§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what(a) reviews, (b) task forces and (c) advisory 777W groups have been established by his Department since 1 May 1997; what costs they have incurred to date; and what reports they have published. [71514]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 22 February 1999]: Details of reviews, task forces and advisory groups established since 1 May 1997 and of the reports they have
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Title Costs incurred(£) Report published (a) Reviews Review Countryside Access Legislation in Scotland — Access to the Countryside for Open Air Recreation (December 1998) Review into the System of Land Ownership and Management in Scotland 51,400 Recommendations for action (January 1999) Review of EA and SEPA Environmental Legislation (with DETR) — — Review of National Air Quality Strategy (with DETR) — Review of the National Air Quality Strategy Consultation Document (January 1999) Review of Protection Orders made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 — — Review of Rural Water and Sewerage Grant Scheme 8,400 — Review of SSSIs in Scotland 8,500 — Review of the Scottish Water Industry 6,800 — Review to Identify Areas of Scotland Appropriate for Designation as National Parks — National Parks for Scotland (January 1999) Strategic Study of Organic Wastes to Land — Strategic Review of Organic Waste Spread on Land (October 1998) Planning Policy Review on Opencast Coal in Scotland 700 — Review of Skye Bridge Tolls 77,200 — Review of the Law and Practice of Compulsory Purchase and Land Compensation 31,200 Inception report (January 1999); Interim report (February 1999) Review of the Scottish Roads Programme 241,000 — Review of Transport Policy in Scotland 20,200 Travel Choices for Scotland—White Paper (July 1998) Scottish Homes' Support for Owner Occupation 4,000 — Scottish Enterprise Strategy Review — — Scottish Homes' Support for Social Rented Housing 15,000 — Committee on Review of Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 — — HIV Health Promotion Review Group — — National Review of Health Resource Allocation 23,500 — Review of the Public Health Function 5,900 — Review of Public Health Legislation — — A Review of Aspects of Gaelic Broadcasting 7,000 A Review of Aspects of Gaelic Broadcasting (May 1998) Review of Community Education 14,650 Communities Change Through Learning (November 1998) Review of Community Disposals and the use of Custody for Women Offenders in Scotland 16,800 A Safer Way, A Review of Community Disposals and the use of Custody for Women Offenders in Scotland (May 1998) Lord MacLean's Committee on Serious Offenders — — Review of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland — — Review of Arrangements for the Supervision of Sex Offenders in Scotland 20,000 A Commitment to Protect: Review of the Arrangements for the Supervision of Sex Offenders in Scotland (December 1997) Review of Domestic Violence 650 — Scottish Interdepartmental Review of the Treatment of Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses 600 Towards a Just Conclusion (November 1998) Review of the Processing of Cases in the Children's Hearings System 25,000 Just in Time (March 1999) Learning Disability Review 50,000 — (b) Task forces Task Force to Follow the Outcome of the Review of Protection Orders made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 800 Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976. Review of the arrangements for Protection Orders (December 1998) Joint COSLA/Scottish Office Best Value Task Force — Best Value Task Force Report (July 1997); Best Value Task Force Second Report (July 1998) Joint COSLA/Working Group on Council Tax Collection 200 — Coronary Heart Disease Task Force 2,000 — Action Group on Standards in Scottish School 3,150 — Borders Working Party 1,700 Rebuilding the Borders Economy Interim Report (December 1998); Rebuilding the Borders Economy Final Report (March 1999) Prestwich Task Force 2,150 Reaching the Full Potential Interim Report (September 1997); Prestwick—A Leading Edge Location Final Report (December 1998) Scottish Advisory Task Force on the New Deal 6,400 — published follow. Where the information is readily available, approximate costs incurred on matters such as members' expenses, publication of reports and consultation exercises are shown. Staff costs are not included as these are subsumed within the Department's running costs.
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Title Costs incurred (£) Report published (c) Advisory groups Air Quality Forum — — A Comprehensive Review of the Food-Related Scientific Services in Scotland 26,000 Review of Food-Related Scientific Services in Scotland (October 1998) National Goose Forum 10,850 — Review of Scotland's Bathing Waters — — Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament 163,200 — National Transport Forum for Scotland 2,900 — New Housing Partnerships Advisory Group 3,500 — Scottish Social Inclusion Network 1,150 Social Inclusion Strategy—Opening the door to a better Scotland (March 1999) Social Inclusion Partnerships Advisory Group — Report of the Social Inclusion Partnerships Advisory Group's Consideration of Expressions of Interest (November 1998); Report of the Social Inclusion Partnerships Advisory Group's Consideration of Full Social Inclusion Partnership Bids (March 1999) Acute Services Group 700 — Health Targets Working Group — — Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee — — Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service Users Group — — Waiting List Support Force 23,700 — Scottish Cancer Group 2,700 Cancer Genetics Services in Scotland (November 1998) Scottish Childcare Board 2,650 — Inter-Agency Forum on Women's Offending 350 — Lady Cosgrove's Expert Panel on Sex Offending — — Riddell Advisory Committee on Severe Low Incidence 5,150 — Disabilities From 1 July, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.