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ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Sexual Offences

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Attorney-General what official changes in prosecution policy were made in respect of the offences of (a) buggery, (b) indecent assault on a male, (c) indecency between males, (d) rape, (e) indecent assault on a female, (f) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years, (g) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 years, (h) incest and (i) gross indecency with a child, between 1987 and 1997. [75033]

The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service reviews and prosecutes all cases in accordance with the principles set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, issued under section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. The provisions of the Code are set out in the Director of Public Prosecution's Annual Report, copies of which are in the Library of the House. The Code, first published in 1986, was subsequently revised in 1992 and again in 1994. The 1994 edition of the Code simplifies the language of the Code; it clarifies the evidential criterion and the public interest factors in favour of a prosecution.

The general principles set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors are supported by internal CPS guidance. The internal guidance is not presently in the public domain. In any event, tracing its development over the period covered by the question would not be practical and would involve a disproportionate cost.

SCOTLAND

Newspapers and Magazines

Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the total expenditure of his Department, agencies and related public bodies on newspapers and magazines in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99 and (d) 1999-2000; if he will list (i) the titles taken and (ii) which titles have been added and which deleted since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [69198]

Mr. Dewar [holding answer 8 February 1999]: My Department purchases or obtains free of charge a wide range of newspapers and periodical publications. A list of

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their titles and those added and deleted since 1 May 1997 has been placed in the House Library. Information about non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally. Details of the total cost for my Departments and Executive Agencies are as follows:

Departments/agencies	£
The Scottish Office
1996-97	220,116
1997-98	212,431
1998-99 (estimate)	210,113
1999-2000	Budget not yet set
Historic Scotland
1996-97	5,220
1997-98	5,644
1998-99	6,000
1999-2000	6,700
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
1996-97	23,595
1997-98	26,264
1998-99	30,021
1999-2000	30,500
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
1996-97	1,507
1997-98	1,906
1998-99	1,960
1999-2000	Budget not yet set
Scottish Prison Service
1996-97	2,251
1997-98	2,624
1998-99	2,808
1999-2000	2,878
Student Awards Agency for Scotland
1996-97	52
1997-98	71
1998-99	81
1999-2000	90
Scottish Office Pensions Agency
1996-97	1,346
1997-98	1,704
1998-99	1,032
1999-2000	1,200
Fisheries Research Services
1996-97	76,400
1997-98	79,300
1998-99	97,336
1999-2000	Budget not yet set
General Register Office for Scotland
1996-97	975
1997-98	994
1998-99	1,009
1999-2000	1,044
National Archives of Scotland (formerly Scottish Record Office)
1996-97	2,699
1997-98	2,371
1998-99	2,338
1999-2000	2,206
Registers of Scotland
1996-97	Not available
1997-98	5,605
1998-99	5,524
1999-2000	5,700
Scottish Courts Administration
1996-97	643
1997-98	705
1998-99	721
1999-2000	756
Scottish Court Service
1996-97	324
1997-98	338
1998-99	411
1999-2000	411

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

10 Mar 1999 : Column: 257

Task Forces

Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since

10 Mar 1999 : Column: 258

May 1997 which (a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74472]

Mr. Dewar [holding answer 9 March 1999]: No members of task forces or policy reviews established since 1 May 1997 were recruited by way of public advertisement. Most task forces and reviews are short- term bodies established to give thorough consideration to important and difficult issues. External members are invited to sit on some task forces and reviews because they are able to contribute specific experience and expertise. In such cases, public advertising would be inappropriate and disproportionate. Since 1 October 1998, appointments to those task forces which qualify for classification as advisory non-departmental public bodies have come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The following task forces and policy reviews are engaged in public consultation exercises.

10 Mar 1999 : Column: 257

Task forces and policy reviews
Review of the Scottish Roads Programme	Consultation Paper:'The Appraisal of Trunk Road Investment' (published August 1998)
Review of Transport Policy	Consultation Paper: 'Regional Transport Partnerships and the National Transport Forum for Scotland' (published January 1999)
	Consultation Paper: 'Local Transport Strategies Preliminary Guidance' (published February 1999)
Working Group on Council Tax Collection	Consultation Paper: 'It Pays to Collect' (published November 1998)
Land Reform Policy Group	Consultation Paper: 'Identifying the Problems' (published February 1998)
	Consultation Paper: 'Identifying the Solutions' (published September 1998)
	Series of public meetings (November 1998)
Review of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Scotland	Consultation Paper: 'People and Nature' (published September 1998)
Scottish Water Industry Review	Consultation Paper: 'Scottish Water Industry Review' (published July 1997)
Working Group on Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses	Consultation Paper: 'Towards a Just Conclusion' (published November 1998)
Ministerial Action Group on Standards	Consultation Paper: 'Setting Targets--Raising Standards in Schools' (published 4 March 1998)
Review of Aspects of Gaelic Broadcasting	Consultation Paper: 'A Review of Aspects of Gaelic Broadcasting' (published June 1998)
Committee on Post-School Education and Training of Young People with Special Needs	Consultation workshops (January 1999)

10 Mar 1999 : Column: 257

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

School Computers

Mrs. Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils there are per computer in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority area. [74546]

Mrs. Liddell: According to the most recent Annual Survey of Listening, Viewing and Computing (ASLVC) conducted on behalf of The Scottish Office in 1998, there are 15 pupils per computer in primary schools, 49 per cent. of which are more than four years old and 6 pupils per computer in secondary schools, 54 per cent. of which are over four years old. The sampling arrangements for the ASLVC do not provide information

10 Mar 1999 : Column: 258

at the local authority level. This information will be collected in future as part of the monitoring arrangements for the Excellence Fund.

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Nursing Vacancies

Mrs. Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS nursing vacancies there were at the latest available date. [74515]

Mr. Galbraith: As at 31 March 1998, there were 1,097 whole-time equivalent qualified nursing staff vacancies in the NHS in Scotland. This represents a vacancy rate of 3.5 per cent. part of which is turnover.

10 Mar 1999 : Column: 259

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

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