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Column 429
SCOTLAND
Health Boards
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the amount spent on advertising for each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information available from health boards' annual accounts about advertising costs is shown in the table :
Health board |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |69,071 |102,687 |90,722
Ayrshire and Arran |63,175 |71,459 |98,574
Borders |26,753 |36,331 |49,516
Dumfries and Galloway |27,639 |25,950 |24,141
Fife |72,329 |99,243 |65,989
Forth Valley |39,570 |50,248 |48,293
Grampian |76,441 |88,909 |126,015
Greater Glasgow |81,158 |153,086 |227,574
Highland |39,160 |49,565 |45,111
Lanarkshire |56,500 |55,872 |68,742
Lothian |119,062 |140,231 |160,636
Orkney |2,847 |1,848 |3,559
Shetland |6,985 |7,102 |12,065
Tayside |74,563 |79,968 |83,774
Western Isles |17,852 |21,956 |18,282
|-------- |-------- |--------
Total |773,105 |984,455 |1,122,993
Public Appointments
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Rifkind : I do not have comprehensive information of this kind. If the hon. Lady has any particular point in mind, I should be glad if she would write to me about it.
Enterprise Companies
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much he expects to be spent in the present financial year to assist the development of local enterprise companies in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : It is not possible to identify separately the administrative costs incurred by the Scottish Office, Scottish Development Agency, Highlands and Islands Development Board and Training Agency in 1989 -90 in relation to the development of local enterprise companies. The provision of development funding to local enterprise companies--in the lowlands to be made jointly by the Scottish Development Agency and Training Agency, and in the highlands and islands to be made jointly by the Highlands and Islands Development Board and Training Agency--is not likely to exceed £0.2 million in 1989-90.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under which class of the Scottish Office vote moneys are to be paid out for the development of local enterprise companies.
Mr. Lang : The provision of development funding to local enterprise companies in the lowlands will be made jointly by the Scottish Development Agency and Training
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Agency and in the Highlands and Islands by the Highlands and Islands Development Board and Training Agency. My right hon. and learned Friend funds the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board from subheads A1 and B1 respectively of class XVI, vote 3. Resources for the Training Agency's activities in Scotland are provided under class XVI, vote 4, subhead A1.Tourism
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent by (a) Scottish Development Agency and (b) the Highlands and Islands Development Board in promoting tourism and the tourist industry in each of the last five financial years.
Mr. Lang : The most recent figures available are as follows :
(b) Highlands and Islands Development Board Financial |Expenditure year |£ million ------------------------------------ 1984-85 |8.2 1985-86 |9.0 1986-87 |8.7 1987-88 |8.2 1988-89 |8.8 Notes: 1. The Scottish Development Agency figures cover loan and equity finance for tourism projects which meet its normal investment criteria and tourist projects under schemes for urban and rural development. In addition, a number of feasibility studies, land engineering and property development projects funded by the agency may have tourism benefits. 2. Provision by the Highlands and Islands Development board is through its marketing and projects programmes and under its section 8 assistance scheme. The above figures do not include expenditure on salaries and administration.
(b) Highlands and Islands Development Board Financial |Expenditure year |£ million ------------------------------------ 1984-85 |8.2 1985-86 |9.0 1986-87 |8.7 1987-88 |8.2 1988-89 |8.8 Notes: 1. The Scottish Development Agency figures cover loan and equity finance for tourism projects which meet its normal investment criteria and tourist projects under schemes for urban and rural development. In addition, a number of feasibility studies, land engineering and property development projects funded by the agency may have tourism benefits. 2. Provision by the Highlands and Islands Development board is through its marketing and projects programmes and under its section 8 assistance scheme. The above figures do not include expenditure on salaries and administration.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he anticipates roles for the tourist industry and those involved in promoting tourism within the proposed local enterprise companies, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : I expect local enterprise companies to reflect the importance of tourism in their areas. Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will be able to draw upon tourism expertise in the same way as the Highlands and Islands Development Board, the Scottish Development Agency and the Training Agency.
