To ask the President of the Council how much time has been spent by the House and its Committees considering Scottish issues in each of the past five years, indicating separately time spent on (i) Bills, (ii) questions and (iii) debates on (a) education, (b) housing, (c) transport, (d) social work, (e) employment and economic development and (f) other subjects. [10179]
The information is available in parliamentary Session, rather than calendar year. The hon. Member should note that Session 1992–93 was longer than usual, and 1996–97 shorter than usual, due to general elections.
Chamber
- (i) Bills
- 1996–97: 21.09 (nine Bills, of which three consolidation Bills and one private Members' Bill).
- 1995–96: 13.15 (three Bills).
- 1994–95: 17.33 (six Bills, of which three consolidation Bills).
- 1993–94: 28.03 (two Bills, of which one private peer's Bill).
- 1992–93: 17.07 (seven Bills, of which two consolidation Bills and three private Member's Bills).
- (ii) Questions
- 1996–97: 4.02 (four sessions).
- 1995–96: 8.59 (nine sessions).
- 1994–95: 7.55 (eight sessions).
- 1993–94: 7.19 (eight sessions)
- 1992–93: 11.02 (12 sessions)
- (iii) Debates
- 1996–97: Two approval motions: one on local government finance (3.36) one on housing (1.42).
- 1995–96: Two approval motions: one on local government finance (1.34) one on housing (1.34) and a motion amending Standing Orders relating to the Scottish Grand Committee (1.31).
- 1994–95: One approval motion on local government finance and housing (3.12) and an opposition day debate on the environment (3.28).
- 1993–94: Four approval motions: one on housing (2.15) one on local government finance (4.23) one on commercial rates (1.34) one on legal aid (0.29) a motion setting up the Scottish Grand Committee (2.01) and a private Member's motion on Scottish Democracy (2.55).
- 1992–93: Seven approval motions: four on commercial rates (0.13, 0.13, 0.22, 1.56) one on local government finance (3.13) one on housing (1.40) one on legal aid (3.23) and two Opposition day debates: one on local government and water (3.18) one (initiated by the Scottish National Party) on the cold climate allowance (2.32).
COMMITTEES
Standing Committees
The following are extracts from the sessional returns for the relevant years detailing sittings of Standing Committees on Scottish issues.
Number of sittings
| |
| 1996–97 | |
First Scottish Standing Committee
| |
*Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Bill | 11 |
*Contract (Scotland) Bill | 1 |
*Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman and Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland Bill | 1 |
*Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Bill | 1 |
*Transfer of Crofting Estates (Scotland) Bill [Lords] | 1 |
Scottish Grand Committee
| |
| Ministerial statements | 1 |
Number of sittings
| |
Bills
| 1 |
*Contract (Scotland) Bill | 1 |
*Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman and Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland Bill | 1 |
*Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Bill | 1 |
*Transfer of Crofting Estates (Scotland) Bill | 1 |
Subjects raised on a substantive motion for the Adjournment
| |
| Scotland and defence | 1 |
| Local government in Scotland | 1 |
| Public expenditure in Scotland | 1 |
| Scotland in the World | 1 |
| Education and local government finance in Scotland | 1 |
| Housing and local government finance | 1 |
1995–96
| |
First Scottish Standard Committee
| |
*Deer (Amendment)(Scotland) Bill [Lords] | 1 |
*Education (Scotland) Bill [Lords] | 7 |
Special Standing Committee
| |
*Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill | 1 |
Scottish Grand Committee
| |
| Ministerial Statements | 1 |
Bills
| |
| Licensing (Amendment)(Scotland) Bill | 1 |
Subjects raised on a substantive motion for the Adjournment
| |
| Law and Order in Scotland | 1 |
| Pre-School Education in Scotland | 1 |
| Economic Development of the Highlands and Islands | 1 |
| Effects of the Budget in Scotland | 1 |
| Local Government Funding in Scotland | 1 |
| The Health Service in Scotland | 1 |
| Employment and Training of Young People in Scotland also Deer (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill [Lords] | 1 |
| Child Benefit and Welfare Reform in Scotland | 1 |
| Privatisation in the National Health Service in Scotland | 1 |
| Criminal Justice in Scotland | 1 |
| Scotland in the Union | 1 |
1994–95
| |
Special Standing Committee
| |
*Children (Scotland) | 13 |
First Scottish Standing Committee
| |
*Criminal Justice (Scotland) [Lords] | 9 |
Scottish Grand Committee—subjects raised on a substantive motion for the Adjournment
| |
| Public Expenditure in Scotland | 1 |
| The Scottish Economy | 1 |
| The Future of Rail Services in Scotland | 1 |
| Scottish Homes | 1 |
| Inward Investment in Scotland | 1 |
| Council Tax in Scotland | 1 |
| Scotland's Local Government | |
| The Future of Nursery Education in Scotland | |
| The Structure of Water Services in Scotland | |
| The State of Housing in Scotland | 1 |
| The Financial and Economic Implications of Independence for Scotland | 1 |
| Community Care in Scotland | 1 |
| Competitiveness in the Scottish Economy | 1 |
Bills
| |
*Children Government etc. (Scotland) | 1 |
1993–94
| |
First Scottish Standing Committee
| |
| Local Government etc.(Scotland) | 40 |
Second Scottish Standing Committee
| |
| Inshore Fishing (Scotland) [Lords] | 1 |
| State Hospitals (Scotland) [Lords] | 1 |
Scottish Grand Committee Matters
| |
| The Economy in Scotland | 2 |
| Law and Order in Scotland | 1 |
Estimates
| |
| Class XIV, Votes 17 and 18 | 1 |
Number of sittings
| |
| Class XIV, Votes 13, 14, 7 and 8 | 2 |
| Class XIV, Votes 1 and 2 | 1 |
1992–93
| |
First Scottish Standing Committee
| |
* Bankruptcy (Scotland) | 10 |
* Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) [Lords] | 8 |
Second Scottish Standing Committee
| |
| Damages(Scotland)(No.2) [Lords] | 1 |
| Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) | 1 |
| Protection of Animals (Scotland) | 1 |
| Carrying of Knives etc. (Scotland) | 1 |
Scottish Grand Committee Bills
| |
* Bankruptcy (Scotland) | 2 |
Matters
| |
| Public Expenditure in Scotland | 1 |
| Local Government Reform in Scotland | 1 |
| National Health Service in Scotland | 1 |
| Crime in Scotland | 1 |
| Women's Issues in Scotland | 1 |
| Child Care in Scotland | 1 |
In addition, Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation have considered instruments, etcetera relating to Scotland as follows:
- 1996–97: seven instruments at five sittings
- 1995–96: 13 instruments at nine sittings
- 1994–95: 18 instruments at 10 sittings
- 1993–94: 18 instruments at four sittings
- 1992–93: 56 instruments at 19 sittings
Scottish Affairs Select Committee
Further details are available from the Sessional Returns of the relevant year.
- 1996–97: 13 meetings, one visit, two reports and four minutes/memoranda of evidence and appendices
- 1995–96: 25 meetings, two visits, three reports and seven minutes/memoranda of evidence and appendices
- 1994–95: 19 meetings, six visits, three reports and four minutes/memoranda of Evidence and Appendices
- 1993–94: 26 meetings, six visits, one report and five minutes/memoranda of evidence and appendices
- 1992–93: 28 meetings, 15 visits, one report and four minutes/memoranda of evidence and appendices.