| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Ryder : No. The MRLs used in the United Kingdom are either the same as, or less than, those used by international bodies such as the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission and should not be expected to result in international ADIs being exceeded.
Salmonella
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his reply of 3 March, Official Report, columns 373-74, he will list for each of the 17 measures he has taken to control salmonella in poultry ; whether primary or secondary legislation has been or will be implemented giving dates for each ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson [holding answer 15 May 1989] : The measures listed in my earlier reply are either covered by secondary legislation or are non-statutory. For each of the measures mentioned in my reply of 3 March, numbered as in that reply, the information is as follows :
|Entry into force
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. The Diseases of Animals (Protein |2 February 1989
Processing) (Amendment) Order 1989
2. Achieved by administrative action
3. The Processed Animal Protein Order 1989 |14 April 1989 and
|13 June 1989
4. Achieved by administrative action
5. See my rely of 3 March
6. The Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 |16 March 1989
7. Still to be implemented
8 Achieved by administrative action
9. Achieved by administrative action
10. Still to be implemented
11. Still to be implemented
12-17. Non-statutory
Set-aside Scheme
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of (a) registrations and (b) applications for the set- aside scheme were validated by field inspections in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : [holding answer 11 May 1989] : About one quarter of total applications for set-aside in the United Kingdom in 1988-89 were subject to field inspection before acceptance. Further field inspections of farms accepted into the scheme will be taking place as part of the ongoing monitoring of set-aside obligations. Farms which have been registered have not in general been field inspected, but will be liable to inspection on a sample basis if and when applications are made under the scheme.
EMPLOYMENT
Task Force
87. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment has been made of the impact on British business of the activities of the task force on small and medium-sized enterprises ; and what plans there are to extend the role of the task force in the run up to 1992.
Mr. Cope : As part of its action programme for small and medium sized enterprises, the task force has introduced a number of initiatives designed to assist SMEs. Most of these are at a pilot stage and have yet to be assessed, but some evaluation has been carried out of the network of European information centres set up by the Commission, of which there are four in the UK. Clients of these centres have reported a high level of satisfaction with these services and the commission now proposes to extend the network. The Commission has also put forward a proposal for a formal legal base for the activities of the task force, and closer involvement by member states in its plans for the future. The UK Government welcome these proposals, placing particular priority on the task force's deregulatory activities and the need to evaluate its
cost-effectiveness carefully.
Bridging Allowance
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of bridging allowance by region at the end of January, February and March 1989.
Mr. Cope : The numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds in receipt of bridging allowance for the nearest available dates are as follows :
Region |9 February 1989|9 March 1989 |13 April 1989 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- East Midlands and Eastern |1,513 |1,380 |1,170 West Midlands |1,498 |1,507 |1,298 Wales |832 |774 |671 Eastern Division |620 |657 |542 Southern Division |576 |543 |521 Western Division |667 |612 |554 South West |753 |760 |630 Northern |1,088 |1,124 |1,021 Yorks and Humberside |1,820 |1,816 |1,487 Scotland |2,194 |2,182 |1,912 North West |2,602 |2,600 |2,235
YTS
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list at the most recently available date, YTS providers by the following occupation categories (a) administration and clerical, (b) creative, education, recreation, (c) health and community, (d) personal services, (e) selling and storage, (f) construction, (g) electrical engineering, (h) mechanical engineering, (i) motor vehicle repair, (j) non metal processing, (k) catering and food, (l) agriculture, horticulture, forestry, (m) mining, (n) fishing, (o) transport, (p) scientific, (q) printing, and (r) clothing and textiles.
Mr. Cope : The information is not available in the form requested. A copy of the YTS directory of approved training organisations is in the Library.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list at the most recently available date, YTS providers by the following industry categories (a) agriculture, forestry, fishing, (b) energy and water, (c) extraction, metals, minerals, chemicals, (d) metal goods, engineering, vehicles, (e) other manufacturing, (f) construction, (g) distribution, hotel, catering, repairs, (h) transport and communications, (i) banking and finance, (j) other services, and (k) not classified.
Mr. Cope : The information is not available in the form requested. A copy of the YTS directory of approved training organisations is in the library.
Training Schemes
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of trainees on each employment training scheme operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and give the name of each scheme and the total allowances paid to each scheme.
