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Mr. Mellor : There are no Department of Health staff in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region.
Adverse Drug Reaction
Mr. Hayes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many doctors and dentists used the yellow card adverse reaction reporting procedure on (a) one occasion, (b) two occasions, (c) three occasions, (d) four occasions and (e) five occasions or more in each of the years between 1985 and 1988 ;
(2) how many doctors and dentists made adverse drug reaction reports to the Committee on Safety of Medicines in each of the years between 1985 and 1988, inclusive ;
(3) how many adverse drug reaction reports from doctors and dentists were received by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in each of the years 1985 to 1988.
Mr. Mellor : The total number of adverse drug reaction reports received by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in each of the years 1985- 88 was as follows :
|Number ---------------------1985 |12,652 1986 |15,527 1987 |16,431 1988 |19,022
We do not record the numbers of individual doctors and dentists who report adverse drug reactions to the CSM and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Malignant Neoplasms
89. Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the reply of 17 January to the hon. Member for Southend East, Official Report, columns 114-15, why no figures on newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasms in persons under 15 years of age are available since the year 1984 ; and when he expects the figures for 1985 and later years to be available.
Mr. Freeman : The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publishes annual cancer statistics using data collected by 12 regional registries which are funded by the regional health authorities.
The target for the publication of data for individuals diagnosed in 1985 was the middle of 1988. In practice the timing of publication is largely governed by when the slowest regional cancer registry provided OPCS with data. It should be borne in mind that regional registries exist to produce data for local management and research purposes as well as supplying data for the national cancer scheme. They sometimes have local priorities which conflict with the timely supply of data to OPCS.
OPCS is currently waiting for data from two registries on approximately 8,000 individuals diagnosed with cancer in 1985. Information on these cases is expected to be received by the end of February and we plan to publish the 1985 cancer registration volume in the summer of this year.
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Doctors (Complaints)
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received about the procedures available to investigate complaints against doctors ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The Government's proposals for changing the complaints procedures for the family practitioner services were published in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health". The aim of the proposals is to simplify and streamline procedures and to recast the governing regulations as a whole in simpler and plainer language. Consultations with interested bodies have not yet been completed. Directions on the procedures for complaints by hospital patients were issued to health authorities in June 1988. No representations have been received.
Osteoporosis
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to introduce a national screening programme for women at risk from osteoporosis.
Mr. Freeman : There are at present no plans to introduce a national screening programme for women at risk from osteoporosis. Further research is required on the appropriate techniques to use for screening and which criteria should be used to identify those at highest risk. The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science, has set up a specialist group which is considering this question and we shall keep developments under review.
Imported Food
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions have been made for breaches of the Imported Food Regulations 1984.
Mr. Freeman : This information is not collected centrally.
EMPLOYMENT
Earnings
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many weekly or monthly paid people in the United Kingdom are estimated to earn in excess of (a) £20,000, (b) £25,000 and (c) £50,000 per annum.
Mr. Nicholls : The latest estimates available from the Inland Revenue's survey of personal incomes for the tax year 1986-87 are as follows :
Income from employment in |Numbers (thousands) excess of £ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------20,000 |347 25,000 |298 50,000 |38
Staff (Pay)
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the number of staff in the Training
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Agency, 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 ;(2) what is the number of staff in his Department, 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. Cope : Neither the Employment Department nor the Training Agency make any local pay additions to staff outside London and the south-east planning region.
Employment Training
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the employment training scheme to include the sponsorship of young persons wishing to become commercial airline pilots.
Mr. Nicholls : There are no plans to make commercial pilot training available in employment training. The Air Transport Industry Training Association already carries out comprehensive training to meet its own requirements, including a thorough selection and assessment process.
Opencast Mining
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the code of practice setting out national standards for opencast mining in the vicinity of water courses will be published.
Mr. Nicholls : It is not possible to give a final date for the publication of the code of practice on the stability of excavated slopes at opencast coal sites, but it is expected this summer.
