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Mr. Peter Bottomley : The consultant's report is expected late this summer. The results of the study will be published. There will be a period for public comment and discussion before decisions are taken. Subsequent action will depend on the measures adopted.
Exeter (Northern Bypass)
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the proposal to construct a northern bypass for Exeter from the M5 originated in a proposal put to his Department by Devon county council as the highway authority ;
(2) whether the proposal to construct a northern bypass for Exeter from the M5 is a scheme originating in his Department, without consulation with, or the approval of Devon county council.
Mr. Peter Bottomley [pursuant to his reply, 12 June 1989, c. 338] : When the routes for the M5 were originally investigated the choice lay between a route to the east and south and one to the north and west of Exeter. This was before the advent of public consultation and the then local authorities would have been consulted in confidence. I am sorry if my previous reply was not as full as my hon. Friend would have liked.
M20
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now state when he intends to let the contract for the Charing Heath to Ashford section of the M20 motorway.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : On 14 June.
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Birmingham Relief Road
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long, following his recent announcement that the proposed Birmingham relief road will now be subject to a competition for the private sector to finance, design, build and operate, he envisages this process will take ; when he expects to publish the report of the inspector to the public inquiries ; how much money has already been spent on compensation for the previously announced preferred route ; and how many claims for compensation relating to the previously preferred route are currently under negotiation.
Mr. Portillo : The Government want to see the road constructed as quickly as possible, and will announce a timetable for the competition as soon as possible. A decision on the inspector's report will be announced when the competition has taken place.
The compensation provisions do not come into force until the statutory orders for the scheme have been made. The Department has bought a number of properties under planning blight, costing approximately £2.3 million. A further nine cases are currently being processed.
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish his Department's estimate of the cost to date of the work carried out by Sir Owen Williams and Partners and the estimated cost of any further contractual commitments with Sir Owen Williams and Partners relating to the previously preferred route for the Birmingham relief road.
Mr. Portillo : A number of specialist firms and consultants have been employed in the preparation of the Birmingham northern relief road. The total cost so far is about £10 million. The work done is not abortive ; the information gathered will be made available to the private sector. The future role of Sir Owen Williams and Partners is still under discussion.
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will consider claims for compensation towards the legal costs of individuals, companies and local authorities represented at the public inquiry relating to the previously preferred route for the Birmingham relief road.
Mr. Portillo : Claims for compensation towards the legal costs of individuals, companies and local authorities represented at the public inquiry for the Birmingham northern relief road will be dealt with in accordance with the normal practice once a decision on the scheme has been announced.
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's estimated costs to date for the previously preferred route for the Birmingham relief road ; what are his Department's estimated costs to date of the various public inquiries relating to the previously preferred route ; and if he will estimate his Department's costs in implementing the competition for the road.
Mr. Portillo : I refer my hon. Friend to the answers already given on costs. The Department is unable to disaggregate its own internal running costs to individual schemes. We are not able to give details of the indirect
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costs of public inquiries, such as departmental staff costs. The direct costs, such as accommodation were about £39,000.It is too early to estimate what the costs of implementing the competition will be. Much will depend on how many bids are received and the nature of those bids.
Minibus Drivers
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), on 15 May, Official Report , columns 10-11 , what progress he has made towards securing the withdrawal of the draft European Community proposals relating to licensing of minibus drivers.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 12 June at column 331 .
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Blackburn Southern Bypass
Mr. Ken Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes have been made in the route of the Blackburn southern bypass of the M65 since the proposal in 1977.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Since 1977 there have been changes in the route of the bypass at Brindle and Guide and a shift in alignment at Knuzden Brook. Last year we announced that the bypass would be extended westwards to link to the A585 and to Bamber Bridge bypass.
Emergency Routes
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement in respect of his emergency transport plan "Main Road Route System", and the various major roads in England and Wales designated with military code names Hen, Mole, Moth, Newt, Pig, Tiger, Vole, Worm and Yak.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have been asked to reply.
