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Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for (a) Durham local office area and (b) England (i) the number of claimants who have experienced, or will experience real reductions in income as a result of the changes made to diet and heating allowances in April and (ii) the amount saved by this means.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Estimates of the information required could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the average benefit paid to disabled claimants at Durham local office for the periods (a) 4-10 April and (b) 11-17 April, excluding transitional protection.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that this information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Single Parents
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what support from within the community is available to lone parents under the age of 18 years who are unable to gain support from their own family or his Department.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Lone parents under age 18 are eligible for income support from this Department subject to the normal rules. Lone parents were not affected by the general withdrawal of entitlement to income support from 16 and 17-year-olds. Young lone parents can also claim other benefits such as family credit, housing benefit, child benefit and one parent benefit provided that they fulfil the conditions of entitlement. A lone parent under age 18 may also be able to obtain help of other kinds from local authorities and voluntary organisations.
Working Mothers
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing estimates of the
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numbers of women who are working, with children, who have marginal tax rates in excess of 50 per cent., broken down into bands of 10 per cent. and into married women and one-parent families.Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that the information is not currently available.
Form FC1
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will revise the family claim form FC1.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We expect to bring a revised version into use in the spring.
National Insurance
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was raised through national insurance contributions in 1987 ; and on what it was expended.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : This information is not available for the calendar year 1987. Figures for the financial year ended 31 March 1987 are contained in the account of the national insurance fund for 1986-87 (House of Commons Paper 277). The account for 1987-88 will be published in the new year.
Occupational Pensions
Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will report on the progress being made by the occupational pensions board in considering measures to safeguard the rights of occupational scheme members ; and when he expects the board to complete its report.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We asked the occupational pensions board to report by the end of the year. I understand that the board expects to meet this date.
Community Care Grants
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps he will take to publicise the availability of community care grants as a means of ensuring the community care grants budget is notunderspent ;
(2) if he will issue an instruction to his Department's local probation services and hospital social workers concerned with re-establishment of patients in the community, as a means of ensuring full take-up of the community care grant budget.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information about the availability of community care grants is contained in a variety of leaflets, forms and posters, and guidance to social fund officers already emphasises the importance of liaison between local offices and statutory and other bodies.
We are currently considering a range of further measures to improve awareness of community care grants amongst the priority groups for whom they are intended and amongst organisations involved with potential applicants.
Local Offices (Rhondda)
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of applications for social fund
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loans were successful in (a) the Porth Rhondda and (b) the Tonypandy Rhondda West offices in the period up to 30 August ; (2) how much of the social fund allocation had been spent up to 30 August in (a) the Porth Rhondda and (b) the Tonypandy Rhondda West offices ;(3) what percentage of applications for social fund grants were successful in (a) the Porth Rhondda and (b) the Tonypandy Rhondda West offices in the period to 30 August.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants received, processed and awarded, listed by local office, including information on budget allocations and expenditure, is available from the details held in the Library.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims for single payment have been allowed at (a) the Tonypandy Rhondda West and (b) Porth Rhondda offices since 1 April ; and what amount of benefit these represent in each case ; (2) how many claims for single payment have been made at (a) the Tonypandy Rhondda West and (b) the Porth Rhondda offices since 1 April ; and what are the main items asked for in each case.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information is not available on the numbers of claims for single payments made and allowed since 1 April 1988 and the items asked for. The numbers of decisions made in respect of single payments during the period 11 April 1988 to 31 October 1988 were, at Rhondda West 1,188 and at Porth Rhondda 1,026. The total amount paid for single payments at each office during the same period was, at Rhondda West £67,982 and at Porth Rhondda £32,825.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new claims for housing benefit supplement were received at (a) the Tonypandy Rhondda West and (b) the Porth Rhondda offices from 1 November 1987 to 11 April 1988 ;
(2) what was the total amount of housing benefit supplement paid at (a) the Tonypandy Rhondda West and (b) the Porth Rhondda offices in the year prior to 31 October 1987.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that information is not available in the form requested.
Information obtained from the housing benefit subsidy claims submitted by the local authorities with which the Department's Rhondda (west) and Porth offices deal is shown in the tables.