Small Businesses
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is taking to ensure that small businesses are well managed and that, where appropriate, managers employed in large businesses are encouraged to join small businesses.
Mr. Lee : The Training Agency currently supports a wide range of programmes aimed at improving the business and management skills of small firms and the small firms service offers advice to large numbers of owner/managers. In the White Paper "Employment for the 1990s" published last month, I announced plans to bring these together under the Training Agency and to establish training and enterprise councils. These developments will ensure that advice and training are closely linked, relevant to the business objectives of owner/managers and reflect local needs.
Managers in large businesses may be encouraged to join small firms by the strength of the small firms sector and the range of encouragement to enterprise that we have introduced.
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Viraj Mendis
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to any claims by, and payments made to, Mr. Viraj Mendis for unemployment benefit since 1973.
Mr. Lee : My officials are unable to trace records of Mr. Mendis's benefit claims before December 1980. I can confirm that although Mr. Mendis made a number of claims for unemployment benefit after this date, no unemployment benefit was paid.
Business Growth Training
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about his plans for the business growth through training programme, announced in the White Paper entitled "Employment for the 1990s", Cm. 540
Mr. Fowler : I can now announce that the programme, "Business Growth Training" will start on 1 April and that expenditure on it will be £55 million in a full year. The programme is designed to help the smaller business in particular and it will have four major components :
help for smaller firms with fewer than 500 employees to obtain outside advice to improve their performance through better training. Up to £15,000 will be available to meet up to half the costs of professional assistance to plan for the training of their employees as part of a strategy for managing change ; associated training of managers and supervisors ; purchase of open learning materials, and other forms of training new to the firm ;
training of owners and managers of very small businesses in better management and business skills in order to help them run and develop their business ;
projects to demonstrate how new approaches to training and development can help employers meet their business needs more effectively. Selected firms will be given up to half of the agreed costs, up to a maximum of £60,000, to mount the projects and to disseminate the results to other employers ;
projects to help to start up partnerships between businesses on a national sectoral basis or locally, to define needs for training in key skills, and to develop a long-term strategy for improving the supply of those skills. Funding will be limited to a maximum of £60, 000, up to half the costs. The Training Agency will draw up priorities for responding to applications for this pump-priming funding.
With the introduction of these new arrangements on 1 April, the local grants for employers scheme, local collaborative projects and national priority skills scheme will end. Existing commitments will of course be honoured. Those elements of the former training for enterprise programme which do not form part of employment training (the private enterprise programme, graduate enterprise programme, firmstart and growth programmes) will continue under business growth training.
Transfer of Undertakings Regulations
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to amend (a) the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 or (b) the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 1987.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : My right hon. Friend has no such plans.
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Graduates
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment with whom he has discussed the graduates in employment statistics outlined in the January 1989 edition of the Employment Gazette, at pages 22 and 23 ;
(2) if he has any plans to discuss the graduate in employment statistics outlined in the January 1989 edition of the Employment Gazette at pages 22 and 23 with the Confederation of British Industry and the Scottish Council (Development and Industry).
Mr. Lee [holding answer 19 January 1989] : We have no plans to initiate discussions on the information in the article.
The article itself was based on a paper prepared for the Department of Education and Science-led review of the demand for graduates, which in turn was based on information extracted from the labour force survey.
The Confederation of British Industry is represented on the review's working groups, which also include officials from relevant Departments, including the Scottish Office, and representatives from the Council for Industry and Higher Education. The Scottish Council for Development and Industry is not a member.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much he has spent on advertising in each of the last three years, and what was the breakdown of expenditure on advertising in each of these years.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 20 January 1989] : The amount spent by the Department of Employment on advertising during the financial years 1985-86, 1986-87 and 1987-88, broken down by media category was as follows :
£ million Year |Television |Press/Radio|Posters |Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------1985-86 |Nil |0.1 |Nil |0.1 1986-87 |9.3 |3.0 |0.4 |12.7 1987-88 |3.0 |0.5 |2.6 |6.1
These figures include production costs and VAT.
