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Social Fund
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Stewart) of 19 December on the social fund, he will publish (a) his revised social fund budget for 1990-91 and (b) the names of the benefit offices which have come under exceptional pressure and are to receive an increase in their allocation for that social fund budget during 1989-90.
Mr. Scott : With regard to the budget for 1990-91, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 10 November at column 812. We are considering the basis on which the 1990-91 budget should be allocated to individual local offices and will announce the allocations in due course. Details of the revised allocations for 1989- 90 are in the Library.
Independent Living Fund
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been assisted by the independent living fund since it was established ; how many people he estimates will be assisted in the 1990-91 financial year ; how much money is to be allocated to the fund for the 1990 -91 financial year ; if he envisages the fund being established on a permanent basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : Up to the end of December 1989, the independent living fund had made 3,391 awards, including a small number of one-off payments. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced on 25 October 1989, provision of more than £20 million, twice the 1989-90 level, has been allocated to the fund for the 1990-91 financial year. The wider arrangements for care in the community proposed in Cm 849, "Caring for People", to take effect in 1991 envisage care packages devised by local authorities on an individual basis. We would therefore expect that people seeking help after that date should generally be able to look to local authorities. We are consulting the fund's trustees, the Disablement Income Group and DIG (Scotland) on the experience gained from running the fund and examining whether there might be a very small group of people for whom supplementary arrangements may be necessary.
Column 656
Family Credit
Sir Ian Gilmour : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the proposed family credit ceilings in 1990-91 for each of (a) a married couple with one child under five years, (b) a married couple with two children under 11 years, (c) a married couple with two children over 11 years, (d) a married couple with three children under 11 years, (e) a married couple with three children over 11 years and (f) a married couple with two children under 11 years and two children over 11 years.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : At the new benefit levels proposed for April 1990, the family credit ceiling represented by the highest amount of net earnings and other relevant income a family can have and still qualify for family credit at the minimum payment of 50p will be as follows :
|£
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Married couple with one child under 5 years |120.60
Married couple with two children under 11 |132.39
Married couple with two children over 11 (but under
16) |149.24
Married couple with three children under 11 |144.17
Married couple with three children over 11 (but under
16) |169.46
Married couple with two children under 11 and two
children over 11 (but under 16) |172.81
Income Support
Sir Hugh Rossi : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to increase the £500 capital limit in income support for help with interest on loans for necessary repairs and improvements to the home.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I am pleased to announce our intention to abolish this rule from April 1990.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Firearms Certificates
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of a new firearms licence for a shotgun in January 1986 and January 1990.
Mr. Cope : A new firearms certificate cost £33 in January 1986 and £46 in January 1990. A firearms certificate covers all types of firearms.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average amount of time a civilian worker in the Royal Ulster Constabulary firearms
Column 657
section spends on the processing of (a) an application, (b) a variation and (c) the renewal of a firearms certificate in Northern Ireland.Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 January 1990] : The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average amount of police time it takes to process (a) an application, (b) a variation and (c) the renewal of a firearms certificate in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 January 1990] : It is difficult accurately to calculate the average amount of time spent processing a firearms certificate, as individual cases may require prolonged investigation.
However the police authority has informed me that the most recent agreed figures estimate the average amount of time spent by police officers in divisions on processing firearms certificates as follows :
(a) An application--100 minutes
(b) A variation--85 minutes
(c) A renewal--40 minutes
The figures do not include the time spent by police officers in RUC headquarters, firearms branch.
