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Bereavement Damages
Mr. Cunliffe : To ask the Attorney-General how many replies he has received to his consultation paper on bereavement damages in favour of (i) increasing the limit to (a) £5,000 and (b) £10,000 or (ii) leaving the limit unchanged.
The Attorney-General : A total of 265 replies to the consultation paper on bereavement damages issued by the Lord Chancellor have been received and these are currently being studied and evaluated.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Race Awareness
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the extent to which race awareness training is part of the present syllabus in degree and other law courses in universities and polytechnics.
Mr. Jackson : None. The curriculum of universities' and polytechnics' law courses is a matter for them and for the relevant professional bodies.
Further and Higher Education
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of 16-year-olds stay on in full-time education either at (a) school or (b) further/higher education institutions in (i) Cornwall and (ii) England.
Mr. Jackson : A total of 27 per cent. of 16-year-olds participated in full-time education in school in Cornwall in 1987-88 and 24 per cent. of them did so in further or higher education institutions. The corresponding figures for England were 27 and 20 per cent. respectively.
Notes : These figures are based on the definitive census counts : the form 7 exercise in schools and the further education statistical record. They differ from the figures used to answer a slightly different question on 8 May which necessitated using a sample survey : the school leavers survey. Age is taken as at 31 August 1987.
Private Colleges of Higher Education
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what circumstances Her Majesty's inspectors inspect private colleges of higher education.
Mr. Jackson : My right hon. Friend has a duty to cause inspections to be made of all further and higher education
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institutions within the PCFC funding sector and those which are maintained or assisted by local education authorities. He has no such duty in respect of independent institutions. However, he may at the request of the management of such institutions, cause an inspection to take place. In those circumstances Her Majesty's inspectorate may participate in a supporting assessorial role.TRADE AND INDUSTRY
British Exporters
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new proposals to help British exporters.
Mr. Redwood : The volume of United Kingdom exports has continued to grow, reflecting the strong position of United Kingdom industry. Excluding oil and erratic items, the volume of exports in the first quarter of 1990 was 8 per cent. higher than a year earlier. There is a wide range of advice and support available from my Department to assist United Kingdom exporters and of which many firms make use.
Exports (North-West)
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the export performance of firms in the north- west.
Mr. Redwood : Export data are collated on a national not regional basis and it is not possible to separately identify the export performance of firms in the north-west from official trade statistics.
However, north-west chambers of commerce survey local industry and commerce quarterly. Their findings for the first quarter of 1990 indicate that generally, compared with the fourth quarter of 1989, exports continue to grow and that the north-west region is sharing in the growth of exports nationally.
Indonesia
Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what status is held currently by Indonesia in relation to export credit guarantees ; and whether this status is under review.
Mr. Redwood : The ECGD is currently open for short, medium and long- term cover on Indonesia. It is reviewing its policy towards those markets on which, in portfolio terms, its exposure is heavily concentrated. Indonesia is one such market. The importance of Indonesia to United Kingdom exporters is well recognised and this will be taken fully into account in the review.
Iraq
Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many trade delegations from Iraq have visited the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.
Mr. Redwood : We have readily available information only on officially supported inward missions of which there were one in each of the years 1988-89 and 1989-90. There was Iraqi participation in two multi- country inward missions in 1985-86 and 1987-88.
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Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many British trade delegations have visited Iraq in each of the last five years with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry ;2) how many trade delegations have visited Iraq in each of the last five years with the knowledge of his Department.
Mr. Redwood : The number of trade delegations, including trade fair groups, missions and seminar participants, that have visited Iraq with Government support in each of the last five years is as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1985-86 |Three
1986-87 |Four
1987-88 |Four
1988-89 |Three
1989-90 |Six
Unsupported missions are a matter for the companies concerned.
Mr. Caborn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will supply the names of companies who have been on trade delegations to Iraq in each of the last five years.
Mr. Redwood : It would not be appropriate to provide this information which is a matter between my Department and the companies concerned.
Consultants
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has now set the allocation of his Department's expenditure on consultants for 1990-91.
Mr. Forth : An allocation of £3,080,000 has been made for consultants out of Department of Trade and Industry running costs for 1990- 91.
Accounting Requirements
Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to make regulations under section 245(4) of the Companies Act 1985 as amended by section 12 of the Companies Act 1989.
