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Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply substantively to the question from the hon. Member for Putney of 21 June, to which he gave a holding reply on 26 June. [130538]
Mr. Mullin: I have written to my hon. Friend today. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Correspondence
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 26 April relating to his constituent, Mrs. J. E. Jones. [130655]
Ms Beverley Hughes: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on behalf of the Secretary of State on 25 May.
17 Jul 2000 : Column: 56W
Virgin Trains
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will discuss with Virgin Trains their criteria for making APEX tickets available to passengers. [130794]
Mr. Hill: The Secretary of State has no plans to discuss with Virgin Trains the criteria for making APEX tickets available. APEX fares represent a substantial discount over the regulated fares and are offered in return for corresponding reduction in flexibility. They are not regulated by the Franchising Director and the criteria and conditions applied to them by Virgin Trains, or any other Train Operating Company (TOC), are entirely commercial matters for the TOC concerned.
Refrigeration Appliances (Waste Disposal)
Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to ensure that discarded domestic refrigeration appliances producing CFC gases are collected in Cumbria. [127806]
Mr. Mullin: [Pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2000, c. 603W]: Under section 59 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities are not under a duty to collect waste which is fly-tipped. Section 59(1) provides that a collection authority may serve a notice requiring the occupier of the land to remove fly-tipped waste.
Section 59(7) provides that a collection authority may remove fly-tipped waste itself to prevent pollution etc.
SCOTLAND
Civil Servants
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average percentage increase in salaries of non-industrial civil servants, excluding members of the senior Civil Service, in his Department for 1999-2000; and to what extent the pay awards were staged. [121651]
Dr. Reid [holding answer 18 May 2000]: The average performance-related pay increase for staff of the Scotland Office was 4 per cent. The increase was not staged.
Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the Government's policy is regarding distributing Civil Service posts more widely across Scotland. [129916]
Dr. Reid: Relocation of civil servants is a matter for individual departments and agencies. As I announced at the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs on 21 July 1999, I have established my main office, and the bulk of my small staff, in Glasgow.
The policy in relation to the relocation of civil servants who work for the Scottish Executive and related public bodies is devolved and is a matter for the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Executive made announcements on their approach to location and relocation of public service jobs in Scotland on 15 September 1999 and 6 July 2000.
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Sewage Works
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the Scottish sewage works at which untreated effluent (a) is used to wash screens in screen houses and (b) has been so used during the past five years. [126273]
Dr. Reid: Matters relating to the Scottish water authorities are devolved and are now for the Scottish Parliament. In the four years prior to 1 July 1999, the water authorities used potable water to wash screens in screen houses using an automated process in the majority of cases. However, waste water (sewage works effluent) was used at the following 10 sewage works:
- North of Scotland Water Authority
- Biologically treated wastewater was used at Persely, Halkirk and Tain
- East of Scotland Water Authority
- Settled wastewater was used at Edinburgh and Dunfermline
- Screened wastewater was used at Kirkcaldy and Tayport
- Biologically treated wastewater was used at Galashiels
- West of Scotland Water Authority
- Screened wastewater was used at Meadowhead and Stevenson.
Water Workers
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Scottish water workers who have been transferred to a private company under a PFI contract retain their public servant status with regard to pensions and conditions of service. [126271]
Dr. Reid: Matters related to the Scottish water authorities are devolved. Pensions are generally reserved, but pensions for staff in Scottish public authorities are excepted under Schedule 5, Head F3 of the Scotland Act 1998. This is therefore a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the application of TUPE rules to employees transferred from Scottish council water departments to water boards and subsequently under PFI to a private contractor company. [126272]
Dr. Reid: Although the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 are reserved under Schedule 5, Head H1 of the Scotland Act 1998, matters relating to the Scottish water authorities are devolved. Application of the TUPE rules to Scottish water authorities' staff is therefore a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Parliament
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to meet representatives of the (a) Scottish Parliament and (b) Scottish Executive to discuss mechanisms for consulting on the Government's policy on changing the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament. [126772]
Dr. Reid [holding answer 21 June 2000]: It was agreed during the passage of the Scotland Act 1998 that a reduction in the number of Members of Parliament would lead to a reduction in the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament. However, we have made it clear that this issue will be examined in due course, in the light of the experience of the Scottish Parliament's operation.
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Interactive Voice Response Systems
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127402]
Dr. Reid: My Department has no telephone lines using interactive voice response systems, other than those to allow messages to be recorded.
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for his Department and its agencies the approved list of manufacturers of (a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement on his Department's leasing and purchasing policy. [128994]
Dr. Reid: My Department does not maintain a list of approved vehicle manufacturers. The Department does not operate any cars other than those provided through the Government Car and Despatch Agency or the Government Car Service (Scotland).
Ministerial Code
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on how many occasions since May 1997 Ministers in his Department have made a declaration of interest to their colleagues under circumstances envisaged in Paragraph 110 of the Ministerial Code; [129166]
- (2) how many times ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the Permanent Secretary under the circumstances envisaged in Paragraphs 118, 121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code; and on which occasions such advice was sought. [129177]
Dr. Reid: Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption II of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information".
Lords Lieutenant
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department has spent in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available on (a) lords lieutenant and (b) their deputies in Scotland. [129679]
Dr. Reid [holding answer 7 July 2000]: Expenditure incurred by the Scottish Office on lord lieutenants' expenses in each of the last 10 years is as follows:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| Year | Amount(1) |
| 1990-91 | 10 |
| 1991-92 | 12 |
| 1992-93 | 13 |
| 1993-94 | 14 |
| 1994-95 | 25 |
| 1995-96 | 43 |
| 1996-97 | 27 |
| 1997-98 | 24 |
| 1998-99 | 30 |
| 1999-2000 | (1)34 |
(1) Figures rounded to the nearest £1000
(1) Provisional
No expenditure has been incurred in relation to deputy lords lieutenant.
17 Jul 2000 : Column: 59W
Although the subject matter of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 is reserved, other aspects are now devolved and expenditure on lords lieutenant is a matter for the Scottish Executive.
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