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Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : This information is set out in the table.
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Domestic rateable subjects at 1 April 1988 Bands of Rateable Value |Eastwood |Renfrew |Scotland ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ £0-£300 Number |20 |3,018 |92,208 Rateable Value (£) |4,769 |690,126 |18,536,701 £301-£600 Number |1,535 |32,981 |977,803 Rateable Value (£) |797,321 |16,298,156 |469,876,982 £601-£900 Number |6,065 |31,647 |690,653 Rateable Value (£) |4,626,100 |22,776,083 |490,089,150 £901-£1,200 Number |6,961 |7,958 |189,542 Rateable Value (£) |7,240,368 |8,116,213 |195,189,046 £1,201-£1,500 Number |3,160 |2,770 |72,356 Rateable Value (£) |4,203,661 |3,680,946 |95,936,291 Over £1,500 Number |3,608 |1,985 |45,661 Rateable Value (£) |6,905,634 |3,543,330 |83,352,425 Croft houses/Separately assessed caravans Number |7 |81 |21,501 Rateable Value (£) |1,617 |27,446 |4,848,297 Total Number |21,356 |80,440 |2,089,724 Rateable Value (£) |23,779,470 |55,132,300 |1,357,828,892
British Steel
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an economic assessment of the total impact on jobs and industrial production of the closure of British Steel's production operations in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : British Steel has put forward no proposals for the closure of its production operations in Scotland, and Sir Robert Scholey has recently confirmed that his December 1987 statement on the future of the Scottish steel plants still stands. The closure of British Steel plants in Scotland would, of course, have serious consequences for the economy of Lanarkshire in particular.
Electricity
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish a table showing the relative prices of generating electricity expressed in pence per kilowatt hour of the different means of power generation available to the Scottish electricity boards ;
(2) what are the latest cost estimates from the South of Scotland Electricity Board for advanced gas-cooled reactor generated power from Scottish power stations ;
(3) what are the latest price estimates prepared by the South of Scotland Electricity Board, expressed in pence per kilowatt hour, of advanced gas- cooled reactor
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generated power from Hunterston B and Torness power stations ; and what are the assumptions on which these estimates are based.Mr. Lang : Information on the generation costs and the quantity of electricity sent out from the principal forms of power generation used by the Scottish electricity boards is contained in their annual reports. Details of expenditure and output relating to individual power stations are operational and commercial matters for the boards.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what assessment he has made on the impact on the Scottish economy of proposed gas-powered electricity generation stations located in the north-east of England ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what assessment he has made on the likely impact on electricity exports from Scotland of the proposed projects to build gas-powered electricity generating capacity in the north- east of England ; (3) what meetings or discussions he has held with the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board on its participation in the Neptune consortium ; on what date he first learned of the project ; if the board sought his approval for its involvement ; and if he will make a statement ;
(4) when he was informed by the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board of British Steel's participation in the Neptune consortium.
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Mr. Lang : I welcome the recent reports of consideration being given to possible developments on Teesside involving the exploitation of natural gas available from the North sea. Such developments are clearly of enormous importance for the United Kingdom economy as a whole and strongly indicate the Government's objective of encouraging competition in both electricity supply and in gas production. The possible involvement of the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in one of these developments would utilise its long experience in design, construction and operation of major power stations, such as Peterhead, where the board has already taken the lead in gas-fired generation, and provide long-term employment for its skilled staff. In addition, Scottish- based companies will be well placed to participate in the supply of major components for construction of the plant. There is, therefore, every reason to suppose that the Scottish economy will benefit from these opportunities.I understand that these developments would involve supplies of electricity dedicated to certain large consumers. The potential for the Scottish electricity industry to offer supplies to the system in England and Wales by means of the transmission grid interconnector therefore remains.
Discussions on these developments are at a very early stage but, given the lengthy gestation period for projects of this nature, it is appropriate for the board now to be considering opportunities to expand its business after privatisation.
The North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board informed me earlier this month of its intention to consider its involvement in the potential development and of various aspects of the development, including the identity of possible large customers. The proposals are not yet at a stage at which any formal consents are required and consequently no approvals have been sought.
