| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has of the number of young people, under the youth training scheme, pursuing training in (a) engineering, (b) advanced motor vehicle maintenance and (c) science in 1989 ; and how many young people are expected to pursue such courses in the year following the issuing of new contracts for managing organisations in Wales.
Mr. Roberts [holding answer 8 June 1990] : The Training Agency's estimates are set out in the following table :
TEC area Engineering Motor vehicle trades Science
|Filled places|YT contract |Filled places|YT contract |Filled places|YT contract
|YTS at 30 |YTS at 30 |YTS at 30
|March 1990 |March 1990 |March 1990
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mid Glamorgan |1,107 |1,262 |303 |237 |0 |0
South Glamorgan |165 |222 |221 |293 |23 |23
West Wales |591 |555 |464 |471 |29 |11
Powys |60 |59 |62 |72 |3 |21
North East Wales |459 |404 |120 |178 |10 |76
North West Wales |192 |116 |159 |179 |11 |55
Gwent |376 |452 |215 |314 |2 |132
Notes:
1. Figure for Mid, South Glamorgan and West Wales are based on Training Occupational Classifications (TOCs)
throughout.
2. Figures for Gwent, Powys, NE Wales and NW Wales based on TOCs for occupancy at 31 March 1990 and Standard
Occupational Classifications (SOCs) for YT contracted places.
3. Specific information on Advance Motor Vehicle Maintenance is not held, but Training Agency Area Offices confirm
that demand for training at this level can be met through the network of providers contracted for Youth Training.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has of (a) the expenditure on youth training in (i) 1988-89, (ii) 1989-90, (iii) 1990-91, (iv) 1991-92 and (v) 1992-93, (b) the number of school leavers aged 16 and 17 years entering the market, (c) the numbers joining YTS or YT and (d) the gross public cost in pounds per trainee week, in each of those years.
Mr. Roberts [holding answer 8 June 1990] : Expenditure on youth training in Wales for 1988-89 and 1989-90 in respect of those places contracted by YTS providers with local area offices was £52.610 million and £50.746 million respectively. Additionally, it is estimated that a further £10 million of expenditure per year is spent on youth training in Wales through the Training Agency's national providers unit which contracts with large companies with outlets throughout the United Kingdom. For 1990-91 planned expenditure in respect of those places contracted by YT providers with local area offices is £45.750 million. Figures are not available for future years.
The number of 16 and 17-year-olds leaving school in Wales in the school years 1988-89 and 1989-90 was 30,200 and 29,000 respectively. For future school years, the estimate is 28,000 in 1990-91, 26,900 in 1991-92 and 26,500 in 1992-93. These figures refer to all school leavers and not just those entering the labour market, for whom separate figures are not available.
The numbers joining YTS in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 financial years was 18,758 and 17,781 respectively. For 1990-91, the provisional estimate for those entering youth training is 17,300. No figures are available for future financial years.
Figures on the gross public cost in pounds per trainee week are not available for Wales. Figures for Great Britain for the financial years 1988 -89 and 1989-90 were £49 and £50 respectively. For future years the Great Britain estimate is £42 for 1990-91, £37 for 1991-92 and £33 for 1992-93.
HEALTH
Blood Products
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the first known sero-conversion to HIV took place in a person with haemophilia as a result of using English factor concentrates.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not available centrally. The routine reporting of HIV infection in haemophiliacs to the public health laboratory service communicable diseases surveillance centre does not cover the country of origin of factor concentrate.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of factor VIII concentrates were imported into the United Kingdom from United States-based pharmaceutical companies each year between 1979 and 1985 and the latest year for which figures are available ; and if he will list the pharmaceutical companies involved, along with their share of the market.
Column 232
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally.
Toxic Waste
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all known forms of disease and infection which his medical and scientific advisers consider may have some connection with toxic waste incineration, and in particular relating to all forms of dioxins which may be created by the incineration process.
Mr. Dorrell : Emissions of toxic compounds, including dioxins, from hazardous waste incinerators, are restricted to levels well below that which might be expected to cause harmful effects. Studies conducted in the United Kingdom have found no evidence of an unusual incidence of disease around such incinerators, nor is there evidence that human disease or infection has resulted from dioxins arising from the process of toxic waste incineration.