Mr. Nicholls : Information about the number of people in training with individual employment training managers in England and Wales can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The names and addresses of Training managers are held in the employment training directory of training agents and training managers, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons Library. Information about the amount of trainee allowances paid to trainees with individual training managers is not available. Government programmes in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for how many trainees has each employment training scheme management agency and employer in England, Wales and Northern Ireland contracted to fill for each month since the inception of the scheme ; and what percentage of these places have actually been filled in each case on a monthly basis.
Mr. Nicholls : The information requested can be provided in respect of England and Wales only at
Column 215
disproportionate cost. Government programmes in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of staff involved in monitoring fraud by employment training scheme management agencies and employers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Mr. Nicholls : Employment training in England and Wales is delivered by the Training Agency's network of 50 area offices, each of which has a team of officers who, as part of their duties, are responsible for investigating cases of fraud. In England and Wales, the incidence of fraud in the programme is monitored by the Training Agency's head office on the basis of quarterly returns provided by each area office.
Responsibility for Government programmes in Northern Ireland lies with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of fraud his Department has detected among employment training scheme management agencies and employers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland ; what sums were involved ; and how many prosecutions have proceeded.
Column 216
Mr. Nicholls : No cases of fraud by employment training agents and managers in England and Wales have been detected since the start of the programme on 1 September 1988.
Responsibility for Government programmes in Northern Ireland lies with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment training scheme management agencies and employers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been terminated because of fraud or other malpractice.
Mr. Nicholls : No training agents or managers contracting with the Training Agency under employment training in England and Wales have been terminated because of fraud or other malpractice.
Responsibility for Government programmes in Northern Ireland lies with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
HEALTH
Pensioners
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by region the estimated growth in the population over 75 years old for each of the next 10 years.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested is given in the table.
Column 215
Change in population 75 and over from 1989 to 1999 by Standard Region: Absolute change in thousands and percentage change<1>
1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94
75 and over |Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North |3.3 |1.7 |2.5 |1.2 |0.5 |0.3 |-1.7 |-0.8 |-1.1 |-0.6
Yorkshire and Humberside |4.7 |1.4 |2.0 |0.6 |-0.9 |-0.3 |-4.3 |-1.3 |-3.3 |-1.0
East Midlands |5.3 |2.0 |3.5 |1.3 |1.1 |0.4 |-1.7 |-0.6 |-1.0 |-0.4
East Anglia |4.2 |2.8 |2.6 |1.6 |1.3 |0.8 |-0.3 |-0.2 |-0.2 |-0.1
South East |10.8 |1.5 |7.2 |0.6 |-2.4 |-0.2 |-14.5 |-1.2 |-10.8 |-0.9
Greater London |2.9 |0.6 |-2.0 |-0.4 |-5.6 |-1.2 |-9.9 |-2.1 |-8.6 |-1.9
Rest of South East |15.9 |2.1 |9.2 |1.2 |3.1 |0.4 |-4.6 |-0.6 |-2.2 |-0.3
South West |8.7 |2.2 |4.2 |1.0 |1.2 |0.3 |-2.6 |-0.6 |-1.3 |-0.3
West Midlands |6.0 |1.9 |4.6 |1.4 |0.4 |0.4 |-2.3 |-0.7 |-1.4 |-0.4
North West |5.0 |1.2 |1.5 |0.3 |-2.3 |-0.5 |-6.6 |-1.5 |-5.3 |-1.2
Wales |3.7 |1.8 |1.9 |1.0 |1.1 |0.5 |-0.2 |-0.1 |0.3 |0.2
Scotland |5.0 |1.5 |1.6 |0.5 |-0.7 |-0.2 |-3.1 |-0.9 |-2.2 |-0.7
<1>1985 based population projections.
