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Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of (a) 1986, (b) 1987 and (c) 1988 in Wales as a whole.

Mr. David Hunt : The following table shows the number of new ophthalmology out-patients recorded in NHS hospitals in Wales :


Quarter Ended  |Number                     

-------------------------------------------

March 1986     |9,247                      

June 1986      |9,905                      

September 1986 |9,678                      

December 1986  |10,383                     

                                           

March 1987     |9,616                      

June 1987      |9,825                      

September 1987 |9,531                      

December 1987  |10,263                     

                                           

March 1988     |11,545                     

June 1988      |10,280                     

September 1988 |10,242                     

December 1988  |10,771                     

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new out- patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded (a) in South Glamorgan and (b) in Wales in the last quarter of 1989.

Mr. David Hunt : The information is not yet available.

Mrs. Noreen Edwards

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date Mrs. Noreen Edwards was first appointed to the chair of Gwynedd health authority and for what period ; on what subsequent dates and for what periods of time she was reappointed ; and on what date her present appointment terminates.

Mr. Grist : Mrs. Edwards was first appointed to chair the authority on 1 August 1982 for four years. She was reappointed on 1 August 1986 for a further four years to 31 July 1990.

Health Authorities

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the acreage of land and the price realised for such land, arising from the sale of the land by each of the district health authorities in Wales since 1979.

Mr. Grist : The information is not immediately available in the form requested. I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.


Column 292

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the actual cost of wage and salary increases for each of the district health authorities in Wales in the financial year 1989-90 ; and what was the financial provision made by the Welsh Office in his revenue funding of each authority to meet wage and salary inflation in that year.

Mr. David Hunt : It is for each authority to decide how much of its annual increase in discretionary cash provision should be set aside for pay settlements in the light of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Industry Act forecast of general inflation in the economy for the year in question and in the light of the particular composition of its work force. For 1989-90 the forecast of general inflation was 5 per cent. and the initial percentage increase in cash provision of district health authorities in Wales (by comparison with their 1988-89 final allocations) were as follows :


                |per cent. in-              

                |crease                     

--------------------------------------------

Clwyd           |6.5                        

East Dyfed      |8.8                        

Gwent           |5.8                        

Gwynedd         |5.8                        

Mid Glamorgan   |6.1                        

Pembrokeshire   |6.8                        

Powys           |8.6                        

South Glamorgan |5.8                        

West Glamorgan  |5.8                        

However, it should be noted that these initial discretionary cash increases were subsequently enhanced to take account of the contribution which the Government made towards the cost of meeting the recommendations of the pay review bodies covering doctors and dentists, nurses and professions allied to medicine. This supplementary funding was distributed by reference to paybill data for those categories of staff in authorities 1988-89 accounts and resulted in revised discretionary cash increases for Welsh district health authorities, prior to further enhancement in respect of White Paper requirements, as follows :


                |Increase           

                |Per cent.          

------------------------------------

Clwyd           |7.4                

East Dyfed      |9.6                

Gwent           |6.6                

Gwynedd         |6.6                

Mid Glamorgan   |7.0                

Pembrokeshire   |7.6                

Powys           |9.5                

South Glamorgan |6.6                

West Glamorgan  |6.6                

It is not possible to estimate the actual cost of pay settlements in 1989- 90 without details of the number, grades, and so on of staff employed by each of the district health authorities in Wales during that year. Acccounts data will be submitted to the Welsh Office in June but these will give only the increase in total expenditure on the various categories of staff and will not distinguish the increase in pay levels from changes in the number or composition of staff.


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Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many established posts are currently frozen in each of the nine district health authorities in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Grist : The information requested is not held centrally. Staffing levels are operational issues for health authorities.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve the reporting procedures which enable him to monitor the financial performance and delivery of services of district health authorities in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Grist : The main mechanism for monitoring the performance of individual district health authorities is the annual review undertaken each autumn by the executive committee of the Health Policy Board. This provides the opportunity for a rigorous central assessment of local management action and performance, and constitutes a key channel of accountability to the Secretary of State in relation to each health authority's stewardship of health care services and the public moneys which fund them.

