Government Achievements (Hansard, 5 March 1986)

§ Mr. Walden

The following tables show the information requested. The cash terms figures (table 1) represent actual expenditures for the years up to 1984–85, the planned cash provisions for 1985–86 and 1986–87 (subject in the case of 1986–87, to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates in due course), and the amounts provisionally recommended by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils for 1987–88 and 1988–89.

Scotland, which has been highly successful in attracting inward investment. Through the Scottish Development Agency there has been a substantial programme of economic and environmental recovery in older urban and industrial areas, much increased unlocking of private sector investment, including £94.2 million through the LEG-UP (Local Enterprise Grants for Urban Projects) scheme and an extended range of programmes to promote technological change and industrial efficiency. Our 143W support for the Highlands and Islands Development Board was reaffirmed following the report of the Scottish Affairs Committee. Enterprise zones have been established at Invergordon and Clydebank and in Tayside. We have created a national network of area tourist boards and extended the Scottish Tourist Board's powers to include promotional activity overseas.

Over 1,350 offers of regional selective assistance worth £362 million have been made for projects estimated to cost £4,100 million and promising to create or safeguard over 138,000 jobs. In 1984 responsibility for the payment of regional development grants in Scotland was transferred from the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to the Secretary of State for Scotland. Since the transfer, over 1,200 applications for new regional development grants worth over £50 million and associated with project costs of around £420 million and 14,600 new jobs, have been approved. We have seen the introduction of the very successful better business and better technical services schemes which between them have attracted over 10,000 applications. Areas eligible for European Coal and Steel Community loans have been extended and a continuing and successful programme of case surgeries for businesses has been established.

Benefiting from the Government's policies on taxation and licensing, 1984 was a record year for oil and gas exploration and development in the North sea and 1985 a record for approval of new developments. Oil-related employment increased from nearly 42,000 in June 1979 to almost 64,000 by December 1985. With Government support, the electricity boards maintained supplies to consumers during the coal dispute while containing operating costs.

Over 124,000 young people have entered into the youth training scheme in Scotland since its inception in 1983. The expansion to a two-year programme from April 1986 will emphasise improved training leading to vocational qualifications. The community programme will train 21,000 adults in Scotland in 1985–86 and is expected to train up to 25,000 in 1986–87.

In education, major reforms to the structure of the curriculum and examinations for pupils aged 14 to 16 have begun with the introduction of new standard grade courses and examinations. In addition, Scotland is playing a full part in the technical and vocational education initiative with six projects under way and more in preparation. The level of educational attainment in Scotland has improved; the percentage of school leavers with at least one Scottish certificate of education qualification increasing from 68 per cent. in 1978–79 to 74 per cent. in 1983–84. The percentage of school leavers who held at least one SCE higher grade has also increased in the same period from 26 to 33 per cent.

Through the Scottish 16+ action plan, the Government have introduced an innovative approach to the provision of non-advanced further education in the form of modular courses leading to the award of a new national certificate by the Scottish Vocational Education Council. The new system provides increased flexibility for students and makes available new opportunities for adults with retraining needs. It has won widespread praise as a major advance in educational thinking and the speed with which it has been implemented provides a clear indication of the Government's commitment to improving the quality of vocational education. In the first year of operation 35,000 144W students from nearly 500 presenting centres throughout Scotland successfully undertook courses leading to the award of the SCOTVEC national certificate.

Other developments have been the introduction of a new right to parents to choóse their children's school; the introduction of a requirement on education authorities to make widely available information about schools under their management; the publication of HMI reports of inspections of schools and colleges of further education; a scheme of assisted places at the fee paying schools; and the introduction of an improved approach to the education of handicapped pupils and other pupils with special educational needs.

We have also funded a new building for the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, a new National Science Reference Library, and additional teaching accommodation at Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology, Aberdeen. We have supported the establishment of the Scottish Community Education Council, International Youth Year 1985, the Burrell Gallery in Glasgow and the new Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh.

£14 million has been allocated to create additional places in engineering and technology in the Scottish central institutions and over 200 new student places have been created at Scottish universities participating in the engineering and technology programme. Computers have been introduced into schools and colleges.

On the social work front, new legislation has made substantial improvements in the adoption and fostering of children. There has been an improvement in the use of secure accommodation for children. The arrangements for financial support of list D schools have been rationalised.

We have made several major legislative changes in Scottish criminal law and procedure including the introduction of new police powers of detention and search, compensation orders for the victims of crime, restrictions on alcohol at football grounds and the introduction of fines enforcement officers in the sheriff court. We have maintained support for a strong and effective police service by increasing police numbers and awarding substantial improvements in pay and conditions. We have approved a major computerisation project for the Scottish Criminal Record Office serving all forces. The Scottish crime squad is being expanded to supplement the force's increased efforts in countering trafficking in drugs. The rate of police grant will be increased in 1986–87.

In family and civil law, a range of useful reforms have been effected, including the extension to the sheriff court of concurrent jurisdiction in divorce, and protection of the occupancy rights of spouses in the matrimonial home.

In health, additional resources have facilitated an 11 per cent. increase in the numbers of hospital medical and dental staff and nurses and midwives. The proportion of resources devoted to the administration of the service has been progressively reduced. 42 major new hospital developments have provided a total of over 4,200 beds and over 440 day places. We have reformed the mental health legislation. We have provided grant support for facilities for drug misusers and have promoted a health education campaign to counter drug misuse.

