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Ministerial Visit (Worcester)
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he cancelled his visit to Worcester on 17 March to top-out the new hospital building; what plans he has to reinstate this visit; and if he will ensure that hon. Members whose constituents will be served by the hospital are given adequate notice of such visits. [115630]
Yvette Cooper: Owing to other unforeseen diary engagements my right hon. Friend regrets that he was unable to visit Worcester on 17 March. The visit will be rearranged as soon as possible. Hon. Members whose constituents will be served by the hospital will be notified of the revised arrangements.
Private Treatment
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations his Department has received from patients who have been on NHS waiting lists but have paid for private treatment. [115337]
Ms Stuart: We have received a number of letters from patients and hon. Members on this subject.
Correspondence
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 26 January from Mr. John Wood of 21 The Martels, Barton on Sea. [114728]
Ms Stuart: A reply was sent to Mr. Wood on 20 March.
Telecommunications Masts
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the need for further investigation into the health effects of mobile telecommunications masts. [114189]
Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 March 2000, Official Report, column 300W.
SCOTLAND
Oil and Gas Industry
5. Mr. Savidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of oil and gas industry businesses in Scotland. [114012]
Mr. Wilson: I am a member of Pilot, the successor body to the Oil and Gas Industries Task Force. It has set up a support group for the oil fabrication sector, involving government agencies and the industry. This group is charged with identifying the way forward, and ensuring that the skills base is maintained.
18. Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the export opportunities for Scottish businesses in the oil and gas industry. [114025]
Mr. Wilson:
The Government are working hard to promote exports by the oil and gas industry. It is essential we do everything possible to maximise opportunities for
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Scottish companies. For example, I recently undertook a four-nation tour of the Far East where the oil and gas sector was central to many of my discussions.
6. Mr. Ernie Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of business and trade unions to discuss the state of the Scottish economy; and if he will make a statement. [114013]
Dr. Reid:
I meet regularly with representatives of the business community and the trade unions in Scotland. There is widespread recognition of the benefits which the Government's economic policies are producing.
10. Mr. Tynan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that the Chancellor of the Exchequer takes into account the state of the Scottish economy when drawing up his next Budget. [114017]
Dr. Reid:
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will have regard to the economy of the whole UK, including Scotland, in preparing for his Budget.
7. Mr. Jim Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the impact of the Working Families Tax Credit in Scotland. [114014]
Dr. Reid:
We estimate that around 70,000 families in Scotland have taken up the Working Families Tax Credit.
14. Mr. Hood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria under which people living in Scotland will be able to take up the Working Families Tax Credit. [114021]
Dr. Reid:
The Working Families Tax Credit is available to families, either couples or lone parents, who have one or more children; work at least 16 hours a week; are resident in the UK and entitled to work here and have savings of £8,000 or less. We estimate that the WFTC could provide help to 130,000 families in Scotland and that the current take-up in Scotland is around 70,000 families.
17. Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reports he has received on the impact of the Working Families Tax Credit on the Scottish economy. [114024]
Dr. Reid:
The Working Families Tax Credit, along with other measures we have taken, will lift an estimated 60,000 Scottish children out of poverty by the year 2002.
8. Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of Scots who have moved from benefits into work under the New Deal scheme; and if he will make a statement. [114015]
Mr. Wilson:
By the end of December 1999, 21,370 young people in Scotland had secured jobs through the New Deal. A further 2,870 people had found work through the New Deal for those aged 25 or over.
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19. Mr. Connarty:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland have moved into unsubsidised employment as a result of the New Deal; and if he will make a statement. [114027]
Mr. Wilson:
At December 1999, 18,300 young people in Scotland have moved into unsubsidised employment as a result of the New Deal. A further 1,700 people have entered into unsubsidised employment in Scotland as a result of the New Deal 25+.
21. Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the cost of the new deal scheme in Scotland. [114029]
Mr. Wilson:
Up to the end of January 2000 the cost of New Deal scheme for Young People, in Scotland, was £45 million.
9. Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive about the new Parliament building at Holyrood. [114016]
Dr. Reid:
Responsibility for the new Parliament building rests with the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
11. Mr. Tom Clarke:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the implementation for disabled people in Scotland of the new deal. [114018]
Mr. Wilson:
New Deal for Disabled People pilots are making good progress. As of January 2000, 2,180 people across Britain previously on incapacity benefits have found work through the programme, including over 300 for pilots based in Scotland. The Government are actively considering what can be provided across the country as a whole, including Scotland. An announcement is expected shortly.
12. Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Scotland Act 1998 in respect of the method of election of members of the Scottish Parliament. [114019]
Dr. Reid:
I have no plans to review the system of election of members of the Scottish Parliament.
13. Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effect of the level of sterling on Scottish manufacturing industry, tourism and agriculture. [114020]
Dr. Reid:
The Government understand the concerns of organisations and businesses, particularly manufacturers trading within Europe, about the value of the pound. But it is determined to take a long-term view and it would be wrong to let short-term pressures lead back to policies that produced boom and bust in the past. Short-term fixes
21 Mar 2000 : Column: 525W
would be the biggest threat of all to industry, tourism and agriculture with the illusion of temporary relief followed by the reality of long-term damage.
15. Mr. Browne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what areas of policy he is working jointly with the Scottish Executive to deliver shared objectives. [114022]
Dr. Reid:
We are working jointly with the Scottish Executive across a wide range of issues to optimise the benefits of devolution for the people of Scotland. The Joint Ministerial Action Committees on Poverty and the Knowledge Economy are good examples of such joint working.
16. Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward measures to compensate local authorities for national pay awards above inflation through an appropriate contribution to the block grant; and if he will make a statement. [114023]
Dr. Reid:
The Scottish Executive have the responsibility for determining the level of support which it makes available to local authorities in Scotland. The total budget that is available to the Scottish Executive for this and other purposes is determined in accordance with the Statement of Funding Policy published by HM Treasury in March 1999.
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