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following ranges : (a) all heads of households, (b) single heads of household who are over pensionable age, (c) married heads of household who are over pensionable age, (d) single heads of household who are below pensionable age and (e) married heads of household who are below pensionable age in income ranges up to £53.56, £53.56 to £65.38, £65.38 to £80, £80 to £100, £100 to £107.12, £107.12 to £120, £120 to £130.76, £130.76 to £140, £140 to £160, £160 to £180, £180 to £200, £200 to £220, £220 to £240 and over £240.Mr. Lilley [holding answer 3 November 1989] : Estimates of tax units' incomes by category of the head of household are not readily available. Estimates for 1989-90 of numbers and percentages of tax units in the specified categories by income are given in the table. The estimates are based on projections of information from the 1986 family expenditure survey and are provisional.
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Tax units<1> by type and by range of income liable to tax 1989-90
Range of weAll tax units<1> Single persons aged Married couples Single persons aged Married couples
(lower limit)
over 65 aged<2> less than 65 non-aged<3>
£ |thousands|percent. |thousands|percent. |thousands|percent. |thousands|percent. |thousands|percent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 |7,810 |25.0 |2,310 |52.5 |110 |4.0 |4,410 |33.4 |980 |9.0
53.36 |1,400 |4.5 |710 |16.1 |20 |0.7 |510 |3.9 |160 |1.5
65.38 |1,440 |4.6 |410 |9.3 |480 |17.7 |470 |3.6 |100 |0.9
80 |1,860 |6.0 |290 |6.6 |570 |21.0 |860 |6.5 |140 |1.3
100 |630 |2.0 |50 |1.1 |110 |4.0 |390 |3.0 |80 |0.7
107.12 |1,080 |3.5 |80 |1.8 |180 |6.6 |670 |5.1 |150 |1.4
120 |930 |3.0 |100 |2.3 |140 |5.2 |530 |4.0 |160 |1.5
130.76 |850 |2.7 |50 |1.1 |110 |4.0 |540 |4.1 |140 |1.3
140 |1,380 |4.4 |90 |2.1 |160 |5.9 |840 |6.4 |300 |2.8
160 |1,240 |4.0 |60 |1.4 |80 |2.9 |740 |5.6 |350 |3.2
180 |1,230 |3.9 |60 |1.4 |140 |5.2 |530 |4.0 |500 |4.6
200 |1,190 |3.8 |30 |0.7 |100 |3.7 |550 |4.2 |510 |4.7
220 |1,130 |3.6 |10 |0.2 |80 |2.9 |460 |3.5 |570 |5.2
240 |9,030 |28.9 |150 |3.4 |440 |16.2 |1,690 |12.8 |6,750 |62.0
|--- |-- |--- |-- |--- |-- |--- |-- |--- |--
Total |31,200 |100.0 |4,400 |100.0 |2,720 |100.0 |13,190 |100.0 |10,890 |100.0
<1>Single persons and married couples.
<2>At least one person aged 65 or over.
<3>Both spouses under 65.
Manufacturing (Capital Investment)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage rate of growth of capital investment in fixed assets in manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom over the decade 1979 to 1989, on the assumption that all United Kingdom firms transferred from the public to the private sector during the decade were in the private sector from before 1979 ; and what is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average over the same period.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 13 November 1989] : In classifying businesses to industries no distinction
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is made between the public and private sectors. Within industry groups sectorial estimates which allow for classification changes are not available, for reasons of confidentiality. The information which is available was included in my earlier reply of 13 November 1989, Official Report, column 7 .Mortgage Tax Relief
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost in the present fiscal year of mortgage tax relief at the higher rate of income tax.
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Mr. Major [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The estimated cost in 1989-90 of mortgage tax relief at excess over the basic rate of income tax is £430. This estimate is based on a projection of the 1986 -87 survey of personal incomes and is therefore provisional.
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the additional cost to the Exchequer, in a full year, assuming mortgage interest rates of 14.5 per cent. and at present tax rates, of increasing the mortgage interest income tax relief from a ceiling of £30,000 to a ceiling of £45,000.
