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Mr. Michael Spicer : This is an operational matter for the relevant electricity boards. I have asked the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to my hon. Friend in respect of nuclear power stations in England. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will ask the chairman of the South of Scotland electricity board to write in respect of nuclear power stations in Scotland.
Fossil-fuel Power Stations
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the fossil-fuel power stations in the United Kingdom due to be retired before 2000, the capacity lost and the current plans for replacement.
Mr. Michael Spicer : This is an operational matter for the relevant electricity boards. I have asked the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to my hon. Friend in respect of fossil-fuel power stations in England and Wales. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will ask the chairmen of the Scottish and Northern Ireland electricity boards to write in respect of their power stations.
Uranium
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is, for each year since 1973, the total amount of uranium mined in Namibia which has been imported into Britain.
Mr. Michael Spicer [holding answer 30 November 1988] : There were no imports of uranium ore concentrate from Namibia for the United Kingdom's civil nuclear power programme until 1977. Between 1977 and 1984, some 8,600 short tons of U308 (some 6,600 metric tonnes of contained uranium) were imported. There have been no such imports since 1984.
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All uranium imported into the United Kingdom for civil purposes is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the United Kingdom-Euratom-IAEA safeguards agreement.Power Failure (Windsor)
Dr. Glyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to complete his consideration of the power failure in Windsor referred to on 12 December, Official Report, column 641-2.
Mr. Michael Spicer : As required by the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988, the Southern electricity board notified my Department of the power failure which occurred at Windsor on 2 December. The cause was a fire in a substation, which led to a loss of supply to just over 12,000 consumers. Supply was restored to around 8,500 of these within five hours, but some remained without supply for a further 26 hours. The board is carrying out a full investigation, and I expect to have a report shortly. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have considered the report.
Oil Rigs
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his reply of 12 December, upon whom the cost of abandonment of North sea oil rigs will fall ; whether he has plans to introduce regulations to require future installations to be constructed in a way which makes their abandonment easier and less expensive ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Responsibility for the costs of abandonment of North sea offshore installations lies with the parties to the joint operating agreement relating to the installation, and any other persons given notice by the Secretary of State under section 1 of the Petroleum Act 1987. Tax and royalty relief will be available under the normal rules. The cost of abandonment is a factor which my Department is already able to take into account when considering field development proposals.
Energy Use Labelling
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the policy considerations that underpin the departmental view that it is neither desirable nor appropriate that the Government interfere in the market to enforce energy use labelling for domestic or commercial property for sale or rental.
Mr. Peter Morrison : It would not be justifiable to compel a householder or property owner to spend a sizeable sum of his own money in this way. However, the Energy Efficiency Office supports the development of voluntary energy labels, and I consider this to be the best way forward. Furthermore, enforcement of the use of energy labels would require sanctions for non-compliance ; workable sanctions would be difficult to devise and implement.
Kingsnorth and West Burton
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the status of Kingsnorth and West Burton following the announced deferment of the coal-fired power station project.
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Mr. Michael Spicer : As I said to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 9 December 1988, at column 379, my right hon. Friend is currently considering the CEGB's application for consent to construct a coal-fired power station at West Burton. He has received no application from the CEGB for consent to construct a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth. It is for the CEGB to decide whether and when to apply for consent to construct any new power station.
DEFENCE
Arms Exports
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs were directly and indirectly supported by arms exports in (a) 1986 and (b) 1987.
Mr. Sainsbury : As stated in the statement on the defence estimates, (Cm 344-II Volume 2, 1988 Table 6.8) the total number of jobs directly and indirectly supported by defence exports amounted to 110, 000 for the year 1985-86. This is the latest year for which Government figures are yet available.
Aircraft (Chaff)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to prevent the ejection of chaff from aircraft over areas grazed by livestock ; what representations he has received from farmers on this matter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : No. In war, the deployment of chaff would help our aircraft to avoid detection by enemy radar and thus enhance the survival prospects of the aircraft and aircrew. Practice in deploying chaff effectively is, therefore, essential. Most chaff is dropped over the sea, but a small amount has to be dispersed over land, almost all in the area of training ranges. Such use is very strictly controlled. Following complaints by a small number of farmers in the vicinity of the electronic warfare training range at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria, the Ministry of Defence commissioned an independent study into the properties of chaff. The Ministry of Defence is discussing with the National Farmers Union our intention to conduct a follow-on study of the effects of chaff upon livestock within the Spadeadam area for a period of two years commencing in the near future.