Voluntary Organisations
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his Department's decision to withdraw funding from the East Lothian Council for Voluntary Service ; and if he has any proposals for alternative support for voluntary organisations in East Lothian.
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Mr. Lang [holding answer 30 November 1989] : I shall write to the hon. Member.DEFENCE
Nuclear Submarines (India)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the security implications for the United Kingdom of the acquisition of nuclear powered submarines by India.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are no apparent security implications for the United Kingdom arising from the acquisition of
nuclear-powered submarines by India.
Nuclear Tests
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the United Kingdom Government's current approach to the seismic verification of treaties constraining nuclear testing ;
(2) if he will outline the important verification difficulties that remain to be resolved before an agreement can be reached by the United Kingdom Government on a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) on 27 June 1988 at column 61, and to the working paper on seismic monitoring tabled in the conference on disarmament in 1985 (CD 610), a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific personnel are currently employed by
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the United Kingdom Government or by Government-sponsored enterprises working on verification of a global comprehensive test ban treaty.Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence's research establishment at Blacknest, near Aldermaston, employs 27 scientific personnel, including a number of contract staff, who undertake seismological research which could be used in establishing the requirements of a verification regime for further constraints on nuclear testing.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the United Kingdom Government's annual expenditure, for each year since May 1979, on verification of a global comprehensive test ban treaty.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Information on the costs of seismological research undertaken at Blacknest, near Aldermaston, dating back to 1979 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 October 1989 at column 251 concerning the costs of this work for the financial year 1988-89.
Officers and Other Ranks
Mr. Wilkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the levels of recruitment and outflow for officers and other ranks in all three services in the periods January to September 1988 and January to September in the current year.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Numbers for intake to the services from civil life and outflow from the services are as follows :
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Intake Outflow
January to SepJanuary to September
|1988 |1989 |1988 |1989
---------------------------------------------------
All Services
Total |26,154|27,155|28,578|31,672
Male officers |1,949 |1,907 |2,486 |2,638
Service men |22,229|22,451|23,976|26,759
Female officers |264 |286 |266 |260
Service women |1,712 |2,511 |1,850 |2,015
Royal Navy
Total |4,082 |4,082 |4,513 |4,779
Male officers |424 |445 |507 |516
Service men |3,230 |3,065 |3,595 |3,760
Female officers |22 |36 |36 |39
Service women |406 |536 |375 |464
Royal Marines
Total |755 |716 |886 |819
Male officers |40 |40 |40 |41
Service men |735 |676 |846 |778
Army
Total |16,496|17,419|17,542|18,808
Male officers |936 |969 |1,131 |1,251
Service men |14,669|15,215|15,382|16,594
Female officers |96 |124 |117 |127
Service women |795 |1,111 |912 |836
Royal Air Force
Total |4,801 |4,938 |5,637 |7,266
Male officers |549 |453 |808 |830
Service men |3,595 |3,495 |4,153 |5,627
Female officers |146 |126 |113 |94
Service women |511 |864 |563 |715
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RAF Cadets (Exchange)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implication for national security of the proposed exchange of Royal Air Force flying cadets from Bracknell and Cranwell colleges with Soviet flying cadets from the Gagarin Air Academy in Moscow.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : A successful exchange of visits has taken place this year between the directing staff of the Royal Air Force Staff College Bracknell and the Gagarin Academy. Further exchanges are being considered but there are no plans for an exchange of air force cadets. Care has been taken to ensure that defence contacts with the Soviet Union meet security requirements.
Long-range Air-launched Missiles
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether approval has been sought from the United States Government for the Anglo- French co-production of a long range air-launched missile.
Mr. Alan Clark : It is not clear what long-range air-launched missile the hon. Member has in mind, but in no case has such approval been sought.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place with (a) British Aerospace, (b) Thomson-CSF and (c) the French Government about the co-production of a long-range, air- launched missile.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specifications have been provided to British Aerospace in respect of the production of a new long-range, air-launched missile.
BAe and Thomson-CSF
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions the Government have had with the joint venture company recently formed by British Aerospace and Thomson-CSF.
