| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answers 12 June and 29 June 1989] : I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to
Column 879
the hon. Member for Derby South (Mrs. Beckett) on 20 December 1985, at columns 422-26 . This listed the main changes from May 1979 to November 1985 in social security law specifically affecting the entitlements of young people and their parents. The following information lists the main changes from November 1985 to June 1989.Column 879
Date |Change |Persons Affected |Legislation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 1988 |Cessation of entitlement to income support for people under 18 years old except for those in certain specified categories. |16-17
Income Support (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1988.
September 1988 |A young person who has ceased full time education can nonetheless continue to be treated as a child for a short period after the terminal date if he is registered for work or for the youth training scheme.|16-17 |SI 1988/1227 Social Security Act 1988.
September 1988 |Period when most young people are ineligible for Income Support on leaving relevant education extended. |Single people aged 16-17 and couples both of whom aged less than 18 who are required to be available for work. |Income Support (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1988-SI 1988 No. 1228.
September 1988 |Introduction of employment training; training premium and training bonus not taken into account for Income Support purposes. |18-25 |Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1988 Income Support (General) Amendment No. 4 Regulations 1988.
April 1989 |Increase in personal allowances by 50p in excess of the amount needed to cover inflation. |All young people aged 16-17 on Income Support, and parents claiming for 16-18 year olds. |The Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 1989-SI 1989 No. 43
April 1989 |Increase in personal allowances by 50p in excess of the amount needed to cover inflation. |All young people aged 16-18 who are independently liable for housing costs and therefore able to claim Housing Benefit. |The Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 1989-SI 1989 No. 43.
April 1989 |Increase in personal allowances by 50p in excess of the amount needed to cover inflation. |For Family Credit, parents claiming for 16-17 year olds inclusive. |The Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 1989-SI 1989 No. 43.
June 1989 |Extra help for 16 and 17 year olds in receipt of Income Support who have to live independently. This group will get the personal allowance normally appropriate to 18-24 year olds. |16-17 |Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989. SI 1034.
June 1989 |All 16-17 year old Housing Benefit claimants will get the same Personal Allowance as 18-24 year olds. |Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989.
Column 883
National Insurance
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the cost to the national insurance fund in the current financial year of restoring the earnings-related supplement on the basis which applied before the Social Security (No. 2) Act 1980 for unemployed people only; what would be the saving in tax and other benefits; and how many males and females would benefit;
(2) what is the current reduced rate of national insurance contribution for (a) married women and (b) widows; how many are still paying contributions at this rate, and what is the forecast for 1990-91; how many would otherwise be paying at the rate of nil per cent., five per cent. and seven per cent.; and what is the estimated cost to the national insurance fund in the current financial year; (3) whether he will bring up to date for the current financial year the information given in his answer of 10 December 1986, Official Report, column 204, to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby, concerning the distribution of incomes and national insurance contributions, adding (a) the saving on the abolition of the reduced rate contribution and (b) the numbers contracted-in and contracted-out together with their contributions;
(4) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the estimated income of the national insurance fund from national insurance contributions in the current financial year, the income which would accrue if the upper earnings limit on all contributions is removed and the income which would be lost if (i) the contribution rate for single persons is reduced to 5.5 per cent., (ii) the rate for married persons is dropped to 4 per cent., (iii) £3,000 is deducted from earned income for contribution purposes, rising to £6,000 for a contributor with a non- earning spouse and (iv) the reductions in (i) to (iii) are in operation at the same time; (5) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for those contracted-in and for those contracted-out, the national insurance contributions rates, including the class 2 and class 4 contributions and the reduced rate, in 1989-90 together with (i) the total number in each category, their sex and their maritial status and (ii) the aggregate contributions in each category and the earnings to which they relate ;
(6) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for those below and those above pensionable age the estimated number of earned incomes subject to employers' national insurance contributions in steps of £1,000 between £15,000 and £25,000 and in £5,000 steps thereafter, showing single persons and one-earner and two-earner married couples together with the amount collected ; (7) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of male and female contributors expected to pay national insurance contributions (a) in
Column 884
the current financial year, and (b) in 1978- 79, broken down into each class and at each rate together with the numbers contracted in and contracted out ; and if he will add his forecast of the amount paid or due in each case at current and 1989-90 prices.Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the figures for the expected yield of national insurance contributions in the current year, as stated in the oral answer of 3 July to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway), Official Report, column 11, and in the written answer of the same date to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers), Official Report, column 40, were calculated, what the actual yield is expected to be ; and whether he will publish in the Official Report a table accounting for the difference between the expected yield and the estimate of £27,887 million given in the Government Actuary's report on the 1988 Uprating Order (Cm. 537).
