| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Properties
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the total refurbishment bill for properties used by his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) related public bodies, for (i) 1996-97, (ii) 1997-98, (iii) 1998-99 and (iv) 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [69201]
Mr. Dewar [holding answer 8 February 1999]: The information set out relates to properties used by The Scottish Office and its Associated Departments and Agencies with the exception of the Scottish Prison Service for which figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The total refurbishment cost for the years requested are:
| £ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Department | Agencies | |
| 1996-97 | 55,896 | 13,652,426 |
| 1997-98 | 56,323 | 7,219,740 |
| 1998-99 | 5,130,000 | 3,712,777 |
| 1999-2000 | 9,600,000 | 9,526,520 |
The refurbishment work has been carried out on a range of buildings, offices and specialist facilities and has been necessary either to preserve the fabric of the buildings or to bring systems up to a modern standard. Increased expenditure by The Scottish Office mainly relates to refurbishment of St. Andrew's House, and the buildings associated with the interim Parliament accommodation. The greater part of the expenditure under Agencies relates to the refurbishment of court buildings.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the properties of his Department, agencies and public bodies which are currently vacant; how long he expects each to be vacant for; and what is the estimated annual cost of maintaining the properties in a vacant state. [69200]
Mr. Dewar
[holding answer 8 February 1999]: The information set out relates to vacant properties which are owned by The Scottish Office and its Associated Departments and Agencies.
Information about vacant properties owned by other public bodies is not held centrally.
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 57
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 57
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland in the last year; and how many were admitted for a hospital stay more than once during the year. [74388]
Mr. Galbraith:
3,761 patients with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland during the year ending 31 March 1996, of which 675 were admitted more than once.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland in the last year after a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses, having been proved vulnerable homeless subsequently became voluntary homeless. [74274]
Mr. Galbraith:
The information requested is not collected or held centrally.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many current occupants of National Health Service hospital and unit beds in Scotland have a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses; and what these occupied beds represent as a percentage of (a) mental and (b) all beds in Scotland. [74270]
Mr. Galbraith:
There were 1,751 patients with a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychoses in mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units in Scotland at 31 March 1996, the latest year for which complete information is available. This represented 17.2 per cent. of the average available staffed mental illness beds, and 4.2 per cent. of all average available beds in Scotland for the quarter ending 31 March 1996.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which police forces in Scotland (a) have and (b) have not equipped their officers with CS sprays since
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 58
August 1996; for what reasons they were issued; and how many police officers in Scotland currently carry CS sprays. [74199]
Mr. McLeish:
CS incapacitant spray is not in general use by the police service in Scotland. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) conducted a trial into the effectiveness of CS incapacitant spray as an item of police defence equipment during the period 1 October 1997 to 30 September 1998. The trial areas encompassed the City of Dundee in the Tayside Police area and a Division in the Strathclyde Police area. In total, 803 officers were trained to use the equipment in these pilot areas. An evaluation of the trial has been completed but ACPOS have deferred a decision on extending the use of the spray pending an independent assessment on the safety of the spray commissioned by the Department of Health. The spray continues to be used by officers in the 2 trial areas.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to improve road maintenance in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [74404]
Mr. Macdonald:
Maintenance of local roads is the responsibility of local authorities and details of their plans are not held centrally. Funding for road maintenance on the motorway and trunk road network in Scotland was increased following the recent Comprehensive Spending Review. This will enable us to tackle the backlog of maintenance and repair and ensure that our road network is maintained in a stable condition.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce a decision on the proposed completion of the M74 from Tollcross to Kingston Bridge; and if he will make a statement. [74408]
Mr. Macdonald:
The City of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire Councils agreed that the proposal to extend the M74 should be considered within the review assessing priorities for future trunk road investment in Scotland. 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.
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 59
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of changing the name of the M74 motorway to the M6; and if he will make a statement. [74410]
Mr. Macdonald:
No estimate of the cost of changing the name of the Glasgow to Carlisle motorway to the M6 has yet been prepared. Such an estimate would require a detailed survey of signs on the existing road and connecting roads. This would be undertaken only as a precursor to initiating the proposal.
From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the estimated numbers of homeless people in each council area in Scotland. [74406]
Mr. Macdonald:
The table gives information on the number of households in each council area in Scotland in 1996-97 who applied to the local authority for accommodation or assistance in obtaining accommodation and the local authority in question assessed the household as being homeless or threatened with homelessness. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and are based on those contained in The Scottish Office Statistical Bulletin HSG/1998/4 published in August 1998.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Scotland | 30,690 |
| Aberdeen City | 1,470 |
| Aberdeenshire | 980 |
| Angus | 550 |
| Argyll and Bute | 390 |
| Clackmannanshire | 290 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 650 |
| Dundee City | 640 |
| East Ayrshire | 360 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 370 |
| East Lothian | 530 |
| East Renfrewshire | 120 |
| Edinburgh, City of | 3,360 |
| Eilean Siar | 150 |
| Falkirk | 550 |
| Fife | 1,480 |
| Glasgow City | 10,540 |
| Highland | 670 |
| Inverclyde | 250 |
| Midlothian | 400 |
| Moray | 130 |
| North Ayrshire | 460 |
| North Lanarkshire | 1,010 |
| Orkney | 70 |
| Perth and Kinross | 430 |
| Renfrewshire | 440 |
| Scottish Borders, The | 570 |
| Shetland | 130 |
| South Ayrshire | 670 |
| South Lanarkshire | 1,200 |
| Stirling | 620 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 430 |
| West Lothian | 930 |
From May 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 60
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |