| Previous Section | Home Page |
Income-based estimate of gross domestic product<1>-Borders region
|1979 |1981 |1984 |1987
------------------------------------------------------------------
Gross domestic product (£ million) |271 |323 |412 |551
Gross domestic product per head (£) |2,678|3,186|4,066|5,393
Source: Central Statistical Office.
<1> Gross domestic product at factor cost in current prices.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies remained unfilled at jobcentres and at career offices, not seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted, in the Borders region for every year since 1979.
Column 320
Mr. Lang : There are no comprehensive statistics on unfilled vacancies. Latest estimates suggest that nationally only about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres. A seasonally adjusted vacancy series is not available below Scotland level. Information on the number of unfilled vacancies, not seasonally adjusted, at jobcentres and careers offices in the Borders region in June of each year since 1979 is set out in the table :
Year |Vacancies at |Vacancies at (June of each year) | jobcentres | careers offices -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1979 |464 |45 1980 |336 |10 1981 |247 |5 1982 |246 |4 1983 |345 |9 1984 |405 |10 1985 |530 |7 1986 |454 |9 1987 |555 |18 1988 |941 |23 1989 |519 |24 1990 |619 |29 <1> Vacancies for the years 1983 to 1988 inclusive, include Community Programme vacancies on the day of the count. <2>Because of possible duplication (i.e. when a vacancy is notified to both services by an employer) and timing differences the second series should not be added together.
Community Care
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has sought from Scottish local authorities as to their degree of preparedness to take on the new community care responsibilities in April 1991 ; on what date he last sought this information ; and what replies he has received on this issue.
Mr. Lang : I met the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on 15 May to discuss the implementation of the Government's community care proposals. At the meeting the representatives of the convention said that local authorities had made considerable efforts to be ready for implementation on 1 April 1991. Subsequently, in a letter of 29 June to the Secretary of State, the convener of the convention's social work committee indicated that authorities' plans for implementation were at an advanced stage in preparation for 1 April 1991. I believe, however, that the phasing we have now proposed will allow more effective implementation of the changes.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the effect of the new community care
responsibilities on the personal community charge levels in 1991 in each region of Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : This is a matter for individual local authorities to determine, but, in the light of the revised implementation plan for community care which my right hon. and learned Friend announced last week and the aggregate external finance settlement which he announced earlier today, the effect on community charge levels in 1991-92 should be small.
Investment
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the gross value added per person in civilian employment in Scotland for every year since 1979, with 1979 = 100.
Mr. Lang : The information is not available in the form requested.
Column 322
There are no separate price deflators for Scotland and the use of United Kingdom price deflators is no longer considered to give sufficiently reliable constant price estimates. Figures are therefore given at current prices.Gross value added figures are available only for manufacturing industries in Scotland and are taken from the annual census of production.
The table below gives estimates of gross value added, employment and gross value added per employee at current prices for the years in question. The figures relate to financial years. It is not appropriate to index these current price figures to 1979 = 100.
Year Manufacturing industry Scotland
|Gross value|Employment |Gross value
|added |added per
|employee
|£ millions |'000 |£
------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |4,573 |577 |7,925
1980 |4,756 |533 |8,921
1981 |5,100 |477 |10,700
1982 |5,414 |448 |12,087
1983 |5,772 |420 |13,743
1984 |5,830 |397 |14,693
1985 |6,399 |392 |16,316
1986 |6,192 |381 |16,235
1987 |7,086 |370 |19,150
Source: Annual census of production
Population
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide the most recent available breakdown of the Scottish adult population by household size in (a) total and (b) percentage terms.
Mr. Rifkind : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 February 1990 at col 865-66 . Updated information is not yet available.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the 1988-89 issue of "Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics" ; and whether he will include in that document tables showing the reconciliation between the local authority expenditure figures on a local authority accounting basis and local authority expenditure as defined on a public expenditure White Paper basis in Cm 1015 and Cm 1021.
Mr. Rifkind : The 1988-89 issue of "Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics" is expected to be published in early autumn. The format will be similar to previous issues, and it is not intended to include tables reconciling local authority expenditure figures on the two bases.
Vocational Qualifications
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of vocational qualifications awarded in 1974 and for every year since 1979.
Mr. Lang : The full information requested is not available centrally. The relevant information available covers first degrees and advanced level diplomas awarded to students following full-time or sandwich courses at Scottish universities and colleges. The figures are given below.
Column 323
Year |Number --------------------- 1981 |14,658 1982 |15,102 1983 |16,493 1984 |17,099 1985 |17,246 1986 |17,408 1987 |17,447 1988 |18,025 1989 |18,316
SDA Grants
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total value of Scottish Development Agency grants by year and local authority since 1979.
Mr. Lang : Information on grants prior to 1981-82 is not available in the form requested. From 1981-82 to 1989-90 the information is set out in the table. Figures for 1989-90 are provisional.