L
Table 2
Total amount of housing benefit supplement paid
Authority (Borough |1986-87 |1987-88<1>
Council)
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rhondda |86,215 |100,236
Taff-Ely<2> |133,219 |147,842
<1> Provisional.
<2> Includes claims from Pontypridd office.
L
Table 2
Total amount of housing benefit supplement paid
Authority (Borough |1986-87 |1987-88<1>
Council)
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rhondda |86,215 |100,236
Taff-Ely<2> |133,219 |147,842
<1> Provisional.
<2> Includes claims from Pontypridd office.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new claims for supplementary benefit were received at (a) the Tonypandy Rhondda West and (b) the Porth Rhondda offices from 1 November 1987 to 11 April 1988.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of claims, both new and repeat, for supplementary benefit received between 21 October 1987 and 8 April 1988 (the closest available dates) is as follows :
|Claims
-------------------------------
(a) Rhondda West |2,902
(b) Porth |2,530
Source: Internal management
information, which is
provisional and subject to
amendment.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount of supplementary benefit paid at (a) the Tonypandy Rhondda west and (b) the Porth Rhondda offices in the year prior to 31 October 1987.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that this information is not available.
Young People
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases in each standard region are (a) aged 16 to 17 years but receiving income support whilst in relevant education, (b) aged 16 to 17 years who are entitled to income support under schedule 1 of the income support regulations, (c) aged 16 to 17 years who have been entitled to income support for short periods and (d) aged 16 to 17 years for whom he has used his discretionary power to grant income support to avoid severe hardship.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested concerning 16 and 17- year-olds receiving income support whilst in relevant education is not available.
The estimated number of 16 and 17-year-olds entitled to income support without time restriction (schedule 1 of the Income Support (General) Regulations) at September 1988 is as follows :
|Number
England |15,000
Scotland |2,000
Wales |2,000
|-------
Great Britain |19,000
Notes:
(1) Based on a sample of 1 in 50 cases in receipt of
Supplementary Allowance on a day in May 1987.
(2) Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.
(3) Information is not available according to "standard
regions" and in view of the small number of sample
cases involved any further breakdown would be subject
to wide sampling error and would therefore be of
doubtful validity.
The number of awards of income support made to 16 and 17-year-olds for limited periods (schedule 1A of the Income Support (General) Regulations) in September and October 1988 was :
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Region |Number of awards
-------------------------------------------------------
London (North) |27
London (South) |32
Midlands |42
North Eastern |55
North Western |60
Wales and South West |38
Scotland |34
|---
Great Britain |288
Notes:
(1) Based on 100 per cent. count of awards made up to
31 October 1988.
(2) Information is not available according to
"standard regions".
(3) Information relates to the number of awards rather
than to the individual number of young people
involved. Some may have had more than one award.
The number of directions given under the Secretary of State's discretionary power to avoid "severe hardship" to 16 and 17-year-olds during the 13 weeks ended 9 December 1988 is as follows :
Region |Number of applications|Number successful |Number unsuccessful
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London (North) |174 |124 |50
London (South) |131 |91 |40
Midlands |222 |167 |55
North Eastern |366 |243 |123
North Western |293 |193 |100
Wales and South West |185 |122 |63
Scotland |518 |329 |189
|------ |------ |------
Great Britain |1,889 |1,269 |620
Notes:
(1) Based on 100 per cent. count of applications received.
(2) Information is not available according to "standard regions".
(3) Information relates to the number of applications rather than to the number of individual young people
involved. Some may have made more than one application.
Severe Disability Premium
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current estimated percentage take-up of the severe disability premium.
Mr. Scott : I regret that the information requested is not available.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of awards thus far of severe disability premium to (a) individuals, (b) couples at the lower rate and (c) couples at the higher rate.
Mr. Scott : I regret that information on the number of people receiving the severe disability premium is not yet available.
Residential Homes
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assistance is available to residents of private aged persons' houses where the fees are raised above the maximum allowable income support towards residential costs.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Income support limits for help towards fees are intended to meet all reasonable charges for accommodation, board and personal care. The actual fee charged by an independent residential care home is a matter solely between the home and the resident.
