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Pensioners
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the increase in real terms since 1979 in the income of pensioners who receive all their income from state benefits.
Mr. Scott : Between 1979 and 1986 the average total net income of pensioner tax units who obtained all their income from state benefits rose by 25 per cent. in real terms.
Source : Family Expenditure Survey.
Benefit Regulations
79. Mr. Harry Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will seek to repeal regulation 51 of the Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 and regulation 52 of the Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations 1989.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 20 December 1989] : A de minimis rule of this kind--50p a week for community charge benefit, as for the current system of rate rebates and other housing benefits--is a sensible feature of all the income-related benefit schemes, and we have no plans to repeal it.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Community Workshops
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about his policy for preventing young people from coming into contact with paramilitaries in Belfast whilst unemployed ; if he has any plans to delay changes to the funding arrangements for community workshops ; and what progress has been made by the Department of Economic Development in preparing for these changes.
Mr. Needham : The Government's social and economic policies are designed to address the problems of the unemployed and include specific education and training schemes, improved access to available employment through job clubs and job markets, the creation of employment through inward investment, setting up and expansion of small businesses, and schemes such as ACE, and encouragement to bona fide local community organisations to become directly involved in improving social and economic conditions in local areas.
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The Belfast action teams, operating over a large area of the city, work in partnership with community groups. To encourage groups to make use of the services and facilities provided by the statutory bodies some pump-priming funding is available.There are no plans to delay the implementation of the new funding arrangements. However, discussions have taken place and will continue with representatives of community workshops to consider whether modifications need to be made to the new funding arrangements to meet their concerns.
Flooding
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will take steps to encourage householders to insure house contents against flooding ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : This is a matter for individual householders to determine in the knowledge that there is no general responsibility on Government to compensate for losses arising from bad weather. The Housing Executive's policy with regard to household and contents insurance is to encourage its tenants to arrange adequate cover themselves and it emphasises its importance by means of enclosing leaflets with general correspondence.
Medical Research
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to strengthen existing links and priorities in medical research in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement about additional resources for the Province in this field.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 22 January 1990] : The integration of the hospital, community health and primary care services, together with the personal services, in a unified management structure in Northern Ireland gives the Province a considerable advantage in identifying research opportunities in both the clinical and operation fields which reflect its particular needs.
The research programme of the DHSS in Northern Ireland is undertaken principally through three separate organisations whose activities are co- ordinated through common research priorities and an overlap in membership. Central direction and funding of clinical and operation research is secured primarily through the department research group (DRG). This considers research proposals in the context of the Department's priorities, which are selected having regard to national priorities. Secondly, the Department also provides direct funding for a core programme of research undertaken by the recently established health and health care research unit (HHCRU) located in the faculty of medicine of the Queen's university of Belfast. The membership of the unit's programme of work is drawn from the health and social service boards as well as the university medical faculty and the Department. The third element of the Department's research programme is the support of local
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research undertaken on its behalf by the clinical research awards advisory committee (CRAAC). This committee is made up of senior clinicians with research backgrounds together with departmental, university and board representatives. The committee considers applications for grants for research projects in the clinical field against priorities determined locally.The Government intend to strengthen existing links with the services through regular discussions with boards on research priorities. These priorities will then provide the content for the commissioning of research by the DRG, HHCRU and CRAAC. This initiative will strengthen existing arrangements for the identification and funding of research projects in both the clinical and operational fields. Currently available resources are considered adequate for the Province in this field.
Cultural Traditions Programme
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds he has made available under the cultural traditions programme to (a) the Ultach Trust and (b) the Ulster Society.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 23 January 1990] : A sum of £7,500 has been paid to the Ultach Trust to assist the trust in developing its future plans. The Ulster Society has been awarded £3,224 to support the publication of "The Ulster Covenant" by Gordon Lucy.