The annual review process is being developed to reflect the distinction between the purchaser and provider roles of district health authorities proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

In addition to the annual review, health authorities are required to submit a wide range of financial and service specific returns within the year. These are analysed carefully, and kept under continuous review to ensure that they remain fit for purpose.


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Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the salary or fee paid to each of the chair persons of district health authorities in Wales during 1989-90 ; and what were the expenses paid to each of these persons.

Mr. Grist : In 1989-90, the chairmen of district health authorities in Wales received a flat-rate taxable honorarium of £12,462. Information about other expenses which may have been drawn from their own authorities is not held centrally.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the total sums paid by way of

performance-related pay to senior managers in each of the new Welsh district health authorities in 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Grist : No. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 March at column 346 . Particulars of actual

performance-related pay additions to salary made by employing authorities are confidential and information thereon is not held centrally.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his answer of 18 April to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris), Official Report, columns 932-33, he will publish a table showing for each of the district health authorities in Wales the level of capital allocation in 1990-91 and the corresponding figure in real terms for 1982-83 ; and what has been the percentage change in each instance.

Mr. David Hunt : The information requested is given in the table :


Column 293


                    |Discretionary      |Discretionary      |Percentage change                      

                    |capital allocations|capital allocations|in allocation in                       

                    |1990-91            |1982-83 expressed  |period 1982-83 to                      

                                        |at 1990-91 prices  |1990-91                                

                    |£ million          |£ million          |percentage                             

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clwyd               |6.277              |1.520              |313                                    

East Dyfed          |3.205              |0.956              |235                                    

Gwent               |6.184              |1.924              |221                                    

Gwynedd             |1.710              |0.870              |97                                     

Mid Glamorgan       |8.054              |2.170              |271                                    

Pembrokeshire       |1.968              |0.306              |543                                    

Powys               |1.113              |0.454              |145                                    

South Glamorgan     |7.938              |2.574              |208                                    

West Glamorgan      |8.072              |1.483              |444                                    

Note:                                                                                               

The methodology used since 1984-85 in the distribution of capital resources for the discretionary   

use of district health authorities (which is reflected in the table above) is not comparable to     

that used previously. Prior to 1984-85 the distribution of discretionary capital resources between  

authorities was pro rata to the distribution of their recurrent revenue allocations. Since 1984-85, 

authorities; discretionary capital allocations have been determined by reference to a formula which 

was specifically devised for this purpose. The formula, which is population based, also takes into  

account the distribution of NHS capital stock throughout Wales. The distribution of the resources   

available for 1990-91 reflects the implementation of the second update of this capital formula.     

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to meet jointly the chairman of a district health authority in Wales together with hon. Members whose constituencies are served by that health authority when circumstances justify ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend will continue to consider each request for a meeting on its individual merits.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the most recent figures


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available on the death rate for each district health authority in Wales with corresponding figures for five and 10 years previously.

Mr. David Hunt : The information requested is given in the table :


                       Crude death rate<1>                                                                                          

Welsh district health |1988                 |1983                                       |1978                                       

 authorities                                                                                                                        

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clwyd                 |12.6                 |12.9                                       |13.6                                       

East Dyfed            |12.4                 |14.2}                                                                                  

Pembrokeshire         |11.8                 |11.6}                |<2>14.3                                                          

Gwent                 |11.7                 |11.9                                       |11.9                                       

Gwynedd               |12.5                 |14.0                                       |14.3                                       

Mid Glamorgan         |11.6                 |12.4                                       |12.8                                       

Powys                 |12.2                 |13.2                                       |13.4                                       

South Glamorgan       |10.7                 |11.5                                       |11.6                                       

West Glamorgan        |12.2                 |12.5                                       |13.4                                       

Wales                 |11.9                 |12.6                                       |13.0                                       

Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.                                                                                  

<1>Registered deaths of residents (excluding still-births) per 1,000 population.                                                    

<2>Heatlh Authorities were reorganised into nine District Health Authorities in 1982. For 1978 Pembrokeshire figures are shown with 

East Dyfed.                                                                                                                         

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each health authority area in Wales the number of cancer cases newly diagnosed in each of the last five years ; and if he will show these figures as a proportion of the base population in each health authority district.

