Previous Section Home Page

Set-aside Scheme

Sir Charles Morrison : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to introduce top-up payments for farmers who have entered land into the set-aside scheme and undertaken to bring about environmental improvements on that land.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have been considering, with the Countryside Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council, the possibility of making additional payments to farmers who undertake to manage their set-aside land in a way that produces specified benefits for the environment.

The set-aside scheme already carries with it conditions to ensure that fallow land is kept in good condition and that hedges are maintained. In addition, guidance has been issued suggesting to farmers how they can best manage fallow land in the interests of the landscape and wildlife. However, in order to assist farmers in cases where particular forms of management impose significant extra costs going beyond the basic conditions of the scheme, we have decided to introduce a system of additional incentives.

Under the scheme farmers will be invited to adopt one or more specified management practices which will, for example, increase the nature conservation or landscape value of the land or provide access or other recreational opportunities. Adoption of these practices will attract payment in addition to the rates offered under the set-aside scheme. The incentives will vary according to the nature of the management involved.

The top-up scheme will, at any rate initially, be targeted to certain parts of England where scope for environmental improvement seems greatest. It will be run by the Countryside Commission, with the assistance of the Nature Conservancy Council and in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture. Payments will be made at the discretion of the commission.

Further details of the scheme, including its geographical coverage are now being worked out and will be announced in due course.

Eastbourne Waterworks Company

Mr. Gow : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement following his meeting with the chairman of the Eastbourne Waterworks company to discuss changes for the year ending 31 March 1990.

Mr. Howard : I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Migratory Species

Mrs. Rosie Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is possible to keep, breed and sell any species listed in appendix 2 of the Berne convention on migratory species.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Yes. I will write to the hon. Member with details.


Column 430

Electoral Registers (Doncaster)

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report, the total number of people in each of the three parliamentary constituencies in the Doncaster area listed on (a) the electoral registers for 1988-89, (b) the electoral registers for 1989- 90 and (c) the electoral registers for five years and 10 years ago, respectively.

Mr. Freeman : I have been asked to reply. The information requested for 1983-84 and 1988-89 is as follows :


Parliamentary      Parliamentary electors 

constituency                              

                  |1983-84|1988-89        

------------------------------------------

Doncaster Central |71,888 |70,680         

Doncaster North   |73,204 |74,457         

Don Valley        |74,136 |75,852         

Notes:                                    

The current reorganisation of             

parliamentary constituencies took place   

in 1983. Electorate statistics for        

1983-84 have been reassembled on the      

basis of current constituency boundaries. 

Figures for earlier years are not         

available.                                

Numbers on the 1989-90 Register are still 

being assembled centrally. They will be   

published in Electoral Statistics 1989 (  

Series EL No. 16) at the end of May, and  

a copy will be placed in the Library.     

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

British Telecom (Pricing Policy)

Mr. French : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he has had any discussions with the Director-General of Fair Trading regarding the pricing policy of British Telecom ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) if he will discuss with the chairman of OFTEL the pricing policies of British Telecom ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) if he has any plans to review the legislation which defines the services provided by British Telecom governed by the RPI-X pricing formula ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins : These are matters for the Director General of Telecommunications to consider in the light of his independent statutory functions. I understand that at the end of last year he published a notice of his proposals for revising the price control formula in BT's licence with effect from 1 August 1989.

Manufacturing Industry (North-West)

Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the economy of the north-west consists of manufacturing industry ; and what is the national average.

Mr. Atkins : Provisional figures for 1987 indicate that manufacturing industry contributed 30.6 per cent. to the north-west standard region's gross domestic product (at factor cost and current prices). This compares with an average figure for the United Kingdom of 24.8 per cent.

GDP (North-West)

Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, by how much gross domestic product per head has increased in the north-west of England since 1979.


Column 431

Mr. Atkins : Gross domestic product per head (at factor cost and current prices) in the north-west standard region has increased from £2,838 in 1979 to, provisionally, £5,622 in 1987.

Export-Import Trade

Miss Lestor : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the value of United Kingdom exports to and imports from (a) Latin America, (b) Japan, (c) Asia


Column 432

(excluding Japan), (d) South Africa, (e) Sub -Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa) and (f) the middle east ; for each of the last five years in (i) constant prices and (ii) current prices.