Students
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many students were enrolled at (a) St. Mary's teacher training college and (b) St. Joseph's teacher training college for the academic years 1987-88 and 1988-89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents ;
(2) how many students were enrolled at Queen's university, Belfast, for the academic years 1987-88 and 1988-89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents ; (3) how many students were enrolled at Stranmillis college for the academic years 1987-88 and 1988-89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents ;
(4) how many students were enrolled at the university of Ulster, Jordanstown, for the academic years 1987-88 and 1988-89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents ;
(5) how many students were enrolled at the university of Ulster/Magee college for the academic years 1987-88 and 1988-89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents ;
(6) how many students were enrolled in the university of Ulster, Coleraine, for the academic years 1987-88 and 1988-89 broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 23 January 1990] : The available information is as follows :
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1987-88 1988-89<1>
|Full-time |Part-time |FTE<2> |Full-time |Part-time |FTE<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Mary's College<3><4><5> |635 |292 |n.a. |692 |450 |n.a.
Stranmillis College<4><5> |636 |153 |n.a. |663 |246 |n.a.
The Queen's University of Belfast |7,537 |1,696 |7,908 |7,680 |1,690 |8,086
University of Ulster<6>
Belfast |560 |112 |n.a. |624 |54 |n.a.
Jordanstown |4,485 |2,714 |n.a. |4,609 |2,882 |n.a.
Coleraine |2,461 |330 |n.a. |2,380 |331 |n.a.
Magee |462 |514 |n.a. |683 |570 |n.a.
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
|7,968 |3,670 |9,956 |8,296 |3,837 |10,410
Museums
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show what sums have been paid by the Government to each museum in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available ; of these sums, in each case how much was used to encourage tourism ; and what are the projections for the current and the next two financial years.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 23 January 1990] : The information requested is as follows :
|1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89
|£ |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ulster Museum |2,523,000|2,802,000|2,865,000
Ulster Folk and
Transport Museum |1,878,500|1,914,000|2,086,000
Ulster American Folk
Park |397,000 |665,000 |631,000
The estimated expenditure figures for the current year and the provisional planning figures for the next two financial years are :
|1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92
|£ |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ulster Museum |3,338,000|3,394,000|3,633,000
Ulster Folk and
Transport Museum |2,138,000|2,187,000|2,239,000
Ulster American Folk
Park |524,000 |534,000 |545,000
While the museums are among the attractions most popularly visited in Northern Ireland, resources are not allocated to encourage tourism as such.
Cattle Prices
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to what was the average gross margin for the year 1984 to 1989 in
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respect of (a) fat steers, (b) fat heifers and (c) beef bulls ; and what is his estimate of the average net profit for each said animal in each year.Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 23 January 1990] : The information requested is not available.
Suckling Calves
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the price of suckling calves in the principal markets for such cattle in Northern Ireland in the months of September, October and November in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.
Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 23 January 1990] : The information requested is as follows :
Average prices (£/head) at auction
|September|October |November
--------------------------------------------------
1986 |214 |230 |224
1987 |268 |302 |294
1988 |364 |361 |349
1989 |318 |337 |319
Incentive Allowances