Mr. Grist : The most recently available information on cancer incidence rates in Wales is presented in "Cancer Registration in Wales, 1974-84" published in 1988. It is intended that full data in respect of the period 1984 to 1986 together with a commentary will be published during 1990.

Felinheli Bypass

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why the engineer from his Department who had agreed to attend a public meeting at Felinheli on Friday 4 May failed to arrive at that meeting ; why the person who did attend was not authorised to inform the meeting of the Welsh Office's latest information on the Felinheli bypass ; and if he will review the workings of his Department to avoid the public being let down in this manner in future.

Mr. David Hunt : The terms of reference for the attendance of an official at the meeting were explained to those who made the request.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of his Department of the date of commencement of work on the Felinheli bypass ; by what date it is expected that land purchase will be completed ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt : Felinheli bypass is programmed to start in the period April 1991 to March 1994 as shown in "Roads in Wales : Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Land purchase is programmed to meet this timetable.

Caernarfon Cottage Hospital

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of complying with each of the three conditions for closure of the Caernarfon cottage hospital laid down by the Welsh Office in its letter of 20 April, concerning alternative dental provision for the area ; and by what date he expects each of these conditions to be met.

Mr. Grist : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.


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Madog Memorial Hospital

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimated annual savings of closing the Madog memorial hospital ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Grist : Following the issue of the Welsh Office's letters of 3 and 22 March 1989 which conveyed approval of Gwynedd health authority's proposals to close Madog memorial hospital, detailed issues relating to the closure are a matter for the health authority, subject to compliance with the relevant conditions set out in the letter of 3 March. The hon. Gentleman should therefore contact the health authority for further information.

Charities

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will commission research into the effect of Government funding in the Health Service on (a) the approach of NHS managers to charitable contributions, (b) the degree to which fund-raising is attracted to different areas of need within the Health Service and (c) the attitudes of fund-raising and charitable groups.

Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

NHS Trusts

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to ensure that in circumstances in which former trust hospitals are to be closed notwithstanding the provisions of section 88(2) of the National Health Service Act 1977, those hospital buildings will first be offered back to trustees, or acting trustees in the area, and that if such trustees wish to take over the hospital building, they shall not be required to pay more for them than was paid, if at all, by the National Health Service for them when they were taken over from the trustees.

Mr. Grist : No.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals and other units in Wales which have expressed an interest in seeking National Health Service trust status once the current legislation has reached the statute book.

Mr. Grist : No firm expressions of interest have been received to date.

Hospital Travel Costs

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been his expenditure in each of the last five years on the National Health Service hospital travel costs scheme in each of the district health authority areas in Wales.

Mr. David Hunt : The information requested was not identified separately in health authorities' accounts until 1985-86. The figures for the years since then are shown in the table :


£000                                                    

                |1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89        

--------------------------------------------------------

Clwyd           |26.7   |29.0   |28.7   |38.4           

East Dyfed      |13.4   |12.2   |12.0   |18.0           

Gwent           |31.4   |28.1   |28.3   |39.6           

Gwynedd         |15.2   |17.0   |16.2   |20.4           

Mid Glamorgan   |40.3   |45.7   |35.8   |38.3           

Pembrokeshire   |6.5    |7.6    |7.9    |9.1            

Powys           |0.3    |0.3    |0.0    |0.9            

South Glamorgan |61.6   |54.9   |60.2   |77.7           

West Glamorgan  |23.9   |31.1   |28.0   |34.9           

                |-------|-------|-------|-------        

Wales           |219.3  |225.9  |217.1  |277.3          

Source: Health Authorities Annual Accounts.             

