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Mr. Peter Lloyd : At the end of June 1989 the number of families receiving family credit who, at the time their awards were made, were living in the areas covered by the relevant local social security offices was as follows :
|Number
-------------------------------
Doncaster (East) |858
Doncaster (West) |553
Wath-on-Dearne |183
Comparable information for 12 months ago is not available.
Social Fund
Mr. Tracey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will announce the social fund allocation for the new office in New Malden and also the revised allocation for Kingston following the closure of Surbiton local office on 29 June.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 29 June 1989 a new local office in New Malden opened following the closure of Surbiton local office which also affected the boundaries for Kingston. Accordingly the social fund allocation for Kingston has been adjusted. The revised allocations effective from 29 June 1989 are :
|Loans |Grants
|£ |£
-----------------------------------
New Malden |62,213 |29,006
Kingston |111,758|52,118
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average waiting time
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for claimants' requests for a loan under the social fund to be processed in each social security benefit office in Greater Manchester.Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 23 June 1989] : The table gives details for budgeting and crisis loans of the average clearance times achieved during May 1989.
Clearance times for loans-Greater Manchester
Days
Office |<1>Budget loans|Crisis loans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farnworth |2.71 |2.68
Hyde |2.67 |0.81
Manchester (Central) |2.47 |0.56
Manchester (Cheetham) |6.55 |1.57
Manchester (Chorlton) |15.82 |0.62
Manchester (Failsworth) |9.28 |1.03
Manchester (Longsight) |8.20 |0.60
Manchester (Middleton) |-0.12 |1.67
Manchester (Openshaw) |14.01 |1.29
Manchester (Rusholme) |16.84 |1.45
Manchester (Sale) |11.12 |0.32
Manchester (Wythenshawe) |12.13 |0.59
Oldham |5.68 |0.66
Salford (North) |5.76 |0.40
Salford (South) |18.32 |0.26
Stockport (North) |6.77 |0.27
Stockport (South) |1.20 |0.46
<1> The clearance times for budget loans are net figures. These are
arrived at by deducting 5 days from the gross clearance time. The 5-day
adjustment is a national average figure intended to allow for the time
taken by applicants to respond to the offer of a loan.
Hospice Patients
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many questions there are on an income support application form ; and how many of them would be relevant to a hospice patient.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Hospice patients will be asked to complete one of two claim forms, depending on their age. These forms contain, on average, some 170 questions. Although every question is relevant to the assessment of entitlement to income support, not all questions will be relevant to individual claimants. Hospice patients or their appointees, like other claimants, will be able to follow the clear signposting throughout the forms which indicate when questions or sections may be missed.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will establish procedures which provide that income support payments for accommodation could be paid directly to hospices when the recipient of the income support is a hospice patient.
Mr. Scott : There are already established procedures for the payment of income support direct to a hospice. These apply when a claimant who is liable for an accommodation charge has fallen into debt due to a failure to budget for that charge, and it is in the best interests of the claimant to make the payment direct.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to amend the regulations so that when hospice patients are awarded income support due to the additional costs, those payments are made from the date of entry to the hospice.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans to do so.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) in the last year for which figures are available,
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how many hospice patients became entitled to and received income support because of the additional cost of the hospice ; and how many hospice patients continued to receive income support for which they had a previous entitlement ;(2) in the last year for which figures are available, how much income support was paid to hospice patients to help with their hospice costs ;
(3) what estimates he has of the number of hospice patients who become eligible for income support on entering a hospice but do not receive it because they die before their claim is prepared and processed ;
(4) what information he has on the proportion of hospice costs that are met by income support payments to hospice patients.
Mr. Scott : I regret that information is not available in the form requested. Income support is paid to terminally ill people according to the type of care they are receiving, and no distinction is made between hospices and nursing homes.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has for speeding up the process of application for income support for hospice patients.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : There are no plans at present to institute special procedures for people claiming income support from hospices. The process of application for income support is designed to gather the required information to allow for the accurate assessment of benefit entitlement and payment in all cases, wherever the claimant is resident.
Income Support Forms
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated average time required to complete an income support application form.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No estimates have been made.