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers were employed in March 1988 in each education and library board area ; how many teachers in each area were in receipt of an incentive allowance ; what percentage this was of the total employed in each area ; and how many teachers in receipt of an incentive allowance in each education and library board area held allowances that were (a) incentive A, (b) incentive B, (c) incentive C, (d) incentive D and (e) incentive E.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is as follows :
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2. Analysis of Promotion Allowances per Board Area
Allowance type |Total number |March 1989
|in payment
|April 1988
--------------------------------------------------------------
a. Belfast
A |119 |349
B |761 |755
C |12 |63
D |264 |238
E |96 |106
|------- |-------
Total |1,252 |1,511
b. North-Eastern
A |163 |412
B |745 |766
C |9 |24
D |243 |232
E |92 |88
|------- |-------
Total |1,252 |1,522
c. Southern
A |123 |464
B |629 |647
C |1 |26
D |171 |155
E |53 |61
|------- |-------
Total |977 |1,353
d. South-Eastern
A |102 |370
B |623 |623
C |10 |48
D |167 |156
E |70 |66
|------- |-------
Total |972 |1,263
e. Western
A |126 |362
B |614 |620
C |7 |45
D |143 |139
E |55 |56
|------- |-------
Total |945 |1,222
2. Analysis of Promotion Allowances per Board Area
Allowance type |Total number |March 1989
|in payment
|April 1988
--------------------------------------------------------------
a. Belfast
A |119 |349
B |761 |755
C |12 |63
D |264 |238
E |96 |106
|------- |-------
Total |1,252 |1,511
b. North-Eastern
A |163 |412
B |745 |766
C |9 |24
D |243 |232
E |92 |88
|------- |-------
Total |1,252 |1,522
c. Southern
A |123 |464
B |629 |647
C |1 |26
D |171 |155
E |53 |61
|------- |-------
Total |977 |1,353
d. South-Eastern
A |102 |370
B |623 |623
C |10 |48
D |167 |156
E |70 |66
|------- |-------
Total |972 |1,263
e. Western
A |126 |362
B |614 |620
C |7 |45
D |143 |139
E |55 |56
|------- |-------
Total |945 |1,222
Kells Police Station
Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date all police officers who served at Kells police station, Co. Antrim, during the period 31 October 1986 to 31 October 1988 ;
(2) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date a member
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of the Royal Ulster Constabulary who previously served at Kells police station, Co. Antrim, and who was charged in October 1988 with the illegal possession of arms, ammunition, and detonators ; (3) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date two police officers previously stationed at Kells police station, who resigned from the force between 1 January 1988 and 1 March 1989 ;(4) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date three police officers previously stationed at Kells police station, who were transferred to other duties during the period 1 June 1988 and 1 March 1989.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 15 January 1990] : These are matters for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. As court proceedings involving these matters have not been concluded, it would not be appropriate to comment further.
HEALTH
Breast and Cervical Cancer
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the rates of cancer of the breast and cervix in the north-east of England for those aged (a) 20 to 25 years, (b) 25 to 30 years, (c) 30 to 35 years, (d) 35 to 40 years, (e) 40 to 45 years, (f) 45 to 50 years, and (g) 50 to 55 years ; what were the average rates for the rest of the United Kingdom for the same age groups for each year from 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman [pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1989, columns 677- 79] : I regret that incorrect figures were given in the table for the United Kingdom as a whole. An amended table is as follows. The exact information requested could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Newly diagnosed cases of cancer rates (per 100,000
population) for
female breast<1> and the cervix uteri<2> by age group for
Northern
Regional Health Authority, Yorkshire Regional Health
Authority,