Mr. Major [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The direct revenue cost in a full year, at 1989-90 levels and assuming mortgage interest rates of 14.5 per cent. throughout the year, of increasing the ceiling for mortgage interest relief from £30,000 to £45,000 is estimated to be about £900 million. This estimate makes no allowance for any consequential changes to the distribution of outstanding mortgages.
Banking and Insurance
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what areas of trade in banking and insurance business will still be subject to national controls and restrictions after the 1992 plans have been implemented.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The single market directives affecting financial services aim to open up the market within a framework based on mutual recognition and the "single passport" which will allow firms authorised in one member state to then do business throughout the Community. Banking and insurance will remain subject to national legislation, which will be modified as necessary to provide for the implementation of these directives. The scope and effect of the relevant directives are explained in the booklet "The Single Market : financial services" published by the Department of Trade and Industry in September 1989, copies of which are in the Library.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Beith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend table 1 on page 52 of the 6th report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee, HC 217 Session 1988-89, to cover public expenditure in the years 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 where possible, on a consistent basis.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The information needed to extend this table to cover the years up to and including 1992-93 will be published at the time of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.
Mortgage Interest Relief
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of raising the ceiling on mortgage interest relief from £30,000 to £45,000 ; and how many households he estimates would benefit from such a change.
Mr. Peter Lilley [holding answer 14 November 1989] : The direct revenue cost at 1989-90 levels of raising the ceiling on mortgage interest relief from £30,000 to £45,000 is estimated to be about £900 million. This estimate makes no allowance for any consequential changes to the distribution of outstanding mortgages.
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The number of households with existing mortgages in excess of £30, 000 is estimated to be 2.5 million.Third World Debt
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the amount of tax forgone by the Exchequer as a result of (a) the decision by Lloyds bank to make provision of £1.2 billion against Third world debt and (b) the decision by National Westminster bank to make similar provision in the sum of £575 million.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 14 November 1989] : Tax relief due to banks in respect of loans which cannot be recovered in full is governed by the ordinary tax rules which apply to any trader who gives credit in the course of his business. The tax test is whether the principal of the debt is shown to be irrecoverable. Because of the rules of confidentiality which govern taxpayers' affairs, I am not in a position to say how far commercial provisions made by an individual bank meet the tax test.
Planning Total (DTI)
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each of the years 1978-79 to 1984-85 the planning total for the Department of Trade and Industry on a basis consistent with table 2 on page 53 of appendix 8 of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's sixth report of Session 1988-89, HC 217.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 14 November 1989] : The information requested is not available. Figures for those elements of the new definition of the planning total for which estimates or proxies are required have not been produced for years prior to 1984-85. A departmental breakdown of central Government's own expenditure showing expenditure by the Department of Trade and Industry for the years since 1978-79 was given in table 21.4.4 of chapter 21 of the 1989 public expenditure White Paper. These figures are on the definition used for the 1988 public expenditure survey, but this is broadly unchanged in the 1989 survey, since the introduction of the new planning total has only a minimal impact on the DTI. Corresponding figures on the new basis and a breakdown of finance for the main public corporations for the years 1978-79 to 1992-93 will be given in chapter 21 of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper.
Trade Deficit
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an analysis of the trade deficit for the most recent convenient period, identifying the imports, exports and net deficit or balance, respectively for (a) capital goods, (b) non-capital manufactured goods and (c) other elements.
Mr. Norman Lamont : In the third quarter of 1989 the United Kingdom visible trade deficit is provisionally estimated to be £6.8 billion on a seasonally adjusted balance of payments basis. Information about trade in capital goods is available only on an overseas trade statistics basis, as shown in the table, which tends to understate surpluses and overstate deficits.
