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WALES
Education, Flintshire
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effect of the 1999-2000 revenue support grant on the provision of educational services in Flintshire. [72028]
Mr. Hain: My right hon. Friend in his statement to the House on 11 February 1999, Official Report, columns 483-89, announced that the local government revenue settlement for 1999-2000 provided for an increase in net Total Standard Spending of £144 million, of which £70.2 million is identified for education. Flintshire County Borough Council's share of the £70.2 million is £3.494 million and I expect the authority to increase its education budget by at least this amount with the bulk being included in delegate schools budgets. Overall Central Government support for Flintshire has increased by £6.174 million or 5.67% over 1998-99.
Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the future use of the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay. [72279]
Mr. Michael: The Pierhead Building is a unique and attractive building right at the heart of Cardiff Bay which stands next to the site for the new Assembly building. It provides a powerful visual link for the Assembly with the industrial and maritime heritage of Wales. Originally it has been thought that it could be used as the office accommodation for the First Secretary and Cabinet. After careful consideration I concluded that their offices should be in the same building as the offices of Assembly Members which will be located in Crickhowell House along with the temporary Chamber and committee rooms. This will encourage the Cabinet members and Assembly Members--and their staff--in working together as part of a single team.
Appropriate arrangements have now been achieved in Crickhowell House, allowing the space in Pierhead Building to be used to address other issues. It is planned to bring forward detailed plans in the near future enabling Pierhead Building to be used for educational and public information purposes and as a function hall. It will also provide office accommodation for a small number of staff.
Departmental Policies
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what systems he has in place to ensure that policies being
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developed by his Department are subject to a crime impact (a) assessment and (b) audit and are not likely to lead to enhanced criminal opportunities. [72684]
Mr. Michael:
The Welsh Office will play a full part in arrangements across Government to drive forward initiatives on crime reduction led by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. My Department with its multi- functional remit routinely take account of cross-cutting issues as part of policy development and I have made it clear that our contribution to the reduction of crime and disorder has high priority.
The Welsh Office is also taking a close interest in the audit reports and emerging strategies of the local crime and disorder reduction partnerships in Wales and considering the implications of these for wider policy development.
The recent Audit Commission report "Safety in Numbers--Promoting Community Safety" cited the Green Paper "Better Health--Better Wales" as an example of good practice in drawing out the connections between the effects of crime and people's health and well-being. This report made a number of recommendations to central Government, which I will be considering. These include monitoring and assessing good practice and ensuring a corporate approach across central Government. I have stressed the Government's expectations that all public organisations will contribute to crime reduction, and I have stressed the responsibilities of local government in Wales with the full support of the Welsh Local Government Association.
I have stressed the role of the NHS in Wales and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently joined me to visit the accident and emergency unit in Cardiff where hospital staff, police and victim support have joined in a project to reduce violence. All public bodies in Wales are being encouraged to take a similarly creative approach.
Mrs. McKenna:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made a decision on the Third Order under the Scottish Renewables Obligation; and if he will make a statement. [73452]
Mr. Dewar:
I have made arrangements for an order to be laid before Parliament tomorrow requiring the 2 Public Electricity Suppliers (ScottishPower and Scottish Hydro- Electric) in Scotland to make arrangements to secure 150MW DNC of new renewable electricity generating capacity from a range of renewable sources. There has been an excellent response by bidders to the tender invitation for SRO3. This represents a considerable success for our policy of creating an initial market within each of the most promising renewable technologies by encouraging strong competition between various projects. This has allowed me to set a larger order than previously envisaged when SRO3 was announced in December 1997.
I am particularly pleased to report that bid prices for SRO3 have been once again reduced, with bids for large wind projects especially low. The cheapest bid was a remarkable 1.89 pence per unit generated making large wind projects by far the cheapest renewable technology
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available under the order. I have, therefore, decided that large wind projects should make up a sizeable part of the order. A specific band for small wind projects is being introduced for the first time under SRO3. The aim is to encourage small, locally based companies and communities to get involved in electricity generation.
The prices tendered for biomass projects were relatively high compared with wind and waste to energy projects. I have, however, taken account of the wider benefits to agriculture and forestry and to the environment of such projects, and the need to enable the technology to establish itself in Scotland. For this reason, I have decided to allocate almost 9 per cent. of the order to this technology.
A band for wave power was proposed in SRO3 for the first time. Wave technology is very much at a formative stage and I am keen to help the technology gain a foothold in Scotland. I am pleased to report that bid prices were lower than expected and I have, therefore, decided to allocate a small part of the order to wave projects.
I have also decided to include a sizeable number of waste to energy projects and a small number of hydro electric projects in the order.
There are significant benefits stemming from the encouragement of renewable energy. These include a contribution to the Government's greenhouse gas emissions reduction target agreed following the December 1998 Kyoto conference. By making an order for a total of 150MW we are taking a considerable step towards meeting Government's new and strong drive for renewable generating capacity, while also promoting the renewable industry in Scotland.
We are aware of concerns about the possible effects on the environment and landscape of the development of renewable energy projects and expect developers to give particular care and attention to these sensitive issues. Successful developers will need to obtain planning permission for their projects if they have not already done so; award of a contract as a result of the Order does not confer any special advantage in the planning process and approval must be sought in the usual way.
I have made the order after considering carefully the advice of the Director General of Electricity Supply and after consulting the 2 Scottish Public Electricity Suppliers.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who will be disqualified from being a member of the Scottish Parliament. [73539]
Mr. McLeish:
Section 15 of the Scotland Act 1998 specifies that holding certain offices disqualifies people from being members of the Scottish Parliament. These include judges, civil servants, members of the armed forces, members of police forces and members of foreign legislatures and others who would not be able to sit and vote in the House of Commons. It also gives Her Majesty power by Order in Council to designate further office holders who will be disqualified from being MSPs. On 16 February, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, laid a draft Order before both Houses of Parliament which lists those office holders who should be
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disqualified from being MSPs. The Order will be subject to affirmative resolution procedure in both Houses before being put to Her Majesty in Council.
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