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Scottish Development Agency
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report tables for the Scottish Development Agency comparable to tables 15.2.4 and 15.2.5 in Public Expenditure to 1992 -93 : A Commentary on the Scotland Programme, but covering the years 1984- 85 to 1990-91.
Mr. Lang : The Scottish Development Agency does not record financial information on its activities in the form requested, but I have asked the agency to consider whether and how much information can be provided in that form. I shall write to the hon. Member.
Radioactivity
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sheep have been monitored for radioactivity in slaughterhouses in each county in Scotland in each year since 1986 ; how many were found to be above the 1,000 bq/kg limit ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information for each region in Scotland is set out in the table :
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Region Year
|1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |42 |34 |12 |5 |9 |102
Central |24 |33 |54 |46 |- |157
Dumfries and Galloway |25 |25 |32 |44 |9 |135
Fife |21 |36 |30 |52 |10 |149
Grampian |24 |28 |30 |29 |7 |118
Highland |64 |31 |39 |57 |13 |204
Lothian |17 |9 |20 |27 |- |73
Strathclyde |41 |28 |39 |49 |6 |163
Tayside |30 |20 |40 |50 |10 |150
Western Isles |48 |13 |7 |4 |- |72
Orkney and Shetland |39 |29 |25 |28 |5 |126
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |375 |286 |328 |391 |69 |1,449
Only one reading was found to be above the 1,000 bq/kg limit, in 1986 in the Western Isles.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of (a) farms, (b) sheep and (c) acres currently subject to post-Chernobyl restrictions ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : A total of 74 farms, approximately 64,000 sheep and about 66,000 acres are currently subject to restrictions.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the number of sheep sampled for radioactivity in each county in Scotland for (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e) to date in 1990 ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) if he will list the number of sheep sampled for radioactivity in Scotland for (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e) to date in 1990 including the number of
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sheep with levels of radioactivity (i) over 4,000 bq/kg, (ii) 3,000 to 3,999 bq, (iii) 2,000 to 2,999, (iv) 1,000 to 1,999, (v) 500 to 999, and (vi) below 499 ; and if he will make a statement.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The results of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland's monitoring of sheep for radioactivity, including live-monitoring of sheep in the Scottish restricted areas and slaughterhouse monitoring of sheepmeat, are published regularly and copies are placed in the Library of the House. Some of the published information is in the form requested by the hon. Member. Where it is not, it could be put in that form only at disproportionate cost.
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School Buildings
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what published comments have been made by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools in Scotland on the condition of school buildings.
Mr. Lang : Most of the reports by Her Majesty's inspectorate on individual schools contain comments on the state of the accommodation. The reports are published and copies are in the Library.
Class Sizes
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information on class sizes resulted from the 1989 school census.
Mr. Lang : Information about class sizes obtained from the 1989 school census is not yet ready for publication and will be included in statistical bulletins to be published later in the year.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the average sizes of classes in (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c) science subjects and (d) history, geography, modern studies, home economics, physical education, technical education and modern languages in S1 to S6 in 1989.
Mr. Lang : The information requested is not yet ready for publication. Information about class sizes in secondary schools in 1987, by subject, was published in SED statistical bulletin No. 14/C7/1989, a copy of which is in the Library.
Child Care Policy, Fife
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has met Sheriff Brian Kearney during the inquiry into child care policy in Fife region.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 April 1990] : No.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the findings from the inquiry into child care policy in Fife will be made public ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) when the inquiry into child care policy in Fife will be completed ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will make a statement on progress being made by the inquiry into child care policy in Fife region ;
(4) when he is likely to receive the findings of the inquiry into child care policy in Fife from Sheriff Brian Kearney.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 April 1990] : I understand that Sheriff Kearney has reached an advanced stage in taking evidence but he is not yet able to indicate a final date for submission of his report. When the Secretary of State receives the report, he will decide whether to make its findings public.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the reasons why the inquiry into Fife regional council which was to be completed within three months from 1 March 1989 has now been running for over 12 months.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 April 1990] : It is for the chairman of the inquiry to determine the procedures necessary for carrying it out and to judge the length of time needed to explore the issues fully.
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Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of the inquiry into child care policy in Fife and indicate who will pay the costs.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 23 April 1990] : Since the inquiry is still in progress, it is not possible to estimate its costs reliably. When he has received the report of the inquiry, the Secretary of State will decide, in accordance with the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, whether to hold Fife regional council liable to pay all or part of the expenses of the inquiry.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Flood Defence
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment has been made of the effects on the flood defences around the Wash of storms of the nature of those in January and February but with the wind veering by five degrees at high tide.
Mr. Maclean : I am advised that the prevailing winds were such during the storms of January and February that there would have been no significant effects on the flood defences around the Wash had the wind veered by five degrees.