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Table 1
3rd Quarter 1989. OTS basis, seasonally adjusted
£ billion
|Exports fob |Imports cif |Crude Balance<1>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital Goods<2> |5.4 |5.1 |+0.3
Other Manufactures<3> |14.2 |19.9 |-5.7
Other Goods |4.2 |6.7 |-2.5
Total Trade |23.8 |31.7 |-7.9
<1>Exports fob less Imports cif.
<2>Based on the United Nations broad economic categories analysis, and including ships,
North Sea oil installations and aircraft.
<3>Manufactures are defined as SITC (Rev. 3) Sections 5 to 8.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Eggs
73. Mr. Beith : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many convictions have been recorded in each year since 1985 for breaches of the rules requiring all eggs sold in shops to have been through a packing station.
Mr. Curry : This information is not held centrally.
Isle of Man
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Government of the Isle of Man in connection with a proposed 12-mile fishing limit around that island ; what percentage of the catch of the Northern Ireland fishing industry is caught within this 12-mile limit ; what are the implications for the future of the Northern Ireland fishing industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The 1987 Territorial Sea Act made provision for a 12- mile territorial sea for the Isle of Man. Fisheries and other Departments have been in discussion with the Isle of Man as to how this should be put into effect.
About 15 per cent. of Northern Ireland fishing industry's take is caught within 12 miles of the Isle of Man.
As well as ensuring the United Kingdom's responsibilities in relation to the implementation of the common fisheries policy were fully met, any arrangement made would clearly have to safeguard the interests and traditional rights of all fishermen within 12 miles of the Isle of Man.
Hunting (Forestry Commission Land)
Mr. Meale : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action has been taken following reports of an attack on a pet dog by hounds operating from Forestry Commission land on 31 October ; and what precautions have been taken to prevent a further incident of this kind.
Mr. Curry : The alleged incident took place on private land adjacent to the New Forest. Investigations are being carried out by the local police, the outcome of which is awaited.
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Organic Farming
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants and advice is available from his Department for those who were having to establish themselves as organic farmers.
Mr. Curry : I refer the hon. Member to the written reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, North-West (Mr. Malins) on 9 November 1989 at column 775.
Hedgerows
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many miles of hedgerow have been planted within the Easington area in the last two years ; and at what cost.
Mr. Curry : This information is not available in the form requested. However, in the Newcastle division, which includes the Easington areas, during the last two financial years, grant aidable expenditure of some £30,600 was incurred on the provision of hedges and ancillary facilities. This sum represents the provision of almost 10 miles of new hedgerows.
Forestry Commission (Isle of Wight)
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the conservation bodies who have been consulted about the planting of Forestry Commission land on the Isle of Wight with sycamore.
Mr. Curry : Over the last 20 years, the Forestry Commission has planted about eight hectares of land on the Isle of Wight with sycamore, in mixture with other species. No conservation bodies were consulted about this planting as the land concerned was not of special conservation value.
Badgers
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 3 November, Official Report , column 396 , which particular snares were used ; how many badgers were caught using snares ; how many were killed by the snares ; how many were killed by his operatives ; how many were released ; and whether any were lactating sow badgers.
Mr. Maclean : Swivelled free running snares were used. Three badgers were caught and all three were killed by ministry operatives. None was a lactating sow.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 3 November, Official Report, column 396 , if he will describe in more detail what circumstances required the use of snares in each of the eight badger investigations ; and what guidelines he issues for the control and supervision of such investigations.
Mr. Maclean : In each case snares were used only when it became clear that badgers remained active on the premises following standard trapping operations. All fields men carrying out badger control operations are required to follow detailed standing instructions. When snaring fields men work in pairs and the whole operation is closely supervised by a senior officer.
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Meat and Bone Meal
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 1 November, Official Report, column 214 , what certification accompanying meat and bone meal exported from the United Kingdom into (a) France, (b) West Germany, (c) Holland, (d) Belgium, (e) Italy, (f) Israel and (g) the United States of America is required by the importing country.