Mrs. S. E. Hart
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to pay Mrs. S. E. Hart of 21 Greenswood road, Brixham, Devon, the benefits, including widowed mother's allowance and child benefit, to which she is entitled, dating from 16 August 1983.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Mrs. Hart did not claim widow's benefit until 1988. That claim was backdated to 28 July 1987, the maximum period allowed under legislation. The position for the period before that is still being investigated and we will write to my hon. Friend as soon as these investigations are completed.
Mrs. Hart was in receipt of child benefit and one parent benefit from 1983 until her younger child left school.
Disabled Persons
Sir Anthony Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out in detail the benefits including telephone, travel, car, rates, etc., from public funds available to a registered disabled person over 90 years of age in receipt of a combined state and private pension totalling £68 per week ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The help available to a registered disabled person will vary according to the individual's needs and
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circumstances, and it is not possible to give the information requested. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, he may wish to write to me so that the relevant details can be provided.Child Benefit
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from British citizens, temporarily absent from the United Kingdom but liable to pay income tax in the United Kingdom, that their children should remain entitled to child benefit during their absence ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : There have been no recent representations. People temporarily absent solely because they are in employment outside Great Britain can receive child benefit if at least half their earnings from their employment are liable to United Kingdom income tax.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what he ascribes the fact that the staff effort required to process each application to the housing benefit transitional payments unit was three times as great as had been expected.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 3 July at column 40-41.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will instruct the housing benefit transitional payments unit to accept late applications.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Late applications will be considered by the transitional payments unit if there are good reasons for the delay.
Single Parents
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will introduce measures to enable single mothers to compel financial support from the fathers concerned who are unwilling to make voluntary contributions.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Arrangements for single mothers to obtain maintenance orders for their children are the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Home Office. Two measures introduced this year will enable more mothers to obtain maintenance. First, the time limit for starting proceedings has been abolished, and second, DNA testing is available to determine paternity where it is in dispute.
When a mother claims income support the Department tries to obtain a contribution from the father, and can take proceedings if he refuses to make payments which he can afford. However, the Government are concerned that more fathers should meet their responsibility to support their children. We have therefore introduced revised procedures to make this work more effective.
Council House Tenants
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has as to the additional level of benefit entitlement (a) single and (b) married
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council tenants would receive if their only source of income was the basic state retirement pension, based on the average council house rent and rates in (a) England (b) Wales.Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 26 May 1989] : Information is not available in the exact form requested.
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However, taking the average council house rent and rates in England and Wales for people with no dependent children, additional income-related benefit for people whose only income is the basic state retirement pension, is set out in the tables.Column 201
Table B. From October 1989
England and Wales
|Basic RP |Income support|Rent rebate |Rate rebate
|£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single pensioner aged less than 75 |43.60 |2.50 |17.90 |6.32
Single pensioner aged 75 to 79 |43.60 |5.00 |17.90 |6.32
Single pensioner aged 80 or over |43.85 |7.25 |17.90 |6.32
Pensioner couple, both aged less than 75 |69.80 |2.05 |17.90 |6.32
Pensioner couple, at least one aged 75 to 79 |69.80 |5.55 |17.90 |6.32
Pensioner couple, both aged 80 or over |70.30 |7.50 |17.90 |6.32
Notes:
1. For the pensioner couples it is assumed that the wife's retirement pension is based on her husband's contributions.
2. No savings over £3,000: no non-dependants; no ineligible items included in rent and rates.
3. From October 1989, an additional pensioner premium will be in force in both housing benefit and income support. This
will increase IS entitlement by up to £2.50 a week for single pensioners and £3.50 for couples.
4. All the examples show people entitled to income support. They are, therefore, entitled to maximum housing benefit,
which is 100 per cent. of eligible rent and 80 per cent. of eligible rates.