and United Kingdom, 1980-84
Year |Age-group|Northern |Yorkshire|United
|Regional |Regional |Kingdom
|Health |Health
|Authority|Authority
------------------------------------------------------------
Malignant neoplasm of the female breast
1980 |20-24 |0.86 |1.53 |1.12
|25-29 |6.72 |5.94 |6.64
|30-34 |27.78 |26.78 |20.46
|35-39 |44.35 |41.67 |48.70
|40-44 |98.10 |97.83 |96.42
|45-49 |151.69 |152.37 |139.29
|50-54 |146.47 |123.42 |140.28
1981 |20-24 |1.70 |0.75 |0.76
|25-29 |7.66 |9.39 |6.69
|30-34 |26.57 |20.50 |20.45
|35-39 |64.94 |61.36 |47.43
|40-44 |88.84 |114.00 |93.06
|45-49 |128.00 |134.28 |133.45
|50-54 |113.61 |147.06 |142.02
1982 |20-24 |- |0.73 |0.51
|25-29 |9.63 |3.38 |5.87
|30-34 |24.34 |14.47 |20.29
|35-39 |64.23 |45.30 |49.44
|40-44 |109.20 |94.38 |95.14
|45-49 |144.66 |146.79 |141.68
|50-54 |123.51 |140.59 |146.58
1983 |20-24 |1.63 |0.71 |0.90
|25-29 |3.83 |6.71 |6.17
|30-34 |22.12 |21.67 |21.81
|35-39 |38.61 |47.35 |48.22
|40-44 |82.19 |96.93 |89.75
|45-49 |147.64 |138.24 |130.31
|50-54 |120.98 |155.31 |141.30
1984 |20-24 |1.60 |2.07 |1.36
|25-29 |10.32 |4.90 |6.19
|30-34 |28.38 |27.90 |20.47
|35-39 |48.71 |47.92 |46.81
|40-44 |71.83 |103.68 |86.33
|45-49 |126.28 |141.42 |131.76
|50-54 |144.47 |138.07 |141.73
Malignant Neoplasm of the Cervix Uteri
1980 |20-24 |1.73 |4.60 |2.58
|25.29 |9.61 |7.63 |10.65
|30-34 |18.82 |21.42 |16.26
|35-39 |26.61 |28.41 |21.64
|40-44 |18.95 |26.68 |21.04
|45-49 |15.73 |14.13 |19.63
|50-54 |28.45 |30.13 |23.44
1981 |20-24 |1.70 |2.24 |2.46
|25-29 |9.58 |17.08 |12.55
|30-34 |15.06 |23.54 |19.40
|35-39 |19.48 |27.47 |19.64
|40-44 |20.50 |27.00 |23.31
|45-49 |13.71 |27.47 |22.46
|50-54 |30.01 |25.49 |22.83
1982 |20-24 |1.66 |2.92 |2.31
|25-29 |12.52 |17.77 |10.11
|30-34 |15.92 |27.33 |18.72
|35-39 |17.79 |28.52 |19.94
|40-44 |25.29 |39.16 |24.35
|45-49 |20.67 |18.35 |20.79
|50-54 |20.59 |17.82 |21.07
1983 |20-24 |0.82 |5.66 |1.94
|25-29 |13.40 |22.65 |13.79
|30-34 |21.15 |35.00 |20.87
|35-39 |18.83 |22.47 |21.26
|40-44 |27.40 |27.70 |22.93
|45-49 |16.15 |26.24 |18.86
|50-54 |23.31 |22.04 |21.15
1984 |20-24 |0.80 |2.76 |1.79
|25-29 |10.32 |13.88 |12.24
|30-34 |29.35 |32.97 |24.34
|35-39 |19.30 |36.92 |25.00
|40-44 |19.08 |31.98 |23.06
|45-49 |20.48 |31.09 |22.64
|50-54 |19.19 |27.41 |22.07
<1> Assigned to an International Classification of Diseases
(ICD) 9th revision code 174.
<2> Assigned to the ICD code 180.
Environmental Health Officers
123. Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations have taken place, and are taking place, on the status and qualifications of environmental health officers under European Economic Community directives for the inspection of food in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Freeman : The Government's policy continues to be one of ensuring as far as is possible and reasonable that EC food directives are negotiated and implemented by reference to the existing system of food inspection in the United Kingdom and the important role that the environmental health officers play in it.
Lead
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will outline current studies into the pervasiveness of lead in the environment and in diet ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 18 January 1990] : I have been asked to reply.
My Department has recently published food surveillance report No. 27 "Lead in Food : Progress Report" which gives details of studies on lead in the diet and the measures taken to reduce exposure. This records the significant drop in lead intake from this source which has occurred over the last decade.
Numerous studies on lead levels in soil, dusts, stream sediments, air and water have also been carried out in recent times together with blood lead level monitoring in children and adults. These environmental programmes have been kept under review by the Department of the Environment steering group on environmental lead monitoring and used to influence and check on the effectiveness of action taken to reduce exposure.
Monitoring of lead in the diet, air and water is continuing and research is being carried out into the contribution made by lead in dust and soil to the total exposure of children to this metal.