Mr. Maclean : The certification required is, as follows : Belgium-- specified heat treatment, hygienic packing and freedom from salmonella ;
France--that the products are destined for use other than as feed for ruminants ;
West Germany--application must be made to the appropriate Land authority for an import permit. This will state the particular certification which is required in each case. The Ministry is unaware that any application has been made and is not aware of any conditions which individual Laender may stipulate ;
Israel--that the meal is derived from poultry.
In the absence of any requests from the trade in recent years to export meat and bonemeal derived from ruminants to Italy, the Netherlands and the United States of America, the ministry has not sought information about the certification which might be required. There is a small trade into the Netherlands in meal derived from poultry and the certification required relates to heat treatment.
Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the loss to the United Kingdom livestock industry if EEC payments of hill livestock compensatory allowances were reduced to 25 per cent. in respect of the first 45 livestock units per holding, 12 per cent. in respect of the next 45 livestock units and zero thereafter ; and if he will make a statement on the current Commission proposals in these matters.
Mr. Curry : The present EC proposal is to pay the full EAGGF contribution towards hill livestock compensatory allowances, which is currently 25 per cent., on the first 45 livestock units per holding, to reduce that contribution by half over the next 45 livestock units, and to withdraw EAGGF funding altogether over 90 livestock units. We estimate that, if adopted, this proposal would reduce the United Kingdom's current receipts from the EC for HLCAs by about £10 million a year. The precise effects on the livestock industry in this country would depend on decisions still to be taken on the level of national funding. We are firmly opposed in principle to this proposal, which discriminates against farmers in our less favoured areas.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he now possesses concerning the possible vertical transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend, the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) on 13 November 1989 at column 73.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the reasons for the delay between his announcement of a proposed ban on human consumption of bovine offal on 13 June and its implementation on 13 November.
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Mr. Maclean : The ban was introduced as soon as consultations with interested parties had been undertaken in accordance with the Food Act 1984, the results assessed, and the results of further necessary scientific studies obtained.
Sugar Beet
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the sugar beet quota system ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The sugar beet quota system, and certain other aspects of the EC sugar regime, are due for a quinquennial review by 30 June 1991. My officials are consulting interested parties.
Organic Horticulture and Agriculture
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Croydon, North-West (Mr. Malins) of 9 November, Official Report, column 775, what consideration he is giving in the extensification scheme to the option for organic horticulture and agriculture.
Mr. Curry : The Community rules for extensification require output on participating farms of a surplus product to be reduced by at least 20 per cent. over five years. Member states may apply this obligation by requiring participants to adopt a changed method of production, and for this purpose I am at present considering offering as an option within the future United Kingdom arrangements a switch to organic farming of some or all of the products covered by the scheme.
Nutritional Labelling
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on progress with nutritional labelling.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the reply on 6 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs) at column 467.
Salmon Fishing
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to promote the use of T and J nets for north- east England salmon fishing ; and what corresponding restrictions he intends to place on the use of drift nets for such fishing.
Mr. Curry : We are currently in the process of considering the nature and extent of all salmon net fishing off the north-east coast of England and eastern Scotland as part of a statutory review, required under section 39 of the Salmon Act 1986.
Work on the review is underway and Ministers will submit their report to Parliament in due course.
Abattoirs
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for each of the last 10 years, the amount of European Community money which has been used to upgrade abattoirs ; how many abattoirs have received this aid ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Curry [pursuant to the reply, 24 October 1989, c. 442.] : The information is as follows :
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EC regulation 355/77
Awards and payments concerning red meat abattoirs in the United Kingdom: 1978-88
Awards made by of which those for which actual payments
commission remaining eligible to made
claim grant
Year |Number of projects|(a) amounts £ |Number of projects|(b) amounts £ |(c) £
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978 |9 |1,262,943 |7 |687,462 |-
1979 |7 |1,152,203 |6 |1,138,650 |49,178
1980 |14 |2,791,853 |10 |1,790,723 |511,925
1981 |9 |1,721,223 |8 |1,687,898 |710,710
1982 |1,063,988 |3 |1,028,345 |1,407,203
1983 |2 |175,350 |1 |142,551 |885,819
1984 |2 |392,146 |2 |392,146 |717,845
1985 |- |- |- |- |1,107,935
1986 |2 |679,232 |2 |679,232 |710,065
1987 |1 |22,897 |1 |22,897 |94,127
1988 |1 |750,000 |1 |750,000 |558,187
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |51 |£10,011,835 |41 |£8,319,904 |£6,752,994
Data are provided back to 1978, which was the first year of the awards under regulation EEC 355/77 (the regulation which provides for grants to help improve the marketing and processing structures of primary agricultural products).