Table B. From October 1989
England and Wales
|Basic RP |Income support|Rent rebate |Rate rebate
|£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single pensioner aged less than 75 |43.60 |2.50 |17.90 |6.32
Single pensioner aged 75 to 79 |43.60 |5.00 |17.90 |6.32
Single pensioner aged 80 or over |43.85 |7.25 |17.90 |6.32
Pensioner couple, both aged less than 75 |69.80 |2.05 |17.90 |6.32
Pensioner couple, at least one aged 75 to 79 |69.80 |5.55 |17.90 |6.32
Pensioner couple, both aged 80 or over |70.30 |7.50 |17.90 |6.32
Notes:
1. For the pensioner couples it is assumed that the wife's retirement pension is based on her husband's contributions.
2. No savings over £3,000: no non-dependants; no ineligible items included in rent and rates.
3. From October 1989, an additional pensioner premium will be in force in both housing benefit and income support. This
will increase IS entitlement by up to £2.50 a week for single pensioners and £3.50 for couples.
4. All the examples show people entitled to income support. They are, therefore, entitled to maximum housing benefit,
which is 100 per cent. of eligible rent and 80 per cent. of eligible rates.
Loans and Community Care Grants
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 25 May, Official Report, column 683, and 12 June, Official Report, columns 282 -83, he will list the percentages of (a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants which were awarded to each of the
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15 client groups defined by his Department for each of the 21 offices serving the West Midlands county area for the financial year 1988-89.Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 26 June 1989] : The information requested in set out in the table for 23 offices in the West Midlands county area (excluding Coventry). The relevant information for the Coventry offices is given in my reply to the hon. Member on 15 June at columns 531-32.
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Budgeting loans and community care grants for west Midlands county area percentage by client group 1988-89
Per cent.
|(00) |(01) |(02) |(03) |(04) |(05) |(06) |(07) |(08) |(09) |(10) |(11) |(12) |(13) |(14) |(15)<1>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birmingham (Bradford St)
Budgeting Loans |0.00 |0.52 |0.94 |5.22 |0.52 |3.66 |4.60 |41.00 |1.46 |2.51 |15.46 |18.29 |0.84 |4.28 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |3.43 |4.00 |16.00 |1.14 |6.29 |10.86 |25.14 |1.71 |1.14 |5.14 |12.57 |1.71 |10.29 |0.00 |0.57
Birmingham (Edgbaston)
Budgeting Loans |0.47 |0.66 |0.47 |4.28 |0.33 |2.44 |3.01 |45.04 |0.24 |1.69 |12.60 |24.21 |0.47 |4.04 |0.04 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.19 |4.46 |3.29 |10.66 |0.58 |1.55 |7.17 |23.26 |0.19 |1.94 |4.07 |33.72 |0.97 |6.59 |0.00 |1.36
Birmingham (Erdington)
Budgeting Loans |0.43 |0.28 |0.24 |3.79 |0.09 |2.18 |1.52 |43.34 |0.81 |2.46 |12.46 |27.85 |0.76 |3.79 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.15 |3.90 |3.15 |18.17 |0.45 |2.85 |5.56 |26.43 |0.30 |1.35 |7.66 |21.77 |1.50 |5.41 |0.00 |1.35
Birmingham (Handsworth)
Budgeting Loans |0.21 |0.46 |0.21 |3.42 |0.25 |2.25 |2.71 |46.77 |0.92 |3.50 |8.17 |27.01 |0.50 |3.63 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |3.20 |1.71 |15.14 |0.85 |1.71 |11.51 |21.96 |0.43 |2.13 |5.33 |24.52 |2.56 |8.74 |0.00 |0.21