£40 million has been spent on prison improvements. A new prison is nearing completion at Shotts and major redevelopment work to Greenock prison and Polmont young offenders institute is virtually complete. The 145W substantial refurbishment of Peterhead prison and a wide range of other projects have improved the accommodation and facilities for both inmates and staff.

In civil defence, the functions of local authorities have been strengthened and extended and the range of activities attracting 100 per cent. grant has been increased.

Over £500 million has been invested in the motorway and trunk road network, and about 200 miles of motorways and major trunk road improvements have been completed. The reconstruction of the A9 from Perth to Easter Ross is nearing completion; substantial progress has been made on the upgrading to dual carriageway standard of the Perth-Dundee-Aberdeen route; and 21 bypasses have been opened, relieving communities of through traffic. A further 43 miles of motorway and major trunk road improvements, including five bypasses, are under construction. Over the same period, annual expenditure on structural maintenance of existing trunk roads has increased by about 50 per cent. in real terms.

In transport, financial support to island shipping services has been increased and a major new investment programme in ships and terminals initiated.

Work has started on electrification of the east coast main line between London and Edinburgh, at a cost of £360 million. The Glasgow-Ayr railway line is being electrified and Glasgow commuter rolling stock modernised, with substantial financial assistance from the Government. Relaxation of licensing on Anglo-Scottish air routes has produced significant benefits for travellers.

In physical planning, measures have been taken to simplify and speed up the planning system. Guidance has been issued specifically with a view to meeting the planning requirements of high technology industries, small businesses and private housebuilders. In the environment, following the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act and the 1981 Countryside (Scotland) Act, there has been an increase in resources provided to improve facilities and to conserve the countryside and wildlife habitats. Many sites of special scientific interest have been notified, national nature reserves and national scenic areas designated and regional parks being introduced. Government machinery for the protection, support and care of historic buildings and monuments in Scotland has been reorganised to develop the cultural, economic, recreational, tourist and educational potential of this area of the national heritage.

In housing we have introduced a statutory charter of rights for public sector tenants, including the right to buy. Over 130,000 tenants have applied to purchase their homes and more than 78,000 sales have been completed. Since 1979, 122,000 new homes have been built and the proportion of owner-occupiers has increased from 35 to 40 per cent., with a reduction in the proportion of householders in public housing to below 50 per cent. for the first time for many years. Over 160,000 home improvement grants have been approved and the number of houses below the tolerable standard reduced from 113,000 in March 1980 to 63,000 in 1985. The housing association movement's investment programme has exceeded £100 million in each of the last five years; and the number of bed spaces in sheltered houses for elderly persons has increased from 19.5 per 1,000 in 1980 to 41..5 now. Improvements to the building control system are being made. These will enable projects to start earlier without sacrificing standards or safeguards.

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The allocation of functions between regional and district councils has been rationalised in the light of the Stodart report; legislation relating to civic government has been modernised; and the Montgomery report has opened up the way to adjustment of the functions of the Islands councils. Estimating and accounting disciplines have been imposed on Scottish direct labour organisations, which are now required to compete for a significant proportion of their work. Powers have been taken to cut the rates of local authorities planning excessive expenditure and welcome savings have been returned to the ratepayers.

Following the revaluation in 1985, we introduced a quick and effective statutory revaluation rate rebate scheme for those valuations which had increased by more than three times. Proposals have been published for the final abolition of domestic rates in Scotland by 1992 and their replacement by a community charge.

The number of staff employed in the Scottish Office (excluding the prison service) has been reduced by 1,384 (or 13.8 per cent.) and by 1989 staff numbers will be 1,624 (20 per cent.) less than a decade before. The financial management initiative is being implemented vigorously in the Scottish Office with annual management plans, revised to give greater emphasis to objectives and performance, linked to a budgeting system for controlling running costs. Policy reviews are being conducted of all non-departmental public bodies, and financial management surveys of such bodies with executive responsibilities.

Over 900 civil service jobs have been dispersed to west central Scotland and plans are well advanced for the dispersal of more than 1,000 further jobs.

The successful negotiation of a common fisheries policy and improved arrangements for conservation of stocks have provided good opportunities on a long-term basis for the Scottish fishing industry. The Government have taken steps to reduce the incidence of salmon poaching in Scotland in particular by way of the Salmon Bill which is at present going through Parliament. We have supported the hill farming sector through substantially increased aids for livestock producers, enhanced payments to producers within the Highlands and Islands Development Board area and an extension of the less favoured areas to include producers on marginal land.

The Government gave additional emergency aid to over 20,000 livestock producers in recognition of the effect of the bad summer of 1985. The integrated development programme for the Western Isles and approval in principle of proposals for an agricultural development proposal for the other Scottish islands. The introduction of compulsory pasteurisation of milk in Scotland from August 1983 has eliminated outbreaks of milk-borne disease in the general community and the transition from statutory control of milk prices was smoothly accomplished in Scotland during the period 1981–83. We have undertaken a major review of the structure and management of agricultural research and development in Scotland and have introduced changes in the organisation of agricultural education and reviewed agricultural advisory services with a view to improving their efficiency and effectiveness, and to developing a more commercial approach.