Chemical Weapons
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why it is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to comment on information relating to chemical weapons capability.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information on which the assessment of chemical weapons capabilities set out in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I) is based is highly classified, and it would not be in the national interest to discuss such information in detail.
Airfields
Mr. Harris : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to review the future of the airfields operated by the Procurement Executive of his Department.
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Mr. Sainsbury : We have decided to conduct a study into the future requirements for the airfields which support the research and development programme undertaken by the Procurement Executive. The airfields concerned are at royal aerospace establishment Bedford, aeroplane and armaments experimental establishment Boscombe Down and royal aerospace establishment Farnborough. The study will start early in the new year and all interested parties will have the opportunity to submit their views.
Her Majesty's Forces (Car Registration Plates)
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to complete the transfer of car registration plates on civilian vehicles belonging to members of Her Majesty's forces in Germany.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : All personnel with private vehicles registered with the British Forces Germany licensing centre have now been issued with United Kingdom-style civilian number plates. This action will be completed today. I should like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the excellent work by all those involved in Germany and elsewhere, in this very considerable task, which has involved some 60,000 vehicles and which has been completed in a most timely and efficient manner.
Ingram Model 10 Gun
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the calibre of the Ingram Model 10 sub-machine gun referred to in his answer of 13 June, Official Report, column 229.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Nine millimetres.
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Ingram Model 10 sub-machine gun was first issued to the Army in Northern Ireland ; to which Army units it has been issued ; and whether it can be fitted with a silencer.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I understand that the Ingram Model 10 was first issued to the Army in Northern Ireland in 1976. It is not our policy to comment on the issue of weapons to particular units. Although, like most firearms, the Ingram Model SMG Model 10 can be fitted with a silencer or suppressor, I am not aware of any occasion when a silenced or suppressed weapon has been used by the Army in Northern Ireland.
Keenie Meenie Services
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which Ministry of Defence publications Keenie Meenie Services (KMS) have placed advertisements.
Mr. Sainsbury : I am not aware of any advertisements having been procured or placed in Ministry of Defence publications by Keenie Meenie Services (KMS).
14 Intelligence Company
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) at what date 14 Intelligence Company was formed ; and whether it is still operative ;
(2) if he will list the locations and dates of 14 Intelligence Company's tours of duty.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not our policy to comment on intelligence matters.
Troops (Northern Ireland)
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table showing the number of troops deployed in Northern Ireland and the number of his Department's civil servants stationed there in each year from 1969 to the present date.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information available on the Armed Forces and MOD civilian numbers in Northern Ireland on 1 January of each year since 1969 and at the latest date is as follows :
|Regular Forces|UDR |Civilians
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1969 |4,902 |- |n/a
1970 |8,816 |- |n/a
1971 |11,100 |4,000 |n/a
1972 |15,323 |6,700 |n/a
1973 |18,382 |9,000 |n/a
1974 |16,991 |7,816 |n/a
1975 |15,732 |7,676 |n/a
1976 |15,627 |7,793 |n/a
1977 |15,427 |7,616 |n/a
1978 |15,287 |7,812 |3,364
1979 |13,704 |7,761 |3,305
1980 |13,389 |7,425 |3,231
1981 |12,143 |7,431 |3,087
1982 |11,799 |7,350 |2,947
1983 |11,357 |7,026 |2,825
1984 |10,260 |6,929 |2,761
1985 |10,222 |6,468 |2,709
1986 |10,090 |6,508 |2,693
1987 |11,158 |6,535 |2,621
1988 |10,887 |6,364 |2,618
(1 July) 1988 |11,164 |6,310 |2,625
n/a=not available.
Regular Forces numbers in 1969, 1970 and 1971 are at 1 July.
Recruitment to the UDR was authorised to commence on 1 January 1970.
Civilian numbers prior to 1978 are not readily available and could only be
produced at disproportionate cost.
Civilian numbers in 1978 are at 1 April.