Mr. Redwood : My Department issued a consultative document yesterday on the issues to be covered by regulations under S245(4). A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Further copies are available from my Department by telephoning 071-215 3093, or writing to DTI, Room G707, 10-18 Victoria street, London SW1H 0NN. The deadline for comments is 20 July 1990.
Financial Services
Mr. Colin Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the definition of capital in respect of the requirements for capital adequacy on the part of firms in the financial services sector ; what is his definition of capital for this purpose ; and if it is his intention to apply this definition to any representations he may be making to the European Commission in respect of the harmonisation of requirements for 1992.
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Mr. Redwood [holding answer 14 May 1990] : The Government will continue to take account of the views of United Kingdom financial institutions during the negotiations on the proposed EC capital adequacy directive, including views on the definition of capital. We will be pressing for a definition which takes account of the structure of the United Kingdom financial services industry. In our negotiations on the CAD the United Kingdom is pressing for capital to be related to risk, and for levels of initial capital which do not act as barriers to entry.
Hairdressers
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 5 April, Official Report, columns 805- 6, (1) whether a person currently practising in the United Kingdom as either a qualified or unqualified Afro-Caribbean hairdresser will be allowed to practise as such in the other European Community countries after 1 January 1993; and whether he will make a statement ;
(2) whether a person qualified and practising as an Afro-Caribbean hairdresser will be allowed to continue as such after 1 January 1993 ;
(3) whether a person not qualified in Afro-Caribbean hairdressing but practising as an Afro-Caribbean hairdresser will be allowed to continue as such after 1 January 1993.
Mr. Redwood : [holding answer 8 May 1990] : The profession of hairdresser is not regulated by law in the United Kingdom and the completion of the single European market will not alter this. The treaty of Rome already guarantees freedom for every EC citizen to work, to seek work or to set up business in any EC member state. However, member states are not at present obliged to recognise professional qualifications or professional experience gained in other member states, and often do not.
Two main initiatives have been taken to remedy this. First, Council directive 82/489/EEC on hairdressing already makes it easier in certain circumstances for hairdressers who have practised in one member state to meet vocational training requirements in another. My Department is responsible for issuing the certificates specified in that directive. Second, the Commission has put forward a draft directive on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training (COM(89) 372 of 8 August 1989) which is aimed at ensuring that all professional qualifications gained in one member state are recognised in another. The directive is currently under discussion in a Council working group.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Students (Benefits)
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he received the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee on the Government's proposals to end the entitlement of students to housing benefit, unemployment benefit and other social security benefits ; and if he will publish the report immediately.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The report of the Social Security Advisory Committee on the draft Social Security Benefits
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(Student Loan and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1990 was received on 27 April. We are, at present, giving careful consideration to the report which will be published with our formal response in the normal way when the regulations are laid before Parliament.Social Security Benefits Agency
Mr. Brandon-Bravo : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress his Department has made in establishing the social security Benefits Agency.
Mr. Newton : I announced earlier today the appointment of Michael Bichard as chief executive of the Benefits Agency following selection by open competition. This is a major step in setting up the agency which will come into being next April and which will be the largest executive agency in Government. Mr. Bichard is currently chief executive of Gloucestershire county council. He has wide experience of management and will, I am sure, make a first-rate leader of the new agency. He is being appointed for a five-year period.
Staff Qualifications
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades 1 to 7 who have (a) arts, (b) science and (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants, (e) have postgraduate qualifications in management and (f) who were educated in (i) local authority and (ii) private schools.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 2 May 1990] : The table relates to staff recorded on the Department's headquarters personnel computer system, including professional staff. Information about the remainder of the Department's staff is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
|Number |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total number of staff in grades 1 to 7 |<3>422 |100
Number with arts degrees |72 |17
Number with science degrees<1> |198 |47
Number with law degrees<2> |41 |10
Number with post-graduate qualifications in
management |- |-
Number with no degree |111 |26
<1> One hundred and sixty-four of whom have medical degrees.
<2> There are no members of staff with other "technical" degrees.
<3> Only one of the 422 staff in grades 1 to 7 is a qualified accountant,
0.2 per cent. of the total.
Note: No details of types of school attended are held and a separate
clerical exercise to ascertain the information would involve
disproportionate cost.
