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Teachers' Pay
15. Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice she received from the Treasury on the implications of the Scottish teachers' pay settlement. [146194]
Mr. Foulkes: None. This is a devolved matter.
EU Councils
16. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what European Union Councils and other multilateral intervention meetings (a) she and (b) the Minister of State have attended since 1 July 1999. [146195]
Mrs. Liddell: None. Scottish interests are fully considered in the formulation of the Government's position at such meetings through the normal processes of Cabinet Government in which we play a full part.
Textiles Industry
17. Mrs. McKenna: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action she has taken to safeguard the future of the textiles industry in Scotland. [146196]
Mr. Foulkes: I shall be working very closely with the Scottish Executive and with the Scottish textile industry to ensure that the industry achieves the necessary level of competitiveness to succeed in both domestic and world markets.
22. Mr. Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement about the implications of the trade dispute between the United States of America and the European Union on the Scottish textile industry. [146201]
Mr. Foulkes: We have not yet had any indication of how the new US regime will address this dispute.
However, we will continue to work with the Commission and other member states to achieve a solution to the dispute with the US and to reduce the risk of further retaliatory action by the US authorities which could be particularly damaging to the cashmere industry as well as to other businesses in Scotland.
Fishing Industry
18. Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met representatives of the fishing industry to discuss the representation of Scottish fishing interests in the Council of Ministers. [146197]
Mrs. Liddell: I have had no recent meetings with representatives of the Scottish fishing industry. Fisheries are devolved. Representation of Scottish fishing interests in the Council of Ministers falls to Scottish Executive
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Ministers as part of the UK team. Scottish Executive Ministers have attended all Fisheries Council meetings since 1 July 1999.
Devolution Costs
19. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate she has made of the additional public expenditure on institutions and administration in consequence of devolution in Scotland. [146198]
Mrs. Liddell: The costs of bodies funded from the Scottish Assigned Budget and of the Scotland Office have been met from within the resources made available under the Barnett Formula.
Asylum Seekers
20. Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many asylum seekers were residing in Scotland in (a) May 1997 and (b) on the most recent date for which figures are available. [146199]
Mr. Foulkes: Figures for the number of asylum seekers residing in Scotland in May 1997 are not available.
610 principal asylum seekers were being supported by local authorities in Scotland prior to 3 April 2000, when the National Asylum Support Service assumed responsibility for all new asylum seekers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. This figure is calculated annually, in February, and I understand that there has been no substantial change since then.
In addition, under separate arrangements with London boroughs, before the 1999 Act came into effect, Glasgow placed in accommodation in the region of 140 principal asylum seekers (570 individuals). Such placements ceased in June 2000. As at 16 January 2001, 560 individuals were being accommodated under the London borough arrangements.
Glasgow City is currently the only local authority in Scotland providing services for asylum claimants under the 1999 Act. At 16 January 2001 it was accommodating 785 principal asylum seekers (2,350 individuals) under the new arrangements.
24. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many asylum seekers have been placed in Scotland under the dispersal scheme. [146203]
Mr. Foulkes: At 16 January 2001, 785 principal asylum seekers (2,350 individuals) were being accommodated in Scotland under the dispersal scheme implemented by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Oil and Gas Industry
21. Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the future of oil and gas industry businesses in Scotland. [146200]
Mr. Foulkes: The Government and industry are working together through PILOT, of which I am a member, to ensure that Scotland and the UK remain a centre of profitable activity well into the new century.
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There is confidence in the UK Continental Shelf as a place to do business, with increased investment intentions, more development projects being brought forward and renewed interest in previously undeveloped fields and the commercial co-operation needed to access them.
Defence Procurement
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met the First Minister to discuss the impact of defence procurement on levels of employment in Scotland. [146180]
Mr. Foulkes: The Secretary of State and I have already met with the First Minister and discussed a range of issues. Defence procurement is significant for employment in Scotland. The Defence Analytical Services Agency estimates 6,000 jobs in Scotland directly resultant from Ministry of Defence equipment expenditure.