Column 323
Scottish Development Agency
Analysis of grant-in-aid
Development funding and grants expenditure 1981-82 to 1989-90
|1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |<1>1989-90
District |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strathclyde |- |306 |3,677 |6,555 |3,467 |10,571 |9,076 |17,884 |9,436
Argyll and Bute |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |7 |38
Dumbarton |- |- |- |- |51 |43 |25 |43 |207
Clydebank |- |- |- |8 |153 |554 |149 |2 |61
Bearsden and Milngavie |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Strathkelvin |- |- |- |- |- |21 |45 |31 |70
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |- |- |30 |1 |15 |25 |49 |13 |306
Monklands |- |- |- |17 |108 |89 |117 |50 |79
Glasgow City |- |281 |3,299 |6,060 |2,053 |7,511 |6,748 |16,082 |5,934
Renfrew |- |- |70 |90 |- |536 |30 |181 |749
Inverclyde |- |- |28 |42 |24 |250 |476 |446 |469
Cunninghame |- |25 |201 |85 |563 |422 |548 |182 |277
Kilmarnock and Louden |- |- |25 |25 |- |25 |29 |25 |37
Eastwood |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
East Kilbride |- |- |- |20 |5 |30 |22 |19 |63
Hamilton |- |- |- |- |- |- |39 |91 |133
Motherwell |- |- |12 |68 |294 |398 |482 |303 |472
Clydesdale |- |- |- |113 |128 |15 |17 |45 |130
Cumnock and Doon Valley |- |- |7 |- |13 |25 |33 |23 |32
Kyle and Carrick |- |- |5 |26 |13 |517 |16 |16 |72
Strathclyde Composite |- |- |- |- |47 |110 |251 |325 |307
Dumfries and Galloway |- |- |62 |370 |141 |52 |110 |196 |146
Wigtown |- |- |62 |365 |130 |22 |30 |95 |72
Stewartry |- |- |- |- |- |- |10 |28 |9
Nithsdale |- |- |- |- |1 |25 |55 |39 |37
Annandale and Eskdale |- |- |- |- |- |- |5 |1 |7
Dumfries and Galloway Composite |- |- |- |5 |10 |5 |10 |33 |21
Borders |- |- |59 |- |- |121 |261 |64 |52
Tweeddale |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Ettrick and Lauderdale |- |- |- |- |- |115 |142 |53 |36
Berwickshire |- |- |- |- |- |6 |119 |9 |4
Roxburgh |- |- |59 |- |- |- |- |- |10
Borders Composite |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |2
Lothian |- |- |460 |325 |703 |572 |1,729 |682 |2,023
West Lothian |- |- |45 |45 |481 |319 |182 |77 |218
Edinburgh City |- |- |365 |280 |205 |191 |1,357 |466 |1,463
Midlothian |- |- |- |- |- |31 |32 |14 |83
East Lothian |- |- |- |- |17 |- |118 |24 |58
Lothian Composite |- |- |50 |- |- |31 |40 |101 |201
Central |- |- |79 |393 |162 |101 |451 |241 |851
Stirling |- |- |50 |350 |15 |48 |127 |35 |334
Clackmannan |- |- |- |- |147 |53 |276 |24 |327
Falkirk |- |- |29 |43 |- |- |45 |121 |145
Central Composite |- |- |- |- |- |- |3 |61 |45
Fife |- |- |25 |82 |14 |237 |561 |235 |226
North East Fife |- |- |- |- |- |55 |27 |21 |57
Kirkcaldy |- |- |25 |22 |- |40 |478 |115 |98
Dunfermline |- |- |- |- |- |130 |30 |70 |11
Fife Composite |- |- |- |60 |14 |12 |26 |29 |60
Tayside |- |- |481 |782 |478 |1,537 |1,029 |337 |1,049
Angus |- |- |452 |566 |19 |103 |83 |23 |40
Perth and Kinross |- |- |- |- |51 |59 |182 |4 |98
Dundee City |- |- |29 |216 |408 |1,375 |764 |308 |852
Tayside Composite |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2 |59
Grampian |- |- |- |60 |989 |276 |130 |629 |1,571
Moray |- |- |- |- |- |35 |8 |55 |29
Banff and Buchan |- |- |- |45 |23 |38 |40 |22 |92
Gordon |- |- |- |- |- |35 |- |7 |28
Aberdeen City |- |- |- |15 |966 |168 |82 |545 |1,315
Kincardine and Deeside |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Grampian Composite |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |107
Highland |- |- |- |125 |148 |1 |111 |146 |132
Caithness |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sutherland |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Ross and Cromarty |- |- |- |125 |148 |- |- |- |-
Nairn |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Inverness |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Skye and Lochalsh |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Lochaber |- |- |- |- |- |1 |- |- |-
Badenoch and Strathspey |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Highland Composite |- |- |- |- |- |- |111 |146 |132
Western Isles |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Orkney |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Shetland |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Scotland Composite |600 |394 |657 |1,908 |4,598 |6,432 |5,542 |5,643 |8,671
SDA Total expenditure |600 |700 |5,500 |10,600 |10,700 |19,900 |19,000 |26,057 |24,157
NHS Managers
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior managers in administration, professional and technical sections of the NHS in Scotland have left the service either through redundancy, resignation or early retirement during the past five years.