Firearms
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers, ranks and salaries of the Royal Ulster Constabulary officers employed in the Royal Ulster Constabulary firearms section ; and what were the numbers, ranks and salaries five years and 10 years ago.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 January 1990] : The information on staffing levels and average salaries as at 31 December 1989 and five years and 10 years ago is as follows :
Pay<1>
|Superindendent|Chief |Inspcetor |Sergeant |Constable
|Inspector
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |27,410 |20,600 |18,570 |16,320 |13,320
1984 |19,480 |14,400 |12,940 |11,350 |8,920
1979 |9,060 |6,610 |5,880 |5,180 |4,150
Pay<1>
|Superindendent|Chief |Inspcetor |Sergeant |Constable
|Inspector
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |27,410 |20,600 |18,570 |16,320 |13,320
1984 |19,480 |14,400 |12,940 |11,350 |8,920
1979 |9,060 |6,610 |5,880 |5,180 |4,150
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) applications, (b) renewals and (c) variations of firearms certificates were granted in Northern Ireland in each of the last six years ; and how many in each category and year were refused.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 January 1990] : The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has informed me that the information is as follows :
Column 658
|Firearm |Firearm |Firearm
|certificate|certificate|certificate
|granted |renewed |varied
Year |(a) |(b) |(c)
------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |4,011 |30,066 |8,574
1985 |4,222 |22,463 |7,082
1986 |3,895 |17,933 |7,197
1987 |3,743 |29,296 |8,903
1988 |3,672 |22,164 |8,800
1989 |3,185 |17,910 |7,776
#TCW90011009B
|New firearm|Renewal
|certificate|of firearm |of firearm
|refused |certificate|certificate
|refused |refused
Year |(a) |(b) |(c)
------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |313 |88 |465
1985 |326 |61 |374
1986 |308 |43 |320
1987 |308 |53 |420
1988 |262 |62 |471
1989 |299 |84 |565
|Firearm |Firearm |Firearm
|certificate|certificate|certificate
|granted |renewed |varied
Year |(a) |(b) |(c)
------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |4,011 |30,066 |8,574
1985 |4,222 |22,463 |7,082
1986 |3,895 |17,933 |7,197
1987 |3,743 |29,296 |8,903
1988 |3,672 |22,164 |8,800
1989 |3,185 |17,910 |7,776
#TCW90011009B
|New firearm|Renewal
|certificate|of firearm |of firearm
|refused |certificate|certificate
|refused |refused
Year |(a) |(b) |(c)
------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |313 |88 |465
1985 |326 |61 |374
1986 |308 |43 |320
1987 |308 |53 |420
1988 |262 |62 |471
1989 |299 |84 |565
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firearms certificates are held in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 January 1990] : The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has informed me that there were 88,410 on 1 January 1990.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) handguns, (b) shotguns, (c) .22 rifles, (d) larger than .22 calibre rifles and (e) other firearms are currently held on firearms certificates in Northern Ireland ; and what were the figures five years and 10 years ago.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 9 January 1990] : The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has informed me that the information is as follows :
At 31 December
|1989 |1984 |1979
-------------------------------------------------
(a) Handguns |10,978|10,188|9,946
(b) Shotguns |83,593|79,845|72,843
(c) .22 rifles |12,161|12,395|12,469
(d) Full bore rifles |1,172 |1,259 |1,370
(e) Other firearms |19,139|17,459|14,154
HEALTH
NHS Accounts
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the National Health Service Accounts for 1987-88.
Mr. Freeman : Publication of the annual series of House of Commons papers on the National Health Service accounts is the responsibility of the National Audit Office. However, we understand that the papers for 1987-88 are to be published shortly. In the meantime my hon. Friend may wish to refer to the Department's annual booklet "Health Authorities Annual Accounts--National Summary (England)"--copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Column 659
National Assistance Act
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has issued revised guidelines concerning section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Circulars were issued to local authorities in 1974 following changes made by the Local Government Act 1972. It has not been found necessary since then to issue revised guidelines.
Disabled Persons
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to take to ensure that (a) there is a statutory duty upon local authorities to assess the needs of disabled people before discharge from long-term treatment in hospital and (b) that such a duty extends to people with physical or sensory disabilities as well as people with mental illness or mental handicap ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The Department issued detailed guidance to health and local authorities in February 1989--LAC(89)7 and HC(89)5, copies of which are in the Library--emphasising the particular role and responsibilities of health and local authorities in ensuring that people do not leave hospital without adequate arrangements being made for their support in the community. Our recent White Paper "Caring for People" (Cmnd. 849) announced improved machinery for collaboration between health and local authorities in the provision of community care, and reaffirmed the responsibility of health authorities to ensure that discharge procedures are in place and agreed with the local authority so that people can return home with the support they need or move to appropriate care.
NHS Pay
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement concerning the pay levels of trained home staff in the National Health Service.
Mr. Freeman : The pay of staff in the National Health Service is generally determined either following the advice of the pay review bodies, or through direct negotiation in the Whitley councils.