The first column of the table shows all awards announced by the Commission to those projects in the red meat sector in the United Kingdom which wholly or partly include slaughtering. Ten of these awards were subsequently renounced by the applicants or cancelled by the Commission, either because the projects did not start, or were not in the event undertaken in accordance with the conditions laid down. The awards for projects which remained eligible to claim grant are set out in the second column.
The final column sets out the payments made by the end of 1988. Because there can be a time lag of up to four years from the date of the announcement of an award to the final payment (most beneficiaries would also claim an interim payment) there can rarely be an obvious year-by-year relationship between the amounts in the second and third columns. In addition some final claims are for sums which may be considerably less than the original award--for example, where actual costs turned out to be less than earlier forecasts.
No awards have been made to the red-meat sector in England since 1983, when the first investment programme under the scheme for this sector expired and was not renewed due to lack of foreseeable funding from the Commission. The red-meat sector has remained eligible for awards in the rest of the United Kingdom throughout the whole period.
Acid House Parties
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will initiate discussions with the National Farmers Union on procedures to prevent farming land being let for acid house parties.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory [holding answer 13 November 1989] : I have been asked to reply.
I will write to my hon. Friend.
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North Sea Haddock
Mr. Harris : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current size of the North sea haddock quota ; when he expects the quota to be exhausted ; what are the tonnage allocations given to each of the organisations involved in the fishery ; what are the catches for such vessels ; and if he will indicate those groups whose catches have exceeded their allocations.
Mr. Curry : The United Kingdom quota for North sea haddock in 1989 is 55,271 tonnes, of which 891 tonnes was obtained in swaps with other member states during the course of the year. Allocations and latest catch information (to 4 November) are shown in the table. This shows that the following groups have fished in excess of their allocations : Scottish Fishermen's Organisation Ltd.; North East of Scotland Fishermen's Organisation Ltd.; and Fish Producers Organisation Ltd. When allowance is made for catches yet to be notified, it is clear that as a result of this overfishing the United Kingdom quota has been prematurely exhausted. Accordingly, I suspended licensed fishing on 11 November and laid an order yesterday to close the fishery to all United Kingdom vessels.
Tonnes
Group |Allocation|Catch |Difference
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Scottish Fishermen's
Organisation Ltd. |18,252 |18,789 |+<1>537
Aberdeen Fish Producers
Organisation Ltd. |7,303 |6,501 |-802
North East of Scotland
Fishermen's
Organisation Ltd. |13,090 |13,789 |+<1>699
Shetland Fish Producers
Organisation Ltd. |2,662 |2,651 |-<1>11
Fife Fish Producers
Organisation Ltd. |1,140 |972 |-168
Anglo-Scottish Fish
Producers
Organisation Ltd. |5,036 |4,349 |-687
The Fish Producers
Organisation Ltd. |879 |954 |+<1>75
Non-sector |6,858 |6,164 |-694
10m and under boats |50 |11 |-39
|--- |--- |---
Total United Kingdom
Fleet |55,271 |54,180 |-<2>1,091
+ = Overfish.
- = Underfish.
<1> In view of their catch levels, licences were withdrawn from
Fish Producers Organisation Ltd. on 13 September, from Scottish
Fishermen's Organisation and North East of Scotland Fishermen's
Organisation Ltd. on 7 October, and from the Shetland Fish
Producers Organisation Ltd. on 4 November.
<2> Catches not yet recorded are expected to be at least equal to
this figure.