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Contribution Records
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ensure that his Department's contracted -out earnings group office at Newcastle can provide contribution records within a reasonable time period.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Normally it is not necessary for the contracted- out earnings group to provide earnings or contribution information as employers and pension schemes have their own records of this. However, an inquiry service for employers submitting details to the group on magnetic tape is provided, for which a charge is made. The information requested is normally sent within a week of the inquiry.
Medical Tribunals
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when a medical appeal tribunal will hear the case of Pamela Walsh, 4 South avenue, Leigh, whose appeal was lodged in January.
Mr. Scott : I understand from the office of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals that Pamela Walsh's appeal will be heard on 18 January 1989.
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when a medical appeal tribunal will hear the case of Mr. R. T. Watson, 4 Fitchfield walk, Worsley, Manchester whose appeal was lodged on 16 March.
Mr. Scott : This is a matter for the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, but I understand that Mr. Watson has not yet been allocated a date for a hearing of his appeal.
Relocation of Offices
Mr. David Young : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration is being given to moving offices of his Department to Bolton.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We shall shortly be making an announcement setting out our plans to move some local office work away from London. Detailed work is also progressing to identify headquarters functions which might be relocated. This work still has some way to go but we are considering all alternative locations which will help the Department to improve efficiency.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many were eligible for housing benefit transitional payments at the start of the scheme ; and how many are estimated to be in the next financial year.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : When the transitional payments unit was set up it was announced that up to 300,000 people would be eligible to receive payments. Up to 9 December 396,000 applications had been received and 146,000 cases are receiving payments. In the majority of cases where assessments have not been made the unit is awaiting the return of inquiry forms from local authorities. The final date by which applications can be made is 31 March 1989 and until this date is reached it is not possible to predict how many people will eventually benefit from the scheme.
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THE ARTS
British Library
Mr. Buchan : To ask the Minister for the Arts what were the total buildings costs of the Urquhart building at the British Library in Boston Spa ; and what was the cost of fitting out this building.
Mr. Richard Luce [holding answer 8 December 1988] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 19 October 1988 at column 880 in respect of the total costs of the building. The cost of fitting out was approximately £1.5 million.
HEALTH
Nurses (Grading)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy that where a local manager wishes to change a nurse's grade he should not do so without having first consulted the regional health authority who in turn must consult his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : No. It is for regional and district health authorities to determine what consultations, if any, should take place and in what circumstances this would be appropriate.
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate for the Shropshire health authority of the number of patients who have been on the hospital waiting list for more than a year.
Mr. Mellor : The most recent validated in-patient waiting list figures are for 31 March 1988. At that date, there were 2,797 patients on the Shropshire list for more than a year.
Expenditure
Mr. Carttiss : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of expenditure for health services per 1,000 population for each of the health districts in the East Anglia region 1979-80 and for 1987-88.
Mr. Mellor : Figures based on the total populations of the district health authorities in the East Anglian region are shown in the table for the years 1982-83 (the first year following the establishment of those authorities) and 1987-88.
Total revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services (HCHS) per thousand population-East Anglian region District health |1982-83 (cash) £ |1982-83 (at 1987-88 |1987-88<1> (cash) £ |Real-terms increase per authorities |prices) £ |cent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cambridge |196,875 |247,974 |282,190 |13.8 Peterborough |147,793 |186,152 |201,761 |8.4 West Suffolk |122,989 |154,911 |177,316 |14.5 East Suffolk |156,002 |196,492 |206,428 |5.1 Norwich |163,649 |206,124 |218,825 |6.2 GreatYarmouth and Waveney |127,619 |160,742 |184,129 |14.6 West Norfolk and Wisbech |113,474 |142,926 |166,040 |16.2 Huntingdon |86,731 |109,243 |189,427 |73.4 <1> Provisional (ie as yet unaudited figures). HCHS covers all services provided (including hospital and community health services and where appropriate ambulance and other services). Sources: (a) Annual accounts of the district health authorities. (b) Mid-year estimates of resident population 1982 and 1987 (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys). Notes to the table: 1. The 1982-83 figures have been expressed at 1987-88 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product deflator. 2. District capital expenditure and all revenue and capital expenditure incurred by the East Anglian regional health authority for the region as a whole is excluded. 3. Expenditure on family practitioner services is excluded: such expenditure is accounted for by family practitioner committee (FPCs) and cannot strictly be attributed to particular districts. However, prior to 1 April 1985 the Cambridge, East Suffolk and Norwich district health authorities each had an associated FPC and their total revenue expenditure for 1982-83 included small, not separately identifiable, elements relating to FPCs' administrative expenses. 4. Significant variations in per capita expenditure figures at district level arise principally because: (i) people travel across district boundaries for treatment and sub-regional resource allocations reflect the pattern and changes in the pattern of service provision locally. (ii) the population figures used make no allowance for people resident in one district who receive treatment in another or for the differences in morbidity and age/sex structure of particular populations.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what proportion spending on the health services has increased over and above inflation since 1979 ; and what is his estimate of how much further that figure is likely to increase when the additional resources he has announced for the coming year are taken into account.