The state of flood defences, including sea walls, is continually monitored by the responsible authorities and close liaison is maintained by my river and coastal engineers with the authorities, particularly the National Rivers Authority, who undertake most of the works.
Orchards
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the percentage of orchards in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland which would qualify for the European Community grubbing-up scheme on the basis of the criteria of (i) under 15 years old and (ii) more than 400 trees per hectare density.
Mr. Gummer : It is not possible to estimate the proportion of the orchards which would be eligible under the EC Commission's proposal for grubbing-up scheme without disproportionate cost.
Rain Forests
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his meeting at Sandringham in Norfolk with European Commissioners ; and whether he discussed rain forest issues.
Mr. Gummer : His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales invited Mr. Carlo Ripa di Meana, European Commissioner for the Environment and Mr. Ray Macsharry, European Commissioner for Agriculture, to visit Sandringham on 19-20 April. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I were also invited. Our discussions covered a wide range of issues.
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Deer Meat
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce compulsory inspection of deer meat intended for human consumption ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The European Commission has published proposals for health rules governing game which, among other things, would require inspection of deer meat intended for human consumption. In advance of decisions in Brussels we have encouraged local authorities to introduce inspection procedures for farmed deer slaughtered in abattoirs.
The production of deer meat, in common with all other food sold for human consumption, is subject to the general provision of the Food Act 1984 and the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970.
Radioactivity
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of (a) farms, (b) sheep and (c) acres currently subject to post-Chernobyl restrictions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 27 November 1989 at column 136.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the number of sheep sampled for radioactivity in each county in England for (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e) to date in 1990 ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list the total number of sheep sampled for radioactivity in England for (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e) to date in 1990 including the number of sheep with levels of radioactivity (i) over 4,000 bq/kg, (ii) 3,000 to 3,999 bq, (iii) 2,000 to 2,999, (iv) 1,000 to 1,999, (v) 500 to 999 and (vi) below 499 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : The results of my Department's radioactivity monitoring in sheep, including live monitoring in Cumbria under the "mark and release" scheme, spatial surveys of sheep in and around the restricted area, slaughterhouse monitoring and laboratory analysis of tissues from sheep carcasses, are published regularly and copies placed in the Library of the House.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep have been monitored for radioactivity in slaughterhouses in each county in England in each year since 1986 ; how many were found to be above the 1,000 bq/kg limit ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : Since the introduction of our programme of slaughterhouse monitoring in February 1989, the following numbers of sheep carcasses have been monitored :
|Cumbria |Lancashire|Total
-------------------------------------------------------
1989 |5,405 |5,101 |10,506
<1>1990 |1,637 |1,758 |3,395
<1>To 31 March.
None have been found above the 1,000 bq/kg limit. This programme supplements the continuing live
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monitoring mark and release scheme for all sheep moved out of the restricted areas. We continue to monitor to make sure that no consumer need have any concern whatsoever.Farms
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has any plans to introduce definitions of small, medium and large farms.
Mr. Curry [pursuant to his reply, 2 April 1990, c. 447] : For the purposes of economic and statistical analysis, the initial farm business surveys undertaken for the Department show farm incomes according to farm size. The size is measured in financial terms and based upon standard gross margins per hectare of crops and per head of livestock.
Dumping at Sea
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is being taken to prevent the dumping by ships in (a) United Kingdom and (b) international waters of prohibited materials ; and what estimate he has of the total tonnage of material so dumped.
Mr. Curry : Dumping at sea is controlled in the United Kingdom by part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, under which a licence is required for disposal operations. The Act's requirements apply to all vessels dumping in United Kingdom waters, and more widely to British vessels and to vessels loaded in the United Kingdom. The ban on dumping without a licence will be extended to all vessels in United Kingdom continental shelf waters by the Environment Protection Bill currently before Parliament. Licensed disposal operations are inspected, and samples of waste are analysed, to enforce the legislation.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has introduced regulations to implement the provisions of annex V of MARPOL 73/78--the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships 1973, as amended by the 1978 protocol. The regulations which came into force on 31 December 1988 enforce restrictions on the disposal of garbage into the sea and include a complete ban on the discharge of plastics. These regulations apply to all United Kingdom-registered ships and to foreign- registered ships while in United Kingdom waters.