Mr. Alan Clark : The MOD has been informed by BAe and Thomson-CSF of the companies' proposal to form a joint venture defence weapon system company to be known as Eurodynamics. Subject to consideration of national security and competition implications in the light of the detailed proposals by the companies, the MOD would welcome the proposition.
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Royal Navy (Defence Missile System)
Mr. Lee : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Royal Navy's requirement for a support defence missile system.
Mr. Neubert : I can announce today that we intend, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of negotiations with the other participating nations, to join a 24-month project definition phase for the local area missile system (LAMS) variant of the family of anti-air missile systems next year. We have therefore decided, after very careful consideration, not to participate in the next phase of the NATO anti-air warfare system (NAAWS) project.
The choice between these two collaborative programmes has been an extremely difficult one because both projects offer the prospect of a highly capable ship defence system. Many complex factors have had to be assessed ; particular consideration has been given to the balance between technical performance and programme cost and risk. The United Kingdom's requirement for a SDMS is linked to the MOD's plans to procure an anti-air warfare (AAW) escort ship to come into service at the turn of the century to replace the type 42 destroyers. On balance, it has been concluded that, of the two projects, FAMS offers the better prospect of providing an affordable and capable system within that time scale.
Running Costs Limit
Mr. Neil Hamilton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he proposes to make any change to the 1989-90 running costs limit for his Department.
Mr. Tom King : The running costs limit for the Ministry of Defence will be reduced by £12,907,000 from £5,162,254,000 to £5,149,347,000. It reflects a decrease of £28,907,000 to compensate for an overspend in 1988-89 offset by a £16,000,000 increase for additional security measures. This follows the normal practice of reducing the limit for one financial year by the amount of any overspend in the previous year.
HEALTH
Ambulance Service
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, for each year since 1979, the total number of ambulance vehicles, staff and costs, at 1989 prices by region.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is shown in the tables :
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Total revenue expenditure on ambulance services (at 1988-89 prices)
£'000s
Regions |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89<1>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |23,226 |24,625 |24,527 |24,141 |23,503 |22,857 |22,661 |23,297 |22,820 |22,207
Yorkshire |23,015 |24,920 |25,036 |24,515 |25,129 |24,883 |24,964 |25,921 |25,651 |24,687
Trent |28,119 |29,958 |29,388 |29,311 |29,175 |29,409 |29,074 |30,958 |30,957 |30,009
East Anglian |11,673 |12,324 |12,328 |12,207 |12,761 |12,632 |12,614 |13,562 |13,370 |13,073
North West Thames |19,779 |21,725 |22,126 |21,282 |20,381 |20,110 |20,334 |22,389 |8,759 |8,696
North East Thames |21,583 |23,616 |24,020 |23,265 |22,717 |22,072 |22,303 |24,643 |9,389 |9,149
South East Thames |23,792 |25,759 |25,852 |25,409 |25,066 |24,336 |24,039 |25,916 |15,673 |15,252
South West Thames |17,976 |19,603 |19,813 |19,301 |18,866 |18,495 |18,453 |19,816 |58,143 |57,622
Wessex |16,095 |16,944 |17,019 |17,035 |17,363 |17,476 |17,439 |18,384 |18,025 |16,975
Oxford |12,960 |13,225 |13,176 |12,973 |12,669 |12,411 |12,183 |13,402 |13,507 |13,462
South Western |22,524 |23,162 |22,857 |22,813 |22,962 |22,821 |22,539 |24,989 |25,049 |24,150
West Midlands |29,746 |30,973 |30,608 |29,979 |29,668 |30,106 |29,696 |31,684 |32,052 |30,886
Mersey |12,857 |14,115 |14,207 |13,824 |13,773 |13,930 |13,846 |15,122 |15,095 |14,679
North Western |26,307 |28,185 |27,489 |27,235 |27,571 |26,416 |26,153 |27,259 |26,700 |25,439
England Total |289,651 |309,134 |308,445 |303,290 |301,606 |297,951 |296,298 |317,344 |315,189 |306,283
<1>1988-89-Provisional cash figures (as yet subject to audit).