Ulster Defence Regiment
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the official duties and responsibilities separately of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the regular forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The role of the armed forces in Northern Ireland, including the Ulster Defence Regiment, is to support the RUC in the defeat of terrorism and the maintenance of law and order. The duties and
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responsibilities in connection with this role are set out in statements on the defence estimates and in such documents as "Regulations of the Ulster Defence Regiment" published by HMSO.British Nuclear Fuels
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, the British Nuclear Fuel plc team carrying out the programme audit of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield communicated with his Department's officials prior to the completion of their report in March 1986.
Mr. Sainsbury : Yes. The conduct of the audit required communication and consultation between the BNFL audit team and MOD officials during the audit period.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many programme audits of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield have been carried out ;
(2) how many programme audits of the capital works programme at Aldermaston and Burghfield have been carried out by British Nuclear Fuels plc.
Mr. Sainsbury : Three programme audits have been carried out on the AWE capital programme. These were carried out by British Nuclear Fuels plc, the controller, establishments research and nuclear, and John Brown (Engineers and Constructors) Ltd.
AWE Capital Programme
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what, pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 50, was the nature of the indications that the estimated total cost of the AWE capital programme was rising.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 9 and 10 to appendix 4 of the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, "Control and Management of the Trident Programme"--HC 27.
Premature Voluntary Release
Mr. Brazier : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the Army premature voluntary release figures for the third quarter of each year from 1983 to 1988 ; and what are the comparable full year figures for each year from 1983 to 1987.
Mr. Freeman : The information that my hon. Friend has requested is set out in the table :
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Premature voluntary release: Army 1983-1988 Year |1983: 3rd Quarter |1984: 3rd Quarter |1985: 3rd Quarter |1986: 3rd Quarter |1987: 3rd Quarter |1988: 3rd Quarter<1> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Male Officers | 507 |146 | 562 |153 | 695 |167 | 661 |188 | 661 |173 | 501 |208 Female Officers | 16 |6 | 25 |8 | 37 |4 | 25 |7 | 39 |9 | 25 |11 Servicemen |1,907 |503 |2,491 |637 |2,936 |769 |2,643 |580 |2,997 |749 |2,702 |912 Servicewomen | 76 |19 | 86 |24 | 101 |22 | 130 |28 | 128 |29 | 107 |36 Total |2,506 |674 |3,164 |822 |3,769 |962 |3,459 |803 |3,825 |960 |3,335 |1,167 <1> figures up to end of September 1988
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HEALTH
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 caused by the bacterium salmonella enteritida found in eggs (a) for each year from 1980 to the present time and (b) for each calendar month during 1988.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : We do not have readily available information for the years 1980-87 for cases of food poisoning caused by salmonella enteritidis found in eggs. To date, in 1988 there have been 46 outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning involving over 1,000 cases in which the most likely source of infection was eggs. The monthly breakdown of cases is as follows. While we do not have readily available precise figures, a high proportion of these cases was associated with the salmonella enteritidis bacterium.
|Number
------------------------
January |27
February |-
March |-
April |60
May |302
June |159
July |207
August |145
September |114
October |127
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility his Department has for ensuring that foodstuffs are safe for human consumption and carry no risk of food poisoning ; in what way this responsibility is carried out ; how many and what type of staff are required ; what is the annual cost to his Department ; and what has been the change in the number of staff and the annual cost to his Department in each of the last five years.
Mrs. Currie : I shall let the right hon. Member have such information as can be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost as soon as possible.
Physicists
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the starting salary of National Health Service physicists who determine radiation output levels in radiotherapy departments ; what is the percentage gap between this starting salary and that for physicists in industry with similar qualifications ; how many jobs for physicists in the National Health Service are currently vacant ; and what proportion this is of the total number.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Starting salaries of physicists who determine radiation output levels in radiotherapy departments range from £11, 164 to £14,591 outside London, and from £12,431 to £15,858 in inner London. We do not collect information centrally about vacant physicist posts in the National Health Service or about starting salaries of physicists in industry.
