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Cash Limits
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Lord Advocate proposes any changes to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service cash and running cost limits for 1988-89.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The cash limit on class XI, vote 14 will be reduced by £100,000 from £21,267,000 to £21,167,000 and the running costs limit by £100,000 from £18,820,000 to £18,720,000.
East End Executive, Glasgow
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs in each classification have been created to date by the East End Executive, Glasgow.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 16 January 1989] : Such statistics are not held centrally. I understand that the East End Executive's records show that, from its inception in August 1987 until 31 December 1988, businesses in receipt of advice and counselling from the executive have provided a total of 1,627 jobs in the area ; of these, 558 were in manufacturing industry and 1,069 in the service sector.
Employment Training
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of authorised places in employment training in 1988-89 and 1989-90.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 19 January 1989] : There is provision for 41,473 employment training places in Scotland in 1988-89 once the programme is fully operational. Provision for 1989-90 has not yet been finalised.
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Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of planned expenditure on employment training in 1988-89 and 1989-90.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 19 January 1989] : Up to £180 million is available for employment training in Scotland in 1988-89. Expenditure plans for 1989-90 have not yet been finalised.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to reduce the number of authorised employment training places.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 19 January 1989] : Provision for employment training in Scotland is kept under review in the light of changing circumstances including the level of long-term unemployment.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give in percentage form the local government rate support grant settlement for each of the years 1977-78 to 1987-88.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 January 1989] :
The information requested is as follows :
Scotland
|Percentage
---------------------------------
1977-78 |68.5
1978-79 |68.5
1979-80 |68.5
1980-81 |68.5
1981-82 |66.7
1982-83 |64.2
1983-84 |61.7
1984-85 |60.2
1985-86 |57.7
1986-87 |56.1
1987-88 |55.5
NORTHERN IRELAND
Gipsies
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many gipsies have been encamped at the junctions of the Middletown-Rookford roads, Armagh, during December 1988 ; how many caravans were there ; how many caravans were burnt ; what assistance he has given towards the replacement of damaged caravans ; on how many occasions the Royal Ulster Constabulary and fire authority were called to this camp in December ; whether the gipsy children attended school ; what financial and social assistance was given to these gipsies ; how many of them came from the Republic of Ireland ; what action he took to remove them ; and whether any public nuisance was caused by them.
Mr. Ian Stewart : During December 1988 some 40-50 travelling people were encamped at the junctions of the Middletown/Rookford roads, Armagh. Two of the 19 caravans on the site were burnt. No claim under the Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 has been received for damage caused during December 1988 to property at that location.
I understand that the Royal Ulster Constabulary was called to the site on 16 occasions during December 1988. The Northern Ireland Fire Authority was called to the site on two occasions in December.
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It is understood that the children of the itinerant families did not attend school while at the location.It has been possible to identify five travellers from the site who during this time were in receipt of social security benefit. However, any of the people on the site who applied would have received the benefits to which they were entitled. Social work help, mainly in relation to welfare rights inquiries, was provided.
Details of the number of travelling people from the Republic of Ireland are not available.
It was considered by the district council that a public health nuisance was caused by those at the site and 12 statutory notices to remove them were issued. In addition, it was also considered that a road traffic hazard was being caused.
Community Unit of Management (Belfast)
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details of the budgetary provision for 1987-88 and 1988-89 for the community unit of management in north and west Belfast ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The final budget allocation to the north and west Belfast community unit of management in 1987-88 was £18,250,758, including capital. The unit's initial budget allocation for 1988-89 was £18,410,452. In addition, in 1988-89 the unit received an additional allocation of £611,250 through the "Making Belfast Work" initiative. The final budget allocations for 1988-89 have not yet been determined.
Health Standards (Belfast)
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the standards of health of the population of north and west Belfast.
Mr. Needham : A recent report by the Eastern health and social services board indicates that in general morbidity and mortality rates are higher among the population in north and west Belfast than in other parts of the city. Action is being taken on a number of fronts to tackle this problem. These include the allocation of special funds for health related projects in north and west Belfast as part of the "Making Belfast Work" initiative, which also aims to relieve social deprivation ; the setting up of an action team to improve low immunisation uptake rates ; and the participation of Belfast in the World Health Organisation's healthy cities project.
