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Mr. Freeman : We have been informed by the association of the financial circumstances of the Mike
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Heaffey centre. The question of making good the shortfall in construction costs of the centre is a matter for the association to negotiate with the bodies concerned.Local Government Finance
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the progress in the establishment of local health pay arrangements to cover payment by student nurses of the poll tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : It is for nursing students themselves to make arrangements to pay the personal community charge for which they are liable. Project 2000 students will pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge, like other full-time students.
GP Operations
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the number of family practitioners within the Trent regional health authority who carry out minor operations performed within their practice and such other relevant information as is available.
Mr. Mellor : No information is available about minor operations carried out by GPs in the Trent region. However, research studies suggest that about 27 per cent. of GPs in England and Wales provide this service from within their practice on a regular basis.
Resource Management Initiative Scheme
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement in respect of (a) the pilot resource management initiative at the Pilgrim hospital, Boston, (b) the ICL's financial system case mix finance module installed in all departments at the hospital and (c) what results to date have been obtained at the five other pilot sites of the Government's resource management initiative scheme.
Mr. Freeman : The RMI seeks improvements in patient care by involving clinicians and other health professionals more closely in the management of their hospitals and supporting this with accurate, timely and credible information from a computerised database which links activity and cost at patient level.
The Pilgrim hospital, Boston, has been a pilot site for the resource management initiative (RMI) since April 1988. Good progress has been made. A number of experiments are under way to determine appropriate management structures for the hospital in line with the objectives of the RMI. Computer systems are being expanded and upgraded and new systems installed where a need can be shown for them.
The ICL case-mix finance reporting module is not installed in the Pilgrim hospital.
As a result of the work done at the pilot sites since the RMI was launched in 1986 we remain convinced that it holds the potential for significantly improving the quality and quantity of health care which the NHS provides.
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NHS Property Sales
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will show, by regional health authority, the response received to date from general practitioners, by percentage, where health centres and clinics are proposed to be sold ; and what terms and conditions will be implemented.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not held centrally.
Drugs Prescriptions
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are carried out by inspectors on family practitioners who have dispensing facilities for drugs attached to their surgeries to ensure that abuses are not occurring, especially in respect of receptionists dispensing drugs on repeat prescriptions before they are signed and authorised by the family practitioner.
Mr. Mellor : There are no formal inspection arrangements for family practitioners who have dispensing facilities attached to their surgeries, beyond those provided for under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in relation to controlled drugs. General medical practitioners are required by their terms of service to ensure that only properly signed and authorised prescriptions are dispensed.
NHS Income Generation
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what feasibility studies have been set up, and what results obtained, in respect of managerial income generation, by regional health authority ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Since the coming into effect of section 7 of the Health and Medicines Act 1988, all health authorities have the legal means, and have been encouraged to seek ways in which they may develop secondary sources of income to enhance and improve patient care, provided that any such scheme does not act to the detriment of patients themselves.
Returns for the initial period of the income generation initiative reveal that during the tax year 1988-89, the net profit to English health authorities was close to £10 million.
Doncaster AHA (Staffing)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the qualified staffing per resident population in the Doncaster area health authority ; and what is the national figure.
Mr. Mellor : At 30 September 1988 there were 9.4 qualified doctors and dentists and 51.9 qualified nursing and midwifery staff in the NHS in England per 10,000 resident population. The figures for Doncaster health authority were 4.1 and 55 respectively.
The Doncaster figures for doctors and dentists are not directly comparable with the national figures, because they do not include consultants and senior registrars working in the district whose contracts are held by Trent regional health authority.
Information on other professionally qualified staff could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Nurse Regradings
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many nurses employed by Liverpool area health authority have appealed against their regrading ; and how many appeals are still outstanding ;
(2) how many nurses' regrading appeals have now been heard by health authorities in England ; and if he will list the numbers still outstanding in each authority.
Mr. Mellor : We do not collect centrally information on the number of appeals to district health authorities.
Local Health Services (Liverpool)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new patients were treated by Broadgreen hospital's accident and emergency unit in the last year ; and what consultation has taken place with consultants working in the unit about its future.