No.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Hong Kong
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any plans exist in the Hong Kong Administration for enacting a Bill of Rights and incorporating the international covenant on civil and political rights into domestic law during the transitional period to 1997 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : The international covenant on civil and political rights was extended to Hong Kong, with certain reservations, in 1976. It is at present implemented in Hong Kong, as in the United Kingdom, through a combination of common law, legislation and administrative rules. We are now considering with the Hong Kong Government as a matter of priority whether to enact a human rights ordinance, and if so, what form it should take.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what exceptions to aspects of the joint declaration have been excluded from the proposed second draft of the proposed Basic Law for Hong Kong ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : The latest draft of the Basic Law repeats many provisions of the joint declaration word for word. However, there are undoubtedly other areas where improvements would be welcome in Hong Kong. Consultation on the draft Basic Law has been temporarily suspended in Hong Kong. When consultation resumes, Hong Kong people will no doubt wish to continue to express their views.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests were received from the People's Republic of China seeking a postponement of direct elections to the Legislative Council in Hong Kong ; what information he has as to the view of the People's Republic of China authorities as to the implementation of reforms to the political system in Hong Kong prior to the promulgation of the Basic Law; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : The Chinese Government made clear their view that any changes introduced in Hong Kong Government's 1988 White Paper on the development of representative government should be compatible with the Basic Law to be promulgated in 1990.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific measures have been taken to ensure that the high degree of autonomy promised for the special administrative region by the People's Republic of China authorities will be effected ; what sanctions exist should that autonomy not be granted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : A high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong is provided for in the Sino-British joint declaration of 1984, an international agreement binding under international law. We have the right to satisfy ourselves that the Basic Law fully and faithfully reflects the provisions of the joint declaration. We intend to live up to our commitments under the joint declaration and we look to the Chinese to do the same.
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Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the power of independent and final adjudication of the Basic Law of the special administrative region of Hong Kong will vest in the territory's courts ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : The Sino-British joint declaration on the future of Hong Kong provides that the courts of the future special administrative region shall exercise judicial power independently and free from any interference, and that the power of final judgment shall be vested in the court of final appeal in Hong Kong. These provisions are reflected in articles 81 and 84 of the latest draft of the Basic Law.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the light of recent events in the People's Republic of China, he will consider ordering direct elections for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong ; if a fully and directly elected legislature will be achieved prior to 1 July 1997 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : In the light of recent events in China, and evidence of a change of opinion in Hong Kong, we and the Hong Kong Government are taking a careful look at the programme for advancing and consolidating effective democracy in Hong Kong.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will suspend all extradition of prisoners to Hong Kong where there is a possibility of the extradited person being handed over to the People's Republic of China authorities on 1 July 1997 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : We have no plans to suspend the return of fugitives to Hong Kong. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary can only order the return of a fugitive when all court proceedings in the United Kingdom have been concluded. If a fugitive offender is returned to Hong Kong under the Fugitive Offenders Act before 1997, that will be for an offence against Hong Kong laws. It will not be for offences against the laws of the PRC. The case will be heard by the Hong Kong courts. Under the joint declaration, Hong Kong will retain its separate legal system after 1997, and will not be relying on the PRC criminal code.
Mr. Ali Ghavami
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is any financial or contractual relationship between Mr. Ali Ghavami, formerly an information officer at the Iranian embassy in London, and his Department in relation to his work in west Africa and elsewhere ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : There is no relationship between Mr. Ghavami and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
DEFENCE
Military Command Centres
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action is currently being planned or acted upon to update the United Kingdom's redevelopment and
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replacement of subordinate military command centres ; what rank of people and personnel will use them ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Archie Hamilton : I assume that the surbordinate military command centres to which the hon. Member is referring are the area flag officers' headquarters, the Army district headquarters and the RAF group headquarters in the United Kingdom. There are no plans to replace these. A number of works programmes relating to them are at various stages of planning. It is not our practice to give details of the ranks of personnel stationed at particular locations.
Naval Headquarters
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the plans for the (a) Royal Naval headquarters at Northwood and (b) Pitreavie castle, Fife ; what ranks of personnel and people will be stationed at them ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Currently, and for the foreseeable future, the functions of these headquarters are as follows :
Northwood is the headquarters of Commander-in-Chief Fleet, who also fills the NATO appointments of Commander-in-Chief Channel and Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic ; and of the Air Officer Commanding 18 group, who also fills the NATO appointments of Commander Air Eastern Atlantic and Commander Air Channel. Pitreavie is the headquarters of Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, and of Air Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, who both also fill NATO sub-area appointments relating to the Channel and Eastern Atlantic areas.