Dr. Philip Silver
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further use the National Health Service has for the unpaid honorary services of Dr. Philip Silver, chemotherapy consultant to Wigan health authority ; how much equipment has been contributed over the last four years from Dr. Silver's fund ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I understand Dr. Philip Silver has held an honorary consultant contract with Wigan health authority for 10 years since he retired in February 1980 and that it has agreed with Dr. Silver that his cancer care endowment fund will continue in his name and that he will be a trustee of that fund. Dr. Silver will continue to make a valuable contribution through his administration of the fund but the authority does not consider it appropriate to extend his honorary contract beyond the age 75. Arrangements have been made for his cancer patients to be treated at the
Column 660
Royal Albert Edward hospital. Over the last five years, equipment has been purchased for the treatment of cancer patients from Dr. Silver's fund, including :
|£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December |1985 |Mammography computer system |11,572
June |1986 |Blood Aggrometer |6,470
February |1987 |Colposcope |5,835
April |1987 |Centaur centrifuge |2,200
July |1987 |Microtome |8,331
August |1987 |HPLC detector |9,800
September |1987 |Endoscope trolley and suction
| pump |1,550
October |1987 |Microwave |2,100
July |1988 |Antenatal, Billinge |11,631
January |1989 |Laporoscope, Billinge |1,361
March |1989 |Microscope |1,670
Radiation
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the terms of reference and future work programme of the independent expert committee on medical aspects of radiation in the environment, COMARE.
Mr. Freeman : The committee on medical aspects of radiation in the environment was established in 1985 to advise Government on the health effects of natural and man-made radiation in the environment and to assess the adequacy of the available data and the need for further research. The Government are grateful to COMARE for the three reports the committee has produced so far (1, 2, 3).
The Committee's future work programme will include :
(i) an update and review on cancer incidence in young people in the vicinity of BNFL Sellafield, in the light of emerging epidemiological work commissioned by Government in 1984 and other relevant work ;
(ii) an assessment of the feasibility of advising Government on the evidence relating to leukaemia incidence in young people around Scottish nuclear sites and over Scotland as a whole ;
(iii) follow-up of the results of work recommended by the Black advisory group (4) and COMARE's second and third reports (2, 3) ; (iv) an overview of the evidence relating to the incidence of childhood cancer around nuclear installations once the results of studies of the geographical distribution of childhood cancer incidence on a nationwide basis become available.
In addition, COMARE will assess evidence relating to the health effects of domestic exposure to radon as further data become available. More generally, the committee will continue to review other relevant information on the health effects of ionising and non-ionising radiation in the environment and to advise Government accordingly.
References :
1. COMARE First Report : The implications of the new data on the releases from Sellafield in the 1950s for the conclusions of the Report on the Investigations of the possible increased incidence on cancer in West Cumbria. HMSO 1986.
2. COMARE Second Report : Investigation of the possible increased incidence of leukaemia in young people near Dounreay Nuclear Establishment, Caithness, Scotland. HMSO 1988.
3. COMARE Third Report : Report on the incidence of childhood cancer in the West Berkshire and North Hampshire area, in which are situated the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston and the Royal Ordnance Factory, Burghfield. HMSO 1989.
Column 661
4. Investigation of the possible increased incidence of cancer in West Cumbria. Report of the independent advisory group, chairman : Sir Douglas Black. HMSO 1984.Regional Allocations
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how, in making his allocations to National Health Service regions for 1990-91, he took into account (a) population, (b) health-related deprivation such as occupation, unemployment and low incomes, (c) standard mortality ratios, (d) morbidity, (e) the needs of the elderly, (f) the needs of the mentally handicapped, and (g) the numbers of adult single-person households both with and without dependants stating in each case the indicators used, and how each indicator was weighted against the others.
Mr. Freeman : The White Paper "Working for Patients" sets out the principles of the new allocation formula. The 1990-91 revenue allocations are based on the new weighted capitation formula, but in such a way that the full redistributive effects are phased over three years to 1992-93. Under the new formula regions receive their main allocations on basis of their resident population, adjusted for morbidity and the relative costs of providing services within each of seven age bandings. Weighted standard mortality ratios (SMRs) for people under 75 years of age are used as measure of relative morbidity (the weighting is achieved by using the square root of the SMR). Allocations also take account of the higher costs of providing services in London by means of allowances for London weighting and market forces, and an additional 3 per cent. for the Thames regions. No other factors are taken into account.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) cross-boundary flow adjustments and (b) any pre-planned adjustments in spending allocation between the Northern National Health Service region and Scotland for each year from 1983, indicating any planned provision of services between the north and Scotland.
Mr. Freeman : There have been no cash adjustments between England and Scotland in respect of patients
Column 662
crossing the border for treatment. However, Northern RHA has received recognition through the RAWP formula for treating patients from outside England. The amount attributable to Scotland cannot be separately identified centrally.For the financial year 1990-91, as all regions move towards a simpler funding formula based on resident population, a cost for the net inflow of patients from Scotland has been estimated, and an adjustment made to the RHA's cash limit to cover this cost.
