House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Mar 2001 (pt 13)

Shotguns

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had since 1 October 2000 with the Association of Chief Police Officers and representatives of shooting organisations, on the criteria for having a good reason for possessing shotguns; and if he will make a statement. [153970]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The Government believe that it is right in principle that a person wishing to own a shotgun should have a good reason for doing so. However, we acknowledge that this is a complex area of law and practice and we would wish to consult widely on this issue.

For this reason I have asked the Firearms Consultative Committee (FCC), the independent statutory body that advises the Government on firearms matters, to consider this matter further and to report back later this year. The FCC itself includes members of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and of the main shooting organisations. The FCC in turn has sought the views of a wide variety of shooting and other organisations and convened a working group to discuss this issue in detail.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland)

Ms Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use has been made of the power in Rule 5(1) of the Prison and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995 to vary the list of prisons set out in the schedule to these Rules. [154822]

20 Mar 2001 : Column: 149W

Mr. Ingram: The power has been exercised on one occasion to remove Belfast and Maze prisons from the list and to extend the boundaries of Maghaberry Prison to include these two sites. In practice, these sites have been under the control of the Governor of Maghaberry Prison for some time and the variation simply regularises the situation.

Logos and Branding

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by his Department on departmental and agency logos and associated branding since 1 May 1997. [152654]

Dr. Reid: The Northern Ireland Office accounts structure does not record expenditure in a way that would allow spending on departmental and agency logos and associated branding to be easily identified.

Timber

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much certified timber has been purchased by his Department over the past six months; and what proportion of total timber purchases this represents. [152107]

20 Mar 2001 : Column: 150W

Dr. Reid: The Northern Ireland Office does not have a system in place to provide data on the proportion of certified timber purchased.

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if his Department's annual report on timber procurement to the Committee of Green Ministers will be published. [152148]

Dr. Reid: The key information on timber procurement will be published in the Green Minister's annual report.

SCOTLAND

Further and Higher Education

Ms Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of young people in each constituency in Scotland went on to further and higher education in each year since 1997. [152466]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 12 March 2001]: The information is not available in the format requested. The table details for each local authority area in Scotland the number of young people, also shown by proportion, who have entered into vocational further and higher education in 1997-98 to 1998-99. Further and higher education in Scotland have been devolved since July 1999.

20 Mar 2001 : Column: 149W

Scottish domiciled entrants, aged under 21, to vocational further and higher education in Scotland, 1997-98 to 1998-99⁽¹⁹⁾

Students at HEIs and FECs Total HE FE Population of 16-21 year olds⁽²⁰⁾ Percentage in HE and FE