Buses
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how he intends to ensure fair competition between competing employee-based bids under paragraph 15 of the Scottish Bus Group disposal programme he has prepared under section 1 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The disposal programme sets out the basis on which the Scottish Transport Group is required to consider bids, including the information required in bids and the basis on which a preference will be given to bids involving employee participation. My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that the arrangements will ensure fair competition between all bids.
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how he intends to ensure sustained and fair competition under section 2 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 1989 where there is an association between the management of neighbouring companies after privatisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The basis on which bids for Scottish Bus Group companies will be considered is set out in the disposal programme which my right hon. and learned Friend recently published under the Transport (Scotland) Act 1989. Copies of the disposal programme
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are available in the House of Commons Library. Any mergers between bus companies after privatisation will be subject to competition law.Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation he intends to undertake with employees in relation to privatisation of the Scottish Bus Group where there are competing bids involving a controlling interest by employees for a particular subsidiary.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : None. It is the responsibility of the Scottish Transport Group to implement the disposal programme for the Scottish Bus Group. The disposal programme makes it clear that a price preference will be given to bids involving a controlling interest by employees, and that there could be more than one such employee-based bid. The group is required to seek my right hon. and learned Friend's consent for sales.
Courts
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Lord Advocate will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for East Lothian dated 4 January about reporting restrictions on a case at Haddington sheriff court.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate will be writing to the hon. Member shortly.
Child Care
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that people and their spouses running private facilities for children are vetted to record any criminal records.
Mr. Lang : Regional and islands authorities are responsible under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948 for registering child care establishments and childminders. Enhanced arrangements for vetting those who have substantial access to children were introduced in September 1989 and applicants for registration as private child care providers will be vetted for criminal convictions by the Scottish Criminal Records Office at the request of the regional or islands authority as registration authority. The authority also has discretion to request checks on other persons who may have substantial access to children.
Private Security Firms
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that staff employed by private security firms are vetted to record any criminal records.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The responsibility for ensuring that appropriate background checks are made on employees rests with individual companies.
Dentistry
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the new dental hospital for Edinburgh is expected to come into commission.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : This depends upon the outcome of Lothian health board's forthcoming appraisal of possible sites.Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish Office is prepared to provide the necessary earmarked capital and recurrent expenditure to support the university of Edinburgh's postgraduate dental institute, for which proposals were put to him in December.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have already made it clear that the Government will meet the capital cost of the proposed institute. The revenue aspects will require detailed consultation with all the parties involved, once we have the results of the appraisal to be conducted by Lothian health board.
Child Workers
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that a survey be conducted of the extent to which children are missing their education through working in paid employment during school hours or through tiredness due to hours worked outwith school hours ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 February 1990] : Children in employment are protected by the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937, which defines the lowest age (13) at which a child may be employed, precludes employment during school hours and limits the hours and times of day a child may work. In addition, education authorities are empowered to make byelaws imposing further restraints. The existing safeguards, if properly applied, are sufficient to prevent problems of school absence or tiredness and I do not think a survey would be helpful.
Higher Education
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present number of (a) male and (b) female higher education students in Scotland ; and how many of them come from low income families.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 February 1990] : In 1988-89 there were 46,085 male and 38,883 female undergraduate and postgraduate students in higher education in Scotland. The family income of these students is not available.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been recorded since 1988 in Scotland ; and if he will list them by regional areas.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 February 1990] : Bovine spongiform encephalopathy was made notifiable on 21 June 1988. To date 277 confirmed cases have been recorded in Scotland. A breakdown of cases on a regional basis is as follows :
|Number
--------------------------
Borders |10
Central |12
Dumfries |50
Fife |12
Grampian |60
Highland |17
Lothian |9
Orkney |4
Shetland |1
Strathclyde |81
Tayside |21
Milk Production
Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cows are registered for milk production in Scotland ; and how many in Renfrewshire.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 February 1990] : At June 1989 there were 363,458 dairy cows in Scotland of which 246, 570 were producing milk and 8,735 dairy cows in the old administrative county of Renfrewshire of which 5,261 were producing milk.
Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the milk production for Scotland in 1987, 1988 and 1989 ; and what is the milk production for farms in Renfrewshire in the years 1987, 1988 and 1989.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 February 1990] : Milk production figures for Scotland and the old administrative county of Renfrewshire are detailed in the table. These figures relate to the period, 1 April to 31 March for each of the years concerned.
|Scotland |Renfrewshire
|million litres|million litres
------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |1,301.2 |42.8
1987-88 |1,235.0 |40.0
1988-89 |1,192.9 |39.2
Lothian Health Board
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration was given in the calculation of the allocation of funds to Lothian health board for 1990-91 to (a) clearing the deficit from the current year and (b) avoiding the creation of a new deficit in 1990-91.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 22 February 1990] : The prime determinant in health boards' allocations is the population for whom the board has to provide hospital and community health services. Account is taken of factors such as the age, sex and morbidity of each board's population. Allowance is also made for the movement of patients between boards and the provision of certain services by only some boards. Boards are expected to plan services within their annual allocations.
Woodlands
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the genuinely native pinewoods in the Forestry Commission's ownership which have been subjected to clear felling or underplanting with either non-native pine or alien conifers in the last 30 years, giving areas of pinewood so treated in each case and the extent of underplanted native pine that has subsequently been cleared of alien conifers.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 19 February 1990] : Open areas within the native pinewoods
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have been planted over the last 30 years with pines grown from both native and non-native seed, and with other conifer species. The areas within each pinewood which have been planted with pines from non-native seed or with other conifers, and the areas which have subsequently been cleared, are given in the following table.
Name of wood |Area planted|Area cleared
|(hectares) |(hectares)
------------------------------------------------------------
Inshriach |18.0 |-
Glenmore |3.0 |All
Glenmoriston |15.0 |-
Glen Affric |172.0 |17.0
Glen Cannich |123.0 |3.0
Guisachan and Cougie |72.0 |-
Achnashellach |10.0 |-
Glen Garry |11.5 |1.5
Arkaig and Mallie |58.0 |-
Glen Loy |1.5 |All
Callop |1.5 |All
Rannoch |169.0 |8.0
Glen Orchy |0.5 |All
No record has been kept of the areas of native pine which have been felled in these woods.
ENERGY
Flue Gas Desulphurisation
2. Mr. Cunliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the date on which the electricity generating industry of England and Wales will achieve the 12,000 MW flue gas desulphurisation programme.
Mr. Baldry : The Government are determined to comply with the requirements of the EC large combustion plants directive. The retrofitting of Drax power station is already under way and further retrofits are in prospect.
59. Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress made in the programme to fit British power station capacity with flue gas desulphurisation equipment.
Mr. Baldry : Contracts have already been placed for the installation of FGD equipment at the 4 GW Drax power station and further retrofits are in prospect.
Oil Production
5. Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association ; and what matters were discussed.
Mr. Peter Morrison : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet the representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators' Association (UKOOA) regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest.
58. Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the serious accident rate on the United Kingdom continental shelf and the Norwegian sector, expressed as a rate per 1,000 employees in each of the last five years.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Figures for the United Kingdom continental shelf are as follows :
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Year |Serious
|accidents per
|1,000
|employees
------------------------------------------
1985 |3.5
1986 |4.5
1987 |2.1
1988 |2.9
1989 |2.8
The statistics for 1985-88 appear in the reports on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom. The figure given for 1989 will be included in the next report. The figures relate to injuries to persons but do not include deaths. Comparable information for the Norwegian sector of the North sea is not available.
56. Mr. Amess : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many new offshore fields were approved by his Department in 1989.
Mr. Peter Morrison : During 1989 my Department gave consent to plans for the development of six new oil fields and three new gas fields on the United Kingdom continental shelf.
48. Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total loss of oil and gas production on the United Kingdom continental shelf as a result of unprogrammed shutdowns since 5 July 1988.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Some 30 million tonnes of oil production has been deferred as a result of major unprogrammed shutdowns between July 1988 and the end of January 1990. The amount of gas production associated with this is very small and the long-term loss of both oil and gas will be minimal.
29. Mr. Leigh : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what increase or decrease he expects in the output of North sea oil in the current year.
30. Mr. Couchman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what increase or decrease he expects in the output of North sea oil in the current year.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I expect an increased recovery of output of North sea oil this year.
24. Miss Widdecombe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress was made during 1989 in reducing the number of fallow blocks in the United Kingdom continental shelf.
54. Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress was made during 1989 in reducing the number of fallow blocks in the United Kingdom continental shelf.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The number of fallow blocks has been reduced during 1989 from 125 to just under 90, a fall of over a quarter, and prospects for a further significant reduction this year look good. I shall continue to press this initiative with determination.
25. Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much employment in the offshore oil and gas industry has increased since 1986.
43. Mr. Hayes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the change in employment in the offshore oil and gas industry since 1986.
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47. Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the change in employment in the offshore oil and gas industry since 1986.Mr. Peter Morrison : Employment in the offshore oil and gas industry has risen from 22,300 in 1986 to 30,700 in 1989, an increase of almost 40 per cent.
20. Mr. Donald Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many wells were drilled on the United Kingdom's continental shelf in the 1980s and in the 1970s.
27. Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many wells were drilled on the United Kingdom's continental shelf (a) in the 1980s and (b) in the 1970s.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many wells were drilled on the United Kingdom's continental shelf in the 1980s and in the 1970s.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The total numbers of exploration, appraisal and development wells drilled on the United Kingdom continental shelf in the periods 1970-79 and 1980-89 were 1,200 and 2,703 respectively
Nuclear Electric
10. Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of Nuclear Electric ; and what matters he discussed.
Mr. Wakeham : I have met the chairman of Nuclear Electric on a number of occasions to discuss aspects of the nuclear industry.
34. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the earliest date on which Nuclear Electric could operate without any form of Treasury guarantee.
Mr. Baldry : Work on Nuclear Electric's financial structure is continuing.
Energy Efficiency
12. Mr. Stevens : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much spending on the promotion of energy efficiency has risen since 1979.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The budget of the Energy Efficiency Office in the current year is £15 million, six times the level of spending in 1979-80 of £2.4 million.
60. Mr. Ray Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the Association for the Conservation of Energy, and what matters he expects to discuss.
Mr. Wakeham : I have no plans to meet the Association for the Conservation of Energy.
Coal Production
15. Mr. Douglas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current level of production of coal from deep mines in Scotland.
Mr. Baldry : British Coal tells me that, so far this year, deep- mined output in Scotland is nearly 1.6 million tonnes, broadly the same as the output achieved in the
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same period last year, but at a productivity rate 75 per cent. higher. This is a remarkable achievement, and I congratulate both mineworkers and management.Renewable Energy
18. Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many applications for renewable sources of energy have been received for inclusion under the non-fossil fuel obligation.
46. Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many applications for renewable sources of energy have been received for inclusion under the non-fossil fuel obligation. Mr. Wakeham : The area boards have received about 300 applications.
36. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how the development of renewable sources of energy will be encouraged after the privatisation of the electricity industry.
42. Mr. Charles Wardle : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how the development of renewable sources of energy will be encouraged after the privatisation of the electricity industry.
Mr. Peter Morrison : After privatisation the Department will continue to undertake a major research and development programme aimed at developing commercially viable and environmentally acceptable renewable technologies. Over the next few years expenditure on the programme is expected to increase significantly. Funding will rise by 13.5 per cent. to over £20 million in 1990-91. Renewables will also benefit from the non -fossil fuel obligation. The area boards have already received around 300 applications for inclusion in the initial obligation. An additional 600 MW of capacity within the obligation reserved exclusively for renewables will be introduced in a series of tranches during the 1990s. If it should appear desirable in the light of experience, the additional tranches could be brought forward or the total increased.
Electricity Prices
22. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the percentage increase in electricity prices for both domestic and industrial consumers between March 1988 and May 1990 ; and by how much these increases exceeded the rate of inflation.
Mr. Baldry : Between the first quarter of 1988 and the fourth quarter of 1989, the latest period for which information is available, domestic electricity prices increased by 16 per cent. in current terms. That is an increase of 3 per cent. above the rate of inflation as measured by the GDP deflator of 12 per cent.
Between the first quarter of 1988 and the third quarter of 1989, the latest period for which information is available, industrial prices increased by 4 per cent. in current terms, 7 per cent. below the rate of inflation as measured by the GDP deflator of 10 per cent.
63. Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the level of (a) domestic and (b) non- domestic electricity prices in 1991-92 and 1992-93.
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Mr. Baldry : Electricity prices are a matter for the industry and I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 12 February.62. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the members of the British Iron and Steel Producers Association to discuss electricity prices for 1990-91.
Mr. Wakeham : BISPA is a member of the energy intensive users group which I and my Department meet regularly.
50. Mr. Haynes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has undertaken regarding the level of electricity prices for 1990-91.
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