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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : RHA members are appointed for their personal qualities and experience and not to represent the residents of a particular geographical area.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct Waltham Forest district health authority to increase the provision of essential life-saving emergency equipment at Whipps Cross hospital ; if he will provide additional funding to the hospital for this purpose ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman : The level of provision of health care services within a particular area is a matter for the health authority concerned, who are best able to judge the priorities for provision of services and equipment in the light of local needs and circumstances.

Insulin

Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths have been reported of young diabetics who have switched from animal to human insulin ; and


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what study the Committee on Safety of Medicines has made of the effects of treatment by synthetic human insulin for diabetics.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) has received three reports of deaths of young diabetics who have switched from animal to human insulin. Such reports do not establish a relationship between cause of death and change of insulin type. The CSM considered a range of studies in relation to human insulin before product licences were granted and since this time has monitored published studies worldwide. Currently the CSM is working closely with the British Diabetic Association and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the United Kingdom and epidemiological centres in the USA to monitor the possible effects of changing from animal to human insulin and of improving diabetic control in patients under treatment with all types of insulin. The CSM has advised all diabetics not to make any change in the type of insulin they use, or the dose they take, without consulting their doctor.

Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there is an adequate supply of animal insulin for the treatment of diabetics.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : There are four suppliers of animal insulin for the treatment of diabetes in the United Kingdom. Each has given an assurance that there are adequate supplies available.

AIDS

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the guidance and criteria for support grant for social services for people with AIDS and related expenditure will be forthcoming ; and if he will make a statement.


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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We will outline the criteria following consultation with the local authority associations later this year.

Handicapped Children

Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children up to 18 years of age are (a) mentally handicapped, (b) physically handicapped and (c) both, by health region and by severity of disability.

Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not available centrally. The third report from the OPCS on disability in Great Britain, "The Prevalence of Disability Among Children" contains estimates of the number of mentally and/or physically handicapped children under 16 years of age in each local government region of England, but these regions are not regional health authority areas. A copy of this report is in the Library.

Abortion

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were carried out on overseas women in the last 12 months ; at how many weeks gestation they were undertaken ; if he will list their countries of origin ; what information he has on the allowable upper time limit for abortions in their countries of origin ; how much was paid to private clinics in fees to carry out these abortions ; how many were after 18 weeks gestation ; and whether his Department requires an anaesthetic or pain killer to be administered to the unborn child before a late abortion takes place.

Mr. Freeman : The information regarding the numbers of abortions performed in England and Wales to overseas women, with a breakdown by gestation, is shown in the table.


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Abortions to non-British Isles residents by country of origin and gestation period for  

1988                                                                                    

                          Gestation weeks                                               

Country                  |Total<1>|Under 9 |9-12    |13-17   |18+     |Unknown          

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other European           |7,357   |1,084   |1,366   |2,263   |2,644   |-                

Austria                  |54      |4       |1       |13      |36      |-                

Belgium and Luxembourg   |33      |3       |5       |1       |24      |-                

France                   |3,047   |45      |126     |1,335   |1,541   |-                

Gibraltar                |32      |14      |12      |4       |2       |-                

Italy                    |631     |26      |32      |257     |316     |-                

Malta                    |45      |19      |20      |2       |4       |-                

Portugal                 |51      |17      |8       |12      |14      |-                

Spain                    |3,188   |900     |1,107   |601     |580     |-                

Switzerland              |68      |9       |11      |14      |34      |-                

German Federal Republic  |140     |24      |31      |14      |71      |-                

Rest of world            |1,011   |371     |342     |172     |126     |-                

Algeria                  |78      |11      |5       |22      |40      |-                

Australia                |40      |16      |17      |7       |-       |-                

Republic of South Africa |400     |112     |156     |90      |42      |-                

United States of America |66      |33      |24      |4       |5       |-                

Zimbabwe                 |49      |14      |21      |8       |6       |-                

<1> Only countries where the number of terminations exceeds 24 are included.            