1997-98

Total 141,091 40,734 100,357 384,009 37

Aberdeenshire 7,327 2,465 4,862 17,257 42

Angus 3,488 1,410 2,078 7,354 47

Argyll and Bute 1,896 780 1,116 6,331 30

City of Aberdeen 5,317 1,797 3,520 17,867 30

City of Dundee 5,120 438 4,682 12,856 40

City of Edinburgh 13,093 2,553 10,540 34,830 38

City of Glasgow 17,097 4,101 12,996 48,122 36

Clackmannanshire 1,680 416 1,264 3,303 51

Dumfries and Galloway 2,700 903 1,797 9,196 29

East Ayrshire 2,444 775 1,669 8,190 30

East Dunbartonshire 2,688 1,352 1,336 8,750 31

East Lothian 2,362 470 1,892 5,784 41

East Renfrewshire 1,709 875 834 6,610 26

Falkirk 4,586 1,088 3,498 9,997 46

Fife 12,372 3,141 9,231 26,753 46

Highland 5,434 1,799 3,635 14,348 38

Inverclyde 2,549 824 1,725 6,220 41

Midlothian 2,652 519 2,133 6,085 44

Moray 2,077 556 1,521 6,389 33

North Ayrshire 3,327 1,217 2,110 10,518 32

North Lanarkshire 6,671 2,265 4,406 25,857 26

Orkney 672 168 504 1,176 57

Perth and Kinross 3,346 1,042 2,304 8,707 38

Renfrewshire 5,913 1,605 4,308 12,862 46

Scottish Borders 3,714 685 3,029 6,482 57

Shetland 474 171 303 1,713 28

South Ayrshire 2,544 979 1,565 8,332 31

South Lanarkshire 5,978 2,681 3,297 23,471 25

Stirling 2,093 692 1,401 7,772 27

West Dunbartonshire 1,403 503 900 7,219 19

West Lothian 5,857 1,043 4,814 11,552 51

Western Isles 1,417 332 1,085 2,106 67

Scotland Unknown 1,091 1,089 2 n/a n/a

1998-99

Total 141,775 41,618 100,157 383,648 37

Aberdeenshire 7,050 2,565 4,485 16,274 43

Angus 3,370 1,602 1,768 7,352 46

Argyll and Bute 1,724 740 984 6,167 28

City of Aberdeen 5,193 1,959 3,234 17,703 29

City of Dundee 4,824 498 4,326 12,478 39

City of Edinburgh 14,059 2,791 11,268 35,689 39

City of Glasgow 18,117 4,427 13,690 50,674 36

Clackmannanshire 1,367 407 960 3,121 44

Dumfries and Galloway 2,869 834 2,035 9,024 32

East Ayrshire 2,351 849 1,502 8,189 29

East Dunbartonshire 2,351 1,265 1,086 8,585 27

East Lothian 2,660 500 2,160 5,854 45

East Renfrewshire 1,883 949 934 6,552 29

Falkirk 3,418 1,047 2,371 10,078 34

Fife 13,779 3,120 10,659 26,462 52

Highland 5,572 1,897 3,675 13,893 40

Inverclyde 2,778 779 1,999 6,228 45

Midlothian 2,895 504 2,391 6,120 47

Moray 2,180 632 1,548 6,309 35

North Ayrshire 3,368 1,227 2,141 10,572 32

North Lanarkshire 6,812 2,521 4,291 25,947 26

Orkney 721 176 545 1,195 60

Perth and Kinross 2,916 1,076 1,840 8,566 34

Renfrewshire 6,372 1,578 4,794 12,669 50

Scottish Borders 3,227 854 2,373 6,323 51

Shetland 457 203 254 1,715 27

South Ayrshire 2,288 969 1,319 8,370 27

South Lanarkshire 5,860 2,696 3,164 23,111 25

Stirling 1,989 701 1,288 7,787 26

West Dunbartonshire 652 386 266 7,383 9

West Lothian 6,838 1,132 5,706 11,385 60

Western Isles 1,448 347 1,101 1,873 77

Scotland Unknown 387 387 0 n/a n/a

Students at HEIs and FECs	Total	HE	FE	Population of 16-21 year olds⁽²⁰⁾	Percentage in HE and FE
1997-98
Total	141,091	40,734	100,357	384,009	37
Aberdeenshire	7,327	2,465	4,862	17,257	42
Angus	3,488	1,410	2,078	7,354	47
Argyll and Bute	1,896	780	1,116	6,331	30
City of Aberdeen	5,317	1,797	3,520	17,867	30
City of Dundee	5,120	438	4,682	12,856	40
City of Edinburgh	13,093	2,553	10,540	34,830	38
City of Glasgow	17,097	4,101	12,996	48,122	36
Clackmannanshire	1,680	416	1,264	3,303	51
Dumfries and Galloway	2,700	903	1,797	9,196	29
East Ayrshire	2,444	775	1,669	8,190	30
East Dunbartonshire	2,688	1,352	1,336	8,750	31
East Lothian	2,362	470	1,892	5,784	41
East Renfrewshire	1,709	875	834	6,610	26
Falkirk	4,586	1,088	3,498	9,997	46
Fife	12,372	3,141	9,231	26,753	46
Highland	5,434	1,799	3,635	14,348	38
Inverclyde	2,549	824	1,725	6,220	41
Midlothian	2,652	519	2,133	6,085	44
Moray	2,077	556	1,521	6,389	33
North Ayrshire	3,327	1,217	2,110	10,518	32
North Lanarkshire	6,671	2,265	4,406	25,857	26
Orkney	672	168	504	1,176	57
Perth and Kinross	3,346	1,042	2,304	8,707	38
Renfrewshire	5,913	1,605	4,308	12,862	46
Scottish Borders	3,714	685	3,029	6,482	57