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 17 July] : The estimates of the expected net yield of national insurance contributions, as stated in the reply given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 3 July at column 11, and the estimates of national insurance fund contributions as stated in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and the Disabled to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers) on 3 July at column 40 were calculated by the Government Actuary and are consistent. The figures differ because the estimated total net yield of national insurance contributions at column 11 includes the National Health Service allocation, which is paid out of contributions and meets part for the cost of the National Health Service. The NHS allocation is not paid into the national insurance fund. The total amount of money collected by contributions is equal to the sum of the national insurance fund's contribution income which are given at column 40 and the National Health Service allocation. Both estimates were consistent with Budget estimates of national insurance contributions.
A full reconciliation of the estimates published in the Government Actuary's report on the 1988 Uprating and Rerating Orders (Cm. 537) and the estimates published on the 3 July 1989 in the Official Report is contained in the table.
The recently announced extra growth in the numbers of personal pensions means that the Budget estimates of the net yield of contributions in the final line of the table and the net income of the national insurance fund from contributions, but not the estimates of the NHS allocation, might be about £2 billion less than previously estimated. Fuller details of these, and other, estimate changes that will have occurred since the Budget will be published in the autumn statement.
Column 885
Estimated net yield from National Insurance contributions and contributions income of the National Insurance fund
Great Britain 1989-90
£ million
Source of estimate |Estimated net income from|Estimated National Health|Estimated net yield from
|contributions of the |Service allocation |contributions
|National Insurance fund
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Actuary's Report on the Uprating and Rerating Orders
estimates excluding State Scheme premiums (Cm. 537) |27,887 |4,084 |31,973
Government Actuary's Report estimates including State Scheme
premiums (Cm. 537)<1> |28,137 |4,084 |32,223
Government Actuary's Report estimates restated to nearest £100
million (Cm. 537) |28,100 |4,100 |32,200
Changes caused by faster earnings growth compared to Cm. 537<2> |+500 |+100 |+600
Other estimating changes |+400 |- |+400
Effect of Budget Proposals<3> |-800 |-200 |-1,000
Budget Estimates<4> |28,200 |4,000 |32,300
Notes:
All estimates are net of Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity Pay and include, except where stated otherwise, State scheme premiums. (All Budget estimates are
rounded to the nearest £100 million: figures do not add up to totals due to rounding.)
<1> State scheme premiums were estimated to be £250 million in 1989-90 in the Government Actuary's Report (Cm. 537). State scheme premiums are included in estimated
net yield of contributions and in the estimates of the National Insurance Fund's income from contributions. The Fund's estimated income form contributions was given as
£28.1 billion on this basis in the answer to the honourable member at Official Report, 12 July at Column 504.
<2> The Government Actuary in preparing his report on the Uprating and Rerating orders was instructed to assume that average earnings would rise by 7.5 per cent.
between 1988-89 and 1989-90. The estimates reflect more up to date estimates of earnings growth in 1989-90 which were used when the Budget estimates were framed.
Estimate given in Official Report, July 3 at Column 40.
<3> Estimates were published in the Financial Memorandum to the House of Lords Print of the Social Security Bill. The full cost of the Budget changes on the National
Insurance Fund given at Official Report, July 3 at Column 40 was calculated as £800 million foregone contributions income arising from the Budget changes to primary
Class 1 contributions and £200 million extra expenditure arising from the abolition of the retirement pension earnings rule.