Dentists
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the report on the three-year trial of a capitation system for paying dentists for the treatment of children.
Mr. Freeman : The report on the clinical trial of a capitation system for remunerating dentists for treatment of children is published today by Macmillans Press as supplement No. 1 1990 to the "Community Dental Health Journal". Copies of the report will be placed in the Library.
Health Expenditure
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, pursuant to the answer, 18 December, Official Report, column 81-82, he will state (a) the average, and (b) the range of expenditure per patient in each family practitioner committee area of the Northern health region for two previous quarters to the one ended June to August 1989.
Mr. Freeman : Information about individual patients is not collected. The range of expenditure per patient in each family practitioner committee area is available only on a general practitioner practice basis and by basic price of prescriptions. Basic price takes no account of discount, dispensing costs or fees and therefore does not represent actual expenditure. The information that is available on this basis is set out in the tables :
Range of basic prices per patient
|Average basic |Lowest cost |Highest cost |Highest cost
|price per patient|practice |practice
|£ |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleveland FPC |11.04 |3.64 |42.20 |January 1989
Cumbria FPC |10.28 |2.88 |19.43 |February 1989
Durham FPC |10.95 |5.76 |18.60 |February 1989
Gateshead FPC |10.25 |7.68 |14.51 |December 1988
Newcastle FPC |9.80 |2.33 |18.03 |January 1989
Northumberland FPC |10.39 |7.43 |16.35 |December 1988
North Tyneside FPC |12.35 |7.45 |22.58 |December 1988
South Tyneside FPC |10.81 |8.01 |13.67 |December 1988
Sunderland FPC |11.43 |6.93 |17.51 |February 1989
Cleveland FPC |10.54 |5.07 |37.72 |April 1989
Cumbria FPC |10.65 |3.65 |20.61 |May 1989
Durham FPC |11.42 |6.42 |27.98 |May 1989
Gateshead FPC |9.96 |7.46 |13.95 |March 1989
Newcastle FPC |9.37 |2.13 |16.17 |April 1989
Northumberland FPC |10.30 |7.60 |16.35 |March 1989
North Tyneside FPC |11.98 |3.57 |21.60 |March 1989
South Tyneside FPC |10.54 |7.43 |14.29 |March 1989
Sunderland FPC |11.85 |6.69 |17.69 |May 1989
Notes:
1. The figures are based on patient list sizes of 500 or more of prescribing doctors within the family
practitioner committee. Lists of less than 500 and of dispensing doctors are not included.
2. The figures are net ingredient cost (basic price) of prescriptions dispensed in response to prescriptions
written by practices within the family practitioner committee. They take no account of discount, dispensing
costs or fees and therefore do not represent actual expenditure.
3. The family practitioner committees are divided into three streams for reporting purposes. Each stream has
a different quarterly cycle.
Cochlear Implants
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends to approve supraregional funding for cochlear implant operations to be made available in Manchester on the National Health Service as part of a national funding programme for such operations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : I was very pleased to be able to announce on 4 January the provision of central funding for a cochlear implant programme. A total of £1 million is being made available in 1990-91 and similar sums will be made available in each of the following two years. Regional health authorities have been asked to submit bids for funding on behalf of units in their area. Up to six centres will be funded. Previously there was no way of alleviating the deafness of profoundly deaf people. Cochlear implants help with lip reading, improve control of voice volume and intonation, restore self-confidence, and remove their sense of isolation.
HIV Infection
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received in regard to people who acquired HIV from blood transfusions ; what reply he is sending ; if there is any action he will be taking ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The Department has received two inquiries about people who have become infected with HIV as a result of blood transfusions.
The special financial help which the Government have made available for haemophiliacs with HIV recognises the wholly exceptional circumstances of those persons. We have no plans to extend those arrangements to those recipients of blood transfusions who have become HIV infected.
Creutzfeldt Jakob Dementia
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his research programme into Creutzfeldt Jakob dementia.
Mr. Freeman : The Department of Health will be supporting Dr. R. G. Will of the department of clinical neurosciences, Western General hospital, Edinburgh in the establishment of a national register of Creutzfeldt Jakob diseases cases. This study is that recommended in the Tyrell report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Ambulance Personnel
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance workers there are per 1,000 head of population in each regional health authority.