HSE (Prosecutions)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria are used by the Health and Safety Executive when deciding if a prosecution should go on indictment to the Crown court.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : It is a decision for magistrates courts, and not for the Health and Safety Executive, whether particular cases should be taken on indictment to the Crown court.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions in 1988 private solicitors were instructed to conduct prosecutions on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive ; and if he will consider transferring all prosecution work under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act and associated legislation to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : In England and Wales in 1987-88, the latest years for which
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figures are available, 234 cases were conducted by private solicitors on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive. My right hon. Friend has no plans to transfer prosecution work in the highly technical and specialised field of health and safety law to the Crown Prosecution Service,Hantergantick Quarry (Fatalities)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many informations were laid before Bodmin magistrates by the Health and Safety Executive in respect of the double fatality at Hantergantick quarry on 25 August 1987 ; and to what breaches of statutory provisions each of these informations related.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989) : A total of two informations were laid : one under section 2(1) of the health and Safety At Work, etc. Act. 1974, and another under section 109 of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why all informations laid before Bodmin magistrates in connection with the double fatality at Hantergantick quarry of 25 August 1987 were not proceeded with.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : The section of statute under which the successful prosecution proceeded was the result of the considered advice of solicitors and counsel.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the prosecution relating to the double fatality at Hantergantick quarry on 25 August 1987 was conducted by the Health and Safety Executive's own staff, or whether outside solicitors were instructed.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : The prosecution was undertaken by a local firm of solicitors, under the instructions from HSE legal division.
Safety at Work
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has made an assessment of the service provided by the procurator fiscal's department in conducting all prosecutions in Scotland under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : No.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are taken to ensure that all inspectors authorised to conduct legal proceedings under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 have received sufficient training and have a sufficient knowledge of magistrates courts proceedings to enable them to conduct the proceedings correctly ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : All newly appointed Health and Safety Executive inspectors who will be required to conduct legal proceedings attend, as part of their training, a course on magistrates court procedures, collection of evidence, presentation of cases and the conduct of proceedings in court. Further courses covering the same material are provided for inspectors in mid career either to update their skills and knowledge or before they are likely to conduct legal proceedings in a magistrates court.
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HSE's inspectors are also provided with comprehensive written guidance on magistrates court procedures and the conduct of proceedings in court.Summerwest World (Injury)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action was undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive following the injury to a small boy at Butlins Summerwest World, Minehead in September 1988 on the water slide ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 January 1989] : In accordance with the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1977, enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 at Butlins Summerwest World, Minehead is carried out by West Somerset district council, and consequently the Health and Safety Executive has no information about this incident.
DEFENCE
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.
Mr. Younger : In 1988, 721 oral parliamentary questions were answered by written reply owing to the question not being reached at Question Time.
Royal Air Force Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre
Mr. John Hunt : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates his Department has made of the expected revenue savings from the transfer of the RAF officer and aircrew selection centre from Biggin hill to Cranwell.
Mr. Neubert : Some £10 million in running costs will be saved over the next 10 years. Once the move has been completed running cost savings of more than £2 million per annum at current prices are expected to accrue.
Mr. John Hunt : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates his Department has made of the expected level of capital receipts following disposal of the existing RAF officer and aircrew selection centre site at Biggin hill.
Mr. Neubert : Following the closure announcement discussions are now being held with Bromley council to consider the future uses for the site of the officers and aircrew selection centre. This will assist us to determine the capital value of the site. The final estimate will however be a matter of commercial confidentiality and it would not be our normal practice to disclose it.
Mr. John Hunt : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure is envisaged to accommodate the RAF officer and aircrew selection centre following its proposed transfer from Biggin hill to Cranwell, including provision for the selection centre itself and the residential accommodation required for the personnel.