Change in population 75 and over from 1989 to 1999 by Standard Region: Absolute change in thousands and percentage change<1>
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99
75 and over |Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change|Absolute change |Percentage change
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North |7.6 |3.7 |7.0 |3.3 |5.2 |2.4 |3.3 |1.5 |2.9 |1.3
Yorkshire and Humberside |10.6 |3.2 |8.4 |2.5 |6.0 |1.7 |3.1 |0.9 |2.7 |0.7
East Midlands |10.3 |3.9 |8.8 |3.2 |6.8 |2.4 |4.3 |1.5 |3.9 |1.3
East Anglia |6.9 |4.3 |5.2 |3.1 |4.3 |2.5 |2.9 |1.7 |2.8 |1.6
South East |38.2 |3.1 |29.5 |2.3 |21.7 |1.7 |11.4 |0.9 |10.1 |0.8
Greater London |9.4 |1.9 |5.4 |1.2 |2.6 |0.6 |-1.0 |-0.2 |-1.3 |-0.3
Rest of South East |29.8 |3.8 |24.1 |3.0 |19.1 |2.3 |12.3 |1.4 |11.5 |1.3
South West |14.7 |3.7 |10.0 |2.4 |7.8 |1.8 |4.7 |1.1 |4.5 |1.0
West Midlands |12.8 |3.9 |11.6 |3.4 |8.8 |2.5 |5.5 |1.5 |4.9 |1.3
North West |12.0 |2.9 |9.5 |2.2 |6.4 |1.5 |2.8 |0.6 |2.3 |0.5
Wales |7.0 |3.4 |5.8 |2.7 |4.5 |2.0 |2.9 |1.3 |3.2 |1.4
Scotland |10.0 |3.0 |6.8 |2.0 |5.7 |1.7 |3.1 |0.9 |3.5 |1.0
<1>1985 based population projections.
Column 217
Pain
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is being made for research into alternatives to narcotic analgesics for nerve pain sufferers who cannot be relieved by these means.
Mr. Freeman : The Department is not directly funding research into the problem, but the pharmaceutical industry in the United Kingdom carries out research and development in virtually all therapeutic areas.
This is supported by the Department through the prices of National Health Service medicines. The current cost of this support is approximately 20 per cent. of the National Health Service drugs bill.
Drug Addicts
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the National Health Service reforms will have on the current situation in which drug addicts living in one health authority area are treated in another without refund because of the restrictive prescribing policies in the former.
Mr. Freeman : Under the proposed reforms of the National Health Service, district health authorities will have powers to charge each other for patients from outside their administrative boundaries, either under contract or, exceptionally, through extra-contractual arrangements.
Head Lice and Nits
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has concerning the incidence of head lice and nits in schoolchildren in North Staffordshire ; and if he will direct extra resources to enable school nurses to carry out more frequent and regular inspections.
Mr. Freeman : Information specifically about the incidence of head lice infestation is not available. However, the following details relate to health surveillance by nurses in the area covered by North Staffordshire health authority :
Maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools
Number of infestations<1> |1987-88 North
|Staffordshire health
|authority
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of pupils examined (thousands) |80.5
Number of pupils found to be infested
(thousands) | 2.4
Infested pupils as a percentage of the maintained
school population aged 5 to 14 years | 4.26
<1>Infestations include head lice, vermin, scabies, ringworm, impetigo and verruc|.
Responsibility for the control of head lice infection among pupils rests with individual health authorities through the school health service. It is for them to determine the policy for dealing with this problem in the light of local circumstances. Many have stopped routine head inspections and are now adopting more positive practices through health education programmes and advice to parents on head lice infestation and how to deal with the problem. By increasing parental awareness cases of infestation can be indentified and dealt with more promptly.
Column 218
West Lancashire District Health Authority
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total budget for the West Lancashire district health authority in 1978-79, 1983-84 and 1988-89 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to pursue his inquiries with Mr. R. B. Martin, chairman of North Western regional health authority, which is responsible for allocating resources to its districts.
Midwives (Regrading)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Social Services Select Committee's recommendations on midwives' regrading.
Mr. Freeman : I refer the hon. Member to my hon. and learned Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Batley and Spen (Mrs. Peacock) and the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett) on 10 May at columns 450-51.
GPs (Expenditure)
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average expenditure per patient by general practitioners.
Mr. Freeman : in 1988-89, the estimated average cost of drugs and appliances prescribed by general medical practitioners per patient in England was about £37. The average cost per patient on the general medical services was about £29.50. These figures are based on provisional and estimated returns and exclude the costs of hospital referrals initiated by general medical practitioners, and the administrative costs of family practitioner committees.
Physiological Measurement Technicians
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to improve the pay and career prospects of physiological measurement technicians.
Mr. Freeman : Pay and grading structures are matters for negotiation in the appropriate Whitley council. I understand that yesterday (16 May) the management side of the professional and technical B Whitley council made an offer to the staff side which would improve the pay and grading structures applicable to many NHS technical staff groups, including physiological measurement technicians.
Nurses (High Technology)
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken to expand post registration training opportunities for nurses in high technology care.