Birmingham (Ladywood)
Budgeting Loans |0.00 |0.17 |0.34 |5.16 |0.11 |1.76 |4.03 |44.41 |0.79 |2.84 |12.76 |23.60 |0.74 |3.29 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.17 |4.74 |3.38 |15.06 |1.18 |1.52 |7.78 |21.83 |0.68 |0.51 |5.92 |25.89 |1.18 |9.48 |0.00 |1.02
Birmingham (Northfield)
Budgeting Loans |0.45 |0.35 |0.15 |2.60 |0.15 |3.00 |2.50 |42.54 |0.65 |1.50 |16.72 |26.06 |0.30 |3.05 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |10.22 |2.16 |28.49 |1.01 |1.29 |9.64 |20.29 |0.43 |0.43 |6.19 |12.81 |0.72 |3.74 |0.00 |2.59
Birmingham (Perry Barr)
Budgeting Loans |0.30 |0.00 |0.30 |3.65 |0.30 |2.74 |2.66 |48.02 |1.44 |3.50 |19.98 |14.21 |0.91 |1.98 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.82 |4.89 |4.35 |26.63 |0.27 |3.26 |12.50 |17.39 |0.00 |1.63 |6.52 |11.14 |3.26 |6.52 |0.00 |0.82
Birmingham (Ravenhurst)
Budgeting Loans |0.11 |0.11 |0.34 |5.67 |0.23 |2.95 |5.22 |36.96 |0.91 |3.85 |10.09 |26.98 |1.13 |5.44 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.35 |3.85 |3.50 |12.94 |0.70 |1.40 |8.74 |22.73 |1.05 |0.70 |5.24 |19.58 |3.15 |14.34 |0.00 |1.75
Birmingham (South Yardley)
Budgeting Loans |0.28 |0.68 |0.40 |3.86 |0.40 |2.50 |2.21 |49.72 |0.68 |1.93 |20.77 |13.45 |0.68 |2.44 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.27 |8.75 |4.91 |22.41 |1.72 |3.32 |12.07 |24.01 |0.13 |0.93 |7.16 |7.96 |1.99 |3.45 |0.00 |0.93
Birmingham (Sparkhill)
Budgeting Loans |0.80 |0.32 |0.96 |5.57 |0.16 |2.55 |5.25 |44.43 |0.96 |2.39 |14.01 |16.88 |1.11 |4.62 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.43 |4.27 |5.13 |11.54 |0.85 |3.42 |8.12 |26.92 |0.43 |0.85 |9.83 |14.1 |3.42 |8.97 |0.00 |1.17
Birmingham (Washwood Heath)
Budgeting Loans |0.54 |0.42 |0.06 |3.27 |0.12 |2.50 |2.26 |48.22 |0.48 |2.62 |18.31 |16.94 |1.07 |3.21 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.21 |6.18 |4.05 |22.60 |0.21 |1.92 |11.51 |19.40 |0.43 |2.35 |8.32 |14.50 |1.71 |5.97 |0.00 |0.64
Cannock
Budgeting Loans |0.99 |0.14 |0.99 |3.67 |0.28 |2.96 |2.68 |39.63 |1.55 |4.51 |26.52 |13.40 |1.41 |1.27 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.56 |0.56 |6.70 |11.17 |0.56 |3.91 |3.91 |30.73 |1.68 |1.68 |17.32 |11.73 |4.47 |4.47 |0.00 |0.56
Dudley North
Budgeting Loans |0.22 |0.22 |0.39 |5.07 |0.33 |2.04 |2.65 |36.55 |1.27 |2.43 |24.37 |19.74 |1.54 |3.20 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |1.85 |2.15 |12.31 |0.00 |1.85 |6.77 |22.15 |0.31 |0.62 |12.62 |30.15 |4.00 |4.31 |0.00 |0.92
Dudley South
Budgeting Loans |0.16 |0.33 |0.00 |4.45 |0.00 |1.15 |1.98 |39.87 |0.99 |3.62 |24.22 |18.45 |0.99 |3.79 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |5.11 |2.84 |22.73 |0.57 |0.00 |2.27 |22.16 |0.00 |1.14 |5.68 |28.41 |2.84 |5.68 |0.00 |0.57
Lichfield
Budgeting Loans |0.00 |0.00 |0.46 |2.87 |0.69 |1.83 |1.83 |45.64 |1.26 |1.95 |25.80 |14.68 |0.46 |2.52 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.39 |3.53 |4.31 |18.04 |1.57 |3.53 |8.63 |23.14 |0.78 |3.53 |14.12 |10.59 |3.53 |3.92 |0.00 |0.39
Nuneaton
Budgeting Loans |0.30 |0.10 |0.81 |3.25 |0.51 |3.05 |2.84 |51.07 |0.61 |1.42 |17.36 |14.62 |0.91 |3.15 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.93 |2.80 |2.80 |14.02 |0.47 |3.27 |11.68 |19.63 |0.93 |2.80 |14.02 |16.36 |3.74 |5.14 |0.00 |1.40
Redditch