Mr. Alan Clark : Information in constant prices is not available. Information at current prices is given in the table :


Column 431


|c|United Kingdom trade with Latin America, Japan, Asia<4>, South Africa,|c|                                                                   

|c|Sub-Saharan Africa<5> and the Middle East for 1984 to 1988|c|                                                                               

                       1984                  1985                  1986                  1987                  1988<1>                         

                      |Imports<2>|Exports<3>|Imports<2>|Exports<3>|Imports<2>|Exports<3>|Imports<2>|Exports<3>|Imports<2>|Exports<3>           

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latin America         |1,525.9   |924.9     |1,582.4   |1,067.3   |1,231.2   |1,091.2   |1,436.8   |1,191.9   |1,515.6   |1,101.8              

Japan                 |3,771.9   |926.6     |4,115.5   |1,012.3   |4,936.9   |1,193.7   |5,464.0   |1,495.1   |6,509.1   |1,742.7              

Asia<4>               |4,770.4   |4,194.4   |4,642.0   |4,501.5   |5,357.1   |4,682.5   |6,226.3   |5,312.7   |7,457.0   |5,557.9              

South Africa          |725.6     |1,204.1   |989.8     |1,009.2   |829.6     |849.5     |658.2     |948.6     |807.7     |1,074.8              

Sub-Saharan Africa<5> |1,849.2   |1,726.6   |2,053.4   |2,066.9   |1,443.8   |1,564.4   |1,086.3   |1,564.4   |1,006.2   |1,479.9              

Middle East<6>        |2,026.8   |5,224.5   |1,755.4   |5,304.0   |1,669.4   |5,033.7   |1,536.4   |4,955.7   |1,879.1   |4,749.8              

<1> Provisional.                                                                                                                               

<2> Imports cif                                                                                                                                

<3> Exports fob                                                                                                                                

<4> Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Kampuchea, Vietnam,  

Mongolia, China, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, North Korea, South Korea, Philippines, Maldives, Brunei and Indonesia. Excluding Japan.             

<5> Excluding South Africa.                                                                                                                    

<6> Middle East: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah etc, Oman, Yemen North,

 Yemen South, Iraq and Iran.                                                                                                                   

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.                                                                                                             

Price Indication (Code of Practice)

Ms. Quin : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) when he intends to review the effectiveness of the code of practice for traders on price indications ;

(2) what progress he has made in setting up a committee to monitor the effectiveness of the code of practice for traders on price indications.

Mr. Forth : The code of practice on price indications provides practical guidance for traders who need to comply with the obligation imposed by section 20 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 not to give a misleading price indication.

The Government will be monitoring the operation of the legislation and the working of the code of practice and has suggested that a committee should be set up for this purpose. It is hoped that representatives of all interested parties will be prepared to take part in the work of the committee. A review of the working of the legislation and the associated code of practice will be undertaken when sufficient experience of its operation is available to enable an informed assessment to be made.

Ms. Quin : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the effectiveness of the code of practice for traders on price indications (a) since they came into practice on 1 March and (b) before that date.

Mr. Forth : Extensive consultations were held both prior to and during the preparation of the code of practice


Column 432

with representatives of the main interested parties and with the public. Since its coming into operation on 1 March there have been a number of representations and inquiries on specific aspects of the code.

Public Limited Companies

Mr. Janman : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many new public limited companies have been registered in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months.

Mr. Maude : The chief executive of Companies House tells me that 2, 843 public limited companies were incorporated in Great Britain in the 12 months to February 1989. In addition, a further 841 private companies were re-registered as plcs in the same period.

Regional Assistance

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide figures on regional development grants for each of his Department's regions for (a) the number of applications outstanding on 31 March 1988, (b) the number of applications processed, (c) the number of those applications that are still outstanding and (d) the total amount of money paid out since 31 March 1988 to those applicants.