Mr. Mellor : To assist health authorities to expand their post- registration training opportunities for nurses in high technology care we created a central fund of £3 million and invited authorities to submit bids against this fund. Allocations have now been made as follows :
Regional health authority |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |202,000
Yorkshire |190,000
Trent |242,000
East Anglia |123,000
North West Thames |162,000
North East Thames |238,000
South East Thames |265,000
South West Thames |200,000
Wessex |152,000
Oxford |128,000
South Western |163,000
West Midlands |353,000
Mersey |150,000
North Western |202,000
London Post Graduate SHA's |142,000
|----
Total |2,902,000
We have also allocated £100,000 to the English national board to fund five additional nurse tutor posts.
The purpose of the additional funds is to provide start-up costs, additional tutors and some student salaries for courses in high-technology care. Detailed decisions on allocations will be for regional health authorities, but we shall be asking them to expand student numbers in courses which are already running, to start extra courses and develop new types of courses in critical care nursing. We are separately providing £400,000 to the English national board to undertake a review of all post-registration nurse education and training.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Income Support
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications he has received since April 1988 from hon. Members on behalf of 19-year-olds, or the families of 19-year-olds, for extra- statutory payments of income support to be made in order to allow such students to complete courses of non-advanced education ; and how many of such applications have been successful.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Since April 1988, we have received 31 such requests. Extra-statutory payments are made only where legislation is faulty, and does not meet our intention. This is not appropriate in these circumstances ; accordingly, none of the applicants has been successful.
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail how councillors' expenses are taken into account when computing eligibility for income and support and family credit ; and if he will give the reference to the regulations which determine these rules.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Councillors' expenses are treated in the same way as the expenses incurred by anyone in employment and receiving income support or family credit.
Payments made in respect of income tax, socal security contributions and one half of a contribution towards an occupational or personal pension scheme are disregarded under regulation 36(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 and regulation 20(3) of the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987. In addition, payments received for employment expenses which are wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred are not treated as earnings and are also disregarded under regulation
Column 220
35(2)(c) of, and paragraph 3 of schedule 9 to, the Income Support Regulations and regulation 19(2)(b) of, and paragraph 32 of schedule 2 to, the Family Credit Regulations. However, any payments for employment expenses which are not wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred are treated as earnings in the normal way in accordance with regulation 35(1)(f) of the Income Support Regulations and regulation 19(1)(d) of the Family Credit Regulations.Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds had made applications for income support on grounds of extreme hardship and how many had been granted at the end of January, February and March 1989 ; and how many at the same dates had been granted income support on grounds of being within exempted categories, shown by category and by region.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of applications from 16 and 17-year- olds on grounds of "severe hardship" and the number of directions given to enable benefit to be paid, at each of the dates specified, are in the following table :
Cumulative totals-period |Totals
ending
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
27 January 1989
Applications received |3,492
Directions given |2,332
24 February 1989
Applications received |4,770
Directions given |3,092
31 March 1989
Applications received |6,336
Directions given |4,104
Notes:
1. Based on 100 per cent. count of applications received.
2. Information relates to the number of applications received rather than
to the number of individual young people involved. Some individuals may
have received more than one direction.
3. Figures are cumulative to the last Friday in each month.
The numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds granted income support because they fall within one of the groups defined in regulations ceased to be collected after October 1988. They could be obtained now only at disproportionate cost.
Members' Letters
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many letters he received from hon. Members in each month for the last four months ;
(2) what was the average delay between receipt of letters from hon. Members to date of reply in each of the last four months.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information in respect of letters, most of which were from hon. Members receiving a ministerial reply, is as follows :
|Totals
--------------------------------------
January 1989
Letters received |1,333
Average time to reply |45 days
February 1989
Letters received |1,533
Average time to reply |35 days
March 1989
Letters received |1,676
Average time to reply |32 days
April 1989
Letters received |1,714
Average time to reply |38 days
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps are being taken to deal with correspondence from hon. Members more expeditiously ;
(2) what proportion of letters from hon. Members sent to his office he estimates could have been dealt with more speedily by the local Department of Social Services office concerned ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are constantly seeking to improve the service provided to hon. Members.
As my hon. Friend suggests, usually the most satisfactory way to resolve queries relating to the personal circumstances of individual constituents is to take them up directly with the manager of the appropriate local or Central office. Many hon. Members already do so. However, no figures are kept on which an estimate could be made of the proportion of letters which could be dealt with more speedily in this way.