The upper limits and circumstances in which abortions may lawfully take place vary widely from country to country but do not affect the availability in individual cases of abortions in this country to foreign women.

Information about the sums paid to private clinics by non resident women is not collected centrally.


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Decisions as to the drugs and anaesthesia to be given to a woman undergoing an abortion are entirely a matter for the clinical judgement of the doctor responsible for her care.


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Haemophiliacs

Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what further consideration he has given to the settlement of compensation claims by haemophiliacs infected by the HIV virus through National Health Service blood transfusions : and what plans he has for an early out-of- court settlement with these victims ; (2) what further representations he has received regarding financial compensation for haemophiliacs infected by the HIV virus through National Health Service blood transfusions.

Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what study he has undertaken of compensation arrangements made by other Governments for people with haemophilia who, in the course of medical treatment, have been infected with HIV virus ; and if he will now facilitate an out-of-court settlement of the claims of the British victims ; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have received 30 further representations from members about compensation for people with haemophilia and HIV infection since my hon. and learned Friend replied to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 23 October at column 318. We understand that a variety of schemes have been adopted in other countries, although some have made no special arrangements.

I am advised that the current legal action relating to haemophiliacs is sub -judice and it would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further.

Food Safety

Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government will respond to the sixth report, 1988-89, of the Social Services Committee on food poisoning, listeria and listeriosis.

Mr. Freeman : The Government have today published their response to this report. Copies have been placed in the Library.

TRANSPORT

King's Cross Fire

Mr. Snape : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total expenditure incurred by London Regional Transport and London Underground Limited arising from the King's Cross Underground fire.

Mr. Portillo : London Regional Transport estimated last year that £266 million needed to be spent between 1989-90 and 1991-92 on proposals to enhance underground safety following the King's Cross fire. It is expected that about £80 million of this will be incurred in 1989- 90.

Council of Ministers

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether at the Council of European Transport Ministers on 16 October in Luxembourg he introduced any policies to promote the reduction in road traffic use in the European Community ; and if he will make a statement.


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Mr. Atkins : It is not the Government's policy to seek to influence overall levels of road traffic, but to secure efficient use of vehicles and highways. At the Council on 16 October my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State pressed for action to liberalise road haulage cabotage across the European Community. The effect of allowing non-resident companies to offer road haulage services within a member state would be to reduce the number of lorries which return home empty.

Road Schemes

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions are made of the value of public open space needed for road schemes in cost-benefit analysis.

Mr. Atkins : Public open space taken for road schemes, like all land acquired for road schemes, is valued in the cost-benefit analysis on the basis of market prices as assessed by the district valuer, who is independent of the Department. Cost-benefit analysis is only one part of the total appraisal procedure for road schemes. Decisions are taken in the light of a comprehensive assessment which includes environmental effects, such as the effect on amenity and nature and environmental conservation. Under the terms of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 if open space or common land is taken for a road scheme, the Department provides equivalent land in exchange or the compulsory purchase order is subject to special parliamentary procedure. The current approach to the valuation of public open space, like all elements in the appraisal of roads, is kept under review.

Roads (London)

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions he has given to the consultants for the London assessment studies with regard to (a) scheme components to be dropped from the studies and (b) scheme components to be added to the studies in advance of the consultants finalising their reports.

Mr. Atkins : It is for the study consultants to determine what components should or should not be included in their recommendations. I am still awaiting their reports.

East London River Crossing

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what value was ascribed to that portion of Oxleas wood needed for the east London river crossing for the purposes of assessing the costs and benefits of the scheme.

Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mrs. Barnes) on 23 January 1989, at column 387.

Air Traffic Congestion

Mrs. Maureen Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what strategy the Government have for tackling air traffic congestion in Europe.

Mr. Parkinson : The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority have reviewed the provision of air traffic control in Europe. We consider that in addition to initiatives taken in the last year, western European states


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should now work urgently towards the integration of their air traffic control systems. In order to achieve this, states would need to enter into a specific commitment to integrate their system to an agreed timetable and to bring about the necessary changes to the institutional framework.

