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SCOTLAND

Aircraft Charters

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department has spent on chartering aircraft in each of the past five years. [213688]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, no expenditure has been incurred chartering aircraft.

Departmental Catering

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many departmental (a) canteens and (b) bars there are; and how much has been spent on the (i) running, (ii) staffing and (iii) supply costs of each in each year since 1997. [213626]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. In buildings where the Office is the sole occupier, there are no in-house canteens, bars or catering services. In accommodation shared with the Scottish Executive, catering services are provided by that Department as the major occupier.

Departmental Policies (Edinburgh, North and Leith)

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Edinburgh, North and Leith constituency, the effects on Edinburgh, North and Leith of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [211574]

Mrs. McGuire: My hon. Friend will no doubt receive from relevant Ministers comprehensive information about the impact of Government policies for the areas he mentions. The Scotland Office has no direct role in policy delivery apart from my right hon. Friend's responsibility for matters arising from the recent review of parliamentary boundaries and the conduct of elections to the Scottish Parliament. However, he speaks for Scotland in Cabinet and is always active in ensuring that Government policies take due account of Scotland's needs.

Energy Policy

Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations his Department have made to (a) Ofgem, (b) the National Grid Company and (c) the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the impact on renewable energy producers in the highlands and islands of the third transmission charging proposal produced by the National Grid Company in December 2004; and if he will make a statement. [210653]

Mrs. McGuire: Ministers and officials in the Scotland Office keep in contact with a range of stakeholders on the transmission charges to apply in future.

We recognise the concerns raised about the potential impact of the proposed GB transmission charges on renewable generators in the highlands and islands and careful consideration will be given to whether there is a need to use the powers taken in the Energy Act to address them.
 
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IT Projects

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list his Department's IT projects in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) amount spent, (b) purpose, (c) cost of over-run and (d) time of over-run. [205788]

Mrs. McGuire: The Scotland Office was established in July 1999.

The Department's IT systems and support are provided by the Scottish Executive. There has been no Scotland Office specific projects since July 1999.

Parliamentary Constituencies

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on what date the Government expects the Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 2005 to secure Privy Council approval; [213571]

(2) if he will publish the report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland on the new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster constituencies. [213580]

Mr. Darling: I presented the fifth periodical report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland (Cm 6427) to Parliament on 14 December 2004, along with a draft of the Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 2005. The Order was approved by the Privy Council on 9 February.

Rail Links

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what formal representations he has made to the Department for Transport on rail links between Scotland and mainland Europe. [209627]

Mr. Darling: Good rail links from Scotland for passengers and freight are essential. The scope for future development of rail services and infrastructure is kept under review.

Renewable Energy

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on energy pricing for renewables. [208800]

Mrs. McGuire: Scotland Office Ministers and officials are in touch with the Scottish Executive on a range of energy issues. Promotion of renewables and operation of the renewables obligation in Scotland are matters for the Executive.

Scottish Electors

Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate how many electors there are in each of the new parliamentary constituencies in Scotland. [215383]

Mrs. McGuire: The most recent figures on the number of electors in each of the 59 new parliamentary constituencies in Scotland are not held by the Scotland Office, but are held by the relevant local Electoral Registration Officer.
 
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The electorate in each of the constituencies as at June 2001 is set out in the fifth periodical report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland (cm 6427) which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, laid before Parliament on 14 December 2004.

Special Advisers

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; [201420]

(2) if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004. [201445]

Mrs. McGuire: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

None of the special advisers who were in post during this period gave or made any attributable interviews or articles in their official capacity between the dates mentioned.

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether departmental special advisers have attended meetings with external (a) bodies and (b) individuals, in their official capacity and without Ministers, since May 1997. [203460]

Mrs. McGuire: Special advisers hold meetings with a wide range of external representatives in their official capacity. All such meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints were made by departmental civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004. [203478]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the former Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether departmental special advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997. [203493]

Mrs. McGuire: Any speeches made by special advisers in an official capacity are conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997; [203920]

(2) whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997. [203960]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on 16 December 2004, Official Report, column 1258W.
 
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Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether departmental special advisers have written to external (a) bodies and (b) individuals in their official capacity since May 1997. [204298]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the former Minister for the Cabinet Office on 14 December 2004, Official Report, column 1004W.

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether departmental special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary select committees in their official capacity since May 1997. [204318]

Mrs. McGuire: No.

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