HEALTH
NHS Reform
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for restricting the role of community health councils in representing the public in future National Health Service contracts and fund-holding general practices.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The role of community health councils (CHCs) will remain fundamentally unchanged. District health authorities will be expected to take careful
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account of the views of their resident population on the overall pattern of service which they plan to secure through their contracts. CHCs will play an important role in this. Fund- holding general practititioners, being in direct touch with the patients they serve, will have less need of an intermediary in this respect.Alternative Therapies
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners offer alternative and complementary therapies to National Health Service patients.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not held centrally.
Abortion
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman), 8 May, Official Report, column 84, in how many of the 22 abortions performed after 24 weeks gestation attempts were made to save the life of the child ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not collected centrally. Matters relating to the care of patients are confidential and are for the clinical judgment of the doctor concerned.
Pesticides
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted to establish the incidence of chronic exposure to low levels of pesticides ; what training doctors within the National Health Service are given to enable them to recognise this ; and if he will make a statement on the health implications for the general public of chronic exposure to low levels of pesticides.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 23 April 1990] : We are not aware of any United Kingdom research into the incidence of chronic exposure to pesticides. Surveys of human milk and human fat carried out as part of the regular monitoring by the working party on pesticides residues in food have indicated very low residues of fat soluble pesticides and related chemicals. Residues of pesticides found in food are generally within recommended maximum residue levels and within the safety limits.
Pesticides are approved for use by Ministers after receiving the advice of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides which considers all relevant toxicity data including that on consumer exposures. If significant adverse health effects are a possibility, approval is not recommended.
All doctors receive training in the diagnosis of acute poisoning, including that from exposure to pesticides. In addition, all general practitioners and hospital accident and emergency departments have been issued with a copy of the book "Pesticide Poisoning", a copy of which is in the Library. This gives guidance on the diagnosis and treatment where acute poisoning from pesticides is suspected. Chronic exposure to the levels of pesticides found in the diet are not known to have any health effects, but, if a doctor was unable to attribute symptoms in a patient to other well- recognised causes, it would be open to the doctor to consider chronic exposure to pesticides as
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a possible cause of the illness. Working towards the diagnosis of obscure illness by eliminating more obvious causes is a normal part of medical training.ENERGY
Council of Ministers
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he will introduce at the meeting of the European Council of Energy Ministers in Brussels on 21 May.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Only the European Commission has the right to initiate formal legislative proposals to the Council. My right hon. Friend will suggest whatever changes he considers necessary during discussions with the other Energy Ministers.
Nuclear Fuel (Reprocessing)
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if details of the origins, sizes and dates of spent fuel imports for reprocessing are notified to his Department for the purposes of international nuclear safeguards.
Mr. Baldry : My Department receives reports on all spent nuclear fuel imports, for the purposes of international nuclear safeguards.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Tropical Forests
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the claims made in the circular letter sent to all hon. Members by Friends of the Earth on 9 March concerning the tropical forest action plan.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 5 April, at column 733.
El Salvador and Nicaragua
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of bilateral aid and EC provisions for El Salvador and Nicaragua ; what are the plans for the rest of the current financial year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : We have a bilateral technical co-operation programme for El Salvador which will continue--£154,000 in 1988 including disaster relief. I recently announced that we were starting a modest technical cooperation programme for Nicaragua, which should get under way during the year. As regards EC provisions, EC commitments are made in respect of individual projects from within the total allocated annually for the Asia and Latin America programme. Figures for EC commitments in recent years are :
|1987 |1988 |<1>1989
El Salvador |19.73 mecu |2.87 mecu |3.91 mecu
Nicaragua |21.42 mecu |43.23 mecu |16.49 mecu
<1> Provisional.
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WALES
Government Supply Index
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about his Department's decision not to participate in the Government supply index.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : No such decision has been taken. The Welsh Office is actively considering participation in the Government supply index.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of (a) the total number of personal poll tax payers in Wales and (b) the number in receipt of community charge benefit.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is as follows :
(a) 2,175,000 (including students).
(b) 550,000.
Birth Control
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in how many of the district health authorities of Wales there are currently proposals being considered for a cut back in the service of family planning clinics within their area ; and if he will identify those authorities considering such cutbacks.
Mr. David Hunt : This information is not held centrally.
Hospital Closures
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of hospitals closed in Wales during each of the last 10 years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : The number of hospitals which have closed, and are still closed, is given in the table. During the same period, seven hospitals, including four district general hospitals, have opened, and the NHS in Wales is treating a record number of patients.