We envisage that the integrated system would be operated from a series of area control centres which have compatible systems and equipment and would be connected by a common communications network. Some changes of air space boundaries might be agreed, but we would expect most control centres to continue to be operated by national authorities. The system would function irrespective of state boundaries, which would become transparent to airspace users. Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, would be given an enhanced role in developing a single integration plan and in helping national authorities to expedite its implementation.


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In response to a United Kingdom proposal, the European Civil Aviation conference recently established a task force to examine the scope for further integration of air traffic control systems in Europe. The United Kingdom will be playing a leading part in the work of the task force and we will be putting forward proposals at the first meeting of the task force on 3 November. The task force's report will be considered at a meeting of European Transport Ministers in the spring of 1990 at which I hope the Governments of western Europe will agree a timetable for the necessary technical and institutional changes.

Cash Limits

Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he proposes to make to the cash limits on his votes and to his Department's running costs limit.

Mr. Parkinson : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limits for my votes are to be changed as follows :


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£ thousand                                                                                                                           

                                       Increases                                                                                     

                                       End year                                                                                      

                                       flexibility<1>                                                                                

Class and vote     |Current cash limit|Capital           |Running costs     |Other             |Revised cash limit                   

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VIII, 1            |1,282,912         |22,832            |-                 |<2>65,000         |1,370,744                            

     2             |234,213           |2,000             |686               |<3>1,970          |238,869                              

     4             |128,883           |1,913             |602               |-                 |131,398                              

     5             |218,706           |-                 |-                 |<4>1              |218,707                              

<1> Take up in full of entitlements announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 20 July 1989 (Official Report, columns       

258-62).                                                                                                                             

<2> Increases of £25 million towards preparation and supervision of new construction as part of the expanded roads programme         

described in the Roads for Prosperity White Paper (Cm. 693) and £40 million to meet faster than expected progress in schemes in the  

current roads programme.                                                                                                             

<3> Additional running costs provision to cover work on the expanded roads programme.                                                

<4> Token. Increased payments and recoveries in respect of traffic control systems.                                                  

All these increases will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The running costs limit of the Department of Transport has been increased by £3,258,000 from £284,873,000 to £288,131,000 as a consequence of the running costs increases referred to above.

Roads (London)

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money, and on what projects, has been spent by his Department on road schemes in Greater


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London for each year since 1975 to date ; and what is proposed to be spent, and on what projects, for the remainder of this year and each year until 1995.

Mr. Atkins : Details of construction costs for individual projects costing over £1 million each in progress in the period 1986-87 to 1989 -90 are shown in table 1. All 1989-90 figures are estimates. Expenditure in future years will be determined by progress on preparation and construction of individual projects and the total funds available for road building.

The information for earlier years could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.


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Expenditure on major DTP schemes in London-construction costs only              

£ million                                                                       

                                        |1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90        

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A12 Gallows Corner/Brentwood            |0.6    |-      |-      |-              

A406 South Woodford/Barking Relief Road |32.8   |21.8   |5.4    |0.6            

A20 Sidcup Bypass Improvement           |14.2   |9.2    |3.8    |1.1            

A2 Rochesterway Road Junction           |7.3    |13.0   |2.7    |2.3            

A406 Great Cambridge Relief Road        |0.8    |5.7    |7.0    |8.4            

A406 Hangar Lane/Harrow Road            |-      |0.2    |1.6    |18.8           

A406 Chingford Road/Hale End Road       |-      |3.9    |1.5    |25.2           

A40 Swakeleys Road Junction             |-      |-      |4.7    |6.7            

A23 Waddon Marsh Bridge                 |-      |-      |0.4    |0.4            

A40 Long Lane Junction                  |-      |-      |-      |0.7            

Hackney Wick/M11 Link                   |-      |-      |-      |1.9            

East London Traffic Control System      |-      |-      |-      |0.4            

Final Accounts for earlier schemes      |0.6    |0.6    |0.1    |0.5            

Total                                   |56.3   |54.4   |27.2   |67.0           

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report from Ove-Arup partners on the east London assessment study.