However, it should be noted that prior to 1 April 1988 when responsibility for administering the scheme transferred wholly to district health authorities in Wales, some of the claims made under this scheme were met by local offices of the DHSS. The figures for 1985-86, 1986-87 and 1987-88 are therefore not directly comparable with those for 1988-89.

Hospital Services, Llangefni

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average cost per in-patient day at (a) the Cefni hospital, Llangefni and (b) the Druid hospital, Llangefni, on the basis of the most recently available information.

Mr. David Hunt : Information on average costs per in-patient day is not centrally available. However, the average treatment costs per day per patient using a bed (both in-patients and day cases) are given on page 208 of "Welsh Health Costing Returns 1988-89" a copy of which is in the Library of the House. These costs exclude general services--catering, laundry, cleaning, administration, and so on--it being not possible to distribute these costs between patients using a bed and out-patients.

Sports Council for Wales

Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who appoints the members of the Sports Council for Wales.

Mr. Grist : The members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Wales.

Flooding, Towyn

Sir Anthony Meyer : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what help will be available to Towyn and the flood-affected areas to renovate their homes to a proper standard.

Mr. David Hunt : Owners of homes damaged by the floods will be eligible for up to 100 per cent. grants for approved expenditure subject to the test of resources under the new grant scheme to be introduced in seven weeks' time.

The test of resources for owner-occupiers will be similar to that for housing benefit.

Savings of £5,000 or less will be completely disregarded. Over £5, 000 every £250 of savings will be treated as if it were £1 income. There will be no upper limit on capital or savings.

Below a certain income an owner will qualify for 100 per cent. grant on eligible works. The threshold will depend on individual family circumstances--for example a couple with two children would have a different threshold from a single person. In every case this income threshold will be £20 per week higher than housing benefit levels.


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Where income exceeds the threshold, 20p in the pound of that excess will be regarded as available to help finance the works through a notional loan. The amount of grant will be the excess of the cost of works over the notional loan.

My Department has been holding discussions with Colwyn borough council to assist it in ensuring that the preparatory work is done now to enable applications to be processed and work to be undertaken immediately the scheme takes effect after 1 July 1990.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Incomes

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average income for each county in England and Wales.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Provisional estimates for 1987 were published by the Central Statistical Office in the July edition of "Economic Trends" (pages 116 and 117). Revised estimates for the same year will be published later this month in the April 1990 "Economic Trends".

Social Security Appeals

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average interval, in each region, between a social security appeal tribunal's oral hearing at which a decision is made and the notification of the decision to the claimant ; and how much of this is attributable to administrative delay.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The administration of social security appeal tribunals is the responsibility of the president of the Social Security Appeal Tribunals, His Honour Judge Holden, and the hon. Member may care to contact him direct.

Housing Benefit

Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each of the (a) inquiries and (b) research products initiated by his Department into the housing benefit scheme.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 3 May 1990] : When the reformed housing benefit scheme was introduced in April 1988, the Department established, in conjunction with local authorities, the housing benefit management information system (HBMIS). This system enables the Department to collect information about housing benefit caseload on a regular basis. Caseload counts are carried out at quarterly intervals, and a survey of 1 per cent. of the housing benefit caseload is conducted on an annual basis.

In addition, the Department's officials make regular visits to local authorities to obtain feedback about the operation of the housing benefit scheme, and meet representatives of the local authority associations quarterly at the housing benefit standing committee.

In the period following the implementation of the reforms a number of research projects have been commissioned as follows :

(i) the reform of housing benefit--a project commissioned in 1986 which resulted in the publication by the Housing Centre Trust entitled Housing Benefit : A Discussion About Reform' ;


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(ii) a special survey of amenity charges conducted by the social policy research unit at the university of York in 1986, the results of which formed part of the above mentioned publication and produced a working paper ;

(iii) research into the housing benefit review system, commissioned from the social policy research unit, university of York in 1988, and due to report in the autumn of 1990 ;


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(iv) research recently commissioned from the Institute of Public Finance, in relation to the formula used for distributing housing benefit administration costs subsidy, and due to be completed in the summer.