Budgeting Loans |0.18 |0.53 |0.53 |5.35 |1.07 |4.63 |1.07 |52.41 |0.71 |3.03 |17.29 |11.59 |0.36 |1.25 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants 0.30 16.91 4.75 46.88 0.89 1.78 5.64 9.79 0.89 0.59 4.15 4.45 -0.30 2.67 0.00 0.59
Smethwick
Budgeting Loans |0.57 |0.63 |0.00 |3.54 |0.06 |2.22 |1.71 |47.09 |0.89 |1.96 |18.61 |20.06 |0.32 |2.34 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.54 |7.24 |6.70 |15.55 |0.27 |1.07 |8.04 |24.93 |1.34 |2.14 |5.90 |21.18 |0.54 |3.22 |0.00 |1.34
Walsall East
Budgeting Loans |0.36 |0.44 |0.98 |3.29 |0.18 |3.20 |2.49 |37.24 |0.53 |2.93 |29.96 |14.22 |1.16 |3.02 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |7.22 |5.56 |23.61 |0.56 |5.28 |13.06 |15.56 |0.28 |0.83 |9.17 |8.89 |2.22 |6.39 |0.00 |1.39
Walsall West
Budgeting Loans |0.41 |0.21 |0.96 |5.08 |0.41 |2.54 |3.85 |41.28 |1.37 |2.75 |20.88 |16.07 |0.96 |3.23 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.23 |5.96 |5.05 |12.61 |0.69 |5.28 |8.03 |34.40 |0.69 |1.83 |8.72 |12.16 |1.61 |1.61 |0.00 |1.15
West Bromwich
Budgeting Loans |0.24 |0.00 |0.12 |3.80 |0.24 |1.31 |1.31 |38.52 |1.66 |2.73 |28.43 |18.04 |1.13 |2.49 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |9.70 |8.02 |33.89 |1.03 |4.66 |12.55 |8.67 |0.52 |3.36 |4.53 |6.60 |1.68 |4.01 |0.00 |0.78
Wolverhampton North
Budgeting Loans |0.12 |0.47 |0.39 |2.87 |0.27 |2.37 |1.98 |44.41 |0.78 |3.07 |22.59 |18.01 |0.50 |2.17 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |0.00 |4.78 |3.19 |15.47 |0.64 |2.55 |11.16 |25.84 |0.32 |1.28 |5.58 |21.05 |2.23 |5.74 |0.00 |0.16
Wolverhampton South
Budgeting Loans |0.11 |0.63 |0.63 |5.43 |0.11 |1.95 |1.95 |38.83 |0.84 |3.90 |18.81 |22.76 |0.79 |3.27 |0.00 |n/a
Community Care Grants |1.13 |2.48 |2.26 |12.42 |0.23 |3.84 |8.13 |29.57 |0.45 |1.58 |7.90 |16.93 |4.74 |8.35 |0.00 |0.00
<1> Key to client groups
Code Meaning
00 unallocated or unidentified
01 over 80-with income support higher pensioner premium
02 aged 60-79-disabled with higher pensioner premium
03 aged 60-79-with ordinary pensioner premium, or over 60 without pensioner premium
04 lone parent with income support disability premium
05 family with disability premium
06 other with disability premium
07 lone parent without disability premium
08 signs at UBO quarterly with income support family premium
09 signs at UBO quarterly without family premium
10 signing unemployed or with training allowance with family premium
11 signing unemployed or with training allowance without family premium
12 others with family premium
13 others without family premium
14 involved in trade dispute
15 applicant not in receipt of income support-not applicable for budgeting loans
SOCIAL SECURITY
War Pensions (Housing Benefit)
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will review his policy in relation to war pensions and housing benefit so that local authorities which disregard war pensions when making their assessment would be recompensed from central funds ; (2) what is his estimate of the savings to public funds which he makes by not disregarding war pensions when housing benefit is assessed.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 4 July 1989] : When assessing housing benefit local authorities must statutorily disregard £5 of a war widow's pension or a war disablement pension. They receive direct subsidy for the housing benefit arising from this normal calculation.