Number of hospitals closed since 1 January 1980 Year |Number --------------------- 1980 |3 1981 |1 1982 |- 1983 |1 1984 |3 1985 |6 1986 |3 1987 |2 1988 |1 1989 |-
Consultants
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether budgets for 1990-91 for expenditure on management and computer consultancies have yet been finalised.
Mr. David Hunt : Yes. Most of the resources are found from within the central administration vote and in 1990-91 £230,000 has been earmarked for this purpose.
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Ophthalmic Clinics
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1989 in each health authority area in Wales ; (2) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1988 in each health authority area in Wales ;
(3) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1987 in each health authority area in Wales ;
(4) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1986 in each health authority area in Wales ;
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(5) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1989 in each county in Wales ; (6) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1988 in each county in Wales ; (7) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1987 in each county in Wales ; (8) how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1986 in each county in Wales.Mr. David Hunt : The table shows the number of new ophthalmology out -patients recorded in NHS hospitals in Wales, by county and district health authority :
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Quarter ended
----------------------------
1986
March
June
September
December
1987
March
June
September
December
1988
March
June
September
December
1989
March
June<2>
September<2>
December<3>
<1> The county of Dyfed
comprises the health
authorities of East Dyfed
and Pembrokeshire.
<2> Provisional.
<3> Not yet available.
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 first quarter of 1990.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is not yet available.
Glaucoma
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his answers of Tuesday 8 May on glaucoma, whether he will ask each health authority and family practitioner committee in Wales to notify him of the numbers of cases of glaucoma diagnosis that were recorded in (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e) the first quarter of 1990.
Mr. David Hunt : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Flooding
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet Bishop Alwyn Rice Jones to discuss the north Wales sea floods.
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Mr. David Hunt : I have received no request for a meeting from Bishop Rice Jones. If such a request is made it will be considered.
St. David's Airfield, Pembrokeshire
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if any of the proposed site of the over-the-horizon radar installation on the site of the former St. David's airfield, Pembrokeshire, is designated a site of special scientific interest.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : I understand that the proposed sites will be located entirely within the boundaries of the Ministry of Defence land at St. David's airfield and that no part of that land has been designated a site of special scientific interest.
District Health Authorities (Loans)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing for each of the district health authorities in Wales, the financial sums borrowed by them on an interest-free basis from other authorities in Wales for each year from 1984 -85
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to 1989-90, and where appropriate, if he will indicate whether these loans were used for revenue or capital purposes.Mr. David Hunt : The information requested is shown in the table :
Brokerage between district health authorities
|Revenue |Capital
|£ million|£ million
----------------------------------------------
1984-85
Gwent |- |-0.287
Mid Glamorgan |+1.287 |-
South Glamorgan |-0.500 |-
West Glamorgan |-0.500 |-
1985-86
Clwyd |- |+0.500
West Glamorgan |-0.500 |-
1986-87
Nil |- |-
1987-88
Mid Glamorgan |+0.750 |-
West Glamorgan |-0.750 |-
1988-89
Gwent |+1.000 |-
Gwynedd |+0.780 |-
Powys |- |-0.500
South Glamorgan |-0.780 |-
West Glamorgan |-0.500 |-
1989-90
Clwyd |- |-1.000
Gwent |+1.000 |-
Gwynedd |+0.500 |-
South Glamorgan |-0.500 |-
Note: (+) denotes borrowing'.
(-) denotes loans'.
Source: Records of Revenue and Capital
Allocations to District Health Authorities.
Health Care, Gwynedd
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 9 May to questions concerning health care in Gwynedd, if he will publish a copy of his letter in answer in the Official Report.
Mr. David Hunt : No, a copy of the letters will be made available in the Library.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Central Office of Information
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what specific financial, efficiency and quality of service targets he has approved for the Central Office of Information for the current year and for the longer term.
Mr. Ryder : The targets that have been approved for the Central Office of Information are set out in annex A of its framework document as follows :
Financial
1. To break even in current cost terms after covering all costs, including interest on borrowings.
2. To achieve a 1 per cent. reduction in unit cost of output in real terms, which maintaining suitable levels of quality. Appropriate internal targets will be set for every budget holder to ensure achievement of the departmental target.
Financial
3. To achieve savings for clients on a base year of 1984-85, for incorporation in their annual returns to the CUP.
4. To deliver all work in accordance with client specification.
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