Eastern Health and Social Services Board
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is to be taken on the Eastern health board's complementarity study on the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast City hospital and Mater hospital ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The recommendations of the complementarity study have recently been considered by the Eastern board and have now been included in the board's draft operational plan for 1989-90 as a basis for consultation. When this process has been completed I will wish to discuss with the chairman the board's conclusions.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the likely
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costs and savings of the recommendations contained within the Eastern health board's complementarity study, giving details for each relevant recommendation.Mr. Needham : Estimates of the costs and savings of the recommendations contained in the complementarity study report are not yet available.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Eastern health board's proposal to close the Mater hospital's casualty unit at night and the likely impact on the population of north Belfast.
Mr. Needham : This proposal is one of the recommendations of the Eastern board's complementary study which are currently the subject of consultation as part of the board's draft operational plan for 1989-90. When the board reaches conclusions on the study I shall want to discuss with the chairman the implications for the Mater hospital and the population it serves.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Eastern health board's proposal to close the Royal Victoria hospital's casualty service on certain nights and the impact on the population of north and west Belfast.
Mr. Needham : The proposal is one of the recommendations of the Eastern board's complementarityy study which is currently the subject of consultation as part of the board's draft operational plan for 1989-90. When the board reaches conclusions on the study I shall want to discuss with the chairman their implications, including the impact on the population served.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Eastern health board's proposal to close the Royal College of Surgeons' recommended trauma unit on certain nights.
Mr. Needham : The proposal is one of the recommendations of the Eastern board's complementarity study which are currently the subject of consultation as part of the board's draft operational plan for 1989-90. When the board reaches conclusions on the study I shall want to discuss their implications with the chairman. In case of accident and emergency services I will take into account all the recommendations contained in the recent report by the Royal College of Surgeons on the management of patients with major injuries.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Eastern health board's proposal to develop a unified management structure for the Royal Victoria, Mater and Belfast City hospitals and the budgetary implications.
Mr. Needham : I believe that it is essential to improved management and delivery of acute hospital services in Belfast to secure greater co- ordination and harmonisation between these three hospitals. I welcome the recommendation from the complementarity study for a unified management structure and I await with interest detailed proposals from the Eastern board to take this forward.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of gynaecology beds in the Royal Victoria, Mater and Belfast City
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hospitals in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988 ; and if he will make a statement on the Eastern health board's proposals for the future of gynaecological services for those three hospitals.Mr. Needham : The information is as follows :
|1986|1987|1988
-----------------------------------
Royal Victoria |38 |38 |38
Belfast City |60 |60 |60
Mater |20 |20 |20
The current proposals for rationalisation of gynaecology services in these hospitals stem from the Eastern board's complementarity study which is currently the subject of consultation as part of the board's draft operational plan for 1989-90. When the board reaches conclusions on the study I shall be discussing their implications with the chairman of the board.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of all specialties presently provided by the Royal Victoria hospital in the light of the Eastern health board's recent complementarity study.
Mr. Needham : The Eastern board has yet to reach decisions on the recommendations of the complementarity study, some of which relate to the Royal Victoria hospital. The hospital however is, and will continue to be, the major centre of excellence in Northern Ireland, providing the bulk of regional medical services to the population as a whole.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of gynaecology re-admissions at the Royal Victoria, Mater and Belfast City hospitals in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : This information is not available.
North and West Belfast Health District
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the relocation of the salaries and wages department of the North and West Belfast health district.
Mr. Needham : In view of the poor standard of accommodation occupied by the salaries and wages office of the royal group of hospitals unit of management (formerly north and west Belfast district) the Eastern health and social services board decided to relocate the office in more suitable accommodation in the centre of Belfast. Staff were consulted about the move and agreed to it.
Royal Victoria Hospital
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on action being taken to upgrade the buildings of the Royal Victoria hospital.
Mr. Needham : Over the past few years there has been an extensive programme of works designed to improve and extend the buildings and facilities at the royal group of hospitals. This is in addition to routine or day-to-day
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maintenance (including redecoration and repairs) undertaken by both directly employed maintenance staff and private contractors. The total cost of the programme of works carried out in the three financial years from 1985/86 was £8,839,550. Estimated expenditure on works in the current financial year, some of which will carry over into 1989-90, is £2,192,475, giving a total over the four years of £11,032,025. Details of the projects undertaken are available in the Library.Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of patients not treated at the Royal Victoria hospital due to (i) lack of access, and (ii) security problems in each year since 1975.
