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European Convention on Human Rights

22. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has to undertake a review of the incorporation of the European convention on human rights into Scottish law. [2662]

Mr. Foulkes: None. The Government monitor the effect of the incorporation of the ECHR into domestic law, but there are no plans at present for a review.

Single Currency

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the convergence of the Scottish economy with the euro zone. [2638]

Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron).

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IT Contracts

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the Information Technology contracts in excess of £500,000 let by her Department or its predecessor since April 1991, giving in each case the original estimated cost and original estimated completion date, the actual cost and actual completion date and the names of the contractors involved and consultants retained by her Department. [3506]

Mrs. Liddell: In respect of the Scottish Office prior to 1 July 1999, the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. No IT contracts have been set by the Department since that date.

Barnett Formula

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has held with the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on the operation of the Barnett Formula. [2645]

Mrs. Liddell: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a wide range of issues.

Free Television Licences

Mr. Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pensioners in Scotland are benefiting from the provision of free television licences to those aged over 75 years. [2647]

Mr. Foulkes: We estimate that over 300,000 pensioners in Scotland benefit from the provision of a free TV licence. There are approximately 4,540 people aged 75 or over in the Falkirk, West constituency.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Proceeds of Crime Bill

26. Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Advocate-General what measures she is recommending to the Government to ensure that the Proceeds of Crime Bill will comply with the Human Rights Act 1998. [2604]

The Advocate-General for Scotland: The proposed Proceeds of Crime Bill is the responsibility of the Home Secretary who will also be responsible, in terms of section 19 of the Human Rights Act, for making a statement as to the Bill's compatibility with Convention rights. He is, of course, entitled to seek legal advice, both from within his Department and outside it, including Law Officers' advice, on any matter for which he considers this to be appropriate.

Road Traffic Cases

27. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has given advice on the implications of the European human rights convention on road traffic cases. [2606]

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The Advocate-General for Scotland: As the hon. Lady will be aware, I appeared before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the Margaret Anderson Brown case which concerned the human rights compatibility of a provision in the Road Traffic Acts. The hon. Lady will be pleased to know that the Judicial Committee upheld my arguments, and those made on behalf of the Scottish Executive, and decided that the current legislation was compatible with the Convention. When requested I give advice on a variety of matters including the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights.

European Convention on Human Rights

28. Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Advocate-General if she has intervened in the recent ECHR challenge to the prison regime in Barlinnie. [2607]

The Advocate-General for Scotland: At present, I have not intervened in the case of Robert Napier v. the Scottish Ministers, which concerns the conditions in which the petitioner was detained at Barlinnie Prison.

Scottish Planning Law

Mr. Joyce: To ask the Advocate-General what effect the recent ECHR challenges have had on Scottish planning law. [2605]

The Advocate-General for Scotland: Scottish planning law is a matter for the Scottish Ministers. However, a number of cases have arisen in Scotland in which there have been challenges on Convention rights grounds and these have been intimated to me as raising devolution issues under the Scottish Act. I have intervened in four such cases to date. The appeal in the first of these cases to be heard, County Properties v the Scottish Ministers and the Advocate-General, has now been completed and a judgment is expected shortly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Early-day Motions

47. Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the President of the Council if he will bring forward proposals in respect of early-day motions. [2628]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: I understand there are no plans to do so at present, but any Member can put proposals to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons and they will be considered carefully.

Private Bill Procedure

48. Mr. Dismore: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to bring forward proposals to reform the Private Bill procedure. [2629]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: None at present. Private Bill Procedure was reviewed by the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedure in 1987–88, and many of the matters previously covered by Private Bill Procedure are now covered by the Transport and Works Act 1992. Before the election the House agreed to Standing Order changes which allow the House to consider the ECHR compatibility of Private Bills.

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Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

49. David Winnick: To ask the President of the Council to ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans the Commission has in respect of the renewal of the contract of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. [2630]

Mr. Kirkwood: The present Commissioner's term of office runs until February 2002. The Commission will consider the matter in good time before then.

Scrutiny

50. Mr. Borrow: To ask the President of the Council what proposals he plans to bring forward to improve scrutiny of the executive by the House of Commons. [2631]

55. Mr. Crausby: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to improve the scrutiny functions of the House. [2636]

Mr. Robin Cook: I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Helen Jackson).

52. Mr. Miller: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to increase the amount of pre-legislative scrutiny. [2633]

56. Joan Ryan: To ask the President of the Council if he will bring forward proposals to increase opportunities for pre-legislative scrutiny. [2637]

Mr. Robin Cook: I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier to hon. Friend the Member for Tyne Bridge (Mr. Clelland).

Terms of Service

51. Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to bring forward proposals to reform the rules relating to hon. Members' terms of service. [2632]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: Any hon. Member's term of office is, and should remain, in the hands of the electorate, unless some legal disqualification intervenes.

Waste Paper

54. Mr. Mullin: To ask the President of the Council to ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much waste paper was produced by the House in each of the last two years; how it was disposed of; and if he will make a statement. [2635]

Mr. Kirkwood: This is primarily a matter for the Serjeant at Arms; but I can tell the hon. Member that over the last two years, approximately 50 tonnes of paper from the Vote Office was sent for recycling each year. All additional waste paper was compacted with general waste amounting to some 3,000 tonnes per year and was incinerated for the production of electricity in line with Government guidelines.

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Parliamentary Committees

Pete Wishart: To ask the President of the Council if he will commission an inquiry into the roles of (a) the Scottish Parliament's committees and (b) House of Commons Standing Committees in respect of legislation. [3940]

Mr. Robin Cook: I very much hope the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons will look at the Scottish Parliament to see what we can learn from their experience; I certainly intend to visit that Parliament over the summer adjournment.

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