<4> The estimate of net contributions collected in 1989-90 was given as "more than £32 billion" in the Official Report, 3 July 1989 Column 11 and the estimate of the
National Insurance Fund's income from contributions (£28,200 million) was given in Official Report, 3 July 1989 at Column 40. These estimates are on a Great Britain
basis: estimates in the Financial Statement and Budget Report were on a United Kingdom basis.
SCOTLAND
Council House Sales
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many right-to-buy sales of (a) detached houses, (b) semi-detached houses, (c) terraced houses, (d) flats or maisonettes and (e) four in a block type dwellings by each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole were completed during each year from 1980-81 to 1988-89.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The breakdown requested was not collected prior to 1986. Information collected centrally prior to 1986 does not differentiate between sales under the right-to-buy provisions and
Column 886
voluntary sales to sitting tenants. Tables giving the information available have been placed in the House Library.Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the value of right-to-buy discounts in thousands of pounds by each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole during each year from 1980-81 to 1988-89.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Information collected centrally prior to 1986 does not differentiate between sales under the right-to-buy provisions and voluntary sales to sitting tenants. The available information is set out in the following table.
Column 885
Local Authority Right to Buy sales, Scotland, 1980-81 to 1988-89. Value of discount (£'000)<1> District |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Berwickshire |112 |236 |225 |314 |612 |234 |791 |535 |1,195 Ettrick and Lauderdale |19 |521 |535 |1,164 |1,630 |949 |950 |1,362 |1,774 Roxburgh |n.a. |827 |449 |846 |1,344 |644 |1,059 |1,573 |2,311 Tweeddale |n.a. |341 |282 |367 |229 |207 |228 |399 |327 Clackmannan |558 |501 |541 |1,267 |1,079 |769 |966 |2,447 |4,110 Falkirk |294 |1,413 |3,419 |5,521 |4,778 |3,943 |4,139 |8,351 |14,223 Stirling |192 |304 |552 |1,987 |2,034 |1,766 |2,803 |3,539 |5,270 Annandale and Eskdale |71 |1,047 |915 |657 |707 |788 |897 |1,387 |1,989 Nithsdale |226 |1,285 |1,056 |1,190 |961 |1,397 |2,020 |2,831 |4,418 Stewartry |359 |705 |392 |238 |411 |370 |476 |906 |795 Wigtown |46 |1,047 |438 |851 |728 |599 |698 |1,009 |1,287 Dunfermline |6 |3,521 |3,252 |5,436 |4,142 |3,163 |2,963 |5,535 |8,854 Kirkcaldy |1,553 |812 |2,614 |3,470 |4,902 |5,342 |3,647 |5,632 |8,140 North East Fife |783 |1,596 |2,133 |2,145 |1,517 |1,654 |2,000 |2,398 |3,340 Aberdeen |n.a. |1,170 |5,328 |7,007 |8,721 |5,353 |4,656 |6,435 |9,574 Banff and Buchan |705 |6089 |1,406 |2,433 |2,817 |2,866 |2,411 |2,381 |3,208 Gordon |n.a. |816 |1,565 |2,710 |2,225 |1,320 |1,604 |1,065 |928 Kincardine and Deeside |637 |746 |738 |879 |703 |1,028 |629 |787 |773 Moray |567 |1,326 |1,034 |2,090 |2,716 |2,562 |2,468 |3,288 |4,323 Badenoch and Strathspey |n.a. |524 |140 |240 |159 |144 |449 |424 |567 Caithness |125 |682 |502 |507 |423 |559 |514 |943 |839 Inverness |n.a. |1,264 |1,371 |1,148 |772 |1,325 |1,040 |1,311 |1,871 Lochaber |54 |303 |242 |332 |380 |382 |882 |1,276 |1,337 Nairn |n.a. |297 |204 |222 |401 |223 |231 |169 |259 Ross and Cromarty |169 |833 |496 |729 |388 |519 |851 |743 |792 Skye and Lochalsh |109 |144 |66 |70 |143 |177 |226 |174 |344 Sutherland |140 |212 |144 |136 |81 |154 |132 |255 |240 East Lothian |n.a. |623 |3,558 |2,820 |4,073 |2,471 |3,218 |7,419 |9,161 Edinburgh |3,988 |5,561 |6,066 |7,479 |8,395 |10,101 |7,362 |16,219 |38,827 Midlothian |n.a. |531 |3,022 |4,246 |3,034 |2,255 |2,293 |4,393 |8,268 West Lothian |1,217 |865 |1,209 |2,130 |1,949 |2,345 |2,277 |3,738 |6,801 Argyll and Bute |8 |674 |794 |1,160 |1,091 |1,392 |1,359 |1,400 |1,594 Bearsden and Milngavie |425 |393 |244 |523 |413 |296 |140 |219 |619 Clydebank |n.a. |8 |744 |691 |544 |822 |1,507 |2,706 |6,213 Clydesdale |n.a. |230 |199 |360 |390 |759 |913 |1,359 |3,864 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |128 |232 |126 |346 |253 |507 |817 |1,273 |2,334 Cumnock and Doon Valley |155 |504 |276 |493 |356 |435 |1,197 |1,072 |n.a. Cunninghame |1,451 |983 |858 |1,169 |1,827 |1,818 |2,647 |5,643 |8,757 Dumbarton |n.a. |325 |636 |796 |856 |787 |1,101 |1,978 |4,573 East Kilbride |44 |410 |188 |170 |226 |335 |454 |633 |1,044 Eastwood |490 |436 |232 |296 |367 |235 |660 |827 |1,003 Glasgow |n.a. |1,660 |13,854 |8,169 |6,223 |8,106 |10,989 |27,703 |46,086 Hamilton |161 |411 |1,751 |1,275 |1,442 |1,447 |2,664 |6,377 |8,411 Inverclyde |262 |550 |819 |1,338 |1,416 |2,907 |2,176 |3,512 |3,594 Kilmarnock and Loudoun |n.a. |928 |464 |1,400 |1,238 |1,613 |2,302 |3,020 |6,037 Kyle and Carrick |1,505 |627 |1,335 |2,101 |2,553 |3,270 |4,455 |7,126 |9,176 Monklands |n.a. |550 |839 |674 |687 |1,176 |3,117 |1,709 |n.a. Motherwell |96 |912 |1,471 |1,406 |1,423 |2,570 |2,948 |5,894 |9,972 Renfrew |n.a. |2,319 |4,617 |3,166 |3,443 |4,048 |4,917 |12,722 |19,116 Strathkelvin |500 |1,603 |1,087 |1,429 |1,025 |1,761 |2,384 |4,525 |6,487 Angus |349 |1,567 |1,827 |2,843 |2,931 |2,309 |2,274 |3,235 |3,978 Dundee |240 |744 |1,410 |1,581 |3,134 |3,246 |3,348 |5,915 |9,135 Perth and Kinross |1,191 |1,901 |3,839 |3,015 |2,879 |2,301 |2,336 |3,546 |5,303 Orkney |338 |441 |164 |96 |97 |116 |308 |368 |564 Shetland |n.a. |470 |426 |444 |232 |285 |308 |453 |523 Western Isles |213 |781 |207 |625 |346 |364 |281 |307 Scotland |19,484 |50,315 |82,300 |96,199 |97,845 |98,510 |110,598 |192,421 |304,835 <1>Including sales to sitting tenants on a voluntary basis prior to 1986. n.a.=Not available.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the (a) market valuation and (b) actual selling price of (i) detached houses, (ii) semi detatched houses, (iii) terraced houses, (iv) flats or maisonettes, and (v) four-in-a-block type dwellings for each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole during each year from 1980-81 to 1988-89.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The breakdown requested was not collected prior to 1986. Tables giving the information available have been placed in the House Library.