It is not our practice to give details of the ranks of personnel stationed at particular locations.
RAF Headquarters
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the plans for the Royal Air Force headquarters at (a) High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and (b) Stanmore, Middlesex ; what ranks of people and personnel will be stationed there ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Currently, and for the foreseeable future, the functions of these headquarters are as follows :
High Wycombe is the headquarters of the Air Oficer
Commander-in-Chief, RAF Strike Command, who also fills the NATO appointment of Commander-in-Chief UK Air.
RAF Bentley Priory, which I assume the hon. Member has in mind when he refers to Stanmore, is the headquarters of Air Officer Commanding 11 group, and of the Royal Observer Corps.
It is not our practice to give details of the ranks of personnel stationed at particular locations.
Land Forces Headquarters
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the current plans for the war headquarters of the Army's United Kingdom land forces
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command at Hawthorn, Wiltshire ; what ranks of people and personnel will be stationed there ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what are the plans for the war headquarters of the Army's United Kingdom land forces command at Sopley, Hampshire ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Archie Hamilton : The headquarters of United Kingdom land forces is at Wilton. It is not our practice to comment on the existence or otherwise of particular contingency plans relating to the outbreak of hostilities.
Nuclear Weapons (Accidents)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans his Department has for dealing with an accident involving (a) any seaborne, (b) any airborne or (c) any landborne nuclear weapon, in the course of non-operational activities, including courtesy calls in England and Wales.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence has contingency plans to deal with a wide range of possible accidents involving nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom. These are kept continuously under review and are tested regularly in exercises. Other Government Departments, local authorities and the civil emergency services are consulted where appropriate, and participate in exercises.
No. 2 Signals Brigade
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the (a) present and (b) future role of No. 2 Signals Brigade ; how many personnel and of what rank the brigade contains ; where it will be stationed during (i) 1989, and (ii) 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The role of 2 Signals Brigade is the provision of communications. The brigade has its headquarters at Corsham, Wiltshire and is currently stationed at 192 further locations. It is not our practice to give details of the strengths of operational formations.
Combat Body Armour
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has invited manufacturers to tender for the supply of combat body armour for general issue ; and if combat body armour will be introduced into general service in 1989.
Mr. Sainsbury : Modifications were required to the original design in the light of experience during the troop trials. A further trial of the modified design is now taking place and should be completed shortly.
Manufacturers have not yet been invited to tender for the supply of combat body armour for general issue. Its introduction into general service is now expected to begin in 1990.
Greenham Common
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the rights of commoners at Greenham common.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 29 April 1988 at columns
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310-11. Negotiations are taking place over the extinguishing of rights of common in accordance with the relevant statutory procedures.Exercises (West Germany)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations have been received from West German local governments in the past year concerning environmental damage by the British Army during exercises ; if he will make a statement on the views expressed ; and if he will outline the actions taken in the light of these representations.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : During the past year, four representations were received from West German land governments about environmental damage caused by British troops during exercise ; all have now been satisfactorily resolved. At lower level, there are frequent exchanges with stadt authorities about matters of mutual concern, and frequent meetings between civil and military authorities at which environmental matters are often discussed.
BAOR takes its obligation to protect the environment very seriously. All representations from local government in Germany are given careful and sympathetic consideration. Environmental issues are taken into account during the planning and conduct of exercises, and exercise play is adapted to meet local concerns where this can be done without unacceptable operational penalties. Some damage is, however, an unavoidable consequence of military training. Specific incidents are always fully investigated and a formal response made to any complaints. Well-established machinery exists for the quick processing of any claims.
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Mr. Alan Thomas (Bonus)
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 24 April, Official Report, column 367, how the performance bonus of the head of defence export services designate, Mr. Alan Thomas, will be calculated.
Mr. Sainsbury : As with other performance increments at senior levels in the Civil Service, this will be assessed judgmentally. The assessment will be made, within an annual maximum of £25,000, by senior officials, with Treasury representation.