ADVOCATE-GENERAL
Road Traffic Offences
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Advocate-General for Scotland what advice she has given on the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights regarding the right of the accused to remain silent on the prosecution of road traffic offences; and if she will make a statement. [146205]
The Advocate-General for Scotland: I give advice to Departments on various matters. In November last year I made submissions in the Privy Council about this topic in the "Brown" case to the effect that the current legislation was compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Privy Council decision is now publicly available. No incompatibility was found by the Court.
Criminal Assets
Mr. Browne: To ask the Advocate-General for Scotland if she will make a statement about the implications of the MacIntosh case in relation to the confiscation of criminal assets of convicted offenders. [146206]
The Advocate-General for Scotland: As my hon. Friend will no doubt be aware, their Lordships in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council heard this case over two days last week. I appeared in person to present arguments which reflected the position of the UK Government. A decision is awaited, and when it is made the implications will be fully assessed.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 will come into force. [148156]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: A number of the provisions came into force on Royal Assent or on dates fixed by the Act. I have today made a commencement order bringing into force the majority of the remaining provisions of the Act.
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The controls on donations to political parties and on election campaign expenditure by political parties and third parties will be among those that come into force on 16 February 2001. A registered political party will be required to submit its first quarterly donations report (detailing donations above £5,000 accepted by the party's central organisation and donations above £1,000 accepted at local level) to the Electoral Commission by 30 April 2001, whereupon it will be published. Similar controls on donations will apply to right hon. and hon. Members and
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other holders of elective office. Returns as to election spending will normally need to be submitted to the Commission within three months of the date of an election, or within six months where the return is required to be audited (because the expenditure exceeds £250,000). Other provisions of the Act will come into force on 16 March and 1 July 2001.
The commencement dates for the provisions covered by the order, or which are already in force, are set out in the table:
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Those provisions of the Act not listed in the table will be brought into force by means of one or more subsequent commencement orders at a date or dates to be announced.
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what limits will be in place on election expenditure by political parties and third parties for the next general election. [148157]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Paragraph 3 of Schedule 9 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 imposes limits on campaign expenditure by registered political parties in the 365 days prior to the date of a parliamentary general election. The maximum amount a party may spend is determined by the number of constituencies contested. A party receives an allowance of £30,000 for each constituency contested, subject to a minimum threshold. A party contesting every constituency in the United Kingdom would therefore be subject to a limit on campaign expenditure of £19.77 million during the normal 365 day period.
I have today made a commencement order bringing Schedule 9 into force on 16 February 2001. As provided for, in section 163(6) of the Act, the order includes transitional provisions specifying a lower limit on campaign expenditure that will apply if the next general election is held less than 365 days after 16 February. In such circumstances, the allowance per constituency contested will be as follows:
| Period before date of election | Revised allowance per constituency contested (£) | Limit on party contesting all 659 seats (£ million) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 months | 22,500 | 14.8275 |
| 3-4 months | 24,000 | 15.816 |
| 4-5 months | 25,500 | 16.8045 |
| 5-6 months | 27,000 | 17.793 |
| 6-9 months | 28,500 | 18.7815 |
| 9-12 months | 30,000 | 19.77 |
Paragraph 3 of Schedule 10 to the Act imposes separate limits on controlled expenditure by recognised third parties in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Again these limits would normally apply in the period of 365 days before the date of a parliamentary general election. If the next election is held less than 365 days after 16 February, however, the following revised limits will apply.
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| Limit on controlled expenditure in | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period before date of election | England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Total |
| 0-3 months | 595,125 | 81,000 | 45,000 | 20,250 | 741,375 |
| 3-4 months | 634,800 | 86,400 | 48,000 | 21,600 | 790,800 |
| 4-5 months | 674,475 | 91,800 | 51,000 | 22,950 | 840,225 |
| 5-6 months | 714,150 | 97,200 | 54,000 | 24,300 | 889,650 |
| 6-9 months | 753,825 | 102,600 | 57,000 | 25,650 | 939,075 |
| 9-12 months | 793,500 | 108,000 | 60,000 | 27,000 | 988,500 |
The limits on national campaign expenditure by political parties and third parties complement rather than replace the long-standing local limits on candidates' and third party expenses provided for in the Representation of the People Act 1983.
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