Greater Glasgow Health Board
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many joint consultative committees exist within the Greater Glasgow health board ; and what is the management representation on each.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There are two joint consultative committees at board level. The management representation on both comprises the chairman of the health board, the vice-chairman, one other board member, the general manager, the director of personnel, the director of administration, the director of finance (as required), the chief administrative medical officer and the chief area nursing officer. There are also a number of other local joint consultative committees below board level.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the conferences attended by the general
Column 888
manager of Greater Glasgow health board since his appointment ; what was the location and duration ; and what were his expenses for each conference.Mr. Michael Forsyth : This is a matter for the health board.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish a list of hospital visits made by the chairman of the Greater Glasgow health board in each of the past 12 months ; (2) if he will publish a list of hospital visits made by the general manager of the Greater Glasgow health board in each of the past 12 months ;
(3) if he will publish a list of the visits made to hospitals by members of Greater Glasgow health board other than the chairman and general manager, in each of the past 24 months.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the attendance record of the members of the Greater Glasgow health board for the past two years.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the names of members of the Greater Glasgow health board and indicate the part of the city in which they reside ; and if he will state their jobs and ages.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information requested is as follows :
Column 889
Name |Area of residence |Occupation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. T. J. Thomson, CBE |Jordanhill |Retired consultant physician Mrs J. E. Cameron |Bearsden |Housewife Rev. R. D. M. Campbell |Newton Mearns |Minister of religion Dr. W. K. Davidson, CBE |Stepps |General medical practitioner Miss E. Donnachie |Johnstone |Director of midwifery services Mr. A. D. Garland |Cathcart |Chartered quantity surveyor Mrs A. Gilchrist |Newton Mearns |Director, Robert Gilchrist and Son Ltd. Lady S. Goold |Clarkston |Housewife Mr. P. W. Holst |Maryhill |Insulation contractor, managing director Mrs. A. Jarvis |Lenzie |Company director Mr. B. A. Maan |Pollok |Company (managing) director Mr. A. J. Mack |Cathcart |Consultant surgeon Mr. C. MacKay |Bearsden |Consultant surgeon Prof. R. M. Mackie |Bearsden |Professor of dermatology Mr. C. Macreath |Troon |Solicitor Mrs M. McGarry |Clydebank |Housewife Mr. N. M. Naftalin |Newton Mearns |Solicitor Mr. J. A. Peel |Bearsden |Medical laboratory scientific officer
Their ages range from 37 to 66.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the terms and conditions, including salary and fringe benefits, of the general manager of Greater Glasgow health board ; and what percentage increase in salary he has received in each year since his appointment.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The remuneration and conditions of service of health board general managers are set out in circulars
SHHD/DGM(1986)37, SHHD/DGM(1986)40, SHHD/DGM(1987)18,
SHHD/DGM(1987)21, SHHD/DGM(1987)71 and SHHD/DGM(1988)64. Copies of these circulars are being placed in the Library.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the total of expenses claimed by the general manager of Greater Glasgow health board in each year since his appointment.
Mr Michael Forsyth : This information is not held centrally and is a matter for the health board to deal with in conformity with guidance issued in 1985 by the Scottish Home and Health Department.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what responses to date Greater Glasgow health board has received from its advertisements of works' contracts in the official journal of the European Communities dated 30 June.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Greater Glasgow health board has received expressions of interest from a number of sources.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when was the last joint consultative committee meeting within Greater Glasgow health board at which clinical biochemists and other scientific staff raised questions about the board's future plans for alternative methods of delivering pharmacy, radiology and laboratory services.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Wednesday 14 June 1989.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether Greater Glasgow health board took independent legal advice or sought legal advice through his office about where dilictual liability falls in the contract documents which have been prepared in respect of the works contracts advertised in the official journal of the European Communities dated 30 June 1989.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No such contract documents have been prepared.
