§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines he has issued to local authorities to encourage the provision of safety surfacing on play areas; what special financial provision he has made available to local authorities to encourage and enable them to meet this need; and if he will make a statement. [24090]
§ Mr. KynochMy right hon. Friend has not issued any guidelines on the provision of safety surfacing for play areas. However, local authorities should be aware of the new British standard on impact-absorbing playground surfaces which came into effect on 31 August 1989. On the question of special financial provision, there are no plans to target resources in this way. Local authorities have complete freedom to determine their own priorities from within the total resources available to them. It is therefore for individual local authorities to consider whether safety surfacing of play areas is a priority and, if so, to direct the necessary resources towards it.