From time to time reports are received of illegal dumping, normally of unlicensed rather than prohibited materials. All such reports are investigated but it is not possible to give any estimate of the tonnage involved.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability Allowances
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by year for the last 10 years for the Doncaster area, the number of (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful appeals for (i) disability allowance and (ii) mobility allowance.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I regret that the Department does not hold the information on social security appeal
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tribunals in the format requested. National administrative statistics for appeal tribunals are not available for areas smaller than a social security region.The tables give the details requested for social security appeal tribunals (SSATs) for the north-east region from 1984 until the nine-month period ending 30 September 1989--the latest figure available. SSATs decide non- medical appeal questions. Medical questions are decided by medical appeal tribunals (MATs), but the details requested are not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member when they are.
|c|Social Security appeal tribunals in north-east England|c|
|Disablement |Mobility
|Benefit |Allowance
|appeals heard|appeals heard
|and decided |and decided
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claimant successful
Nine months ending 31 December
1984 |115 |2
Year ending 31 December 1985 |140 |4
Year ending 31 December 1986 |156 |6
Year ending 31 December 1987 |141 |5
Year ending 31 December 1988 |165 |1
Nine months ending 30 September
1989 |134 |6
Claimant unsuccessful
Nine months ending 31 December
1984 |184 |52
Year ending 31 December 1985 |238 |125
Year ending 31 December 1986 |253 |234
Year ending 31 December 1987 |261 |219
Year ending 31 December 1988 |326 |207
Nine months ending 30 September
1989 |207 |149
Disability
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has received to "The Way Ahead : Benefits for Disabled People" from the Royal National Instutite for the Blind ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The Royal National Institute for the Blind was represented at a meeting I held on 5 April with the disability benefits consortium to discuss "The Way Ahead". We shall give careful consideration to all the institute's comments in carrying forward the detailed work on our proposals.
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Income Support
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current calculation of the value to all categories of income support recipients of all rebates for community charge in all Welsh district council areas based on the charges now published.
Mrs. Shephard : I regret the information requested is not available.
Spending Power
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East, Official Report, 19 February, columns 554-58, what information he has as to the number of families in each category, for each earnings level, at the latest convenient date.
Mrs. Shephard : The information requested is not available.
HEALTH
Blood Donation
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current restrictions are in force in respect of people wishing to donate blood.
Mr. Freeman : Healthy people between the ages of 18 and 60 are generally accepted as donors and those who have been regular donors can continue to donate up to the age of 65.
Individuals at risk of AIDS or hepatitis B or any other disease transmissible by blood are excluded. Visitors to those parts of the world where certain diseases such as malaria are endemic are deferred for an appropriate period.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by year for the past five years and by regional blood transfusion service, the number of blood donations given.
Mr. Freeman : The number of donations made in the regional blood transfusion centres for the past five years is given in the table :
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Region Number of Donations
|1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |131,947 |133,544 |128,321 |120,878 |122,267
Yorkshire |154,905 |149,128 |146,119 |134,463 |133,088
Trent |174,425 |169,680 |174,976 |186,605 |197,746
East Anglia |87,650 |86,393 |90,012 |91,536 |92,195
North West Thames |189,246 |190,048 |199,731 |193,372 |192,004
North East Thames |136,647 |138,875 |136,722 |135,439 |142,716
South East and South West Thames |302,097 |282,738 |277,696 |268,585 |282,188
Wessex |95,719 |94,088 |93,990 |95,931 |95,484
Oxford |119,689 |111,129 |104,609 |104,537 |107,805
South Western |170,859 |168,169 |175,570 |180,057 |182,008
West Midlands |200,128 |199,389 |199,290 |199,320 |216,485
Mersey |117,589 |121,642 |123,190 |112,659 |108,387
North Western |181,638 |180,133 |181,587 |176,843 |176,328
Wales |96,087 |94,104 |96,637 |94,091 |92,109
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |2,158,626|2,119,060|2,128,450|2,094,316|2,140,810
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Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will show, by regional blood transfusion service, the frequency with which donors are requested to attend ;
(2) if he will list by regional blood transfusion service the number of donors, by blood group, for the latest available date.
Mr. Freeman : This information is not held centrally.
Hepatitis B
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by year for the last 10 years and by regional health authority, the take-up of hepatitis B vaccine.
Mr. Freeman : This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advertising campaigns are being prepared by his Department, concerning the problems of bringing to public awareness the low take-up of the hepatitis B vaccine among high-risk groups ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The Department recognises the seriousness of hepatitis B. A new edition of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's memorandum, "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease", will be published shortly and this includes advice on hepatitis B. The Health Education Authority is currently reviewing all its publications on sexually transmitted diseases, including information on hepatitis B.
Correspondence
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letter dated 23 February refering to Dr. Sylvia Cree of Wolston.
Mr. Freeman : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State replied yesterday.
Pulse Dye Laser
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if funds are to be made available to help specialist hospitals to meet the costs of installing and operating pulse dye lasers to help cure disfiguring facial birthmarks.
Mr. Freeman : Health authorities are free to purchase equipment of this kind from their cash allocations. At present pulse dye lasers are more costly than argon lasers but this situation can be expected to change significantly in the next year or two as this new technology develops.
St. Catherine's House, Kingsway
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the public inspection rooms at St. Catherine's house, Kingsway ; and whether he has any proposals to improve them, including the provision of refreshment and other facilities.