The independent expert Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT) reviewed the extensive toxicity data on dioxins, and this review was published in "Dioxins in the Environment", (pollution paper No. 27 1989), a copy of which is available in the Library. The report describes a range of effects, such as chloracne, following massive accidental dioxins exposures, as well as those described in animal experiments using high exposures over a long period of time.
The COT noted that the available data on the toxic effects of dioxins in human health are, on the whole, reassuring. However, the COT recommended action to identify sources and control emissions of dioxins, in order to reduce human exposure. The Government have therefore extended rigorous controls, on combustion conditions and emissions, to all incinerators, which should reduce dioxin emissions from such sources by up to 90 per cent.
Distinction Awards
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 23 April, Official Report, column 28, what is the salary of the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards ; and if he will give a breakdown of the committee members' expenses ; what are the number of consultants who hold awards,, and the number of consultant obstetricians or paediatricians who have held awards in the North West Durham health authority since the advent of medical and management audit ; and how often the chairman and vice-chairman of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards have met those consultants who do not hold awards.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I regret that the figure given for committee members' expenses was incorrect in my reply to the hon. Member on 23 April at column 28. The correct figure for the year ended 31 March 1989 is £15,552. This is broken down as follows :
Column 233
|£
-----------------------------------------------------------
Overnight subsistence, travel, miscellaneous
expenses for the visits by the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman to the 15 Regional Committees |4,102
Chairman's secretarial expenses |2,976
Travelling expenses of members of the Advisory
Committee |164
Subsistence and travel of members of the 15
Regional C awards and higher awards
Committees, and of the Dental Sub-Committee |8,310
The salary of the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards was £11,990 in 1988-89. Following a review of the responsibilities of the post, the salary was increased to £21,450 in 1989-90.
In England and Wales 5,698 consultants currently hold a distinction award. As previously stated, statistics on awards by district health authority are not maintained centrally.
About 11,000 consultants do not hold an award. It would not be practicable for the chairman and vice-chairman to meet non-award holders collectively or individually. However, it is open to any consultant to submit a case for an award to the chairman or relevant regional committee.
Clinical Standards Advisory Group
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health from which quarters he will draw his appointments for members of the clinical standards advisory group.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Membership of the group will be from nominations made by medical, midwifery and nursing royal colleges.
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the intended role of the clinical standards advisory group ; and what is his Department's definition of the term clinical in this instance.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is described in the Government's amendment No. 198 to the National Health Service and Community Care Bill debated in another place on Tuesday 12 June at columns 245-46.
Medical Services, North-East Thames
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will call for a report from the North East Thames regional medical advisory committee about reductions in medical services caused by financial pressures ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : I understand that North East Thames regional health authority is working with the regional medical advisory committee to consider the current provision of medical services across the region.
Multiple Births
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will indicate the number of (a) twin, (b) triplet, (c) quadruplet and (d) quintuplet pregnancies occurring through (i) IVF, (ii) GIFT and (iii) other forms of assisted reproduction during 1989.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The figures requested are not available for 1989. Data relating to multiple pregnancies
Column 234
following IVF treatment and GIFT for earlier years are given in the annual reports of the Interim Licensing Authority (copies of which are available in the Library) which was set up jointly by the Medical Research Council and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.Serious Illness
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to investigate ways in which the families of individuals who are seriously ill can be given better financial security.
Mr. Dorrell : Life-threatening illnesses vary greatly in the speed with which they need to be treated in order to avert the threat. The National Health Service is founded on the principle that help should be given most rapidly to those patients whose condition requires the earliest clinical intervention. That will always be its objective.
Population Density
Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current population density in thousands per square mile for each of the English district health authorities.
Mr. Dorrell : The latest available population estimates for district health authorities, relating to mid-1988, have been published in OPCS monitor PPI 89/1 (revised), a copy of which is available in the Library. Information about the area of each authority is not kept centrally.