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HEALTH

Hospital Catering

Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of catering provisions per patient per day in each regional health authority in each year since 1979, expressed in cash and constant prices.


Column 302

Mr. Dorrell : The information requested for the financial years 1979 -80 to 1987-88 is shown in the table.


Column 301


|c|Hospital costsaverage cost of catering provisions per patient day|c|                           

£ at 1989-90 prices                                                                               

                  |1979-80|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88        

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern          |2.02   |1.86   |1.88   |1.83   |1.79   |1.78   |1.72   |1.72   |1.78           

Yorkshire         |2.00   |1.85   |1.82   |1.81   |1.73   |1.73   |1.65   |1.71   |1.75           

Trent             |2.06   |1.83   |1.79   |1.84   |1.80   |1.77   |1.75   |1.80   |1.81           

East Anglia       |2.04   |1.85   |1.80   |1.77   |1.75   |1.74   |1.64   |1.62   |1.67           

North West Thames |2.10   |1.88   |1.87   |1.76   |1.77   |1.79   |1.79   |1.66   |1.72           

North East Thames |2.02   |1.81   |1.80   |1.78   |1.76   |1.74   |1.75   |1.79   |1.80           

South East Thames |2.06   |1.90   |1.87   |1.74   |1.72   |1.78   |1.75   |1.73   |1.85           

South West Thames |2.04   |1.85   |1.79   |1.71   |1.70   |1.70   |1.70   |1.72   |1.77           

Wessex            |2.04   |1.81   |1.80   |1.77   |1.68   |1.78   |1.78   |1.79   |1.73           

Oxford            |2.20   |2.03   |1.99   |1.80   |1.79   |1.75   |1.69   |1.84   |1.92           

South Western     |2.00   |1.78   |1.76   |1.74   |1.68   |1.70   |1.63   |1.57   |1.71           

West Midlands     |2.00   |1.80   |1.77   |1.76   |1.65   |1.65   |1.59   |1.57   |1.62           

Mersey            |2.02   |1.81   |1.80   |1.77   |1.65   |1.65   |1.63   |1.60   |1.59           

North Western     |2.02   |1.88   |1.84   |1.81   |1.70   |1.66   |1.60   |1.62   |1.60           

SHAs              |2.59   |2.27   |2.36   |2.26   |2.25   |2.28   |2.09   |2.27   |2.24           

                                                                                                  

England           |2.04   |1.85   |1.82   |1.78   |1.73   |1.73   |1.69   |1.69   |1.73           

Source: The annual costing returns (financial returns for 1987-88) of the district health         

authorities in England and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate    

teaching hospitals. (Predecessor authorities prior to 1982-83).                                   


|c|Hospital costsaverage cost of catering provisions per patient day|c|                           

£ at 1989-90 prices                                                                               

                  |1979-80|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88        

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern          |2.02   |1.86   |1.88   |1.83   |1.79   |1.78   |1.72   |1.72   |1.78           

Yorkshire         |2.00   |1.85   |1.82   |1.81   |1.73   |1.73   |1.65   |1.71   |1.75           

Trent             |2.06   |1.83   |1.79   |1.84   |1.80   |1.77   |1.75   |1.80   |1.81           

East Anglia       |2.04   |1.85   |1.80   |1.77   |1.75   |1.74   |1.64   |1.62   |1.67           

North West Thames |2.10   |1.88   |1.87   |1.76   |1.77   |1.79   |1.79   |1.66   |1.72           

North East Thames |2.02   |1.81   |1.80   |1.78   |1.76   |1.74   |1.75   |1.79   |1.80           