Cricket Bat Willow Research Group
Mr. Allen : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he has received from the cricket bat willow research group ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The group has reported that a voluntary levy scheme, based on the numbers of cricket bat clefts produced, was introduced on 1 October 1989. The money raised from the levy will be used to fund research by the University of East Anglia, in close co-operation with Essex county council, into the causes and spread of watermark disease of willow.
Surveys carried out this year by Essex county council in the main cricket bat willow area show that the disease is at the lowest level on record.
HEALTH
Mental Hospitals
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, in view of the findings of "We're Just in Time--AIDS, Brain Damage and Psychiatric Hospital Closures", by Charles Tannock and Caroline Collier, a copy of which has been sent to him, he will review the national strategy of closing long-stay mental hospitals.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The report "We're Just in Time--AIDS, Brain Damage and Psychiatric Hospital Closures" recommends that 2,500 beds will be required by 1995 to cater for patients with brain damage due to AIDS and that these should be provided in psychiatric hospitals formerly occupied by long-stay psychiatric patients.
I shall consider the report carefully. However, my Department is not aware of any objective research to support this recommendation. People with AIDS- related brain damage generally have other physical conditions which require extensive physical care. Others with mild dementia or neurological disorders need a range of support services, not necessarily in an institutional service. The services needed by people with HIV and AIDS are kept constantly under review. The Government's longstanding policy is that people with mental illness should have access to all the services they need as locally as possible. Our policy relating to the development of mental health services is not aimed primarily at closing hospitals but at the provision of services to meet all the needs of mentally ill people. Health authorities closure plans concern mainly the "traditional" mental hospitals, including the Victorian asylums which, apart from their age, are generally too large or too remote to form part of a modern local service, providing treatment and care with the minimum of formality and delay. I do not consider that there is currently any reason to review this strategy.
It is for health authorities to determine the pace of rundown of these old large hospitals, but the rundown and closure of any hospital should not proceed faster than the
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build-up of alternative comprehensive locally based services. My Department's guidance to health authorities makes this clear.Eye Tests
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made on the accuracy of the auto-refractor for eye tests for prescribing glasses.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : None. The Department does not rule out the possibility of a study in this area, although other eye testing techniques are available which are equally effective usually at a fraction of the cost.
Child Abuse
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up a programme to provide social workers with more resources to treat victims of child abuse.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Taken across the country as a whole, expenditure on personal social services by local authorities has increased by 37 per cent. in real terms since 1979-80. Local authority social services departments have an important part to play, alongside other agencies, in providing counselling and support services to victims of child abuse, and it is for them to decide what resources to devote to these services in the light of local circumstances and priorities. Through the training support programme (child care), the Department has this year made available an additional £7 million for training of social services staff working in child care, with an emphasis on child protection, including the treatment of child abuse ; and that initiative is to continue next year. In addition, the Department is currently funding a project based at Great Ormand Street to provide in-depth training in the treatment of child sexual abuse.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to make it a statutory duty to report cases of suspected child abuse.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. As with all criminal offences there is a clear moral duty upon all citizens to report suspected child abuse. We have no evidence to suggest that, in general, people do not report child abuse when it comes to their attention.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide and make available to the public a register of voluntary groups who deal with child abuse sufferers and abusers.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A comprehensive list of such organisations is not held centrally. However, we would expect such voluntary organisations to be members of the National Council for Voluntary Child Care Organisations or the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and to be known to local authority social services departments.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up a programme to deal with the prevention of child abuse by training officials to recognise signs of abuse.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is the responsibility of the relevant employing agencies to determine the needs of
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their employees in relation to training. However, the Department has in hand a major programme of work which is designed to promote expertise and which stimulates and complements training by local authorities, the voluntary sector and other agencies. This programme includes the training support programme (child care) and the central child abuse training initiative, funded by the Department, which includes a range of projects. Recently completed projects include the Open university child abuse and neglect training pack and the Royal Society of Medicine video training pack for doctors about child sexual abuse.
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