Mr. Mellor : We do not hold information centrally about the number of new patients treated at the unit. The future of the unit, along with plans for the development of other health services locally, is a matter for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may wish, therefore, to contact the chairman of the Liverpool health authority.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on future geriatric provision by Liverpool area health authority ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the future of Olive Mount hospital, Liverpool ;
(3) if he will make a statement on the future of the accident and emergency unit at Broadgreen hospital, Liverpool.
Mr. Mellor : The planning and development of health services locally is a matter for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Liverpool health authority.
Tranquilliser Advice Centre
Mr. Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government will fund centrally Tranx (UK) Ltd, the national tranquilliser advice centre, to prevent its imminent closure due to funding problems.
Mr. Freeman : Between 1983 and 1986 Tranx (Harrow) received grants of over £90,000 from the Department's central funding initiative. At the time, it was made clear that these grants were for a maximum of three years and that once central funding ended, organisations would need to look to their local statutory authorities for continued support. For the last three years Tranx (UK) has been funded by the North West Thames regional health authority and the London boroughs grants unit (LBGU). But earlier this year when Tranx (UK) was experiencing financial difficulities, the Department, exceptionally, made a further £10,000 available to clear the organisation's deficit in 1988-89.
Discussions on future funding of Tranx (UK) are still in progress with a variety of potential funders. No decision has yet been reached, but we hope that Tranx (UK) will be able to continue its work with tranquilliser dependents.
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Clinical Psychologists
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of posts for clinical psychologists in the National Health Service is currently unfilled.
Mr. Mellor : We do not hold this information centrally.
Coronary Heart Disease
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new initiatives he is considering to combat coronary heart disease.
Mr. Mellor : We are considering a number of initiatives at present, and I refer my hon. Friend to the Government's response to the Committee of Public Accounts report on coronary heart disease (Cm. 831) for further details.
Safety (Damages)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to permit the imposing of punitive damages on companies which have demonstrated a reckless disregard for human life, with the money raised to go to a fund to promote safety in all aspects of human activity.
Mr. Freeman : We would be prepared to consider any specific examples which may be brought to our attention.
Residential Homes
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mentally ill and handicapped people live in residential homes and hostels in England and Wales.
Mr. Freeman : Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested. Information on the number of places in local authority, voluntary and private homes at 31 March 1987 is published in "Residential Accommodation for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People : Number of Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes and Places : England", a copy of which is in the Library. Provisional information for 1988 is as follows :
|Number of places
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Homes and hostels for mentally
handicapped people |28,458
Homes and hostels for mentally ill
people |9,745
Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physically handicapped people aged under 65 years live in residential homes in England and Wales.
Mr. Freeman : Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested. At 31 March 1988, there were 11,691 persons aged under 65 in local authority and registered residential care homes for elderly people and younger physically handicapped people. This figure is provisional.
Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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One-Parent Families
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of one-parent families recorded in England and Wales.
Mr. Freeman : The best available recent estimate of the number of one-parent families is that of 1,010 thousand in Great Britain in 1986. This was given in an article in Population Trends 55--which is in the Library. The article explains the definition used and the qualifications to be attached to the accuracy of such estimates. It is thought that, of this total, about 100,000 families are in Scotland with the balance of about 910,000 families in England and Wales.
Institutions
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of persons aged over 75 years live in institutions in England and Wales.
Mr. Freeman : Comprehensive information about persons aged over 75 years in institutions is not collected centrally.
At 31 March 1988 there were 188,929 people aged 75 and over resident in local authority and registered residential care homes for elderly and younger physically handicapped people. This represents 5.9 per cent. of the population aged 75 and over. The figure is provisional.
Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Community Health Councils
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that Bradford community health council and other community health councils receive free copies of the two documents referred to in his Department's press release, issued on 29 September, ref : 89/417 ; and if he will further ensure that community health councils continue to receive free copies of such documents.
Mr. Freeman : The two documents referred to in the press release gave detailed guidance to health service managers on certain aspects of proposals set out in "Working for Patients". It was not felt that the material needed to be brought to the attention of all CHCs, although the association of CHCs in England and Wales was sent copies. In view of Bradford CHC's interest in these particular documents I have arranged for it to receive copies. Decisions on the distribution of further documents to CHCs will be made in the light of their contents.
Drax Power Station
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will order an immediate investigation by his Department into the effects on health of sewage bacteria contamination from the Drax power station.
Mr. Freeman : Thorough investigations are already being undertaken by the appropriate health and local authorities in conjunction with the public health laboratory service. The evidence so far indicates that the potential risk to public health is extremely small. No consequent illness has been reported. Investigations are continuing and I have asked to be kept informed.