Column 890
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Greater Glasgow health board decided that clinical services might benefit from being tested in the market place before receiving a report of the strategic review undertaken for them by the laboratory consultants in Glasgow.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Health boards are expected to apply a market test to services where advantage may accrue from competitive tendering.
Hospital Visits
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of visits to hospitals undertaken by the relevant junior Minister in each of the past twenty-four months.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My visits were as follows :
Hospital |Date visited
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|1987
Seafield Hospital, Ayr |28 July
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary |15 September
Annan Hospital, Annan |22 September
Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow |30 September
Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow |30 September
Lennox Castle, Glasgow |30 September
Woodilee Hospital, Glasgow |30 September
State Hospital, Carstairs |14 October
Stirling Royal Infirmary |21 December
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow |23 December
|1988
Western Infirmary, Glasgow |22 February
Ross Hall Hospital, Glasgow |22 February
Biggart Hospital, Prestwick |29 February
Lennox Castle, Glasgow | 6 June
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary |22 July
Princes Street Day Hospital, Stirling | 7 September
Kincardine O'Neil War Memorial Hospital,
Torphins |14 September
Dr. Gray's Hospital, Elgin |15 September
Ninewells Hospital, Dundee |20 September
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary | 5 October
Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow | 1 December
|1989
Lennox Castle, Glasgow |23 January
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh |6 February
Borders District General Hospital |17 March
Haylodge Hospital, Peebles |17 March
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh |20 March
Western Infirmary, Glasgow |20 March
Perth Royal Infirmary |10 May
Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh |24 July
Column 891
Health Boards
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he or his responsible Minister personally interview prospective chairpersons of health boards before deciding on their appointments.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It is not the practice of my right hon. and learned Friend to appoint to such important posts persons of whom he has inadequate knowledge.
Dog Bites
Mr. Michael J. Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were treated in the Greater Glasgow health board area for dog bites for the years 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1988-89 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not collected.
NHS Staff
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for the last year for which figures are available the number of physiotherapists, radiographers, chiropodists and nutritionists employed by the National Health Service.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Provisional figures for whole-time equivalent numbers of qualified staff employed in the NHS in Scotland at 31 March 1989 are given in the table for physiotherapists, radiographers (including both diagnostic and therapeutic services), chiropodists and dietitians. Separate figures for nutritionists are not available centrally.
|WTE
---------------------------------
Physiotherapists |1,211.6
Radiographers |973.6
Chiropodists |516.8
Dietitians |211.5
Litter
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to deal with the problem of litter in public places; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : We are determined to take vigorous and effective action to deal with the problem of litter. I am today publishing details of our proposals for legislation designed to improve the appearance and standards of cleanliness of public places in Scotland, and to enable and encourage local authorities, other landowners and individual citizens to take more effective action against litter and those who drop it. These proposals are broadly similar to those published on 20 July by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Transport and for Wales to apply in England and Wales.
Our proposals include :
a power for district and islands councils to introduce fixed penalty schemes for littering;
an increase in the maximum fine for littering under the Litter Act 1983 from £400 to £1,000;
a duty on local authorities to keep clean all land in their beneficial occupancy or control, open to the air and to which the public have access; this duty would include both litter and dog faeces;
Column 892
a similar duty on certain landowners with statutory functions; a power for district and islands councils to impose by designation order a similar duty on owners of certain defined categories of land in other ownership (such as car parks, shopping precincts and forecourts of commercial premises);rationalising street cleaning responsibilities by making district and islands councils wholly responsible for cleaning of all roads (except motorways);
a statutory code of practice to which all those under the duty would be required to have regard, specifying standards of cleanliness and advising on the best means of achieving these;
a system of enforcement whereby (a) an aggrieved citizen can apply for a court order directing a local authority, or any other landowner under the duty to keep clean, to discharge the duty; (b) the local authority has power to issue litter abatement notices requiring a private landowner to discharge his duty; and (c) the local authority has default powers to carry out cleaning work itself, and recover costs; and
the extension of section 1 of the Litter Act 1983 to all areas covered by the duty to keep clean, and the widening of its scope. I am arranging for copies of the consultation document to be placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also being sent to interested parties, inviting comments by 29 September. Subject to responses to the consultation, the Government intend to introduce the necessary legislation at the earliest opportunity.