Mr. Atkins : The information requested in respect of the revised regional development grant scheme by region is as follows :


Column 433


                                  |North East              |North West              |Yorkshire and Humberside|East Midlands           |South West                                       

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of applications                                                                                                                                                                  

 outstanding at 31 March 1988     |3,260                   |2,740                   |830                     |240                     |540                                              

Number of these processed at end-                                                                                                                                                       

 February 1989                    |3,064                   |2,711                   |819                     |234                     |538                                              

Number still outstanding end-                                                                                                                                                           

 February 1989                    |196                     |29                      |11                      |6                       |2                                                

Grant paid (£ million) to date on                                                                                                                                                       

 applications outstanding at 31                                                                                                                                                         

 March 1988                       |14.2                    |12.9                    |3.1                     |1.5                     |1.8                                              

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total expenditure on regional selective assistance in each of his Department's regions for


Column 434

each year from 1983-84 to 1987-88 inclusive and the estimated expenditure for 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Mr. Atkins : Total expenditure on regional selective assistance (RSA) by region in the years in question was :


Column 433


£ million                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                         |North East              |North West              |Yorkshire and Humberside|East Midlands           |South West              |West Midlands           |England Total<1>                                 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1983-84                  |13.8                    |15.2                    |8.8                     |8.7                     |2.0                     |-                       |62.2                                             

1984-85                  |14.6                    |14.4                    |9.7                     |6.4                     |2.1                     |-                       |72.9                                             

1985-86                  |15.6                    |13.3                    |8.3                     |3.9                     |2.5                     |5.5                     |74.8                                             

1986-87                  |17.6                    |18.9                    |10.1                    |2.2                     |5.2                     |9.8                     |100.6                                            

1987-88                  |23.4                    |20.9                    |14.1                    |2.3                     |4.3                     |18.3                    |122.9                                            

<1> At the regional level the figures include only industrial and training grants: the England total also includes some unallocated project grants, and expenditure under the business improvement services and exchange risk    

guarantee scheme which it is not possible to provide on a regional basis.                                                                                                                                                        

Note:                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

All figures are gross of domestic receipts and receipts from the European regional development fund.                                                                                                                             

The latest gross forecast outturn for 1988-89 is £135 million. This is a best estimate and is dependent on the level of claims received and processed before the end of March.

The planned provision for 1989-90 as contained in the Supply Estimates, is £145 million. The planned provision for 1990-91 and 1991-92 is £150 million and £160 million, respectively. All planned provision figures are net of domestic receipts.

All the above figures include expenditure on industrial and training grants, and the business improvement services and exchange risk guarantee schemes.


Column 434

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total expenditure on regional development grant in each of his Department's regions for each year from 1983-84 to 1987-88 inclusive, and the estimated expenditure for 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Mr. Atkins : Total expenditure on the original and revised regional development grant schemes by region in the years in question was :


Column 433


Year                     |North East              |North West              |Yorkshire and Humberside|East Midlands           |South West                                       

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1983-84                  |68.8                    |115.5                   |23.5                    |8.2                     |7.8                                              

1984-85                  |61.6                    |107.4                   |26.8                    |3.8                     |9.5                                              

1985-86                  |46.4                    |83.0                    |24.2                    |4.4                     |8.6                                              

1986-87                  |89.8                    |113.7                   |27.1                    |8.4                     |15.3                                             

1987-88                  |57.6                    |49.8                    |17.8                    |7.1                     |7.0                                              

Note:                                                                                                                                                                          

All figures in the table are gross domestic receipts and receipts from the European regional development fund.                                                                 

The latest gross forecast outturn for DTI as a whole in 1988-89 is £155 million. This is a best estimate and is dependent on the level of claims received and processed before the end of March. The planned provision for 1989-90, as contained in the Supply Estimates, is £125 million. Planned provision in respect of 1990-91 and 1991-92 is £110 million and £55 million respectively. All planned provision figures are net of domestic receipts.

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will give for each of his Department's regions (a) the total number of applications received for investment grants from 1 April 1988 to the most recent


Column 434

date for which figures are available, (b) the total number of applications approved, (c) the total amount of expenditure involved and (d) the total estimated expenditure planned for that period and the estimated expenditure for 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 ; (2) if he will give for each of his Department's regions (a) the total number of applications received for innovation grants from 1 April 1988 to the most recent date for which figures are available, (b) the total number of applications approved, (c) the total amount of expenditure involved and (d) the total estimated expenditure planned for that period and the estimated expenditure for 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.