Mr. Freeman : The information is given in the table :
Column 664
NHS ambulance staff in post per thousand resident population by
regional health authority in England-at 30 September 1988
Region |Officers<1> |Men/Women<1>|Officers and
|Men/Women<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |0.06 |0.38 |0.44
Yorkshire |0.07 |0.36 |0.43
Trent |0.07 |0.35 |0.42
East Anglian |0.06 |0.32 |0.38
North West Thames |0.02 |0.13 |0.15
North East Thames |0.02 |0.14 |0.16
South East Thames |0.04 |0.22 |0.25
South West Thames |0.04 |0.19 |0.23
Wessex |0.06 |0.27 |0.33
Oxford |0.06 |0.28 |0.33
South Western |0.07 |0.38 |0.45
West Midlands |0.07 |0.30 |0.37
Mersey |0.05 |0.34 |0.39
North Western |0.07 |0.36 |0.42
England<2> |0.06 |0.33 |0.39
Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical
Manpower and Population Estimates Unit, OPCS.
<1>Ratios calculated using unrounded whole-time equivalent figures
and mid-year 1988 population estimates.
<2>Includes London Ambulance Service Staff (2605 wte) not allocated
to any one specific Regional Health Authority.
Visual Handicap
Mr. Aspinwall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, when White Papers are published which have profound implications for disabled people, particularly the visually impaired, he will consider having the documents published not only in print form but also on tape or in braille.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 14 December 1989] : We are considering a number of options for communicating our messages in a variety of languages and formats to meet the needs of particular groups, including the needs of visually impaired people.
Health Authorities
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the estimated cost of the backlog of maintenance work in each district health authority in England in 1988-89.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 8 January 1990] : The first returns of information about the stock of buildings of each district health authority, under the Korner requirements, are now being collected although complete information for all districts will not be available until the figures for 1989-90 are received.
The table of the preliminary information available from 133 health authorities, gives the cost of bringing the NHS estate to an overall condition which exhibits only minor deterioration. It includes property which is due to be replaced within three years, buildings which are not used for patient care, property which is awaiting planned preventive maintenance and property which is awaiting disposal.
Authority |Cost
|£ million
----------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Regional Health Authority
Hartlepool |5.6
North Tees |19.4
South Tees |4.3
East Cumbria |3.3
South Cumbria |7.9
West Cumbria |13.3
Darlington |4.5
Durham |6.0
North West Durham |1.6
South West Durham |4.5
Northumberland |15.1
North Tyneside |0.9
South Tyneside |3.1
Sunderland |2.9
Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
East Yorkshire |6.2
Grimsby |0.0
Scunthorpe |5.3
York |8.2
Scarborough |0.8
Airdale |1.5
Dewsbury |0.3
Pontefract |2.6
Trent Regional Health Authority
South Derbyshire |0.0
Leicester |22.4
Lincolnshire-North |2.2
Central Nottingham |5.8
Nottingham (T) |10.5
Rotherham |1.4
Sheffield (T) |13.9
East Anglia Regional Health Authority
West Suffolk |1.0
East Suffolk |10.8
Norwich |23.2
Huntingdon |1.3
North West Thames Regional Health Authority
North Hertfordshire |7.4
East Hertfordshire |1.7
North West Hertfordshire |12.1
South West Hertfordshire |3.5
Hounslow and Spelthorne |18.9
Ealing |8.5
Riverside |34.5
Parkside |13.5
North East Thames Regional Health Authority
Mid-Essex |8.9
North East Essex |22.3
Barking-Havering and Brentwood |13.9
Tower Hamlets (T) |15.0
Enfield |51.2
Harringey |6.4
Waltham Forest |2.4
South East Thames Regional Health Authority
Brighton |32.5
Hastings |5.6
South East Kent |1.3
Canterbury and Thanet |56.8
Dartford and Gravesham |11.4
Maidstone |2.9
Turnbridge Wells |9.5
Bexley |4.6
Camberwell (T) |15.7
South West Thames RHA
North West Surrey |12.4
South West Surrey |6.4
Mid-Surrey |11.3
East Surrey |6.9
Chichester |7.6
Mid-Downs |13.5
Worthing |7.1
Croydon |4.4
Kingston and Esher |10.0
Richmond-Twickenham-Roehampton |10.4
Wandsworth |7.2
Merton and Sutton |10.3
Wessex RHA
West Dorset |0.6
Oxford RHA
Milton Keynes |0.3
South Western RHA
Bristol and Weston (T) |7.4
Frenchay |38.3
Southmead |4.3
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |8.5
Exeter |4.6
North Devon |1.6
Plymouth |13.6
Torbay |2.2
Cheltenham |1.5
Gloucester |11.0
Somerset |9.1
West Midlands RHA
Bromsgrove and Redditch |3.2
Herefordshire |7.5
Kidderminster |4.0
Worcester |6.4
Shropshire |20.6
Mid Staffordshire |2.5
North Staffordshire |35.3
South East Staffordshire |24.6
Rugby |2.5
North Warwickshire |15.9
South Warwickshire |30.2
Central Birmingham |37.8
East Birmingham (T) |9.7
North Birmingham |10.9
South Birmingham |30.2
West Birmingham |12.1
Coventry |16.3
Dudley |7.0
Sandwell |6.9
Solihull |2.9