Sources: Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England (those of their predecessor authorities for the years
prior to 1982-83).
Notes to the table:
1. The figures have been expressed at 1988-89 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product Deflator.
2. From 1987-88 the South West Thames regional health authority accounts for the expenditure of the London Ambulance Service. In earlier
years the costs were shared by the four Thames regional health authorities.
Total revenue expenditure on ambulance services (at 1988-89 prices)
£'000s
Regions |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89<1>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |23,226 |24,625 |24,527 |24,141 |23,503 |22,857 |22,661 |23,297 |22,820 |22,207
Yorkshire |23,015 |24,920 |25,036 |24,515 |25,129 |24,883 |24,964 |25,921 |25,651 |24,687
Trent |28,119 |29,958 |29,388 |29,311 |29,175 |29,409 |29,074 |30,958 |30,957 |30,009
East Anglian |11,673 |12,324 |12,328 |12,207 |12,761 |12,632 |12,614 |13,562 |13,370 |13,073
North West Thames |19,779 |21,725 |22,126 |21,282 |20,381 |20,110 |20,334 |22,389 |8,759 |8,696
North East Thames |21,583 |23,616 |24,020 |23,265 |22,717 |22,072 |22,303 |24,643 |9,389 |9,149
South East Thames |23,792 |25,759 |25,852 |25,409 |25,066 |24,336 |24,039 |25,916 |15,673 |15,252
South West Thames |17,976 |19,603 |19,813 |19,301 |18,866 |18,495 |18,453 |19,816 |58,143 |57,622
Wessex |16,095 |16,944 |17,019 |17,035 |17,363 |17,476 |17,439 |18,384 |18,025 |16,975
Oxford |12,960 |13,225 |13,176 |12,973 |12,669 |12,411 |12,183 |13,402 |13,507 |13,462
South Western |22,524 |23,162 |22,857 |22,813 |22,962 |22,821 |22,539 |24,989 |25,049 |24,150
West Midlands |29,746 |30,973 |30,608 |29,979 |29,668 |30,106 |29,696 |31,684 |32,052 |30,886
Mersey |12,857 |14,115 |14,207 |13,824 |13,773 |13,930 |13,846 |15,122 |15,095 |14,679
North Western |26,307 |28,185 |27,489 |27,235 |27,571 |26,416 |26,153 |27,259 |26,700 |25,439
England Total |289,651 |309,134 |308,445 |303,290 |301,606 |297,951 |296,298 |317,344 |315,189 |306,283
<1>1988-89-Provisional cash figures (as yet subject to audit).
Sources: Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England (those of their predecessor authorities for the years
prior to 1982-83).
Notes to the table:
1. The figures have been expressed at 1988-89 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product Deflator.
2. From 1987-88 the South West Thames regional health authority accounts for the expenditure of the London Ambulance Service. In earlier
years the costs were shared by the four Thames regional health authorities.