Social Fund
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total value of applications for (a) budgeting loans, (b) cash loans and (c) community
Column 222
care grants from the social fund for the year 1988-89 in respect of the Department of Social Security local offices at Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton.Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on the numbers of community care grant, crisis loans and budgeting loan applications processed and the value of these applications is available in the Library.
Pensioners (Income)
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners' income was derived from (a) social security benefits, (b) occupational pensions, (c) savings and investment and (d) earnings in 1974, 1979, 1983 and 1988.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is as follows :
6
Source of pensioners' gross incomes
Per cent.
|1974|1979|1983|1986
------------------------------------------------------
All social security benefits |55 |61 |60 |59
Occupational pensions |15 |16 |18 |20
Savings and investment |13 |11 |14 |14
Employment earnings |17 |12 |8 |7
Source: Family expenditure survey.
Note: Information for 1986 is the latest available.
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the increase in pensioner income for each quintile of the income distribution in each year since 1974.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is as follows :
Column 221
Real changes in pensioners' income by quintile (percentage)
|1974 to 1975|1975 to 1976|1976 to 1977|1977 to 1978|1978 to 1979|1979 to 1980|1980 to 1981|1981 to 1982|1982 to 1983|1983 to 1984|1984 to 1985|1985 to 1986
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income
Quintile
Lowest
Q1 |5 |3 |1 |6 |-2 |4 |4 |2 |6 |2 |-1 |1
Q2 |2 |4 |-3 |7 |-2 |2 |6 |3 |6 |1 |0 |2
Q3 |0 |4 |-5 |8 |-3 |1 |6 |2 |7 |-1 |1 |3
Q4 |0 |1 |-3 |8 |-2 |2 |3 |2 |9 |-2 |1 |5
Highest
Q5 |-3 |-5 |2 |6 |-1 |2 |5 |-6 |16 |-2 |4 |7
All |0 |0 |-1 |7 |-2 |2 |5 |-1 |11 |-1 |2 |5
Equivalised Net income
Quintile
Lowest
Q1 |4 |3 |1 |6 |-3 |1 |6 |1 |6 |1 |-2 |2
Q2 |4 |2 |-1 |6 |-2 |1 |6 |1 |6 |1 |-1 |3
Q3 |3 |0 |-2 |6 |-2 |1 |5 |2 |7 |0 |0 |3
Q4 |2 |0 |-4 |8 |-1 |0 |6 |1 |8 |0 |1 |4
Highest
Q5 |-2 |-6 |1 |4 |-2 |2 |6 |-6 |17 |-1 |1 |9
All |1 |-2 |-1 |6 |-2 |1 |6 |-1 |10 |0 |0 |5
Source: Family Expenditure Survey. Comparison with one year with another may be affected by sampling error.
Note: Equivalised figures allow for the different circumstances of pensioners, eg householders/non-householders, single/married.
Income Support
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the maximum level of income support payments, in cash and constant prices, available to meet residential care and nursing home fees in each of the last five years.
Column 222
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The tables show the supplementary benefit-income support limits for help with fees in private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes. The figures given without brackets are amounts in cash prices ; the ones in brackets are rounded March 1989 prices.
Column 223
£ cash (March 1989 prices)
April 1985 November 1985 July 1986 April 1987 April 1988 April 1989
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Residential care homes
Elderly |110 |(130) |120 |(140) |125 |(144) |130 |(143) |130 |(138) |140
Very dependent or blind elderly |- |- |- |- |140 |(161) |145 |(160) |155 |(165) |155
Mentally ill |120 |(142) |130 |(152) |130 |(150) |130 |(143) |130 |(138) |140
Drug-alcohol dependent |120 |(142) |130 |(152) |130 |(150) |130 |(143) |130 |(138) |140
Mentally handicapped |140 |(166) |150 |(176) |150 |(173) |150 |(165) |160 |(170) |165
Physically disabled under pension age |170 |(201) |180 |(211) |180 |(207) |190 |(210) |190 |(202) |200
Others |110 |(130) |120 |(140) |125 |(144) |130 |(143) |130 |(138) |140
Nursing homes
Elderly and others |138.60|(164) |170 |(199) |170 |(196) |175 |(193) |185 |(196) |190
Mentally ill |148.60|(176) |180 |(211) |180 |(207) |180 |(199) |185 |(196) |195
Drug-alcohol dependent |148.60|(176) |180 |(211) |180 |(207) |180 |(199) |185 |(196) |190
Mentally handicapped |168.60|(200) |200 |(234) |200 |(230) |200 |(221) |200 |(212) |205
Physically disabled under pension age |198.60|(235) |230 |(269) |230 |(265) |230 |(254) |230 |(244) |235
Terminally ill |198.60|(235) |230 |(269) |230 |(265) |230 |(254) |230 |(244) |235
Attendance Allowance Board
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of his Department's staff, and what grades, have been seconded to the attendance allowance board under paragraph 9, schedule 11, Social Security Act 1975 ; how many are located in London and Blackpool ; and what are the comparable figures for the past three years ;
Column 224
(2) if he will publish the arrangements made under paragraph 9, schedule 11, Social Security Act 1975.Mr. Scott : The requested information is in the table. Staff are made available to the attendance allowance board having regard to its needs, the type of work involved and the personnel policies of the Department. I should emphasise that these staff are not involved in the decision-making process.