Where local authorities operate local schemes by which they disregard further amounts of war pensions, the resulting extra housing benefit does not qualify for housing benefit subsidy. The balance is a charge on local rate or community charge payers. It is estimated that the cost of disregarding war pensions in full would increase public expenditure on housing benefit and community charge benefit by some £40 million. However, support is reflected in the rate support grant for the discretionary schemes operated by local authorities. The resulting net cost of about £30 million would be of very little benefit to the poorest war pensioners, but give considerable extra sums to some who are relatively well off.
Ms. N. Hinchcliffe
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the appeal (CSB1605188) to the Social Security Commissioner on a point of law over the refusal of a single payment for bedding lodged on 21 May 1987 in respect of Ms. N. Hinchcliffe will be heard.
The Attorney-General : I have been asked to reply.
A Commissioner made a determination in this case on 28 June 1989 and copies of that determination were sent to the parties on 30 June 1989. The Commissioner made his determination on the papers, no oral hearing having been requested.
EMPLOYMENT
Employment Training
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many visits there have been by the Health and Safety Executive to employment training (a) projects and (b) work placements since its inception in September 1988.
Mr. Nicholls : Health and Safety Executive records do not separately identify inspection to workplaces where employment training participants are present. For the purposes of health and safety legislation, employment training participants have all the same rights and duties as employees.
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Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage more private employers to provide employment training work placements.
Mr. Nicholls : My Department through its marketing campaigns, and training managers through their local contacts, continue to forge links with employers to make them aware of the advantages of ET and to encourage them to offer training opportunities.
Repetitive Strain Injury
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Oxford, East on 4 April, Official Report , column 38, when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to conclude its investigation into repetitive strain injury.
Mr. Nicholls : The main results of the project investigating repetitive strain injury at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh were published by the institute in January 1989. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library. A small follow-up study of keyboard operators is still in progress and it is hoped that the results will be available in September this year. The project at the university of Birmingham is also expected to report this September.
VDU Operators
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to respond to the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive in respect of the health and safety of visual display unit operators.
Mr. Nicholls : The Health and Safety Executive has not made any recent recommendations on this subject.
Employment Rehabilitation Centres
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 14 June, Official Report, column 436, he will list the factors which have caused the proportion of expenditure on employment rehabilitation centres reimbursed by the European social fund to fall from 42 per cent. in 1985 to 13 per cent. in 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 3 July 1989] : The main factors underlying this reduction have been a growth in the total volume of claims on the fund by all member states, resulting in the progressive scaling down of the proportion of successful United Kingdom claims, and changes in the eligibility rules.
SCOTLAND
National Health Service Reform
18. Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the hospitals which have expressed an interest in opting out.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have not yet asked hospitals to make any formal expressions of interest in becoming self-governing. I shall be doing so shortly at the same time as I issue more detailed information on what is involved.
47. Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received supporting the opting out of hospitals.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have received a number of representations on this subject. Many support our aims but have raised questions on points of detail. I shall be issuing further guidance shortly.
42. Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospitals he expects to show interest in opting out.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The White Paper indicates that we expect at least two hospitals to become self-governing by 1992.
33. Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the first hospital to opt out of health board control.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The White Paper "Working for Patients" and the Scottish working paper 3 on "Self-Governing Hospitals" made it clear that we hope to establish at least two self-governing hospitals by 1992.
29. Dr. Moonie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions he has given to health boards concerning opt-out hospitals.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No instructions have been given to health boards. Scottish working paper 3 "Self-Governing Hospitals" gave information on self-governing status. I shall issue more detailed guidance shortly, inviting those who wish to explore this possibility to express their interest to me.
COSLA
20. Mr. Douglas : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement with regard to the issues which he expects to raise at the next meeting between himself and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend and I met representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on Monday 3 July, when they let us have their views on the revenue support grant settlement for 1990-91 and other related matters. I hope to meet the convention again in the autumn to discuss grant distribution, and such other matters as may by then be appropriate.