Ambulance Service
Sir Ian Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to ensure that the police and armed forces have made available to them for immediate use ambulances which are public property.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : In the event of the 999 service being disrupted within any particular ambulance authority, it is open to the chief constable and local managers jointly to consider the use of NHS ambulances by police crews if, in their view, that would strengthen the contingency arrangements locally and improve the service to the public. Where the armed forces are deployed to assist in the provision of an emergency service, they use their own vehicles, which are adequately equipped and with which they are familiar.
Sir Ian Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that ambulances which are the property of local or other public authorities are not used in furtherance of the views of one party in the present dispute within the ambulance service.
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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is for local managers after considering all the circumstances to determine what action, if any, should be taken to prevent the use of NHS ambulances for unauthorised purposes.Community Health Councils
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the budget allocations for community health councils for the current year and on a constant value basis for 1984 and 1979.
Mr. Freeman : The expenses of community health councils are met by and are reported along with the total expenditure of the health authorities concerned. It is for health authorities to decide the level of funding they provide to community health councils and information on the allocations are not routinely collected centrally.
Following are expenditure figures for the years requested derived from the summarised accounts of health authorities in England :
Total expenditure on community health councils
|£000 |£000
|(cash) |(at 1988-89
|prices)
------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |4,031 |7,590
1984-85 |6,341 |7,800
1988-89 |8,004 |8,004
Notes:
1. The figures for 1979-80 and 1984-85 have
been expressed at 1988-89 prices by the use of
the gross domestic product deflator.
2. The figures for 1988-89 are provisional in
that they are as yet subject to audit.
Aging
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings have been held between Ministers and officials from different Government Departments to co-ordinate Government policy on aging and related issues in the last 12 months ; and what were the topics discussed at each of these meetings.
Mr. Freeman : Frequent meetings are held between Ministers and officials in the relevant Departments to co-ordinate policies in this area.
Tiludronate
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement concerning the use of the drug, Tiludronate as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The drug Tiludronate is not licensed in the United Kingdom.
Listeria
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is currently taking to ensure adequate inspection of dairy products for evidence of listeria.
Mr. Freeman : The public health laboratory service is preparing a report following a study of listeria in dairy products. Once this report is available, the Department will consider what, if any, additional measures are required to maintain an adequate inspection level of dairy products.
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Residential and Nursing Homes
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of (a) residential homes for the aged and (b) nursing homes which have been opened since the passage of the Registered Homes Act 1984, in the cities of Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle upon Tyne and in the boroughs of Brighton, Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Torquay, Southport and Hastings.
Mr. Freeman : Information is not available centrally in the form requested. Residential care homes are registered with local social services authorities and nursing homes with district health authorities. The tables give details of the number of establishments catering for the elderly in the areas to which the hon. Member refers :
Number of registered<1> residential care homes for the elderly
At 31 March:
Local Authority |1985<2> |1988<3>
----------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool |29 |41
Leeds |42 |61
Manchester |36 |53
Sheffield |15 |29
Birmingham |86 |127
Avon |180 |201
Newcastle |23 |24
West Sussex |293 |314
East Sussex |366 |398
Hampshire |319 |409
Devon |516 |669
Sefton |99 |131
<1>Includes homes exempt from registration under section 1(5)(
j) of the Registered Homes Act 1984.
<2>Includes homes which are reported as catering for a mix of
clients.
<3>Provisional.
Number of registered<1> residential care homes for the elderly
At 31 March:
Local Authority |1985<2> |1988<3>
----------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool |29 |41
Leeds |42 |61
Manchester |36 |53
Sheffield |15 |29
Birmingham |86 |127
Avon |180 |201
Newcastle |23 |24
West Sussex |293 |314
East Sussex |366 |398
Hampshire |319 |409
Devon |516 |669
Sefton |99 |131
<1>Includes homes exempt from registration under section 1(5)(
j) of the Registered Homes Act 1984.
<2>Includes homes which are reported as catering for a mix of
clients.