Column 223
Numbers, grades and locations of Department of Social Security staff made available to act as
officers and servants of the attendance
allowance board 1986-87 to 1989-90
1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90
Grade |London |Blackpool|London |Blackpool|London |Blackpool|London |Blackpool
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SMO |1.0 |- |1.0 |- |1.5 |- |1.5 |-
Principal |0.5 |- |0.5 |- |0.5 |- |0.5 |-
SEO |0.6 |- |0.6 |- |0.6 |- |0.6 |-
HEO |1.0 |0.5 |1.5 |0.5 |2.0 |1.0 |2.0 |1.0
EO |1.4 |12.0 |1.8 |12.0 |1.8 |16.0 |1.8 |18.0
AO |1.0 |- |1.0 |- |1.0 |- |1.0 |-
AA |1.0 |- |1.0 |- |1.0 |- |1.0 |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total 19.0 19.9 25.4 27.4
Community Charge
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions have taken place involving his Department as to the effects of the poll tax on the social security budget.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No discussions have taken place with any organisations outside Government.
Column 224
Availability for Work
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current average length of time between an unemployed claimant receiving an adjudication officer's adverse decision on grounds of restricted availability and non-availability for work and a subsequent appeal, by standard Great Britain region, including Greater London.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that the information is not available.
Column 225
SCOTLAND
Hospital Beds
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1979 (a) the number of acute beds available and (b) the number of non-acute beds available in each regional health authority ; and if he will give the national total for each year.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There are no regional health authorities in Scotland. The nearest equivalent to a regional health authority is Scotland taken as a whole. The average available number of staffed beds in NHS hospitals in Scotland at 30 September in each year since 1979 is set out in the table below.
Year |<1>Acute |<2>Non-acute|Total ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1979 |24,546 |33,956 |58,501 1980 |24,412 |33,793 |58,205 1981 |24,222 |33,808 |58,028 1982 |23,727 |33,715 |57,440 1983 |23,574 |33,722 |57,295 1984 |23,367 |33,849 |57,216 1985 |33,936 |33,399 |56,335 1986 |22,450 |33,284 |55,734 1987 |22,113 |32,775 |54,888 1988 |21,691 |32,235 |53,925 These figures reflect changes in clinical practice and more extensive use of community care offset by increased provision for priority groups such as the elderly. <1>Includes the following specialty groups: acute, supra-area, obstetrics and special categories <2>Includes long-stay, psychiatric and mental handicap specialty groups.
Hospital Closures
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each year since 1979 (a) each hospital closed completely and (b) each hospital closed partially ; and if he will break that list down by each region.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information is not available by region, and details are not held centrally of partially closed hospitals. The information requested on hospitals closed completely is as detailed below and covered 2,883 beds. During the same period, 60 projects involving 6,747 beds and 521 day places were opened :
1979
Broadstones Jubilee Hospital, Port Glasgow
Duncan McPherson Hospital, Gourock
Gateside Hospital, Greenock
Greenock Eye Infirmary
Greenock Royal Infirmary
Dunbar Cottage Hospital
Kings Cross (West) Hospital, Dundee
1980
Shotts Hospital
Charleton Maternity Home, Montrose
Sidlaw Hospital, Auchterhouse
1981
Carnbooth Children's Home, Glasgow
Homoeopathic Hospital for Children, Glasgow
Burghmuir Hospital, Perth
1982
Kilmarnock Infirmary
Torrance House, Kilmarnock
Strathmore, Hospital, Blairgowrie
| Next Section
| Home Page |