Submarine Crews (Training)
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter, dated 12 May on the subject of the training of submarine crews.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I wrote to the hon. Member on 14 June 1989.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Loans and Grants
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number and percentage of (a) budgetary loans and (b) community care grants awarded to the 15 client groups defined by his Department for each of the departments of social security serving Doncaster and Mexborough areas in the county of South Yorkshire for the financial year 1988-89.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The table contains the provisional figures for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989.
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Budgeting loans and community care grants for the Doncaster and Mexborough areas: Numbers and percentages by client group
Budgeting Loans Community Care Grants
Doncaster East ILO Doncaster West ILO Wath on Dearne ILO Doncaster East ILO Doncaster West ILO Wath on Dearne ILO
|Number |Per cent |Number |Per cent |Number |Per cent |Number |Per cent |Number |Per cent |Number |Per cent
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unallocated or unidentified |7 |0.3 |5 |0.2 |7 |0.3 |0 |0.0 |3 |0.7 |1 |0.3
Over 80-with Income Support higher
pensioner premium |7 |0.4 |5 |0.2 |1 |0.7 |7 |2.3 |2 |0.5 |2 |0.7
Aged 60-79-disabled with higher pensioner
premium |9 |0.6 |8 |0.3 |10 |2.4 |12 |3.6 |15 |3.5 |7 |2.4
Aged 60-79-with ordinary pensioner
premium, or over 60 without pensioner
premium |65 |4.1 |64 |2.9 |42 |7.3 |34 |10.4 |38 |9.1 |21 |7.3
Lone parent with Income Support disability
premium |2 |0.1 |3 |0.1 |14 |3.1 |2 |0.6 |1 |0.2 |9 |3.1
Family with disability premium |33 |2.1 |35 |1.6 |100 |7.0 |13 |3.9 |7 |1.7 |20 |7.0
Other with disability premium |39 |2.4 |63 |2.9 |47 |11.5 |22 |6.8 |19 |4.4 |34 |11.5
Lone parent without disability premium |645 |40.5 |832 |38.1 |462 |23.0 |88 |26.5 |159 |37.7 |67 |23.0
Signs at UBO quarterly with Income Support
family premium |5 |0.3 |13 |0.6 |16 |0.3 |2 |0.6 |5 |1.2 |1 |0.3
Signs at UBO quarterly without family
premium |38 |2.4 |50 |2.3 |19 |1.0 |10 |2.9 |6 |1.5 |4 |1.0
Signing unemployed or with training
allowance with family premium |470 |29.5 |603 |27.7 |326 |18.5 |65 |19.7 |85 |20.2 |54 |18.5
Signing unemployed or with training
allowance without family premium |228 |14.3 |432 |19.8 |303 |18.1 |55 |16.5 |56 |13.3 |53 |18.1
Others with family premium |8 |0.5 |23 |1.0 |15 |3.1 |6 |1.9 |5 |1.2 |9 |3.1
Others without family premium |41 |2.6 |48 |2.2 |62 |3.5 |12 |3.6 |17 |4.0 |10 |3.5
Involved in trade dispute |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0
Applicant not in receipt of Income Support-
not applicable for budgeting loans |n/a |- |n/a |- |n/a |- |2 |0.6 |2 |0.5 |0 |0.0
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of (a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants were awarded to each of the 15
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client groups defined by his Department for each of his Department's two offices serving the Coventry area for the financial year 1988-89.Column 529
Mr. Lloyd [holding answer 8 June 1989] : Estimates of the proportions of budgeting loans and community care grants awarded to client groups for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 are given in the table.
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Budgeting loans and community care grants for Coventry (East) and Coventry (West) percentage by client group 1988-89
Per cent.