<3>Provisional.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments take place of aged persons before they are placed in either a nursing home or residential care ; whether he expects to make changes to these procedures ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 711
Mr. Freeman : The assessment of elderly people for whom residential care is arranged by local authorities is a matter for the authority concerned. At present no assessment is necessary before a person enters a residential or nursing home in the independent sectors, with or without help from income support.Our White Paper, "Caring for People" proposes that from April 1991 local authority social services departments should carry out an appropriate assessment of individuals' needs for social care, including residential and nursing home care, in collaboration with medical, nursing and other caring agencies as necessary and having regard to the wishes of the individual and his carers, before deciding the appropriate type of care. The National Health Service and Community Care Bill at present before the House would lay a duty on local authorities to carry out such assessments. The preparation of guidance to local authorities on assessment and case management is also in hand.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has about the length of time taken for the registration of residential care homes (a) nationally and (b) in the city of Liverpool, from the time an application is submitted under the Registered Homes Act 1984 until a certificate has been issued.
Mr. Freeman : This information is not held centrally.
Welfare Milk
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings from the reduction in the value of welfare milk tokens will accrue to his Department in the year 1990-91.
Mr. Freeman : It is estimated that the revised pricing structure for the supply of liquid welfare milk in England will save some £7.5 million in the financial year 1990-91. The entitlement of beneficiaries to welfare milk is not affected by this change.
Independent Inspection Units
Mr. Carttiss : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the consultation document on independent inspection units promised in the White Paper "Caring for People" will be published.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A consultation paper amplifying the proposal made in the White Paper that
Column 712
local authorities should set up independent inspection units has been sent to organisations representing local authority, independent sector and user interests today. Their comments have been invited. Copies of the paper have been placed in the Library.Inspection units will form an integral part of the arrangements for securing and safeguarding the quality of community care services. They will have a special responsibility for supporting and monitoring those who provide residential care, both in local authority homes and in the independent sector. Their establishment will be entirely separate from the line management of local authority homes. These proposals have already been welcomed. They will put providers of services in the public and independent sectors on the same footing and, through the setting up of local advisory committees, they will involve providers and users in running the system. This should not only foster good will, but increase the effectiveness of the quality control process and public confidence in it.
Cot Deaths
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide details of the incidence of child cot deaths from 1960 to date, indicating the difference between winter and summer months ; what information he has on the possibility that cot deaths can be caused by poisonous gases resulting from the growth of fungi in soiled cot mattresses containing PVC ; and if he will make a statement on the results of his Department's research into this subject.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 18 December 1989] : Figures from 1971, the earliest date from which information is available, on numbers of mentions of sudden infant death syndrome on death certificates are provided in the table. Two qualifications need to be made in any assessment of an overall trend. First, the numbers of births in each year need to be taken into account. Secondly, over this period, respiratory disease has diminished as a reported cause of infant death and there has been a corresponding increase in the reporting of sudden infant death.
Details of a theory that gas emitted from the action of fungus on PVC mattresses may be a cause of sudden infant death have been submitted to the Department. A scientific assessment of the evidence is being undertaken by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist.