Total revenue expenditure on ambulance services (at 1988-89 prices)
£'000s
Regions |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89<1>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |23,226 |24,625 |24,527 |24,141 |23,503 |22,857 |22,661 |23,297 |22,820 |22,207
Yorkshire |23,015 |24,920 |25,036 |24,515 |25,129 |24,883 |24,964 |25,921 |25,651 |24,687
Trent |28,119 |29,958 |29,388 |29,311 |29,175 |29,409 |29,074 |30,958 |30,957 |30,009
East Anglian |11,673 |12,324 |12,328 |12,207 |12,761 |12,632 |12,614 |13,562 |13,370 |13,073
North West Thames |19,779 |21,725 |22,126 |21,282 |20,381 |20,110 |20,334 |22,389 |8,759 |8,696
North East Thames |21,583 |23,616 |24,020 |23,265 |22,717 |22,072 |22,303 |24,643 |9,389 |9,149
South East Thames |23,792 |25,759 |25,852 |25,409 |25,066 |24,336 |24,039 |25,916 |15,673 |15,252
South West Thames |17,976 |19,603 |19,813 |19,301 |18,866 |18,495 |18,453 |19,816 |58,143 |57,622
Wessex |16,095 |16,944 |17,019 |17,035 |17,363 |17,476 |17,439 |18,384 |18,025 |16,975
Oxford |12,960 |13,225 |13,176 |12,973 |12,669 |12,411 |12,183 |13,402 |13,507 |13,462
South Western |22,524 |23,162 |22,857 |22,813 |22,962 |22,821 |22,539 |24,989 |25,049 |24,150
West Midlands |29,746 |30,973 |30,608 |29,979 |29,668 |30,106 |29,696 |31,684 |32,052 |30,886
Mersey |12,857 |14,115 |14,207 |13,824 |13,773 |13,930 |13,846 |15,122 |15,095 |14,679
North Western |26,307 |28,185 |27,489 |27,235 |27,571 |26,416 |26,153 |27,259 |26,700 |25,439
England Total |289,651 |309,134 |308,445 |303,290 |301,606 |297,951 |296,298 |317,344 |315,189 |306,283
<1>1988-89-Provisional cash figures (as yet subject to audit).
Sources: Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England (those of their predecessor authorities for the years
prior to 1982-83).
Notes to the table:
1. The figures have been expressed at 1988-89 prices by the use of the Gross Domestic Product Deflator.
2. From 1987-88 the South West Thames regional health authority accounts for the expenditure of the London Ambulance Service. In earlier
years the costs were shared by the four Thames regional health authorities.
AIDS
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will be taking to prevent double counting in anonymous AIDS testing.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : In any anonymous survey there is a possibility of double counting. However, this problem is taken into account in the survey design and can also be minimised by appropriate statistical methods.
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Funding (Leicestershire District Health Authority)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on representations he has received for additional funding for the Leicestershire district health authority.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. and learned Friend has received no recent representations for additional funding for Leicestershire health authority.
Column 437
Doctors and Dentists Review Body
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will indicate how much additional money he has recommended to the doctors and dentists review body as the sum needed to take into account the extra work for general practices arising from the new contract ;
(2) if he will publish his Department's evidence to the doctors and dentists review body.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. There is a long-standing agreement between the parties concerned that evidence to the doctors and dentists review body is not published until after the Government have announced their decisions on the recommendations made by the review body.
Child Migrants
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking on grants to assist child migrants ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department is considering a grant application from the Child Migrants trust. Officials have met and are in contact with representatives of the Child Migrants trust to discuss how the Department might assist. We are unable to make a decision about the trust's grant application until extra information requested is provided and considered.
Phoenix House, Liverpool
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug addicts used services provided by Phoenix house, Liverpool during the past 12 months ; and if he will make a statement on the future of Phoenix house.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. Phoenix house is a major non-statutory organisation providing a variety of services for drug misusers to which the Government have allocated over £1 million under the central funding initiative to develop drug misuse services.
WALES
Health Service
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and which community health councils in Wales have made
representations to him opposing the National Health Service White Paper "Working for Patients".
Mr. Grist : The White Paper includes a wide range of measures to improve the organisation and management of the NHS so as to maximise patient care. Community health councils are in frequent correspondence with the Department about many issues. In recent months many such representations have concerned one or more aspects of individual White Paper proposals, and have included views supporting or expressing concern about them. It would be possible only at disproportionate expense to analyse these in the manner requested by the hon. Gentleman.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of National Health Service beds available for the elderly in each Welsh health authority area from 1985 to 1988 inclusive.
Column 438
Mr. Grist : The number of beds in specialities designated as geriatric, psychogeriatric and elderly mentally infirm is shown in the following table. Elderly patients can, however, be treated in beds allocated to other specialities.
Average daily available beds
Health authority |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |585.1 |590.6 |562.9 |534.0
East Dyfed |417.6 |419.5 |409.9 |404.9
Gwent |981.2 |973.2 |966.9 |958.9
Gwynedd |438.5 |446.3 |443.4 |451.1
Mid Glamorgan |920.8 |923.2 |938.1 |805.9
Pembrokeshire |134.4 |134.5 |126.4 |126.6
Powys |238.0 |220.3 |206.2 |220.5
South Glamorgan |460.6 |463.9 |455.9 |455.8
West Glamorgan |503.9 |461.6 |481.5 |470.5
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioner practices in Wales have more than 11,000 patients ; and where they are situated.