Childminders
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he proposes to take to ensure that applicants
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for registration as childminders take part in a local authority approved course of pre-registration training, and that registered childminders do not discriminate against children or their families on grounds of ethnic origin, culture or religion.Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Local authority social service departments have a duty to register childminders under the Nurseries and Childminders Regulation Act 1948. We intend to revise that legislation by introducing amendments in the Children Bill, now going through Parliament. We shall consider whether it is appropriate to specify training requirements in new legislation. Section 20 of the Race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful for a person who provides facilities or services to the public or a section of the public to discriminate against any person who seeks to obtain those services, that is to treat him less favourably on racial grounds. I am advised that childminders are within the scope of that provision and I am satisfied that it is not necessary or desirable to make any further provision in legislation.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from (a) childminding associations, and (b) childcare and family service organisations, with regard to the White Paper, "The Law on Childcare and Family Services" ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : We have received representations on the Government's proposals for new legislation to regulate independently provided day care and out of school services set out in the White Paper from the National Childminding Association, the Staffordshire County Childminding Association and the pre-School Playgroups Association. We intend to introduce amendments to the Nurseries and Childminders Regulation Act 1948, which currently regulates these services, in the Children Bill.
Operating Department Assistants
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether operating department assistants from agencies are paid at a higher or lower rate than National Health Service staff.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : We have no information about the terms and conditions of service of operating department assistants employed by private agencies. Operating department assistants employed by the NHS receive a package of terms and conditions which includes items such as holidays, pensions and sick pay. Comparison is therefore not possible.
Education Act 1981
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of district health authorities are not complying fully with section 10 of the Education Act 1981.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : We do not collect this information centrally. However, the arrangements for identifying and providing for children under the age of five with special educational needs should be met through the continuous process of child health surveillance, including any necessary follow up arrangements, carried out by health authorities.
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AIDS
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will outline the specific aspects of the AIDS education programme designed to meet the needs of the deaf ;
(2) if he will make a statement explaining the reasons for refusing to renew the grant to AIDS health education and advice for the deaf for 1988- 89 ; and whether the grant will be restored in 1989-90 ; (3) if he will allocate an additional separate budget for AIDS education for deaf people in 1988-89.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : During 1987-88 and 1988-89 financial support amounting to nearly £113,000 was given by my Department and the Health Education Authority, to AIDS AHEAD a consortium of organisations representing the deaf, for the production and distribution of educational materials including videos, leaflets and posters.
A bid by AIDS AHEAD for further funding in the current financial year is currently being considered, and they have been invited to submit an outline bid for 1989-90.
In setting programmes for AIDS prevention my Department and the Health Education Authority will continue to take account of the educational needs of people with sensory impairment.
Drug abuse
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a breakdown of how the £9.5 million paid during the current financial year to combat drug abuse has been allocated between regional health authorities.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The £9.5 million available to regional health authorities for the development of drug misuse services in 1988-89 has been allocated as follows :
Regional health |£'000s
authority
--------------------------------------------------
Northern |603
Yorkshire |718
Trent |932
East Anglian |393
North West Thames |719
North East Thames |765
South East Thames |718
South West Thames |576
Wessex |585
Oxford |530
South Western |617
West Midlands |1,044
Mersey |481
North Western |789
|-------
Total |9,470
The allocations are based on each region's population in the 15 to 34 years age group.
Grants
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the national organisations to whom grants were made under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 in each of the years 1985 to 1988 ; and if he will state the amount paid in grants in each case.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Lists giving the details of grants awarded under the section 64 general scheme for the financial years 1984-85 to 1986 -87 have been placed in the Library. For 1987-88 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 27 June at columns 124-29 . The majority of the grant recipients are national in scope.
Grading
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in Wigan district health authority.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke [holding answer 12 December 1988] : The information requested is given in the table.
