House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Jan 2003 (pt 17)

9 Jan 2003 : Column 352W—continued

SCOTLAND

Accreditation

Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her Department is doing to support the Government's policy on accreditation. [88085]

Mrs. Liddell: The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is recognised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry as the sole national body for the accreditation, against international standards, of certification and inspection bodies, testing and calibration laboratories. My Department currently has no schemes requiring accreditation.

Airport Expansion

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the expansion of airport capacity in Scotland. [89324]

Mrs. Liddell: I have regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues, including matters relating to airport capacity in Scotland. The Government, in its consultation documents on future development of air transport in the United Kingdom, has jointly with the Scottish Executive sought comments from the aviation industry

9 Jan 2003 : Column 353W

and all those affected by air travel on issues affecting the future development of air services in Scotland, including airport capacity. This consultation process is still ongoing and will inform the development of the Government's White Paper on aviation policy to be publish next year.

Boundary Commission

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on her plans to implement the latest review by the Boundary Commission for Scotland. [88594]

Mrs. Liddell: The Boundary Commission is required to submit its final report before December 2006. It is a matter for the Commission when, within that timescale, it does so. I am required by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to lay the report before Parliament, together with the draft of an Order in Council giving it effect, with or without modifications, as soon as may be thereafter.

Christmas Expenses

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many departmental Christmas cards she and her Ministers intend to send in 2002; how much these cards will cost (a) to buy, (b) to post and (c) in staff time to sign, address and place in envelopes; and if she will place in the Library a sample copy of the official Christmas card she has sent this year. [88107]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 19 December 2002]: Scotland Office Ministers sent around 420 Christmas cards. Other cards were issued by the Department. The total cost of purchasing Christmas cards was #830 and the expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles on financial procedures and propriety set out in Government Accounting. Details of postage costs and staff time involved in issuing the cards is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I have arranged for a copy of the Scotland Office Christmas card to be placed in the Library.

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much will be spent on (a) entertaining, (b) Christmas decorations and (c) other festive activities this Christmas season by her Department and Government agencies answerable to her Department; and of this sum how much will be spent in Ministers' (i) private offices and (ii) official residences. [88131]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 19 December 2002]: My Department spent #1,520 on Christmas decorations for the public entrances to its office buildings. The expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles on financial procedures and propriety set out in Government Accounting.

No money has been spent on entertaining or other festive activities in the Department or Ministers' private offices. I do not have an official residence.

Green Ministers

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which Minister in her Department is the nominated Green Minister; how often she has attended meetings

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of the Green Ministers; and which official has responsibility for the DEFRA rural proofing check-list in her Department. [88454]

Mrs. Liddell: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scotland Office represents the Scotland Office on the ministerial committee ENV(G).

Policy responsibility for the rural proofing check-list in the Scotland Office rests with the Parliamentary and Constitutional Division.

Tax/Government Spending

Mr. Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will calculate (a) the tax revenue from Scotland since 1980 and (b) the total government spending in Scotland since 1980; and if she also will calculate these figures omitting tax revenues from the continental shelf. [88219]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 19 December 2002]: A table setting out estimates of aggregate expenditure and revenues for Scotland is provided in the table. As noted in the footnote to the table, there are different sources for different parts of the series and therefore some potential for variation in the estimating approaches used.

Estimated Aggregate Expenditure and Revenues, Scotland 1980–81 to 1999–2000# billion

Financial year Expenditure⁽¹⁷⁾ Revenues (excluding North Sea revenues)⁽¹⁷⁾ UK North Sea revenues⁽¹⁸⁾