Disability
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has had from the North Regional Association for the Blind ; what reply he is sending ; if there is any action he will be taking ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department has received a letter from the association suggesting that ophthalmologists may no longer be eligible for a fee for examining blind and partially sighted people for the purposes of registration with the local authority. This suggestion is wholly unfounded. There has been no change in the terms and conditions for payment of this fee. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will respond to the association shortly.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations the Minister of State has received from Crossroads Care ; what replies he is sending ; if there is any action he will be taking ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have received a number of letters about the future role of Crossroads care schemes in the light of community care proposals. We have a high regard for the work of the organisation, whose central administrative costs we fund at the level of £80,000 a year. We anticipate that Crossroads will continue to make an important contribution in the years ahead.
Column 235
Ambulance Dispute
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appreciation certificates were issued by South West Thames regional health authority in respect of the ambulance dispute ; to whom were they issued ; and how much they cost.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This is a matter for the South West Thames regional health authority. The hon. Member way wish to contact the chairman, Baroness Cumberlege, for the information he requires.
Social Workers
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to improve social service workers' knowledge of social work law.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work receives funding from the Department for a programme of improvements in social work training. This currently includes a project aimed at improving the quality and effectiveness of the teaching and learning of relevant law. This includes the definition and assessment of legal competence in a social work practitioner, and the elaboration of the CCETSW's requirements in relation to the law for all social work courses, particularly the new diploma in social work programmes. In addition the CCETSW's routine approval and monitoring of qualifying courses pays particular attention to the teaching of law.
Leukaemia
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking in respect of its Leukaemia Research Fund's report entitled "Leukaemia and Lymphoma : an Atlas of Distribution in parts of England and Wales", a copy of which has been sent to him ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : We have received from the independent Leukaemia Research Fund its report entitled "Leukaemia and Lymphoma : an Atlas of Distribution in parts of England and Wales", and we have given copies to members of the expert independent Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment for information. COMARE will no doubt wish to take account of this
Column 236
database, together with other relevant epidemiological studies, in pursuing the programme of work outlined by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo) on 10 January at columns 662-63.Milk
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the present retail market share of various infant milk formulations ; and if he will distinguish separately those using products containing soya, giving their aluminium content.
Mr. Curry : I have been asked to reply.
Soya-based infant formulae have been analysed for aluminium content by my Department. The content was in the range of 0.64 1.34 mg/litre, with a mean of 0.98 mg/litre. These results, which have been published in the scientific literature, are similar to those reported by other research workers. It is not our policy to disclose information by brand name. The Department of Health's independent Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has considered this Department's results and has advised that no action is needed to reduce aluminium from infant formulae.
HIV
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority in England, the number of persons infected with HIV ; and if he will separately distinguish these numbers by age.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 7 June 1990] : The number of reports of cases of HIV infection to 31 March 1990 is 11,638. The following table shows the totals reported by age and health authority to the Public Health Laboratory Service communicable diseases surveillance centre. In line with the procedure followed in reports under the AIDS (Control) Act, and to safeguard confidentiality, actual figures in the range of one to nine diagnosed in individual regional health authorities are not published. These are indicated by --.