South East Thames |2.06   |1.90   |1.87   |1.74   |1.72   |1.78   |1.75   |1.73   |1.85           

South West Thames |2.04   |1.85   |1.79   |1.71   |1.70   |1.70   |1.70   |1.72   |1.77           

Wessex            |2.04   |1.81   |1.80   |1.77   |1.68   |1.78   |1.78   |1.79   |1.73           

Oxford            |2.20   |2.03   |1.99   |1.80   |1.79   |1.75   |1.69   |1.84   |1.92           

South Western     |2.00   |1.78   |1.76   |1.74   |1.68   |1.70   |1.63   |1.57   |1.71           

West Midlands     |2.00   |1.80   |1.77   |1.76   |1.65   |1.65   |1.59   |1.57   |1.62           

Mersey            |2.02   |1.81   |1.80   |1.77   |1.65   |1.65   |1.63   |1.60   |1.59           

North Western     |2.02   |1.88   |1.84   |1.81   |1.70   |1.66   |1.60   |1.62   |1.60           

SHAs              |2.59   |2.27   |2.36   |2.26   |2.25   |2.28   |2.09   |2.27   |2.24           

                                                                                                  

England           |2.04   |1.85   |1.82   |1.78   |1.73   |1.73   |1.69   |1.69   |1.73           

Source: The annual costing returns (financial returns for 1987-88) of the district health         

authorities in England and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate    

teaching hospitals. (Predecessor authorities prior to 1982-83).                                   

Hospital Beds (Statistics)

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total available medical patient beds, not including beds for those with mental illness or mental handicap, for each year since 1979 for each Yorkshire and Humberside health authority.


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Mr. Dorrell : The tables set out the available information on bed availability and in-patients treated.


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|c|Average daily acute<2> beds, NHS hospitals, Yorkshire and Humberside standard region, 1979 to 1988-89|c|                                                                                                                                                                                                 

District code and health |1979                    |1980                    |1981                    |1982                    |1983                    |1984                    |1985                    |1986                    |1987-88                 |1988-89                                          

 authority                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B12 Hull                 |1,058                   |1,061                   |1,061                   |1,020                   |1,045                   |1,053                   |1,039                   |983                     |1,012                   |1,020                                            

B13 East Yorkshire       |657                     |654                     |627                     |623                     |649                     |633                     |630                     |497                     |481                     |487                                              

B14 Grimsby              |471                     |468                     |473                     |471                     |483                     |469                     |477                     |478                     |450                     |420                                              

B15 Scunthorpe           |450                     |447                     |430                     |433                     |443                     |441                     |446                     |442                     |399                     |371                                              

B22 Northallerton        |276                     |287                     |287                     |281                     |247                     |237                     |239                     |241                     |259                     |242                                              

B23 York                 |763                     |767                     |771                     |750                     |743                     |726                     |725                     |716                     |691                     |689                                              

B24 Scarborough          |391                     |389                     |368                     |382                     |387                     |380                     |371                     |362                     |351                     |349                                              

B25 Harrogate            |679                     |637                     |656                     |646                     |633                     |606                     |577                     |546                     |501                     |471                                              

B32 Bradford             |1,248                   |1,238                   |1,230                   |1,226                   |1,219                   |1,201                   |1,188                   |1,183                   |1,129                   |1,105                                            

B33 Airedale             |513                     |512                     |512                     |502                     |489                     |479                     |451                     |424                     |425                     |411                                              

B42 Calderdale           |580                     |591                     |588                     |581                     |557                     |539                     |510                     |501                     |472                     |458                                              

B52 Huddersfield         |592                     |587                     |593                     |594                     |586                     |574                     |525                     |524                     |445                     |432                                              

B53 Dewsbury             |408                     |406                     |415                     |387                     |402                     |406                     |412                     |411                     |394                     |358                                              

B62 Leeds Western        |<1>                     |<1>                     |<1>                     |1,494                   |1,425                   |1,407                   |1,388                   |1,378                   |1,337                   |1,327                                            