Mr. Freeman : We have received no representations during recent months concerning the public search room at St. Catherine's house. At the end of 1989 the Registrar-General published the findings of a survey of users of the facilities provided, entitled "Attitudes to the
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Public Search Room" and we have now placed a copy in the Library. The survey revealed that a number of improvements were suggested by visitors, but more than three quarters of those responding expressed general satisfaction with the service and facilities provided. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, which is responsible for the public search room, is seeking new premises in central London in anticipation of the expiry of the lease of St. Catherine's house later this decade. The views expressed by regular visitors will be taken into account in the quest for new premises but I regret that it is not possible to provide refreshment facilities at St. Catherine's house.Census Information
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will consider reducing the time limit from 100 years to 80 years or less under which census information on individuals is kept secret, for the benefit of genealogical research.
Mr. Freeman : No. Census records in England and Wales are closed to public inspection for a period of 100 years to fulfil confidentiality assurances given to the public when a census is taken. This period comes near to ensuring that information is not disclosed about living people. However, with the consent of the person concerned or a direct descendant, or the next of kin if the person has died childless, researchers may be informed of the age and place of birth of an individual as recorded in the censuses of 1891 and 1901. These concessions do not extend beyond 1901 because of the stricter confidentiality assurances given in later censuses.
Car Exhaust Emissions
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adverse effects of (a) increased benzene concentration levels in the atmosphere arising from the increased use of lead-free petrol and (b) the decreased lead levels arising from reduced use of leaded petrol.
Mr. Freeman : The increased use of lead-free petrol is not expected to result in a significant increase in benzene concentrations in the atmosphere.
As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 3 November 1989 at column 350, the levels of benzene in petrol are regulated under an EC directive. Because the exposure to lead and benzene from petrol is so low and the health effects attributable to these exposures difficult to measure, reliable comparative assessments are not possible. Since 1974 it has been the policy of successive Governments to contain and reduce exposure to lead wherever practicable. The Government will be participating in the European Communities review of benzene in petrol which will include the health implications of such use.
Hearing Aids
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on the proposals outlined in his reply of 27 July 1989, Official Report, columns 918-919, on provision of hearing aids ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Freeman : The Department issued a consultation paper earlier this month inviting comments on the proposed arrangements for setting up and evaluating a number of pilot projects based on the direct referral of patients from their general practitioner to the hospital audiology service. It also invites comments on issues relating to the training of NHS and private sector audiology staff and the provision of commercial hearing aids under the NHS. The consultation paper has been drawn up with the help of outside experts, including two from the audiology field, an ear nose and throat consultant, a community physician and representatives from Mersey regional health authority and the private and voluntary sectors. A copy of the paper has been placed in the Library. Some of the pilot projects, to which the paper refers, will involve contracts between health authorities and the private sector as well as the provision of some part of the hospital audiology service in a community-based setting. We expect to start the projects in the early autumn.GPs (Contract)
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions there are under the new contract for general practitioners to refuse to add new patients to their lists if (a) women refuse to have cervical smear tests and (b) parents refuse to have their children immunised.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The new contract does not affect the long- standing right of a general practitioner to decide whether or not to accept a patient on to his or her list. GPs have never been required to have or to state a reason for removing a patient from their list or refusing to accept a new patient on to their list. However, to refuse patients solely because they do not wish to be immunised or have a cervical smear test is most unprofessional and suggests a remarkable lack of responsiveness to the needs and wishes of the patient. I am sure that the professional bodies would support the Government in condemning such action.
Waiting Lists
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the changes in waiting lists for each district health authority within the East Anglian region during the period 1979 to 1989.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 18 April 1990] : The available information is given in the tables. Due to NHS restructuring in 1982, comparable figures are available only for the districts shown in the tables.
|c|In-patient waiting list, by district health authority, East Anglian|c| |c|regional health authority, as at 30 September, 1979 and 1989<1>|c| District Health |1979 |1989<1> |Change |Change Authority |Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peterborough |3,530 |4,829 |1,299 |36.8 Norwich |7,665 |10,177 |2,512 |32.8 Great Yarmouth |3,621 |3,940 |319 |8.8 West Norfolk and Wisbech |3,073 |2,799 |-274 |-8.9 <1>Less self-deferred cases. Source: SBH203 return 1979. KHQ7,7a returns 1989.
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|c|In-patient cases treated, surgical acute sector<1> by district health|c| |c|authority, East Anglian regional health authority, 1979 and 1989|c| District Health |1979 |1989 |Change |Change Authority |Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peterborough |11,704 |18,412 |6,708 |57.3 Norwich |26,424 |34,408 |7,984 |30.2 Great Yarmouth |7,058 |11,118 |4,060 |57.5 West Norfolk and Wisbech |8,676 |10,240 |1,564 |18.0 <1>General surgery. Source: SH3 return 1979. SH3a return 1989.
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