Mr. Mellor : The real terms increase in NHS gross expenditure since 1978-79 is 37 per cent. and is expected to rise to 40 per cent. in 1989-90. If, however, account is also taken of the extra cash released in 1989-90 by the reduction in employers' superannuation contributions and from health authorities' income generation and cost improvement schemes the value of the resources available is equivalent to a real terms increase of 4.5 per cent. over 1988-89.
Drug RU 486
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if there are any plans to introduce the RU 486 abortion pill for use in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what test have been carried out on the drug RU 486 in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : Any information of this kind received pursuant to the Medicines Act 1968 is confidential to the licensing authority. A company statement on RU 486 was issued by Roussel Laboratories Ltd. on 1 November 1988, a copy of which and any further information may be obtained from the company's office at Bradwater Park, Denham, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB9 5HP.
Speech Therapy
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the turnover rate amongst National Health Service speech therapists in each of the last five years.
Mr. Mellor : I regret that we do not collect this information centrally.
Column 600
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, by health authority (a) the establishment figure for speech therapists, (b) the actual number in place, (c) (b) as a proportion of (a), and (d) the number of cases treated in the last 12 months.
Mr. Mellor : I regret that we do not collect information on establishment and number of cases treated centrally in this form. The figures for whole-time equivalent staff in post in each English region and the London postgraduate special health authorities is as follows.
NHS staff in post
Speech therapists-England by region at 30 Sepember 1987
Region |Whole-time equivalents
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Northern RHA |160
2. Yorkshire RHA |160
3. Trent RHA |260
4. East Anglia RHA |120
5. North West Thames RHA |210
6. North East Thames RHA |240
7. South East Thames RHA |220
8. South West Thames RHA |170
9. Wessex RHA |140
10. Oxford RHA |140
11. South Western RHA |180
12. West Midlands RHA |260
13. Mersey RHA |110
14. North Western RHA |230
20. London Postgraduate Special Health Authorities |30
|------
England Total |2,630
Source: Department of Health (SR7) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.
Note: All figures are independently rounded to the nearest (10) ten whole-time equivalent.
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on health authorities insisting that patients or the guardians of patients in their area needing speech therapy should first sign an agreement or contract before such treatment can commence.
Mrs. Currie [holding answer 13 December 1988] : The terms on which speech therapy is provided to individual patients is a matter for agreement between the patient, or guardian of the patient, and the local health authority and speech therapy manager responsible for the provision. Many forms of speech therapy treatment need the parent or guardian of a speech-impaired child to work with the child outside the formal speech therapy sessions to reinforce the therapy. We are not aware that health authorities are generally requiring patients or guardians to sign written contracts.
AIDS
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement outlining the various methods by which HIV may be transmitted from one person to another ; and what is the latest evidence available to him on whether HIV may be transmitted in saliva.
Mr. Mellor : HIV is recognised to be transmissible by three main routes :
unprotected penetrative sexual intercourse with an infected person (between men or between a man and a woman) ;
Column 601
by inoculation of infected blood and blood products. In the United Kingdom this mainly results from drug misusers sharing contaminated injecting equipment ; andfrom an infected mother to her baby before or during birth, or after birth via breast feeding.