Column 435

Mr. Atkins : Regional enterprise grants (REGs) became available on 1 April 1988 in the development areas, and on 1 September 1988 in south Yorkshire. The information requested, for the English regions for which DTI is responsible, for the eleven months to 28 February 1989, is as follows :


Column 435


                         |Number of applications |Number of offers       |Value of offers (£ 000)                        

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment                                                                                                               

North East               |363                    |219                    |1,203                                          

North West               |390                    |219                    |1,373                                          

Yorkshire and Humberside |161                    |95                     |771                                            

East Midlands            |36                     |30                     |269                                            

South West               |126                    |86                     |385                                            

                         |---                    |---                    |---                                            

Total England            |1,076                  |649                    |4,001                                          

-------                  |-------                |-------                |-------                                        

Payments of £557,900                                                                                                     

 have been under                                                                                                         

 investment up to                                                                                                        

 end February.                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                         

Innovation                                                                                                               

North East               |117                    |48                     |896                                            

North West               |129                    |36                     |759                                            

Yorkshire and Humberside |61                     |22                     |490                                            

East Midlands            |8                      |3                      |75                                             

South West               |28                     |11                     |199                                            

                         |---                    |---                    |---                                            

Total England            |343                    |150                    |2,419                                          

Payments of £164,000 have been made under innovation up to end February.                                                 

The amount of expenditure paid out in any particular region depends on demand for the scheme and the appraisal of individual applications. The value of grants actually paid so far reflects the nature and timescale of the projects on which applicants have sought grants since scheme commencement in April.

The provision for 1989-90 as published in the supply estimates are £22.2 million for investment grants and £5.9 million for innovation grants.

Planned provision for regional enterprise grants in 1990-91 and 1991-92 is £45.2 million and £46.3 million respectively. The actual expenditure in future years will of course depend on demand.


Column 436

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide figures on regional selective assistance for each of his Department's regions giving (a) the total number of applications received since April 1988, (b) the number of applications that have been processed and (c) the total amount of money paid out since 1 April 1988.

Mr. Atkins : The information requested in respect of regional selective assistance (RSA) industrial and training grants by region is as follows :


Column 435


Ù

                                          |North East              |North West              |Yorkshire and Humberside|East Midlands           |South West              |West Midlands                                    

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(a)Number of applications received                                                                                                                                                                                       

 between 1 April 1988 and 28 February                                                                                                                                                                                    

 1989                                     |255                     |399                     |216                     |21                      |94                      |520                                              

(b)Number of applications processed                                                                                                                                                                                      

 between 1 April 1988 and 28 February                                                                                                                                                                                    

 1989                                     |239                     |382                     |208                     |31                      |84                      |562                                              

(c)Total grant paid (£ million) between 1                                                                                                                                                                                

 April 1988 and 28 February 1989          |22.9                    |17.4                    |6.9                     |0.9                     |3.6                     |21.2                                             

Business Development Consultancy Initiative

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total number of applications (a) received, (b) approved for business development consultancy initiative from 1 April 1988 to the most recent date for which figures are available and (c) the total amount of expenditure involved for each of the regions of his Department, Scotland and Wales.

Mr. Atkins : In the period from 1 April 1988 to 24 February 1989 a total of 16,761 applications were received


Column 436

for the business development consultancy initiatives. In the same period 12,533 applications were approved for assisted consultancy. The Department's contribution to the cost of completed consultancies totalled £9.3 million. It is estimated that those consultancies not completed by 24 February 1989 will cost the Department £22.5 million. A breakdown of numbers and cost of consultancy projects for each DTI region and for Scotland and Wales is as follows :


Column 437


Department of Trade and   |(a) Number of            |(b) Number of            |(c)Department of Trade   |(d) Estimated expenditure                          

Industry region/county    |applications received    |applications approved    |and Industry expenditure |on outstanding                                     

                                                    |for consultancy          |on completed             |consultancies                                      

                                                                              |consultancies                                                                

                                                                              |(£'000)                  |(£'000)                                            

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

North East                |852                      |649                      |465                      |1,124                                              