1980–81 11.0 8.5 3.7

1981–82 12.3 10.0 6.5

1982–83 13.3 10.6 7.8

1983–84 14.2 11.4 8.8

1984–85 15.1 12.0 12.0

1985–86 15.8 13.1 11.3

1986–87 16.6 13.7 4.8

1987–88 18.7 14.9 4.6

1988–89 19.4 16.3 3.2

1989–90 21.6 17.6 2.4

1990–91 22.3 18.7 2.3

1991–92 24.2 19.5 1.0

1992–93 27.0 19.4 1.3

1993–94 28.6 20.2 1.2

1994–95 29.9 22.1 1.6

1995–96 31.3 23.9 2.3

1996–97 31.5 25.0 3.3

1997–98 32.2 26.8 3.3

1998–99 33.1 28.4 2.5

1999–2000 33.8 29.8 2.5

Financial year	Expenditure⁽¹⁷⁾	Revenues (excluding North Sea revenues)⁽¹⁷⁾	UK North Sea revenues⁽¹⁸⁾
1980–81	11.0	8.5	3.7
1981–82	12.3	10.0	6.5
1982–83	13.3	10.6	7.8
1983–84	14.2	11.4	8.8
1984–85	15.1	12.0	12.0
1985–86	15.8	13.1	11.3
1986–87	16.6	13.7	4.8
1987–88	18.7	14.9	4.6
1988–89	19.4	16.3	3.2
1989–90	21.6	17.6	2.4
1990–91	22.3	18.7	2.3
1991–92	24.2	19.5	1.0
1992–93	27.0	19.4	1.3
1993–94	28.6	20.2	1.2
1994–95	29.9	22.1	1.6
1995–96	31.3	23.9	2.3
1996–97	31.5	25.0	3.3
1997–98	32.2	26.8	3.3
1998–99	33.1	28.4	2.5
1999–2000	33.8	29.8	2.5

⁽¹⁷⁾ Sources: 1978–79 to 1987–88—unpublished data used to compile parliamentary answer, 21 March 1997, Official Report, column 969;

1987–88 to 1991–92—unpublished data produced in September 1993 by the Scottish Office, using the methodology used for the publication XGovernment Expenditure & Review In Scotland" (GERS) and updating the first GERS, 1992;

1991–92 to 1995–96—GERS 1995–96 (Scottish Office 1997);

1995–96 to 1999–2000—GERS 1999–2000 (Scottish Executive 2001).

⁽¹⁸⁾ Petroleum revenue tax, oil royalties and North Sea Corporation Tax before ACT set-off.

Source:

Inland Revenue Statistics

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NORTHERN IRELAND

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training is provided within the health and social services system in Northern Ireland in relation to attention deficit hyperactivity for workers with personal contact with sufferers to help inform their practice. [88260]

Mr. Browne: Psychiatrists are educated about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) during their general professional training as part of child and adolescent mental health subjects. Child and adolescent psychiatrists, who undergo higher professional training prior to becoming consultants focus on relevant areas such as ADHD in more depth. Postgraduate training, as part of continual professional development, also ensures increased awareness and keeps professionals abreast of developments in this area.

Nurses and social workers can also specialise in child and adolescent psychiatry and in 2001 17 nurses and each year six social workers have received this training.

Ballycastle to Campbeltown Ferry

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress towards restoring the Ballycastle to Campbeltown ferry. [88935]

Mr. Pearson: The Scottish Executive has the lead role in relation to the tendering exercise to restore the Ballycastle to Campbeltown ferry service. Northern Ireland officials are working closely with their Scottish colleagues and final tender documentation will be issued shortly. This holds open the prospect of the service resuming in time for the summer 2003 season.

Broadband Coverage

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public finance has been allocated to support extending broadband coverage in Northern Ireland. [89110]

Mr. Pearson: In September 2001 the Northern Ireland Executive approved #18.04 million to be allocated to telecommunications development over the following three years. In addition Northern Ireland secured #1.46 million as its share of the #30 million UK Broadband Fund.

In November 2002, under the EU's Interreg III Programme, approximately #4 million (7 million euros) was allocated to stimulate investment in efficient communications and e-commerce infrastructure in Northern Ireland and the border counties of ROI. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is liasing with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR) in Dublin to develop a Call in line with the aims of Interreg III.

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