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The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff
Number of staff in each of the old clinical grades assimilated to each of the new clinical grades on the basis of duties and responsibilities on 1
April 1988: Wigan
Numbers
transferred to each
new clinical grade
Previous grade |Staff in post whole|A |B |C |D |E |F |<1>G |H |I
|time equivalents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Auxiliary |416.13 |383.66 |32.47 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nursery Nurse |5.64 |- |5.64 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Nurse<2> |406.60 |- |- |197.73 |81.81 |127.06 |- |- |- |-
Enrolled District Nurse<2> |70.82 |- |- |- |69.23 |1.59 |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled Nurse<2> |28.30 |- |- |- |12.47 |15.83 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse<2> |310.25 |- |- |- |53.94 |212.14 |44.17 |- |- |-
Staff Midwife<2> |44.98 |- |- |- |2.00 |27.76 |15.22 |- |- |-
Deputy Sister<2> |1.06 |- |- |- |- |1.06 |- |- |- |-
Nursing Sister II<2> |228.78 |- |- |- |- |- |91.43 |135.35 |2.00 |-
Midwifery Sister II<2> |87.72 |- |- |- |- |- |36.76 |50.96 |- |-
District Nurse (Sister II)<2> |59.12 |- |- |- |- |- |2.22 |54.90 |2.00 |-
Nursing Sister I |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Midwifery Sister I |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Health Visitor |80.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |77.00 |3.00 |-
Senior Nurse 8 |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1.00 |2.00
Senior Nurse 8 (Midwife) |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Senior Nurse 7 |17.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |14.00
Senior Nurse 7 (Midwife) |6.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |6.00
Clinical Teacher |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |4.00 |-
Fieldwork Teacher |12.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |12.00 |-
Practical Work Teacher |10.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |10.00 |-
Tutor |8.60 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |8.60
Tutor Midwife |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00
Post Basic Students
Enrolled Staff Nurse |46.00 |- |- |- |46.00 |- |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sister II |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |2.80 |- |2.80 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|-------
Totals |1,851.80 |383.66 |40.91 |197.73 |265.45 |385.44 |189.80 |318.21 |37.00 |33.60
<1> Excludes some additional G posts which health authorities have indicated they intend to create in future on existing two-sister wards.
<2> Excludes Post Basic Students.
Medical Records Staff
Mr. Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the cost per member of staff working in medical records, information and technology ; and what comparable figure he has for (a) the United States of America, (b) France, (c) the Federal Republic of Germany and (d) Sweden, at current rates of exchange ;
(2) how many employees, and at what average rates, are engaged in medical records information and technology aged, respectively, 16 to 18 years, 19 to 24 years, 25 to 35 years, 36 to 50 years and 50 to 65 years ; and what are the comparable figures for employees engaged in similar work in (1) the United States of America, (2) France, (3) the Federal Republic of Germany and (4) Sweden ;
Column 694
(3) if he will provide the number of medical records information and technology staff analysed by each health service region and give for each region the percentage which the total of such staff bears to the overall number employed in that region.Mr. Mellor : The work is performed by staff in a number of different grades and on different pay scales. Information on the average cost of such staff or on their breakdown into different age groups could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. The table shows, for each of the health service regions in England, the numbers of staff employed in medical records and in computing, and these numbers expressed as a percentage of total staff, at the latest available date of information. Comparative information on other countries is not available.
Column 693
NHS staff in post in England by Regional Health Authority at 30th September
1987
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOCIAL SECURITY
Widows
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many widows under the age of 45 years currently receive widow's pensions.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : As at 31 March 1988, the latest date for which information is available, approximately 4,500 widows aged under 45 were in receipt of widow's pension, which is payable to widows without dependent children.
Column 694
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has of the number of women aged between 40 and 45 years of age who will be widowed during 1988.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Latest estimates indicate that approximately 4, 000 women aged between 40 and 45 will be widowed during 1988.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last reviewed the level of the widow's pension ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. Friend reviewed the widow's payment at the same time as other benefits, before he made his uprating announcement to the House on 27 October.
Pensioners
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and proportion of pensioners' households in Derbyshire are in receipt of (a) occupational pension payments, (b) income support, (c) housing benefit and (d) both income support and housing benefit.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The county of Derbyshire is served by the Department's local offices at Derby (Becket street), Derby (London road), Derby (Heritage gate), Ilkeston, Chesterfield and Buxton, although the boundaries are not conterminous.
The number of income support claimants in receipt of a pensioner premium from these offices as at 31 August 1988, the latest information available, was 22,594.
I regret that the other information requested is not available. Source : 100 per cent. count of cases in action. The figures given include a small number of cases not actually in receipt of benefit and the information is provisional and subject to amendment.
Transitional Payments
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department will authorise Waltham Forest council to pay £5.58p per week transitional payment awarded to Mr. and Mrs. E. W. and R. J. Hirst of 77 Tyndall road, E10 on 26 August ; and how many other residents in Leyton are similarly awaiting notification to the local authority by his Department.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : In this instance Mr. Hirst opted to have any transitional payments paid direct to Waltham Forest district council. Payments in respect of the period 4 April 1988 to 13 November 1988 have been sent to the council and in these circumstances it is for them to arrange direct with Mr. Hirst the level of future rent and rate liabilities to reflect any transitional payments received direct from the transitional payments unit. Details of applications outstanding within Leyton are not available.
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