Mr. Needham : This information is not available.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list staffing levels within the internal security work force of the Royal Victoria hospital in each year since 1975.
Mr. Needham : The number of staff engaged specifically on security duties at the royal group of hospitals, including the Royal Victoria hospital, at 30 September each year was as follows :
|Staff in post
------------------------------------------
1975 |n/a
1976 |n/a
1977 |n/a
1978 |48
1979 |48
1980 |48
1981 |48
1982 |47
1983 |42
1984 |43
1985 |39
1986 |37
1987 |37
1988 |39
The figures for the years prior to 1985 relate to staff employed by the former north and west Belfast district, which included those hospitals forming the present royal group of hospitals unit of management.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on plans to remedy internal security problems within the Royal Victoria hospital.
Mr. Needham : Security at the Royal Victoria hospital site is primarily the responsibility of the Eastern health and social services board, which has recently spent £400,000 on security measures recommended by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The board has now issued a consultative document proposing further measures aimed at reducing all crime on the site. I am satisfied that the board is taking seriously the problem of protecting the interests of patients, staff and visitors while, at the same time, preserving reasonable access to the hospital's services.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the Royal Ulster Constabulary report on security at the Royal Victoria hospital ; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for this report not being made available to the Health Service trade unions.
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Mr. Needham : For obvious reasons, reports by the crime prevention unit of the Royal Ulster Constabulary are confidential documents. However, the additional measures recommended by the RUC to combat crime and vandalism on the site are contained in a paper which has been issued to interested parties, including the trade unions, for comment.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on present negotiations between the Northern Ireland Office, the Eastern health board and Health Service trade unions on security at the Royal Victoria hospital.
Mr. Needham : I understand that the royal group of hospitals unit of management has recently invited interested parties, including the Health Service trade unions, to participate in discussions on its proposals for additional security measures to combat the level of crime and vandalism on the royal site. I welcome this initiative and hope that all concerned will react positively to this invitation in the interest of providing the best possible protection to patients, staff and visitors using the hospitals.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of funding being made available in 1988-89 and 1989-90 for improving internal security at the Royal Victoria hospital.
Mr. Needham : I understand that in 1988-89 the Eastern health and social services board expects to spend some £580,000 on salaries and wages for security staff at the royal group of hospitals, including the Royal Victoria hospital. Expenditure on non-staff costs associated with security on the site is not separately identifiable. The budget for 1989-90 will be determined in the light of the outcome of the consultations with trade unions and other interests on the additional security measures which the board has now proposed.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans for the use of a new site as part of the rebuilding plans for parts of the Royal Victoria hospital ; and if he will make a statment.
Mr. Needham : Options for the use of the former Kelvin school site which adjoins the royal group of hospitals are currently being examined by the Eastern health and social services board. The board has recently approved a proposal by the unit of management group to use part of the site for additional car parking. This is an interim measure and does not prejudice continuing consideration of the best use of the Kelvin school site to meet the longer term development needs of the royal group of hospitals.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to carry out a study on the role of the Royal Victoria hospital as a district hospital serving north and west Belfast, as a general hospital serving the whole city and greater Belfast area and as the home of regional specialties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : I have no plans to carry out such a study. The royal group of hospitals, including the Royal Victoria hospital, is the major centre of excellence with the bulk of regional specialties based there ; it also provides acute
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services for the Eastern board population. I intend that it will continue to fulfil these roles and as evidence of the Government's commitment I have recently announced that two capital schemes will proceed in 1989-90--the regional neonatal referral unit and expanded recovery facilities for cardiac surgery.Health Service (Staffing)
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of senior management posts presently being filled by secondments within the royal group of hospitals.
Mr. Needham : The following three senior management posts are currently being filled by secondments within the royal group of hospitals :
a. Group Administrator
b. Catering Manager
c. Senior Administrative Officer (Clinical Activity and Resource Analysis).
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of the secondment process for senior management positions in the Royal group of hospitals, detailing the steps taken to safeguard fair employment practices.
Mr. Needham : The use of secondments at the royal group of hospitals is a matter for the Eastern health and social services board. Currently three managerial positions are being filled on this basis at the royal group.
Fair employment practices are safeguarded by the board's policy on equality of opportunity which provides for equal opportunity for all staff regardless of religious affiliation, sex or disability.
Antrim Hospital
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from general practitioners in the Northern health and social services board area opposing the provision of the new Antrim hospital ; and if he will make a statement on the reasons given for opposition.