CBI
21. Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairman of the Confederation of British Industry in Scotland ; and what subjects were discussed.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend and I are in frequent touch with the Confederation of British Industry in Scotland on matters affecting the Scottish economy and industry. We look forward to a continuing exchange of views.
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Unemployment
22. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the fall in unemployment in Scotland over the last 12 months.
46. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the underlying trend in unemployment in Scotland over the last two years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : In Scotland, the number of unemployed claimants has fallen by 45,000 over the past 12 months and by almost 90,000 in the last two years. Unemployment has now fallen for 25 months in succession and is now at its lowest level for eight years.
Business Rates
23. Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many responses he has had from the business community in Scotland following his speech on business rates in Glasgow on 8 May.
Mr. Lang : Representatives of 13 business organisations have written to my right hon. and learned Friend. All have welcomed his announcement warmly.
AIDS
24. Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the number of prisoners in penal establishments in Scotland who have been diagnosed as suffering from AIDS or are carriers of the disease ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The most recent survey, conducted on 20 April 1989, showed that six inmates in Scottish penal establishments were suffering from AIDS or AIDS-related complex, and 70 were known to be HIV positive. These figures are comparable with those obtained from surveys conducted during 1988, and are monitored on a regular basis.
Crash Barriers
25. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in the installation of crash barriers on Scottish dual carriageways.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : By the end of this financial year at least 90 km, 39 per cent., of the trunk road motorway network and 143 km, 33 per cent., of trunk road dual carriageways will be equipped with central reserve safety fences or will not require such provision due to the wide separation of the carriageways.
High-Rise Flats
26. Mr. Michael J. Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to provide extra finance for improving high- rise flats.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : For 1989-90 we have made available £474 million for capital investment in local authority houses ; this is an increase of £28.8 million or 6.5 per cent. on the resources announced in March last year. It is for individual authorities as landlords to determine their own policies and priorities for their housing stock and to draw up capital programmes for investment, including any plans for work on high-rise flats.
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Drug Abuse
27. Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what special resources he plans to make available to the police and appropriate agencies in order to alleviate the social problems which emanate from drug abuse in the city of Glasgow.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Government's strategy to combat drug misuse and the specific measures that are being taken are described in the publication "Tackling Drug Misuse--A Summary of the Government's Strategy" (Third Edition, 1988), copies of which are in the Library.
The deployment of police resources is a matter for chief constables. Strathclyde police attaches a very high priority to tackling drug misuse. Since 1979 the force's drug squad, which is based at Glasgow, has been increased from 18 to 34 officers. In addition, since 1986 we have authorised increases totalling 31 officers in the strength of the Scottish crime squad to allow the formation of drugs wings, one of which is based at Glasgow. As for other agencies, the sum allocated to Greater Glasgow health board for the support of drug misuse services in 1989-90 is £466,861. In addition, from 1989-90 we are making available to health boards generally a further £1 million per annum for the development of these services. The provision of such services is, however, primarily the responsibility of health boards and local authorities.
Electricity Bills
28. Mr. Adams : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what authority the South of Scotland electricity board demands repayment of electricity bills which have been estimated due to faulty meters.
Mr. Lang : The South of Scotland electricity board, in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Supply Acts 1882 to 1936 and the schedule to the Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act 1899, or on the basis of contract, is entitled to charge for electricity which it supplies. In addition, the board relies in appropriate circumstances on section 51 of the South of Scotland Electricity Order Confirmation Act 1956, as amended, for recovery of damage caused to meters. Assessed accounts are issued to seek payment for a supply of electricity which is unrecorded because of a faulty or damaged meter, in accordance with the board's conditions for supply of electricity, and the board has confirmed that this approach has found acceptance in the courts. Moreover, the board has a clear responsibility to seek payment in this way since otherwise the cost would be borne by the general body of its consumers.
Community Charge
30. Mr. Buchanan-Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has recently received regarding the impact of the standard community charge in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
36. Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the standard community charge ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of such representations.
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