North West                |2,607                    |2,106                    |1,775                    |4,295                                              

Yorkshire and Humberside  |1,636                    |1,203                    |1,078                    |2,609                                              

West Midlands             |1,789                    |1,268                    |1,069                    |2,586                                              

East Midlands             |989                      |793                      |660                      |1,597                                              

South West                |1,667                    |1,008                    |576                      |1,394                                              

South East:                                                                                                                                                 

    Cambridge             |1,155                    |832                      |372                      |900                                                

    London                |1,783                    |1,349                    |892                      |2,159                                              

    Reading               |969                      |769                      |390                      |944                                                

    Reigate               |910                      |707                      |446                      |1,079                                              

Scotland                  |1,366                    |1,093                    |1,078                    |2,609                                              

Wales                     |1,038                    |756                      |493                      |1,192                                              

                          |-------                  |-------                  |-------                  |-------                                            

Total                     |16,761                   |12,533                   |9,294                    |22,488                                             

Mr. McLeish : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the total amount of expenditure on the business development consultancy initiative to be paid out in Scotland, Wales and his Department's regions for each of the years 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Mr. Atkins : We estimate the total amount of expenditure on the business development consultancy initiatives in 1988-89 will be £43.3 million. This cannot be broken down on a regional basis. The public expenditure survey provision for the years 1989-90 and 1990-91 is £91 million and £109 million respectively. Provision for 1991-92 has not yet been set.

WALES

Nurses (Regrading)

13. Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the nurses' clinical regrading review.

Mr. Wyn Roberts : Health authorities in Wales completed their work on the nurses clinical grading review by the end of October 1988. They received additional funds to meet the estimated final cost of the regrading.

Sheepmeat Regime

14. Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest developments regarding the sheepmeat regime proposals as they affect Wales ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Walker : Little progress has been made on the Commission's proposal for the review of the sheepmeat regime. Meanwhile, producers in Wales continue to benefit from the existing support arrangements.

Wales Tourist Board

15. Sir Anthony Meyer : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Wales tourist board ; and what was discussed.

Mr. Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend frequently meets with the chairman of the Wales tourist board to


Column 438

discuss many matters of mutual interest, including the WTB's central reservations system which is showing bookings up by 50 per cent. on this time last year--with self-catering holidays up 100 per cent.

Experimental Farms

16. Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to expand research and development at Trawsgoed an Pwllpeiran experimental farms ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Walker : The funding of research and development at experimental husbandry farms is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Future research programmes will depend on the results of consultations which are still under way.

Collieries (Merthyr)

17. Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends next to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss the future of the collieries in the Merthyr area.

Mr. Peter Walker : I am in regular contact with the chairman and deputy chairman to discuss issues of mutual interest, including the future of pits in the south Wales coalfield.

Gwynedd Health Authority

19. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next intends to meet the chairman of Gwynedd health authority to discuss health services.

Mr. Peter Walker : I plan to meet members of the Welsh health authorities chairmen's Committee, including Mrs. Edwards, in the near future to discuss the White Paper "Working for Patients". My officials will be meeting officers of Gwynedd health authority to discuss its revised financial plans in the light of my recent decisions on its hospital rationalisation proposals.

West Wales (Inward Investment)

20. Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is taking to encourage inward investment to west Wales ; and if he will make a statement.


Column 439

Mr. Peter Walker : Efforts to attract inward investment to Wales have been very successful with 1988 being a record year. The advantages of all parts of Wales are emphasised when projects are discussed with potential inward investors and Winvest has recently appointed a regional executive to work closely with local authorities in west Wales to secure inward investment projects for the area. I am tomorrow launching a marketing campaign developed by Winvest and a consortium of local authorities in west Glamorgan and east Dyfed. Winvest is currently discussing with local authorities in Dyfed the possibility of a similar initiative for west Wales.

East Glamorgan General Hospital

21. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement explaining the delay in the announcement of a replacement for the east Glamorgan general hospital.

Mr. Wyn Roberts : Mid Glamorgan health authority's proposals for the replacement of east Glamorgan general hospital are contained in its consultation document on the reorganisation of hospital services in Taff Ely and Rhondda. My right hon. Friend wishes to see health services in that area improved and he will give a decision on the proposal when further information that he has been asked for is obtained.