Mr. Grist : At June 1989 there were 39 practices in Wales with more than 11,000 patients. The location of the main surgery of these practices is shown in the table :
Location |Number of
|practices
--------------------------------------------------
Rhyl, Clwyd |1
Wrexham, Clwyd |3
Prestatyn, Clwyd |1
Mold, Clwyd |1
Buckley, Clwyd |1
Gresford, Clwyd |1
Abergele, Clwyd |1
Carmarthen, Dyfed |1
Haverfordwest, Dyfed |1
Caldicot, Gwent |1
Monmouth, Gwent |1
Newport, Gwent |3
Amlwch, Gwynedd |1
Llandudno, Gwynedd |1
Bedwas, Mid Glamorgan |1
Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan |2
Church Village, Mid Glamorgan |1
Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan |2
Dowlais, Mid Glamorgan |1
Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan |1
Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan |1
Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan |1
Ystradmynach, Mid Glamorgn |1
Ystradgynlais, Powys |1
Brecon, Powys |1
Newtown, Powys |1
Cardiff, South Glamorgan |4
Barry, South Glamorgan |1
Gowerton, West Glamorgan |1
Swansea, West Glamorgan |1
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many long- term patients have been discharged from psychiatric hospitals in Wales in every year since 1985 in each area health authority in Wales.
Mr. Grist : The number of patient discharges following a stay of one year or more, is shown in the following table :
Patient discharges from mental illness
hospitals or units
|1985|1986|1987|1988
-----------------------------------------
Clwyd |65 |44 |47 |63
East Dyfed |30 |42 |46 |43
Pembrokeshire |- |- |- |-
Gwent |46 |42 |56 |53
Gwynedd |- |4 |4 |2
Mid Glamorgan |33 |55 |41 |51
Powys |6 |6 |17 |12
South Glamorgan |39 |26 |35 |43
West Glamorgan |31 |31 |47 |44
Patient discharges from mental handicap h
East Dyfed |3 |1 |- |-
Pembrokeshire |4 |5 |3 |10
Gwent |7 |10 |33 |12
Gwynedd |9 |10 |9 |16
Mid Glamorgan |22 |7 |18 |19
Powys |5 |12 |7 |6
South Glamorgan |5 |14 |11 |13
West Glamorgan |31 |7 |14 |8
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many psychiatric hospital beds in Wales have been closed down since 1985 in each area health authority.
Mr. Grist : Information on the numbers of average daily available beds is shown in the following table :
Column 439
Mental illness<1> Mental handicap
Number of beds Changes Number of beds Changes in
|number |number
|1985 |1988 |1985-88|1985 |1988 |1985-88
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |657.3 |558.0 |- 99.3 |92.0 |62.7 |-29.3
East Dyfed |577.3 |492.3 |- 85.0 |71.0 |32.0 |-39.0
Gwent |931.0 |883.0 |- 48.0 |421.7 |374.7 |-47.0
Gwynedd |46.5 |92.2 |+ 45.7 |333.2 |325.7 |- 7.5
Mid Glamorgan |1,197.0|1,031.3|-165.7 |488.2 |420.0 |-68.2
Pembrokeshire |- |- |- |32.0 |32.0 |-
Powys |335.0 |323.0 |- 12.0 |209.5 |196.1 |-13.4
South Glamorgan |687.8 |654.6 |- 33.2 |411.1 |384.3 |-26.8
West Glamorgan |406.6 |371.2 |- 35.4 |142.5 |80.0 |-62.5
<1> Includes mental illness, mental illness (children), adolescent
psychiatry, psychogeriatric and elderly mentally infirm.
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from general practitioners in Wales (a) opposing and (b) supporting the National Health Service White Paper "Working for Patients".