Column 711
Number of mentions of sudden infant death syndrome<1> on death certificates for all ages, England and Wales, by year and month of registration, 1971-88 Comparable data for earlier years are not available Year |January |February |March |April |May |June |July |August |September|October |November |December |Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1971 |43 |51 |54 |37 |30 |50 |46 |39 |58 |42 |47 |27 |524 1972 |77 |78 |74 |64 |73 |53 |47 |47 |50 |82 |73 |80 |798 1973 |93 |88 |93 |63 |81 |72 |49 |57 |58 |93 |94 |110 |951 1974 |130 |87 |101 |76 |71 |54 |65 |48 |46 |86 |95 |106 |965 1975 |86 |90 |99 |85 |68 |68 |60 |53 |65 |69 |102 |84 |929 1976 |104 |100 |72 |83 |70 |55 |42 |37 |56 |88 |83 |117 |907 1977 |125 |91 |89 |84 |86 |59 |37 |45 |48 |70 |89 |114 |937 1978 |109 |106 |103 |73 |82 |56 |65 |50 |56 |87 |86 |122 |995 1979 |138 |121 |114 |103 |75 |67 |56 |50 |49 |87 |121 |118 |1,099 1980 |158 |127 |113 |119 |91 |55 |77 |65 |74 |106 |120 |155 |1,260 1981 |140 |129 |152 |111 |91 |81 |65 |45 |56 |106 |133 |195 |1,304 1982 |194 |145 |153 |100 |83 |72 |75 |39 |75 |109 |134 |196 |1,375 1983 |142 |175 |154 |98 |116 |81 |65 |55 |81 |86 |154 |151 |1,358 1984 |174 |171 |172 |122 |67 |86 |52 |46 |68 |122 |101 |104 |1,285 1985 |166 |123 |113 |132 |112 |65 |70 |54 |67 |120 |147 |169 |1,338 1986 |174 |188 |146 |138 |123 |82 |79 |73 |84 |106 |136 |201 |1,530 1987 |173 |169 |172 |127 |89 |123 |80 |68 |81 |131 |149 |212 |1,574 1988 |178 |182 |177 |123 |120 |116 |87 |89 |97 |134 |146 |180 |1,629 <1> International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, code 798.0.
Regional Allocations
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library (a) a paper explaining the seven age band relative costs systems referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central on 10 January, Official Report, column 663, and (b) a paper showing why the particular method of adjusting regional allocations for mobility referred to in his reply was selected.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 17 January 1990] : I have today placed a short note in the Library giving the information requested.
Medicines
Mr. Gale : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make an announcement about the proposed increase in fees relating to the Medicinal Products for Human Use Regulations 1989 (S.I., 1989, No. 418) ; and if he will give the number of current applications waiting to be processed or being processed by the Medicines Control Agency.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 22 January 1990] : Comments received during the consultation exercise are being taken into account before the final version of the fees regulations is laid before Parliament. Subject to the usual statutory processes it is intended that these amending regulations will come into effect as soon as possible. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 20 December at columns 334-35.
The number of applications for new licences awaiting a decision as at 31 December 1989 was :
|Number
--------------------------------------------------
Product licences |1,867
Product licences (parallel imports) |991
Manufacturers licences |20
Wholesale dealers licences |34
Non-orthodox practitioner licences |4
Cerebral Palsy
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of children born in England, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, who have been diagnosed as having cerebral palsy.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 22 January 1990] : Cerebral palsy is not necessarily diagnosed at birth, so information on the number of children born in England each year and diagnosed with this condition is not available centrally.
Expenditure
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each year since 1974-75 current spending on the hospital and community health services
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for each National Health Service region and for the special health authorities (i) in cash terms, (ii) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator, and (iii) adjusted using the National Health Service pay and prices index.Mr. Freeman : The information requested is given in a table, copies of which have been placed in the Library. The expenditure figures are based on those shown in the summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities and the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals (predecessor authorities for the years prior to 1982- 83).
HOME DEPARTMENT
Shotguns
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to the number of complaints he has received during the last six months to the effect that shotguns were taken into the possession of the police without giving a receipt to the owner.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the chief constable that no such complaints have been received in Gwent police headquarters.
Begging
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were convicted of a begging or related offence in England and Wales during (a) 1987, (b) 1988 and (c) 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : The information requested is given in the table. Data for 1989 will not be available until autumn 1990.
Persons convicted of
begging and sleeping out
under the Vagrancy
Act 1824 (as amended)
England and Wales
|1987|1988
----------------------------
Begging |440 |512
Sleeping out |14 |13
Racing
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reach a decision on whether to establish an inquiry into the financing of racing.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are not as yet able to estimate when we shall have completed our consideration of this matter.
Random Breath Tests
Sir Ian Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he issues on the criteria which should govern the instructions issued to police
Column 715
officers in uniform who stop vehicles at random for the purpose of investigating whether the drivers of the vehicles concerned have alcohol in their bodies in excess of the prescribed limits, where such vehicles have not been involved in moving traffic offences or accidents which give legal grounds for such action.
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