Walsall |4.9
Wolverhampton |24.9
Mersey RHA
Chester |4.3
Crewe |3.5
Halton |0.6
Macclesfield |5.5
Warrington |3.1
Liverpool |33.7
St. Helen's Knowsley |2.4
Southport and Formby |3.3
South Sefton (Merseyside) |10.2
Wirral |2.6
North Western Regional Health Authority
Lancaster |2.7
Blackpool-Wyre and Flyde |5.7
Preston |5.7
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley |4.6
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale |5.2
West Lancashire |7.6
Chorley and South Ribble |2.2
Bolton |3.9
Bury |0.9
Manchester-North |10.0
Manchester-Centre |26.7
Manchester-South |7.6
Oldham |4.2
Rochdale |8.2
Salford |9.0
Stockport |2.7
Tameside and Glossop |2.6
Trafford |3.5
Wigan |3.6
EMPLOYMENT
Social Fund
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table for each year since 1979 of his Department's allocation of the European social fund by percentage and amount in relation to the United Kingdom's total allocation.
Mr. Eggar : The information requested is not available for years 1979 to 1982 and separate figures over the period are not available for my Department. Figures and percentages for the allocation to all Government Departments for other years are as follows :
|£ million |Per cent.<1>
----------------------------------------------------
1983 |276 |86
1984 |236 |67
1985 |159 |51
1986 |158 |56
1987 |323 |74
1988 |263 |65
1989 |236 |56
<1> of national allocation.
Sunday Trading
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate how many jobs would be lost were existing law on Sunday trading to be enforced throughout the United Kingdom.
Mr. Nicholls : No such estimates are available.
Wages Council Inspectors
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many establishments were checked by a visit by wages council inspectors in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Nicholls : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion) on 21 December, Official Report, column 450.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom ; and what is the current European Community average.
Mr. Nicholls : In October 1989, the latest available date, the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom was 6.2 per cent. compared with an EEC average of 9.1 per cent. Over the past two years the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom has fallen faster than in any other major industrialised country.
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the fall in unemployment since June 1986.
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Mr. Nicholls : Since June 1986 unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom has fallen by 1,480,500. Unemployment has now fallen for 40 consecutive months to the lowest level for over nine years.
Training
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans for further training initiatives.
Mr. Nicholls : The Government set out their plans for improving the quantity and quality of the national training effort in the December 1988 White Paper "Employment for the 1990s" (CM 540). My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to announce further initiatives. A further expansion of the compacts initiative was announced on 21 November. Funds are being made available immediately to assist the establishment of compacts in the following inner-city areas : Barnsley, Burnley, Lambeth, Nottingham, Rotherham, Wandsworth and Wigan. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will shortly announce details of further compacts in Wales.
Breast and Cervical Screening
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to enable all female employees to be allowed paid leave in order to receive breast and cervical screening.
Mr. Nicholls : No. The Government believe that such matters are best settled by direct agreement between employers and employees according to their own priorities.
Industrial Disputes
Mr. Jack : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the employment implications of recent industrial disputes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls : My right hon. Friend receives representations about various aspects of industrial disputes from time to time. Disputes that lead to industrial action are to be regretted because they put jobs at risk.
Construction Industry
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment at what level of turnover building firms will be required to begin contributing to the financing of the construction industry training board.
Mr. Nicholls : The Industrial Training Act 1982 requires that levy proposals must include proposals exempting any employer with a small number of employees from the payment of levy. The Industrial Training Levy (Construction Board) Order 1989 exempted firms with a payroll of less than £15,000, equivalent to one employee.
One of the priorities we have set for the new construction industry training board, is that more small firms should be given protection from the burden of levy.
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