HIV has been found in low concentration in saliva but I am advised that there is no good evidence that HIV has ever been transmitted in saliva.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest measures being taken to protect at-risk groups from contracting the HIV virus in (a) prisons, (b) Her Majesty's forces and (c) the business travelling community ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : Since April 1986 the Government have allocated £32.5 million for a sustained programme of public education about HIV and AIDS. In October 1987 the Health Education Authority was given responsibility for further development of the campaign. Campaigns mounted so far include mass media work aimed at those travelling at home and abroad on holiday or on business. In addition, new leaflets have been produced for issue to travellers overseas. These include up-to-date information about the risks of HIV infection abroad. Educational initiatives aimed at prison inmates and members of HM armed forces are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Defence. However, I am aware that an educational package for prison inmates, comprising a video, a guide to its use and a leaflet, is nearing completion. Members of the armed forces were included in the distribution of the household leaflet "Don't Die of Ignorance" in early 1987 and with it received an insert directed at service personnel. Units moving overseas are given instruction on relevant health hazards, including HIV and other communicable diseases, and precautions that individuals can take to protect themselves.
Food Poisoning
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of reported cases of people affected by food poisoning for each calendar year from 1980 to the present time.
Mr. Mellor : The numbers of formally notified and otherwise ascertained cases of food poisoning for the years 1980-87 are as follows :
Year |Number ------------------------------ 1980 |<1>10,318 1981 |<1>9,936 1982 |14,253 1983 |17,735 1984 |20,702 1985 |19,242 1986 |23,948 1987 |29,331 <1> Formally notified only; otherwise ascertained not available.
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's estimate of the ratio of unreported cases to each reported case of a person affected by food poisoning.
Mr. Mellor : While there is considerable under-reporting, we do not have available a precise estimate of the ratio.
Column 602
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will proceed with plans to leaflet every household to warn against the dangers of food poisoning.
Mr. Mellor : Following preliminary assessment, the Government are to launch early next year a nationwide campaign to advise the public on how to prevent food poisoning in the home. Initially, this will be based on a leaflet "The Recipe for Food Safety" to be distributed extensively through supermarkets, doctors' surgeries and other outlets. Other ways of promoting good food hygiene practice in the home will also be considered.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of salmonella poisoning there have been in the last year for which figures are available ; and whether the incidence of this type of food poisoning is declining or increasing.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : In 1987, 20,532 isolates from humans in England and Wales were identified by the Department of enteric pathogen of the Public Health Laboratory Service. This is a 21 per cent. increase over the previous year and figures to date for this year indicate a further increase in salmonella isolates from humans.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of cases of salmonella food poisoning are estimated to be due to salmonella in eggs ; what is his estimate of the proportion of the 30 million eggs eaten annually that contain the salmonella bacteria ; and what advice he has circulated to the public and to the catering industry on how to avoid salmonella food poisoning from eggs.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : In the first 10 months of this year there were 46 outbreaks associated with eggs involving over 1,000 cases of salmonella food poisoning. We do not have information to estimate the proportion of cases of food poisoning due to eggs as in the great majority of sporadic cases no particular food is identified as the cause of the illness. Although the risk of harm to any healthy individual from consuming a single raw or partially cooked egg is small, it is advisable for vulnerable people such as the elderly, the sick, babies and pregnant women to consumer only eggs that have been cooked until the white and yolk are solid. Advice has been given to the catering industry and the public about the handling, cooking and use of eggs.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of cases of food poisoning in the last year for which figures are available, what assessment he has made as to whether the incidence is declining or increasing ; and what proportion arose from (a) home catering, (b) commercial catering and (c) catering in institutional establishments.
Mr. Mellor : In 1987 there were 29,331 cases of food poisoning, 20, 363 of which were formally notified and 8,968 ascertained by other means. Figures to date for this year indicate that the incidence is increasing. No precise data are available on proportions of cases attributable to different catering locations.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to introduce a statutory requirement that all those commercially involved in handling food take a course in food hygiene ;
Column 603
(2) if he has any plans for strengthening food hygiene legislation ;(3) what information he has concerning courses that provide training in food hygiene ; and whether his Department provides any input to these courses.
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