Mr. Needham : I have received representations recently on behalf of a number of general practitioners in the Northern board area opposing the new Antrim hospital and questioning the underlying strategy for the development of acute hospital services in that board. I have indicated the Government's view that the project is essential to ensure that the population of the Northern board have in the future the high quality medical care to which they are entitled.
Accidents (Donaghadee)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many accidents have occurred, in each of the past 10 years, in the vicinity of the junction of Windmill road and Killaughey road, Donaghadee ; what is the recorded number of injuries and fatalities ; and if he will consider undertaking a scheme to improve road safety at this junction.
Mr. Needham : No statistical record of damage only accidents in this vicinity is kept, but the personal injury and fatal accident history over the past 10 years is as follows :
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Number of personal injury/fatal accidents Year |Number --------------------- 1979 |Nil 1980 |1 1981 |Nil 1982 |<1>1 1983 |Nil 1984 |1 1985 |Nil 1986 |1 1987 |Nil 1988 |Nil <1> Fatal.
The Department of the Environment's roads service is currently considering measures to improve this junction.
Handyman's Course (Donaghadee Technical College)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the handyman's course, due to commence on 10 January 1989 at Donaghadee technical college, has been withdrawn ; and if arrangements are being made to offer this course later in the present academic year.
Dr. Mawhinney : The organisation of courses is a matter for the South-Eastern education and library board.
This course was withdrawn because potential participants were unable to obtain a training grant from the Department of Economic Development's action for community employment (ACE) programme as funds available had already been committed and applicants were not themselves prepared to pay the required tuition fees. If the necessary fees support can be provided it may be possible to mount the course later this year.
Stalker-Sampson Inquiry
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Royal Ulster Constabulary officers have been (a) the subject of disciplinary proceedings, (b) dismissed from the Royal Ulster Constabulary, (c) required to resign, (d) allowed to resign due to ill health, (e) permitted to take premature retirement, (f) demoted, (g) repremanded or (h) otherwise disciplined, following the events investigated by Mr. Stalker and Mr. Sampson.
Mr. Ian Stewart : Disciplinary proceedings have not yet been concluded in respect of any of the 20 RUC officers referred to in the Chief Constable's statement of 4 July 1988. The answer to (b) (c) (e) (f) (g) (h) of the hon. Member's question is none. The two suspended officers to whom my right hon. Friend referred in his statement of 17 February 1988, at column 977, who have never been the subject of any disciplinary proceedings, have since been medically discharged under the RUC Pensions Regulations 1973 (as amended) because they were not fit to carry out the duties expected of them.
Council Houses
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the number of dwellings in each council area in Northern Ireland which have a net annual valuation below £60 ; how many of these in each council area are in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector ; in each sector how
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many are owner-occupied ; and what percentage of the dwellings in each council area such dwellings represent in each category of ownership and occupation, or as much of the information sought as is available to him.Mr. Needham : The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Rates
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many domestic hereditaments for rating purposes there are in (a) Limavady council area, (b) Coleraine council area and (c) Magherafelt council area.
Mr. Needham : The information at 31 December 1988 is as follows :
Council area |Number of domestic
|hereditaments
---------------------------------------------------------
Limavady |8,723
Coleraine |19,725
Magherafelt |11,245
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Ministerial Staff (Pay)
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of staff in his Ministry, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region ; what are the different amounts paid to staff by grade ; whether this figure varies due to location ; what qualifying period of scale- related criteria is used ; and whether this varies by location.
Mr. Donald Thompson : Outside London and the south-east economic planning region 52 administrative assistants in Ministry offices in Cambridge receive a local pay addition of £300 per annum. There is no qualifying period for receipt of the allowance.
Meat Exports
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what volume of British meat exports to the United States of America has been debarred or delayed so far, as a result of United States retaliation against the European Economic Community ban on imports of hormone-treated meat.
Mr. Donald Thompson : When the European Community banned imports from third countries of meat derived from animals treated with hormone growth promoters, the United States response was to impose penal levels of import duties--at 100 per cent.--on certain EC exports, rather than a complete ban. The list includes two meat items only : boneless beef and hams and shoulders. There were no United Kingdom exports to the United States of these products during the last 12 months for which statistics are available ; the United States action is therefore most unlikely to affect United Kingdom meat exporters.
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