Mr. Atkins : I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 October to my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Sir B. Hayhoe), Official Report, column 373.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Meat Imports

Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the powers to serve notice requiring the re-importation of meat unfit for human consumption under the Imported Food Regulations (NI) 1984 are to be retained after the implementation of the Single European Act in 1992 ; and if he will make a statement about controls against the importation of unsuitable meat into Northern Ireland.

Mr. Needham : Until the EC negotiations are finalised it is not certain what effect the single market proposals for 1992 will have on public health inspection of imported meat, but in those negotiations the United Kingdom are arguing strongly in favour of adequate safeguards on meat from member states. The existing controls under the Imported Food (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1984, require that imported meat shall be subject to inspection by authorised officers of district councils, to ensure compliance with the EC certification and health marking conditions.

ACE Schemes

Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the operation of the ACE scheme and give the following information : how many people are currently employed on the ACE scheme, how many people currently employed on the ACE scheme are disabled and what this is as a percentage of the total number employed on ACE schemes, how many sponsor organisations within the ACE scheme employ 20 or more staff and which statutory provisions apply to these organisations, what information he has as to how many sponsor organisations within the ACE scheme fulfil their obligations under the 1945 and 1960 Acts to employ a minimum of 3 per cent. registered disabled people, what arrangements are made by the Department of Economic Development for Northern Ireland to monitor whether organisations in receipt of public money fulfil their legal obligations in respect of employing disabled people and what action is taken by the Department of Economic Development against organisations who are in breach of the provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) National Insurance Act 1945 and 1960 ; if he will list any prosecutions undertaken and the outcome in each case ; what is his policy regarding promotion of equality of opportunity in obtaining employment under the ACE scheme for disabled people ; and whether he has any plans to introduce further measures to ensure that disabled people have equality of opportunity to obtain employment under the ACE scheme.


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Mr. Needham : The Action for Community Employment (ACE) scheme provides temporary employment for up to one year for the long-term unemployed in work of community benefit. A total of 10,561 people are currently employed on the ACE scheme and 182 or 1.7 per cent. of the total work force have declared themselves to be disabled ; 147 sponsors employ 20 or more staff ; ACE sponsors are subject to all statutory provisions affecting employers ;

Information about the number of ACE sponsors who meet their obligations under the 1945 and 1960 disabled person's legislation is not available.

Organisations in receipt of public money, in common with all other employers, are required to obtain a permit from the Department of Economic Development if they do not meet the quota obligations imposed by statutory provision and wish to recruit non-disabled employees. Permits are issued only where the Department is satisfied the employer has made every effort to recruit registered disabled people and has been unsuccessful. Employers with 20 or more employees are required to make an annual return to the Department of Economic Development showing the number of disabled workers in their work force. Visits are paid by the Department's disablement resettlement officers to employers not fulfilling their quota obligations to check on their recruitment practices and to advise on the recruitment of registered disabled people. It has not previously been normal practice for DRO's to monitor recruitment of disabled people into ACE jobs, but this matter is now under review.

Employers in breach of the statutory provisions are liable to prosecution, but it is generally considered more appropriate to advise employers about any departures from their statutory obligations and provide advice and assistance in helping them to meet their obligations ; there have been no prosecutions.

The Department's policy is that registered disabled people should be given every opportunity to compete on equal terms with their non-disabled colleagues for ACE jobs, and should benefit from the special measures in operation to assist with the employment of this group. Under existing recruitment rules disabled people get preferential treatment in that they need only to have been unemployed for eight out of the previous 15 months before being eligible for the scheme and can obtain a further ACE job 16 months after leaving the scheme, instead of the normal 24 months. In a recent series of conferences with ACE sponsors special attention was drawn to the employment needs of disabled people and sponsors were asked to develop positive policies towards the employment of these people. The Department of Economic Development is currently reviewing measures that may be taken to increase the number of registered disabled people employed in the ACE programme.