Column 235
|c|Age distribution of reported HIV infections|c|
|c|Cumulative to 31 March 1900|c|
|c|Age group is as at when first tested positive|c|
Regional health autAge group Not
|0-14 |15-24 |25-34 |35-44 |45+ |known
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |12 |42 |113 |43 |22 |101
Yorkshire |17 |78 |137 |83 |28 |13
Trent |<1>- |91 |150 |65 |37 |10
East Anglia |<1>- |25 |66 |37 |30 |24
North West Thames |29 |504 |1,378 |872 |358 |932
North East Thames |32 |329 |795 |485 |238 |384
South East Thames |37 |263 |547 |276 |142 |169
South West Thames |11 |55 |130 |67 |53 |21
Wessex |<1>- |63 |96 |53 |36 |36
Oxford |<1>- |79 |136 |55 |32 |56
South Western |<1>- |67 |108 |52 |30 |12
West Midlands |33 |93 |100 |79 |40 |69
Mersey |17 |29 |56 |36 |17 |22
North Western |31 |165 |314 |155 |70 |12
Channel Islands |<1>- |<1>- |10 |<1>- |<1>- |<1>-
------- |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total (England) |11,638
<1>To safeguard confidentiality, actual figures in the range of one to
nine diagnosed in individual regional health authorities are not
published.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give a breakdown by regional health authority area of the incidence of confirmed cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease for each of the last 30 years.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 12 June 1990] : Accurate information on numbers of cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is not at present available. The study to be conducted by Dr. R. G. Will, with support from the Department of Health, will attempt to gather together this information from the recent past, as well as making arrangements to collect it in future.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Beith : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many prayers relating to statutory instruments which have been tabled during the current Session have not so far been debated either on the Floor of the House or in Committee and how many of these undebated prayers have been the subject of representations seeking that they should be debated, including representations by letter and by means of a business question.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : Up to and including Tuesday 5 June 1990, 127 prayers relating to statutory instruments had been tabled this Session. (This total does not include motions to similar effect relating to S.I.s and other laid papers, eg motions for disapproval, withdrawal, revocation or that drafts be not made in the form submitted.) Fourteen instruments with prayers against them have been debated on the Floor of the House, and 11 have been debated in Standing Committee. Two revocation motions relating to previously prayed against instruments have been taken on the Floor of the House, one such instrument has been debated in Standing Committee and one stands referred to a Committee. (In addition, one instrument stands referred to a Standing Committee under a revocation motion and a business motion, although it had not previously been prayed against.)
It is not possible separately to identify how many undebated prayers have been the subject of representations without incurring disproportionate costs.
Vote Bundle
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council what saving he estimates would be made to public funds if written and oral questions were not reprinted in the Vote bundle after appearing for the first time.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : It is estimated that savings to public funds of between £1 million and £2 million could arise. It is not possible to be more precise, since a radical change of this nature would require a fundamental review of how the relatively fixed costs of HMSO's parliamentary press are recovered in the pricing of various documents produced for the House.
Column 238
ENERGY
Spent Magnox Fuel
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make a statement on the safety assessment of the storage of Magnox spent fuel in ponds at Sellafield ;
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the safety and appropriateness of storage in ponds of spent Magnox fuel ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The safe storage of spent Magnox fuel, at nuclear licensed sites, is a matter for the site operators who must satisfy the licensing requirements of the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.
The NII carries out regular inspections of the storage facilities. Arrangements to ensure their safety include the provision of safety assessment cases by the operator for review by the NII.
With regard to Sellafield, the NII reviewed and was satisfied with the safety assessment case prepared by British Nuclear Fuels plc for the Magnox storage facilities in the new fuel handling plant (B311) before it became operational in 1988. The most recent safety case for the older storage pond (B30) was received by the NII at the end of 1989 and is currently being assessed.
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what publications, and in what numbers, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority has produced for educational distribution on the nuclear non- proliferation treaty in preparation for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty fourth review conference in August and September of the current year.
Mr. Baldry : I am not aware of any such publications.
Nuclear Materials
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has agreed the criteria adopted by the safeguards authorities of the International Atomic Energy Agency to define significant quantities of nuclear materials ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The definition of a significant quantity of a particular nuclear material is given in paragraph 107 of the IAEA safeguards glossary 1987 edition [Ref. IAEA/SG/INF/1 (Rev.1)], a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. This definition is accepted by the member states of the IAEA, including the United Kingdom.
Radioactive Waste Storage (Sellafield)
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what countries currently have contracts with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. for the storage of radioactive waste at Sellafield.
Column 239
Mr. Baldry : British Nuclear Fuels plc does not have contracts purely to store radioactive waste. BNFL has contracts to reprocess spent fuel from overseas utilities in Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Since 1976, BNFL's overseas reprocessing contracts have contained options for the return of wastes arising. The Government intend that such options should be exercised and that wastes should be returned.Rural Electricity Supplies
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what grant or other aid is available for rural householders or farmers seeking to have a main electricity supply installed.
Mr. Baldry : I do not believe that arrangements for rural supplies require financial assistance by the Government.
Under the new arrangements for post privatisation those requesting a supply do have the right of appeal to the director general if they feel that connection costs quoted by a supply company are unreasonable.