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Patients
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average number of patients on a general practitioner's list.
Mr. Freeman : I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) yesterday.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Namibia
16. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent support Her Majesty's Government have given to the United Nations in implementing resolution 435 in Namibia.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have already informed the House of our substantial financial and material contribution to the United Nations transition assistance group. We are now helping with the elections themselves. We have made available an election consultant, we are transporting the ballot papers, and we are sending a group of over 40 election supervisors.
52. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the peace process in Namibia.
58. Mr. Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current steps in the independence process in Namibia.
Mr. Waldegrave : Implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence is proceeding well. We will continue to support the United Nations' efforts to ensure that the elections are free and fair, and to assist in a peaceful transition to independence.
United States of America
17. Mr. Wood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit the United States of America.
Mr. Major : I visited the United States twice last month. Plans for my next visit are not yet firm.
36. Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with representatives of the Government of the United States of America.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited the United States last month. His next discussions with representatives of the United States Government are likely to cover the usual broad range of issues.
59. Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the United States Government ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met
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representatives of the United States Government on 26 September, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York. He discussed a wide range of issues.Cambodia
18. Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to have any contact with the Phnom Penh-based Administration in Cambodia.
34. Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relationship with Cambodia.
Mr. Sainsbury : We want to see a free and independent Cambodia in which the people can elect a Government of their own choice. We are actively helping in the search for a political settlement to this end. We have no dealings with the regime installed in Phnom Penh by force of Vietnamese arms.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his present policy towards the people and Government of Cambodia ; and what help is being given by the United Kingdom to assist them in their battle with Pol Pot.
Mr. Sainsbury : We have no dealings with the Heng Samrin regime, installed by force of Vietnamese arms. We continue to help those in need within Cambodia through our contributions to humanitarian projects. The best way to keep out the Khmer Rouge is a comprehensive political settlement which enables the Cambodian people to elect a Government of their choice.
Foreign Affairs Council
19. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects he expects to raise at the next meeting of the European Community Foreign Affairs Council.
Mr. Maude : I expect a range of Community issues to be discussed.
Lebanon
20. Mr. McWilliam : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government and her EEC partners have put forward to resolve the conflict in Lebanon.
Mr. Waldegrave : We, together with our European partners, continue to support fully the Arab League committee of three heads of state in their efforts to bring peace to Lebanon. We welcome the agreement reached at Ta'if by the Lebanese parliamentary deputies.
NATO Information Budget
21. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current NATO information budget ; what it was in real terms five, 10 and 15 years ago ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Waldegrave : The forecast 1989 NATO budget is £1,160 million ; it was £730 million five years ago ; £281 million 10 years ago and £409 million 15 years ago. All figures are in 1988 prices.
Middle East
22. Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the peace process in the middle east.
Mr. Waldegrave : We fully support Egyptian efforts to seek clarification of Mr. Shamir's useful elections proposal and to promote talks in Cairo between the Israeli Government and Palestinians from inside and outside the occupied territories. We look to Israel to respond positively.
Overseas Visits
23. Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the overseas venues he has visited since becoming Foreign Secretary.
Mr. Major : Since becoming Foreign Secretary, I have visited : Paris --for the International Conference on Cambodia.
Washington--for discussion with the Administration and Congress. New York on two occasions--to address the Economic Club and the UN General Assembly.
Bonn--for talks with the German Foreign Minister.
Luxembourg--for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. Chartres--for an Informal Meeting of EC Foreign Ministers. Kuala Lumpur--for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Detained Britons (Consular Assistance)
24. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British citizens were detained abroad in 1988 ; how many of these received consular assistance ; and what were the comparable figures for five years ago.
Mr. Sainsbury : One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven British citizens were reported as having been detained abroad during 1988. Those detained briefly for minor offences are often not reported to us. Consular assistance was available to all who were still in detention when consular contact was established. Comparable figures for five years ago are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Hungary
25. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the current state of European Community-Hungary relations.
Mr. Waldegrave : EC-Hungary relations are excellent, with both parties committed to the development of closer ties through the trade and economic co-operation agreement signed last September. The Community will also be assisting Hungary's economic reform efforts through vocational training and by providing technical assistance in agriculture and the environment.
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