(8) Net of income-related benefits: Working Families Tax Credit, Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
Projections are not available for later years.
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