Plutonium
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the isotopic composition of the Central Electricity Generating Board/South of Scotland Electricity Board origin plutonium sold, or currently leased, by Nuclear Electric or Scottish Nuclear to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for fast reactor research and development since 1969.
Mr. Baldry : The plutonium supplied to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority by the utilities for the fast reactor research and development programme is mostly plutonium 239 in a variety of concentrations up to 80 per cent.
Insulation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 5 June, Official Report, column 409, if he will give the appropriate figures for the savings in (a) gas and (b) solid fuels (i) in absolute terms and (ii) as percentages of total consumption if the same range of insulation measures were applied.
Mr. Peter Morrison : If all cost-effective insulation measures (as listed in my answer to the hon. Member on 12 June) were applied to the United Kingdom housing stock, a saving of 272.1 PJ of gas and 64.8 PJ of solid fuel might be achieved. This represents approximately 14 per cent. of the gas and a similar proportion of the solid fuel consumed under boilers, kilns and furnaces and in other heating appliances in the United Kingdom.
As indicated in my response of 5 June, householders are likely to opt, at least in part, for greater warmth rather than simply saving energy.
Offshore Supplies Office
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will clarify the role of the offshore supplies office post-1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Morrison : After 1992, the Offshore Supplies Office will be responsible for ensuring fair opportunity for
Column 240
the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry in the home, European and overseas markets. It will continue to support the development of new technology on the United Kingdom continental shelf and promote United Kingdom exports to international oil and gasfield markets.DEFENCE
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific actions have been taken by the United Kingdom in pursuit of its obligations under article VI of the non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. Waldegrave : I have been asked to reply.
We and our NATO allies fully support negotiations aimed at balanced and verifiable arms control agreements, which aim to enhance security at lower levels of forces. We are currently involved in negotiations aimed at reducing conventional forces in Europe, and welcome the prospect of a START agreement between the United States and Soviet Union.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action Her Majesty's Government have taken since 1985 to reduce their stocks of nuclear weapons in accordance with the provisions of the non- proliferation treaty.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Since the United States and Soviet Union possess between them the majority of nuclear weapons, prime negotiating responsibility falls to them. We fully support their efforts to secure a START agreement and welcome the progress made at the recent Washington summit.
Low Flying
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low -flying sorties at less than 250 ft have been authorised over the United Kingdom in each year since 1985.
Mr. Neubert : In 1989 the number of movements authorised for flying below 250 ft within tactical training areas was as follows :
Tactical training area |Operational |Number of days
|low flying |on which
|movements |operational low
|flying was
|authorised
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Scotland |817 |129
Central Wales |89 |105
Borders |1,788 |157
Figures for sorties that have been flown below 250 ft are not available, but figures for movements for previous years have been given in the replies given by my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 30 October 1987 at column 487 and on 20 January 1988 at columns 764-65, and in the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy on 25 May 1989 at columns 732- 33.
Column 241
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum permitted number of aircraft in a formation during low-flying training at less than 250 ft in each of the three tactical training areas.
Mr. Neubert : The number of aircraft in a tactical formation at low level is determined by aircraft role and the type of exercise being carried out. However, formations do not normally consist of more than eight aircraft.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the authorised low-flying movements below 250 ft over the United Kingdom in each of the years from 1985 to 1989 consisted of continuation training sorties to maintain aircrew currency in flying at less than 250 ft, as opposed to work-up training for specific Flag exercises in north America.
Mr. Neubert : I regret the information requested is not readily available and could not be provided without disproportionate effort.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the forthcoming survey of noise levels from low-flying military aircraft to be conducted ; and at what location the survey will be held.
Mr. Neubert : A trial is currently being conducted at the Royal Aerospace Establishment West Freugh range to obtain further information on noise levels generated by military aircraft at low level and, weather permitting, will be completed during this month. Following evaluation of the data, the results of the study are expected to be available early next year.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the lateral radius, expressed in nautical miles, of the avoidance areas around noise-sensitive sites in tactical training areas.
Mr. Neubert : Avoidance criteria adopted in any case will depend on the site concerned.
| Next Section
| Home Page |