Farming Unions

22. Mr. Martin Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had recently from the Welsh farming unions.

Mr. Peter Walker : I regularly receive representations from the Welsh farming unions on a wide range of issues affecting agriculture in Wales.

Rating Reform

23. Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the community charge for 1990-91 for (a) Cardiff and (b) the average in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Walker : I have made no such estimates.

Disabled People

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the outcome of the meeting between Welsh office Ministers and representatives of disablement organisations in Wales, held on 7 February ; and whether he proposed to take any new action as a result of that meeting.

Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if following the meeting between his officials and the Spastics Society with the Wales Council for the disabled on 7 February in Cardiff, he now considers there to be the need for an all Wales physical handicap strategy and for additional resources to be made available for services for people with physical disabilities in Wales.

Mr. Peter Walker : Representatives of the Wales Council for the Disabled and the Spastics Society in Wales were told that Welsh Office social work services would be undertaking surveys of services for disabled people


Column 440

provided by local authorities and voluntary organisations in Wales. The needs of people with physical and sensory disability would also be examined in the next round of health authority strategic planning. The results of those exercises will not be available until next year, but in the meantime further consultations will be held with a number of bodies representing people with disabilities and preliminary guidance for planning purposes will be issued.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, in current money equivalent terms, the spending by Social Services departments in Wales on services for registered physically handicapped people during 1987-88 and for each of the previous 10 years, together with the number of such people who were beneficiaries of these services in each year and the corresponding average spending per assisted case.

Mr. Peter Walker : The information available on spending is given in the table :


|c|Local authority            

expenditure on physically     

handicapped<1> at 1986-87|c|  

|c|prices|c|                  

          |£ million          

------------------------------

1976-77   |4.5                

1977-78   |3.3                

1978-79   |4.3                

1979-80   |4.0                

1980-81   |3.8                

1981-82   |3.6                

1982-83   |3.5                

1983-84   |4.2                

1984-85   |<2>                

1985-86   |3.5                

1986-87   |3.6                

<1>Estimated from outturn     

information shown in the      

local authority social        

services planning statements  

for Wales. May include some   

expenditure on the elderly.   

Excludes day care.            

<2>Not available.             

Information relating to the receipt of services provided by Social Services Departments is as follows :


                          |Number of residents under|Cases of assistance                                

                          |the age of 65 supported  |provided by social                                 

                          |by local                 |services                                           

                          |authorities<1><2>        |departments<3><4>                                  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1977                      |761                      |22,110                                             

1978                      |718                      |24,997                                             

1979                      |720                      |28,707                                             

1980                      |689                      |28,418                                             

1981                      |634                      |25,293                                             

1982                      |630                      |26,720                                             

1983                      |583                      |31,290                                             

1984                      |599                      |41,659                                             

1985                      |548                      |39,312                                             

1986                      |417                      |42,423                                             

1987                      |416                      |44,310                                             

1988                      |404                      |45,285                                             

<1>In local authority, private and voluntary homes. Some of these residents may not be physically       

handicapped.                                                                                            

<2>As at 31 March.                                                                                      

<3>Telephone rentals, personal equipment, adaptations to property, holidays etc. Information given      

relates to cases as opposed to beneficiaries (an individual beneficiary may receive more than one case  

of assistance). Figures quoted include all age groups and relate to assistance provided to both         

physically handicapped people and other client groups.                                                  

<4>Year ending 31 March.                                                                                

It is not statistically meaningful to calculate an average spending per assisted case because of the differing natures of the various services provided. These services vary from


Column 441

smaller forms of assistance (such as the provision of personal aids) through to long-term support in residential care.

Dialysis Patients

Mr. McLoughlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new patients per million population in Wales received (i) haemodialysis and (ii) continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in 1988 or the most recent year for which figures are available.

Mr. Peter Walker : The number of new patients receiving renal dialysis in Wales in 1988 was 71.2 per million population. The proportional contribution of each dialysis mode was as follows : Home haemodialysis 18.3 per cent.

Hospital haemodialysis 31.0 per cent.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis 50.7 per cent.


Next Section

  Home Page