B63 Leeds Eastern        |<1>                     |<1>                     |<1>                     |1,301                   |1,301                   |1,273                   |1,261                   |1,231                   |1,235                   |1,203                                            

B72 Wakefield            |726                     |680                     |695                     |661                     |688                     |659                     |626                     |593                     |584                     |540                                              

B73 Pontefract           |439                     |452                     |432                     |433                     |449                     |469                     |449                     |413                     |373                     |358                                              

C09 Barnsley             |513                     |532                     |530                     |480                     |542                     |535                     |534                     |525                     |524                     |521                                              

C10 Doncaster            |<1>                     |<1>                     |<1>                     |739                     |737                     |745                     |740                     |763                     |738                     |743                                              

C11 Rotherham            |<1>                     |<1>                     |<1>                     |556                     |558                     |558                     |571                     |569                     |567                     |575                                              

C12 Sheffield            |<1>                     |<1>                     |<1>                     |2,144                   |2,135                   |2,143                   |2,170                   |2,206                   |2,278                   |2,020                                            

<1> Comparable figures not available due to National Health Service restructuring in 1982.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

<2> Units for the younger physically disabled included.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Source: SH3 return, 1979-1986.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

KHO3 return, 1987-88 onwards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               


|c|In-patient cases treated, acute<2> sector, Yorkshire and Humberside standard region, 1979 to 1988-89|c|                                                                                                                                                                                                              

District health authority |1979                     |1980                     |1981                     |1982                     |1983                     |1984                     |1985                     |1986                     |1987-88                  |1988-89                                            

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hull                      |31,919                   |31,883                   |32,954                   |31,080                   |35,794                   |36,575                   |37,012                   |36,693                   |40,966                   |40,968                                             

East Yorkshire            |13,970                   |15,181                   |15,209                   |14,427                   |16,158                   |15,932                   |16,157                   |15,982                   |16,128                   |17,811                                             

Grimsby                   |13,878                   |14,395                   |15,735                   |15,736                   |16,744                   |17,327                   |18,859                   |19,963                   |19,585                   |18,832                                             

Scunthorpe                |16,224                   |17,057                   |17,359                   |15,864                   |17,194                   |17,627                   |18,187                   |18,508                   |20,510                   |20,878                                             

Northallerton             |6,242                    |6,391                    |6,456                    |6,445                    |6,382                    |6,474                    |6,844                    |7,191                    |8,028                    |7,883                                              

York                      |21,024                   |21,752                   |22,125                   |20,879                   |22,950                   |23,034                   |24,246                   |25,033                   |25,595                   |27,221                                             

Scarborough               |15,117                   |15,652                   |15,856                   |15,747                   |16,318                   |16,004                   |16,983                   |16,763                   |17,034                   |16,985                                             

Harrogate                 |14,440                   |15,571                   |15,966                   |16,076                   |16,380                   |15,538                   |15,733                   |15,661                   |16,162                   |15,621                                             

Bradford                  |39,102                   |42,582                   |43,379                   |40,815                   |44,856                   |45,506                   |45,078                   |45,688                   |48,551                   |48,374                                             

Airedale                  |13,149                   |13,342                   |13,607                   |14,163                   |14,241                   |14,895                   |15,140                   |15,700                   |15,403                   |16,844                                             

Calderdale                |15,982                   |15,996                   |16,293                   |16,162                   |17,152                   |17,066                   |16,781                   |17,205                   |17,867                   |17,950                                             

Huddersfield              |14,817                   |16,079                   |16,614                   |15,564                   |17,328                   |17,800                   |18,703                   |19,373                   |21,434                   |19,407                                             

Dewsbury                  |11,810                   |12,016                   |12,133                   |11,555                   |12,856                   |13,066                   |13,853                   |14,185                   |13,764                   |12,907                                             