Mr. Grist : I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 6 December to the hon. Member for Ynys Mo n (Mr. Jones).
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Pensioners
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of pensioners aged (a) 75 to 85 years and (b) 85 years and over in each Welsh county in numbers, and as a percentage of the total population in the areas concerned.
Mr. Grist : The estimated populations aged 75 to 85 and aged 85 and over of each county in numerical and percentage terms are shown in the following table :
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Aged 75-84 inclusive Aged 85 and over
1988 population county |In thousands |Per cent.<1> |In thousands |Per cent.<1>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |24.3 |6.0 |6.5 |1.6
Dyfed |20.6 |5.9 |5.1 |1.5
Gwent |22.5 |5.0 |5.7 |1.3
Gwynedd |15.9 |6.7 |4.5 |1.9
Mid Glamorgan |26.5 |4.9 |6.0 |1.1
Powys |7.1 |6.1 |1.7 |1.5
South Glamorgan |20.5 |5.1 |5.9 |1.5
West Glamorgan |20.9 |5.7 |5.3 |1.5
<1>As a percentage of total population of each county.
Source: OPCS mid year estimates of population.
Rural Transport
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for co-ordinating bus and coach timetables in rural Wales.
Mr. Peter Walker : None. It is for bus operators to issue their own timetables. County councils have powers to promote bus and coach services in conjunction with commercial operators if they so wish.
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to provide a subsidy to Dyfed county council to assist in providing a bus-rail link from Lampeter to Llandovery.
Mr. Peter Walker : None. The county council have powers to subsidise a service from their own resources.
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Mentally Handicapped People
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit the St. Augustinusstichting village at Gemep, Holland, to investigate the pioneering work undertaken to create a village community for the mentally handicapped.
Mr. Grist : The principles underlying the provision of mental handicap services in Wales are set out in the Government's all Wales mental handicap strategy. There are no proposals to alter these principles.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is considering alternative futures for Llanfrechfa Grange hospital on the lines of the village community for the mentally handicapped at St. Augustinusstichting, Gemep, Holland.
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Mr. Grist : Proposals for any substantial variation in the service provided in a district are a matter in the first instance for the health authority.Drug Addicts
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what centres exist for the treatment of drug addicts residing in each of the counties of Wales ; and whether he has any proposals for increasing the provision.
Mr. Grist : The provision of services and facilities for drug misusers in their area is essentially a matter for individual health and local authorities to determine. Existing and planned local services will suffice for the needs of the majority of problem drug misusers but there remains a small number of cases where more specialist help is needed. Two in-patient units exist with special interest in such cases. These are the Adfer unit in South Glamorgan and a unit at the North Wales hospital, Denbigh. In addition, we are aware of two voluntary sector projects which can provide residential rehabilitation facilities for drug misusers. These are the Rhoserchan project near Aberystwyth, and Teen Challenge at Llanelli. To supplement and support those local services the Government established in 1986 the central initiative to combat drug misuse. That initiative provides additional increasing resources for statutory and voluntary services. The current annual provision is around £1.5 million, details of which I announced in April of this year. Copies of that announcement are available in the Library of the House. Future provision will be announced in the new year.
Water
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for which sites in Wales he has exercised his power under section 42 of Part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to issue certificates exempting discharges from the public register held by the water authority ; what was the name of the plant operator ; and on what dates the certificates were issued.
Welsh Language Teaching
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his decisions in respect of the secondary schools which have applied for exemption from the provision in the national curriculum to teach Welsh to pupils in years one to three.
Mr. Peter Walker : I am currently considering responses to the consultation on my proposals for Welsh in the national curriculum and aim to publish draft orders for attainment targets and programmes of study around the end of the year.
I shall reach decisions about the case for exempting individual schools in good time for the beginning of implementation in Autumn 1990. Before doing so I shall want to consult the local education authorities for their views.
Correspondence
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters his Department has received during the 1988-89 parliamentary Session from hon. Members
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representing Welsh constituencies ; and what was the average length of time between the receipt of the correspondence and the sending of a reply.
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