Shetland	474	171	303	1,713	28
South Ayrshire	2,544	979	1,565	8,332	31
South Lanarkshire	5,978	2,681	3,297	23,471	25
Stirling	2,093	692	1,401	7,772	27
West Dunbartonshire	1,403	503	900	7,219	19
West Lothian	5,857	1,043	4,814	11,552	51
Western Isles	1,417	332	1,085	2,106	67
Scotland Unknown	1,091	1,089	2	n/a	n/a
1998-99
Total	141,775	41,618	100,157	383,648	37
Aberdeenshire	7,050	2,565	4,485	16,274	43
Angus	3,370	1,602	1,768	7,352	46
Argyll and Bute	1,724	740	984	6,167	28
City of Aberdeen	5,193	1,959	3,234	17,703	29
City of Dundee	4,824	498	4,326	12,478	39
City of Edinburgh	14,059	2,791	11,268	35,689	39
City of Glasgow	18,117	4,427	13,690	50,674	36
Clackmannanshire	1,367	407	960	3,121	44
Dumfries and Galloway	2,869	834	2,035	9,024	32
East Ayrshire	2,351	849	1,502	8,189	29
East Dunbartonshire	2,351	1,265	1,086	8,585	27
East Lothian	2,660	500	2,160	5,854	45
East Renfrewshire	1,883	949	934	6,552	29
Falkirk	3,418	1,047	2,371	10,078	34
Fife	13,779	3,120	10,659	26,462	52
Highland	5,572	1,897	3,675	13,893	40
Inverclyde	2,778	779	1,999	6,228	45
Midlothian	2,895	504	2,391	6,120	47
Moray	2,180	632	1,548	6,309	35
North Ayrshire	3,368	1,227	2,141	10,572	32
North Lanarkshire	6,812	2,521	4,291	25,947	26
Orkney	721	176	545	1,195	60
Perth and Kinross	2,916	1,076	1,840	8,566	34
Renfrewshire	6,372	1,578	4,794	12,669	50
Scottish Borders	3,227	854	2,373	6,323	51
Shetland	457	203	254	1,715	27
South Ayrshire	2,288	969	1,319	8,370	27
South Lanarkshire	5,860	2,696	3,164	23,111	25
Stirling	1,989	701	1,288	7,787	26
West Dunbartonshire	652	386	266	7,383	9
West Lothian	6,838	1,132	5,706	11,385	60
Western Isles	1,448	347	1,101	1,873	77
Scotland Unknown	387	387	0	n/a	n/a

⁽¹⁹⁾ A student may be enrolled on more than one course

⁽²⁰⁾ Taken from 1996 GRO population projections

⁽²¹⁾ Taken from 1998 GRO population estimates

20 Mar 2001 : Column: 151W

Non-powered Craft

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with the Scottish Parliament about plans to increase access to water for non-powered craft; and if she will make a statement. [153683]

Mrs. Liddell: I understand that the draft Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, which is currently out to public consultation, contains provisions for creating a right of responsible access to inland waters for non-powered craft.

This is a devolved matter and, while I have seen the Scottish Executive's consultation paper on the draft Bill, this is not a matter within my responsibility.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Higher Education Entrants

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of pupils left secondary school to take up university courses in (a) 1971, (b) 1977, (c) 1987, (d) 1997, (e) 1998, (f) 1999 and (g) 2000. [152160]

20 Mar 2001 : Column: 152W

Mr. Wicks: The available data, showing the proportion of under 21-year-olds who enter higher education, are shown in the following table. There was an increase in the index in 1997-98 related partly to changes in the funding arrangements for higher education, with students choosing to enter HE rather than wait until 1998-99. There was a corresponding reduction in 1998-99 before the entry rates started to increase again in 1999-2000. Between 1996-97 and 1999-2000, total HE students in English universities and colleges rose by 76,000.

Age participation index (API)⁽²²⁾

Academic year Percentage

1971-72 14

1977-78 13

1987-88 15

1997-98 33

1998-99 31

1999-2000 32

2000-01⁽²³⁾ 32-34

Academic year	Percentage
1971-72	14
1977-78	13
1987-88	15
1997-98	33
1998-99	31
1999-2000	32
2000-01⁽²³⁾	32-34

⁽²²⁾ The API is defined as the number of home domiciled initial entrants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate HE aged under 21, expressed as a percentage of the average number of 18 and 19-year-olds in the population.

⁽²³⁾ Projected: data on initial entrants are not yet available.

20 Mar 2001 : Column: 153W

Next Section

Index

Home Page