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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 19 March 2002

SCOTLAND

Illegal Meat Imports

5. Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with the Scottish First Minister regarding the prevention of illegal meat imports. [41518]

Mrs. Liddell: I regularly meet the First Minister. The Scottish Executive is working closely with UK Government Departments to help tackle the animal disease risk associated with illegal meat imports.

Drugs

6. Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what joint activities she is planning with the First Minister to intensify the campaign against drugs. [41519]

Mrs. Liddell: The First Minister and I are planning a number of possible combined activities against drugs misuse. These include matters related to the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency; the Scottish Communities Against Drugs initiative; and port police and Customs efforts to stop drugs entering the country from overseas.

Life Assurance Industry

7. Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the role within the Scottish economy of the life assurance industry. [41520]

Mrs. Liddell: I have regular discussions on a range of issues with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Long-term life funds under Scottish management currently total £100 billion.

Scottish Parliament

8. Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the progress of her consultations on the size of the Scottish Parliament. [41521]

Mrs. Liddell: Over 775 copies of the consultation on the size of the Scottish Parliament have been issued since its launch on 18 December 2001. It has also been accessed about 1,000 times on the Scotland Office website.

As at 19 March, 85 responses have been received from both a range of organisations and individuals. I expect that considerably more will be received before the end of the consultation on 29 March.

14. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met the First Minister to discuss the operation of the electoral system for the Scottish Parliament. [41527]

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Mrs. Liddell: I have regular meetings with the First Minister where we discuss a wide range of issues.

Poverty

9. Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met the Scottish Minister responsible for social services to discuss Government measures to alleviate poverty in Scotland. [41522]

Mr. Foulkes: I last met the Minister for Social Justice from the Scottish Executive on 21 January. We are making good progress on tackling poverty in Scotland. Details can be found in the Government's annual "Opportunity for All" Report and in the Executive's annual "Social Justice" Report.

Aggregates Levy

10. Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations she has received from the aggregates industry concerning the introduction of the aggregates levy in Scotland. [41523]

16. Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations she has received from the British Aggregates Association on economic problems in the industry. [41529]

Mr. Foulkes: I met representatives of the British Aggregates Association on 21 January.

Winter Fuel Allowance

11. John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland have claimed the winter fuel allowance for the 2001–02 winter. [41524]

Mr. Foulkes: Most people aged 60 or over do not need to claim their winter fuel payment. Payments have been made automatically this winter to eligible people receiving social security benefits (excluding housing benefit, council tax benefit and child benefit), or who made a successful claim for a winter fuel payment last winter.

Details of the number of winter fuel payments made this winter are not yet available, but are expected to be similar to last winter when more than 980,000 people in Scotland benefited.

13. Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pensioners in Scotland are benefiting from the winter fuel payment scheme. [41526]

Mr. Foulkes: Most people aged 60 or over at the qualifying date are entitled to a winter fuel payment, regardless of whether they receive a state retirement pension. Last winter, more than 980,000 people in Scotland received a winter fuel payment. Figures for this winter are not yet available, but are expected to be similar.

Shipbuilding

12. John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps she is taking to implement the recommendations of the report of the Clyde shipbuilding taskforce. [41525]

Mr. Foulkes: One of the key recommendations identified by the work of the Clyde Shipyards Task Force involves the promotion of Clydeside's case in securing

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new export orders. I am taking forward this activity on two fronts. Firstly, in liaison with the MOD's Defence Exports Services Organisation (DESO), identifying appropriate opportunities for Scotland Office involvement in promoting active campaigns on behalf of Clydeside. Secondly, in discussion with the relevant interested parties, on developing trading opportunities, specifically relating to warship building, in key geographical markets. I will write to my hon. Friend with further details once available and place a copy in the Library of the House.

Cross-border Road Links

15. Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive on cross-border road links, with special reference to the A1. [41528]

Mr. Foulkes: I have regular discussions with Scottish Executive Ministers on a wide range of transport-related matters.

The upgrading of the route to the south of Dunbar has been taken forward in the A1 Route Action Plan under the auspices of the A1 Steering Group, whose membership includes the Scottish Executive, the Highways Agency, local authorities and police from both sides of the border. The steering group meets nominally once a year and I understand the last meeting was in Newcastle on 19 February 2002.

Foot and Mouth

17. Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement about recent discussions with Scotland's farming industry about foot and mouth. [41530]

Mrs. Liddell: Animal health policy, including policy on foot and mouth disease, is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Discussions between the Scottish farming industry and the Scottish Executive are a matter for Scottish Ministers to report on.

18. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with Agriculture Ministers from the Scottish Parliament on policy on foot and mouth. [41531]

Mrs. Liddell: Animal health policy, including policy on foot and mouth disease, is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I regularly meet Scottish Ministers to discuss matters of common interest.

21. Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations she has had with Scottish Executive Ministers and European Union officials to discuss the possibility of a public inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreaks in Scotland. [41534]

Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him and the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale on 14 March 2002, Official Report, column 1207W.

24. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations she has had with Scottish Executive Ministers and European Union officials on a public inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreaks in Scotland. [41537]

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Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale on 14 March 2002, Official Report, column 1207W.

Waiting Lists

19. Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she intends to meet Health Ministers from the United Kingdom Government and the devolved Administrations to discuss NHS waiting lists. [41532]

Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 February 2002, Official Report, column 141W.

Tourism

20. Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will assess the impact of UK Government policies on the tourism industry in Scotland. [41533]

Mr. Foulkes: The Government are contributing to efforts to promote the recovery of tourism in Scotland. The UK tourist industry, including the industry in Scotland, will be able to benefit from the £20 million challenge fund which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has established.

I am sure that the hon. Member will also join me in welcoming the BTA's already very successful Royal Heritage Map, promoting over 50 attractions and places of interest around the UK, noting that two of those attractions, Glamis Castle and the Queen's View are within his constituency.

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