Client Group Budgeting Loans Community Care Grants
|Coventry (East) ILO |Coventry (West) ILO |Coventry (East) ILO |Coventry (West) ILO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unallocated or unidentified |0.4 |0.4 |0.0 |1.3
Over 80-with income support higher pensioner
premium |0.1 |0.4 |4.4 |4.5
Aged 60-79-disabled with higher pensioner
premium |0.5 |0.4 |2.8 |3.1
Aged 60-79-with ordinary pensioner premium,
or over 60 without pensioner premium |2.8 |4.2 |14.0 |8.9
Lone parent with income support disability
premium |0.3 |0.1 |0.2 |1.3
Family with disability premium |1.6 |2.8 |1.7 |2.2
Other with disability premium |4.3 |3.3 |12.0 |9.4
Lone parent without disability premium |46.3 |49.2 |33.4 |30.8
Signs at UBO quarterly with Income Support
family premium |0.6 |0.7 |0.2 |0.4
Signs at UBO quarterly without family premium |2.3 |2.1 |1.5 |2.2
Signing unemployed or with training allowance
with family premium |12.5 |16.5 |2.8 |8.5
Signing unemployed or with training allowance
without family premium |23.4 |16.4 |16.6 |21.9
Others with family premium |1.0 |0.9 |1.7 |0.9
Others without family premium |4.3 |2.6 |7.4 |3.6
Involved in trade dispute |0.0 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0
Applicant not in receipt of income support-not
applicable for budgeting loans |n/a |n/a |1.1 |0.9
Personal Data (Departmental Index)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the items of personal data held in the new computerised departmental central index, the size of the index, and how many accesses were made to the index over the last two months.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Each record on the departmental central index holds up to five items of information relating to one person and the index currently holds around 60 million records. The information held is the person's name, date of birth, address, sex and date of death where appropriate. Over the last two months, 1,503,485 trace and inquiry accesses were made of the system.
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Community Charge Rebate
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by each charging authority in Wales the income level at which (a) a single person aged under 25 years, (b) a single person aged over 25 years, (c) a single pensioner, (d) a pensioner couple and (e) a couple with two children all with no savings would lose entitlement to a community charge rebate, assuming the most recent safety-netted community charge figures.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is given in the table.
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Community charge benefit: net income at which minimum CCB of 50 pence is payable
Local authority |Annual community charge |Single under 25 working |Single 25 to 59 working |Single pensioner aged |Pensioner couple aged |Couple two children under
|60-74 not working |60-74 not working |11 working
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside |216.00 |51.23 |58.73 |64.93 |112.84 |135.79
Colwyn |224.00 |52.05 |59.55 |65.75 |114.48 |137.43
Delyn |215.00 |51.13 |58.63 |64.83 |112.63 |135.58
Glyndwr |185.00 |48.05 |55.55 |61.75 |106.48 |129.43
Rhuddlan |201.00 |49.70 |57.20 |63.40 |109.76 |132.71
Wrexham Maelor |196.00 |49.18 |56.68 |62.88 |108.74 |131.69
Carmarthen |135.00 |42.93 |50.43 |56.63 |96.22 |119.17
Ceredigion |146.00 |44.05 |51.55 |57.75 |98.48 |121.43
Dinefwr |119.00 |41.29 |48.79 |54.99 |92.94 |115.89
Llanelli |150.00 |44.46 |51.96 |58.16 |99.30 |122.25
Preseli Pembrokeshire |136.00 |43.03 |50.53 |56.73 |96.43 |119.38
South Pembrokeshire |166.00 |46.11 |53.61 |59.81 |102.58 |125.53
Blaenau Gwent |124.00 |41.80 |49.30 |55.50 |93.97 |116.92
Islwyn |135.00 |42.93 |50.43 |56.63 |96.22 |119.17
Monmouth |187.00 |48.26 |55.76 |61.96 |106.89 |129.84
Newport |204.00 |50.00 |57.50 |63.70 |110.38 |133.33
Torfaen |168.00 |46.31 |53.81 |60.01 |102.99 |125.94
Aberconwy |193.00 |48.87 |56.37 |62.57 |108.12 |131.07
Arfon |145.00 |43.95 |51.45 |57.65 |98.27 |121.22
Dwyfor |182.00 |47.75 |55.25 |61.45 |105.86 |128.81
Meirionnydd |182.00 |47.75 |55.25 |61.45 |105.86 |128.81
Ynys Mon |178.00 |47.34 |54.84 |61.04 |105.04 |127.99
Cynon Valley |114.00 |40.77 |48.27 |54.47 |91.91 |114.86
Merthyr Tydfil |131.00 |42.52 |50.02 |56.22 |95.40 |118.35
Ogwr |162.00 |45.70 |53.20 |59.40 |101.76 |124.71
Rhondda |95.00 |38.82 |46.32 |52.52 |88.02 |110.97