Leeds Western             |<1>                      |<1>                      |<1>                      |43,873                   |43,992                   |45,924                   |47,182                   |47,031                   |47,440                   |48,980                                             

Leeds Eastern             |<1>                      |<1>                      |<1>                      |39,123                   |45,131                   |45,246                   |46,515                   |48,187                   |48,452                   |50,158                                             

Wakefield                 |17,867                   |17,930                   |19,564                   |17,465                   |19,635                   |19,970                   |19,811                   |20,135                   |20,832                   |20,621                                             

Pontefract                |14,554                   |16,417                   |15,702                   |14,069                   |15,935                   |16,534                   |16,856                   |16,382                   |16,512                   |16,172                                             

Barnsley                  |16,637                   |17,972                   |19,202                   |16,852                   |19,437                   |19,463                   |20,913                   |20,766                   |21,648                   |22,383                                             

Doncaster                 |<1>                      |<1>                      |<1>                      |25,621                   |29,332                   |29,553                   |29,973                   |30,824                   |32,554                   |32,530                                             

Rotherham                 |<1>                      |<1>                      |<1>                      |17,268                   |20,108                   |20,581                   |21,596                   |21,946                   |22,966                   |24,177                                             

Sheffield                 |<1>                      |<1>                      |<1>                      |68,779                   |75,181                   |75,610                   |77,820                   |77,939                   |87,878                   |90,952                                             

Source: SH3 return, 1979-1986.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

SH3a return, 1987-88 onwards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

<1> Comparable figures not available due to National Health Service restructuring in 1982.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

<2> GP maternity and younger physically disabled.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Salmonella

Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement regarding the ending of the practice of publishing weekly the salmonella food poisoning figures, by the communicable disease surveillance centre in the PHLS communicable disease reports.

Mr. Dorrell : The change to monthly reporting of gastro-intestinal illness in the communicable disease report is part of a programme of general operational changes designed to produce more detailed and comprehensive reports.

Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the figures for salmonella infections published in the PHLS-SVS update on salmonella infections are calculated ; and whether the basis for calculation is different from that used for the communicable disease reports.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : To obtain the most complete picture possible, the public health laboratory service monitors the frequency of food poisoning in this country via a number of different surveillance systems. The figures published in the PHLS-SVS update on salmonella infection and those in the communicable disease report are both elements of PHLS surveillance. The two sets of


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figures are obtained in different ways. It is clearly noted in the "Update" that they cannot be directly compared. Moreover, trends cannot be deduced from any single set of figures but only by comparison of data over a prolonged period of time.

The "Update" figures relate to human isolates of salmonella sent to the PHLS Division of enteric pathogens for detailed identification and phage typing. The data in the CDR are derived from reports sent to the PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre.

Low Vision Clinics

Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by region, those hospitals which have special low vision clinics.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally.

Funding (South West Thames)

Mr. Nelson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he has received representations or discussed with the chairman of the South West Thames regional health


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authority the redistribution of funds within the region to assist underfunded district health authorities such as Chichester ; (2) whether he will list the financial allocations for current expenditure from the South West Thames regional health authority to each district health authority in the region for the years 1989-90 and 1990-91.

Mr. Dorrell : We have not received any representations or held discussions with the chairman of South West Thames regional health authority about these matters, although the chairman has kept the Department informed about Chichester health authority's financial position. The distribution of funds within the region is a matter for the regional health authority and information on the revenue allocations to individual districts is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may like to write to South West Thames regional health authority for this information.

Ambulance Service

Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to transfering responsibil-lity for emergency ambulance services to the fire service.

Mr. Dorrell : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has recently considered this suggestion but concluded that the emergency service is and must remain an integral part of the National Health Service.

Maternity Care

Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list in the Official Report the unit cost per birth for in-patient maternity care in (a) Bexley health district and (b) the South East Thames health region for the last year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) if he will list in the Official Report the unit cost per birth for maternity services in (a) Bexley and (b) Dartford and Gravesham health districts for the last year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.


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