Statutory Instruments
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, for each of the last five parliamentary Sessions, including the 1988-89 Session, if he will list the number of statutory instruments that were issued by his Department ; how many were negative and how many affirmative ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind : The information requested concerning statutory instruments prepared in the Scottish Office for the calendar years from 1984 to date is as follows :
Year |Total orders issued |Negative orders issued |Affirmative orders issued ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1984 |230 |100 |7 1985 |190 |93 |22 1986 |210 |90 |12 1987 |255 |100 |11 1988 |281 |154 |13 1989<1> |139 |73 |9 <1> to date
Sand-eels
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research has been undertaken since 1 January into the sand-eel population in waters around Scotland, and in particular, around Shetland.
Mr. Lang : Regular samples have been taken of commercial catches both at Shetland and off the west coast of Scotland since the fishery began in April. In addition, a survey of the spawning grounds around Shetland was undertaken in February 1989, and larval and 0-group sand-eels around Shetland were assessed in May and June. A survey of the fishing grounds at Shetland is also to be undertaken later this summer.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to increase the amount and extent of research being undertaken by his Department into the
Column 893
sand-eel population in the waters around Scotland, and in particular around Shetland ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Lang : Scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland marine laboratory regularly sample commercial catches of sand-eels in Scottish waters, and earlier this year undertook surveys of larval and 0-group sand-eels and the spawning grounds around Shetland. A further survey of the Shetland fishing grounds is planned for later in the summer. The programme for further research on sand-eels in 1990 and subsequent years is currently under consideration.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, following from his announcement on licensing arrangements for the Shetland sand-eel fishery, whether he will estimate the level of fishing which the Shetland sand-eel stocks will be able to support during the first six months of 1990.
Mr. Lang : An assessment will be made before the end of the year of the appropriate level of fishing for 1990.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to introduce a licensing system for the sand-eel fishery in the Minch similar to the one recently introduced for the Shetland sand-eel fishery ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : A licensing scheme for sand-eel fisheries in Scottish inshore waters (including the Minch) was introduced with effect from 1 July 1989 under the Sand-eel Licensing Order 1989. The detailed arrangements applying to west coast sand-eel fisheries for 1989 were announced on 13 July by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is considering the introduction of alternative methods of estimating sand-eel stocks to the present retrospective method, virtual population analysis ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : New methods for assessing fish stocks are continually under development and scientists at the Aberdeen marine laboratory are in the process of refining the present methods for sand-eels using detailed fishing effort data and the results of research surveys. Given the data presently available, however, there is no known method of estimating the sand-eel stock size that is likely in the near future to provide a more accurate assessment than is obtained by virtual population analysis.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the percentage of stock of 1 group sand-eels that was taken by the Shetland fishery prior to and after the end of June in each of the past 15 years.
Mr. Lang : The information requested, which has been derived from the most recent assessment by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, is as follows :
Percentage of stock of 1-group taken in Shetland fishery
|Before end of June|After end of June
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1974 |5.0 |5.8
1975 |2.8 |1.0
1976 |11.9 |4.1
1977 |18.9 |3.0
1978 |23.0 |3.8
1979 |17.1 |3.4
1980 |4.0 |1.8
1981 |15.1 |4.5
1982 |22.4 |1.6
1983 |10.0 |3.1
1984 |6.0 |1.6
1985 |10.7 |2.5
1986 |6.3 |1.1
1987 |11.1 |1.4
1988 |4.1 |0.4
Water Pollution
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what responses have been received on his Department's consultative proposals for tighter controls over the most dangerous substances entering water ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Scottish Office proposals were set out in a consultation paper issued on 19 December 1988. Responses were received from 20 organisations representing industrial, environmental, agricultural, water and local authority interests. A summary has been placed in the Library.