Rhymney Valley |148.00 |44.26 |51.76 |57.96 |98.89 |121.84
Taff-Ely |166.00 |46.11 |53.61 |59.81 |102.58 |125.53
Brecknock |143.00 |43.75 |51.25 |57.45 |97.86 |120.81
Montgomery |142.00 |43.64 |51.14 |57.34 |97.66 |120.61
Radnor |144.00 |43.85 |51.35 |57.55 |98.07 |121.02
Cardiff |200.00 |49.59 |57.09 |63.29 |109.56 |132.51
Vale of Glamorgan |176.00 |47.13 |54.63 |60.83 |104.63 |127.58
Port Talbot |151.00 |44.57 |52.07 |58.27 |99.50 |122.45
Lliw Valley |147.00 |44.16 |51.66 |57.86 |98.68 |121.63
Neath |154.00 |44.87 |52.37 |58.57 |100.12 |123.07
Swansea |215.00 |51.13 |58.63 |64.83 |112.63 |135.58
1. The levels of community charge used are the illustrative safety netted figures for 1989-90 given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales in reply to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (
Mr. Jones) on 12 June 1989 at columns 303-6.
2. The net income levels shown have been derived using the current housing benefit rates and rules for calculating net income and applicable amounts. A maximum rebate of 80 per cent., a taper of 15 per cent.,
and a minimum weekly rebate of 50 pence per claim have been used.
3. The following assumptions have been made:
(i) no claimant is disabled;
(ii) each claimant under pension age is in full-time work;
(iii) no claimant over pension age is working;
(iv) each claimant with dependent children is in receipt of child benefit and, where appropriate, family credit;
(v) each claimant has assessed capital of under £3,000.
HEALTH
Organ Transplants
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health of he will list by year for the last 10 years, the number of times a recipient receiving a transplanted organ from a donor has been infected by a disease from the donor that was not diagnosed at the time ; if he will show in his answer the type of disease ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Comprehensive information is not collected centrally, but the number of cases of disease transmitted through transplants is believed to be very small.
Hospital Wards (Wirral)
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many wards in the Wirral would be classified as deprived under the Jarman formula.
Mr. Freeman : Professor Jarman's index of comparative deprivation for the 22 local authority wards in the Wirral is shown in the table. This is based on a national average of zero with the large positive numbers indicating the most deprived areas and the large negative numbers the least. The index ranges nationally from 72.95 to 62.52.
Ward |<1>UPA 8 Score --------------------------------------------- Bidstom |+45.33 Birkenhead |+37.62 Tranmere |+32.45 Seacombe |+21.13 Leasoure |+20.20 Upton |+13.29 Liscard |+11.47 New Brighton |+10.00 Bromborough |+9.81 Egerton |+8.83 Oxton |+5.01 Claughton |+4.68 Moreton |+3.06 Hoylake |-3.24 Preston |-4.56 Bebington |-5.64 Thurstaston |-5.66 Eastham |-6.87 Wallasey |-7.66 Royden |-11.98 Clatterbridge |-14.33 Heswall |-18.06 <1> UPA (Under privileged area) 8 score takes account of eight variable components.
Mental Illness and Handicap
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were discharged to the community from National Health Service mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units after a stay of one year or more in each year since 1979.
Mr. Freeman : The table shows the number of patients discharged to the community from National Health Service mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units in England after a stay of one year or more, for the period 1979 to 1986, the last year for which information is currently available. The table excludes death and transfers to other hospitals.
Column 533
England (1979 to 1986) Discharges<1> from mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units Year |Mental illness |Mental handicap|Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1979 |3,460 |1,178 |4,638 1980 |3,376 |1,120 |4,496 1981 |3,516 |1,246 |4,762 1982 |3,465 |1,229 |4,694 1983 |3,563 |1,457 |5,020 1984 |3,928 |1,919 |5,847 1985 |3,441 |2,052 |5,493 1986 |3,751 |2,528 |6,279 <1> Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals.
Food Safety
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often the expert committee on microbiological safety in food has met ; what topics it has discussed ; and if he will refer the recent botulism outbreak to it.
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