Mr. Neubert : The estimated cost of the facilities concerned, including extensions to existing facilities, is some £5 million at current prices.
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Woolwich Arsenal West
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to release the area of surplus land at Woolwich Arsenal west ; how the developer is to be selected ; what form the development is likely to take ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : The Woolwich Arsenal west site including the riverside area is owned jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the Crown Estate Commissioners with whom discussions are already in progress on disposal arrangements. We are also in informal consultation with the local planning authority, Greenwich borough council, to establish potential uses for the surplus land which will protect and be compatible with the many listed buildings on site. It is our normal practice to select a developer through open market competition.
Radioactivity
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer, Official Report , column 280 , to the hon. Member for Dumbarton of Thursday 19 January ; if he will specify the document covering United States practice in United Kingdom waters which embodies standard and international standards on the release of radioactivity.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : United States practice is consistent with the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The commission adopted its most recent recommendations on 17 January 1977, and these are contained in ICRP publication 26.
PUBSAFF
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dumbarton of Thursday 19 January ; if he will summarise the changes required by the local authorities and emergency services during the consultation process on Clyde PUBSAFE.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Clyde public safety scheme is currently under review, in consultation with local authorities and emergency services. It would not be appropriate to release details of any proposed changes before the revision is issued.
Nuclear Accident Exercises
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dumbarton of Thursday 19 January, Official Report , column 280 , how many exercises in each of the past five years have been carried out under the existing scheme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : In the Clyde area, there were seven nuclear accident exercises in 1985, six in 1986, five in 1987 and six in 1988. In Rosyth, there has been one exercise during each of the last five years, and practice evacuations of part of the naval base in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1988.
Radioactivity (Submarines)
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for
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Dumbarton of Thursday 19 January, Official Report, column 280, what levels of radioactive material Royal Navy submarines are authorised to discharge.Mr. Archie Hamilton : Releases of radioactivity from United Kingdom nuclear-powered submarines are strictly controlled within the established national and international standards, as recommended by the International Commission on radiological protection.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dumbarton of Thursday 19 January, Official Report, columns 279-80, if he has been informed by the United States Navy of the maximum level of radioactivity in waste discharged into United Kingdom waters by their submarines ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that any releases of radioactivity have not breached established national and international standards. Early United States operations in Holy Loch did lead in the 1960s to the detection of some Cobalt 60 in harbour sediment samples. This radioactivity was well below the internationally agreed public safety levels at the time, and was also below the much more stringent levels which apply now. Since then, the United States has made technical advances and has instituted even more rigorous control over discharges.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton) to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 23 January 1989 at column 407.
Aircraft (Urban Areas)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what height military aircraft are permitted to fly over urban areas which are not located within one of the avoidance areas or transit areas marked on the Civil Aviation Authority chart of United Kingdom areas of intense aerial activity, aerial tactics areas and military low flying system.
Mr. Neubert [holding answer 16 December 1988] : Military fast jet aircraft are instructed not to fly over the centres of major conurbations and built up areas below 2,000 feet, whilst the limit for light propeller driven aircraft and helicopters is 1,000 feet. However, we cannot guarantee to avoid overflying the outskirts of major towns or smaller communities. Nevertheless pilots will make every effort to avoid populated areas wherever possible.
Low-level Flying (Morocco)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in talks with the Government of Morocco on the use of facilities in Morocco for low-level training by the Royal Air Force.
Mr. Neubert [holding answer 16 December 1988] : I have nothing further to add to the answer given by my predecessor, the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman), on 10 May 1988 at column 104. The details of discussions of this sort is confidential.
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Low Flying
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if normal low -flying training sorties down to 250 ft are permitted within the three tactical training areas at the same time as operational low-flying training down to 100 ft.
Mr. Neubert [holding answer 16 December 1988] : Low flying training sorties down to 250 ft by non-operational low flying units are not permitted within the three tactical training areas when operational low flying is taking place except under special arrangements and with special approval.
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