The respondents generally gave a strong welcome to the Government's proposals for the principle of a unified approach involving the use of both environmental quality standards and technology-based emission standards for controlling discharges of the most dangerous substances. Comments were invited and received on a number of matters of detail, and these have been taken into account in the conclusions reached.
A key element of the proposals which was welcomed by many respondents, was the drawing up of a priority Red List of dangerous substances. The provisional list included in the consultation paper has been slightly amended in the light of the consultations and of new and corrected data now received. The initial priority Red List will be :
Substance |CAS number -------------------------------------------------- Mercury and its compounds Cadmium and its compounds gamma-Hexachlorocyclohexane |00058-89-9 DDT |00050-29-3 Pentachlorophenol |00087-86-5 Hexachlorobenzene |00118-74-1 Hexachlorobutadiene |00087-68-3 Aldrin |00309-00-2 Dieldrin |00060-57-1 Endrin |00072-20-8 Polychlorinated Biphenyls |01336-36-3 Dichlorvos |00062-73-7 1,2-Dichloroethane |00107-06-2 Trichlorobenzene |12002-48-1 Atrazine |01912-24-9 Simazine |00122-34-9 Tributyltin compounds Triphenyltin compounds Trifluoralin |01582-09-8 Fenitrothion |00122-14-5 Azinphos-methyl |00086-50-0 Malathion |00121-75-5 Endosulfan |00115-29-7
This list is the same as that announced by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the
Column 895
Environment in the House on 10 April, ( Official Report , volume 150, column 405). In making his decision, my hon. Friend took account of the comments and suggestions expressed in the Scottish consultation exercise.Further substances may be added to the list from time to time where there are sound scientific reasons for doing so. These will be identified along the broad lines set out in the annex to the consultation paper. The selection scheme is being further developed and modified in the light of comments received. Candidate substances identified by the scheme will be subject to a second-stage assessment, taking particular account of the risk posed for the aquatic environment, and to consultation before addition to the list. Those respondents to the consultative paper who commented on the mechanism of control all favoured the principle that discharges from prescribed processes should be subject to control by the Scottish river purification authorities rather than controlled centrally. Strict environmental quality standards should be set for all Red List substances where they do not exist at present. River purification authorities' discharge consents will ensure that these standards are met as a minimum requirement. Enabling powers for this purpose are available in schedule 23 to the Water Act 1989, which substitutes new and amended provisions in part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.
Such discharges would be subject to a requirement, to be introduced progressively for existing plant, that the process should be operated according to the best available technology not entailing excessive costs with a view to minimising discharges of the most dangerous substances.
We shall be issuing shortly a further consultation paper which considers how the work of the river purification authorities in dealing with Red List substances should be co-ordinated with that of other pollution control agencies.
The 1988 consultation paper discussed the question of inputs of Red List substances to water through indirect or diffuse sources. Several respondents agreed with the paper that diffuse sources are an important input for many dangerous substances. After considering the comments received, we still believe that existing controls over the supply, use and disposal of substances should generally be sufficient to deal with any potential problem from diffuse sources, but we shall be asking river purification authorities to put in hand more rigorous monitoring for priority substances and we are considering the need for new powers relating to the storage and more general use of certain hazardous substances.
Measures are also required for controls over discharges to sewers where these discharges contain Red List substances. We shall be making proposals for how this should be done in the consultation paper referred to earlier.
DEFENCE
Aldermaston
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what staffing and recruitment initiatives he is taking to ensure that the atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston, has sufficient resources to manage the research work on a warhead for a new air-launched missle.
Column 896
Mr. Alan Clark : Every effort is made to ensure that the atomic weapons establishment has sufficient manpower for its priority tasks, including where appropriate work related to possible future systems. Special pay additions have been introduced, and major recruitment campaigns are maintained. The situation is kept under close and careful review.
| Next Section
| Home Page |