Students

Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students from (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) other European Community countries are in receipt of state-supported education in Northern Ireland ; and what is the total cost in Northern Ireland of support.

Mr. Needham : The total numbers of students from the Republic of Ireland and other EC countries respectively


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attending Northern Ireland universities, teacher training colleges and further education college in 1988-89 were 1,783 and 110. It is not possible to disaggregate the overall cost of support. However, the cost of remitting the tuition fees of eligible students from the Republic of Ireland and other EC countries in 1988-89 (1,256 total student numbers of which four are from EC countries other than the Republic of Ireland) was £702,650 (£700,550 Republic of Ireland and £2,100 other EC countries).

Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated total value of grants paid to students in Northern Ireland in the academic year 1989-90.

Mr. Needham : A total of £53,949,000.

Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of grants paid to Northern Ireland students in each of the last three years.

Mr. Needham : The information is as follows :


Financial year |£000s                        

---------------------------------------------

1986-87        |41,720                       

1987-88        |44,912                       

1988-89        |48,606                       

Belfast Urban Area Plan

Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give an approximate date for the publication of the Belfast urban area plan.

Mr. Needham : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) on 17 October 1989 at column 69 .

Education

Mr. McCusker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many secondary schools in Northern Ireland fall into a particular group category for promotional allowance values and are paid (a) at the lower allowance and (b) at the higher allowance.

Mr. Needham : One secondary school has a promotion allowance value which is lower than that appropriate to its group and six secondary schools have promotion allowance values which are higher than that appropriate to their groups.

Mr. McCusker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those schools in Northern Ireland which fall into group 12 category for promotional allowance values for secondary schools and are treated accordingly.

Mr. Needham : Following is the information :

Ballyclare High School

Ballymena Academy

Coleraine Academical Institution

Grosvenor High School, Belfast

Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast

Sullivan Upper School, Holywood

St. Mary's Christian Brothers Grammar School, Belfast

St. Patrick's College, Maghera

Thornhill College, Londonderry

Wallace High School, Lisburn


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Mr. McCusker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those schools in Northern Ireland which fall into category group 12 for promotional allowance values for secondary schools and are paid group 11 allowances.

Mr. Needham : One group 12 school--Portadown college--has had a promotion allowance value appropriate to a group 11 school determined for it by the Department of Education for the 1989-90 school year.

Arts

The Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the projects in Northern Ireland which have benefited from his Department's support for the arts in the last three years for which figures are available, and the sums granted in each case.

Mr. Needham : Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Family Planning

Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general practitioners were registered at 31 December 1987 and 1988 to provide a National Health Service family planning service to their patients in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Needham [holding answer 30 October 1989] : The total numbers providing such services were 876 and 904 respectively.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Stationery

Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the date of the expiry of the current contract to supply the House with stationery ; when he intends to invite tenders for any subsequent contract ; and whether it will be open to any company located in the United Kingdom to tender for that contract.

Sir Geoffrey Howe : The HMSO is responsible for supplies of stationery to the House of Commons (Estimate Class XIX Vote 6). A contract for the supply of die-stamped stationery was awarded in May 1989 following competitive tendering. This is due to run for three years.

Invitations to tender for a replacement contract will be issued in late 1991, following advertising in the Official Journal of the European Communities, to all suppliers on HMSO's tender list, together with any acceptable firms who may respond to the notice in the Official Journal. Interested suppliers may request inclusion on HMSO's tender list at any time.

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Lord President of the Council how much paper used by the House of Commons is (a) recycled and (b) virgin ; and what are the comparative costs.

Sir Geoffrey Howe : I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) of 4 April 1989, column 69.


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Papers used in the production of buff envelopes and file covers for HMSO are traditionally made from recycled papers and therefore a comparison with virgin papers is not possible. For general purpose printing papers the price of recycled qualities is similar to that for virgin papers. For higher quality writing papers savings of up to 10 per cent. may be obtainable.

Refreshment Department (Packaging)

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the policy of the Refreshment Department on the use of

chlorofluorocarbons containing packaging material, non-bio-degradable wrapping and recycled paper.


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