Mr. Rifkind : A senior manager structure was introduced into the National Health Service in Scotland on 22 December 1987. Since that date, one officer in that category has retired prematurely from the service on grounds of redundancy and five on grounds of the interests of the efficiency of the service. No information is available centrally on resignation for any other reason.
Prisoners
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners from Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic are currently serving a prison sentence in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I regret that this information is not available in the format requested. However, on the basis of provisional figures, in 1989, 56 persons born in Northern Ireland and 22 persons born in the Irish Republic were received under sentence into penal establishments in Scotland.
Health Expenditure
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table of expenditure in 1988-89 by Scottish local authorities in respect of persons in residential care homes by the client groups (i) elderly, (ii) physically handicapped, (iii) mentally handicapped and (iv) mentally ill.
Column 326
Mr. Lang : The information requested is set out in the table.
C
|<1>Net expenditure on
|residential care in
|1988-89 (£m)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Elderly |65.4
Physically handicapped |1.8
Mentally handicapped |10.0
Mentally ill |0.5
|-----
<1> Net expenditure met from rates and grants.
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money will be available to local authorities and voluntary organisations for the new mental illness project grant ; when the final guidance will be issued to local authorities and other bodies ; what provision there will be in Scotland for a special grant for projects helping people with alcohol and drug-related problems ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : As my right hon. and learned Friend indicated in his written reply to the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 18 July, specific grant will be payable for increased community services for the mentally ill from 1991-92. Grant will be paid at 70 per cent. of the costs of projects up to a total of £3 million in the first year. A consultation paper outlining the proposed arrangements for the payment of grant was issued to local authorities and voluntary agencies in March. Formal guidance reflecting the result of these consultations will be provided to local authorities shortly. Voluntary sector projects providing assistance to persons with alcohol or drug-related problems will continue to be eligible to receive grant from my Department under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. In 1990-91 £96,000 has been made
Column 327
available for current expenditure and £260,000 for capital expenditure. In addition the Scottish Office will continue to make funds available to health boards for the welfare of local drug misuse services. The level of support provided in 1990-91 is £2.2 million.Marine Nature Reserves
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites under consideration for possible designation as marine nature reserves indicating which is the first to be designated and the likely date of designation.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Two potential marine nature reserves have been identified in Scotland by NCC using guidelines laid down in the joint NCC/NERC report entitled "Nature Conservation in the Marine Environment". These are Loch Sween in Argyll and St. Abbs in Berwickshire. Work on Loch Sween is more advanced and is about to enter the public consultation stage.
Birch Point (Dumping Allegations)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the preliminary findings of the initial investigation into the alleged dumping of explosives at Birch Point in the Firth of Clyde.
Mr. Lang : A report on the preliminary survey and other investigations carried out by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is being published today. I am arranging for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report confirms that although there were shortcomings in ICI's sea disposal procedures in the early 1980s, these were resolved satisfactorily with the full co- operation of the company. The evidence of the survey indicates that the movement of dumped material from the dump site has been due to fishing activity in and around the disposal ground. It is not possible to say how far dumped material may have been spread.
The further survey of the dump site, which I announced last week, is now in progress. To enable the survey to proceed undisturbed by fishing activity all fishing in the area has been prohibited for the duration of the survey. The results of this survey should provide the basis for decisions on further guidance to fishermen, the control of fishing activity and any steps to be taken in relation to the dump site itself.
Highlands and Islands
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now able to announce which areas of the highlands and islands are to be targeted under the business development scheme of the rural enterprise programme announced on 17 November 1989.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton I am pleased to announce that the rural enterprise programme's business development scheme, which is designed to help farmers and crofters diversify into new enterprises, will operate initially in Wester Ross, Lochalsh, Lochaber and south-east Sutherland. Subject to parliamentary approval of the statutory instrument, locally based project officers should be appointed this autumn, and I expect the first awards to
Column 328
be made under the BDS next spring. Subject to the response achieved in these areas, Ministers will review the case for extending the BDS to other areas next autumn.I have also decided that the REP's marketing scheme, which is designed to help farmers and crofters to market their produce more effectively, to promote a diversified business, and to publicise the benefits of improving the health status of livestock, will operate throughout the Highlands and Islands area eligible for assistance under objective 5b of the EC structural funds. I hope that the marketing scheme will be in operation before the end of 1990.
Parole
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the Kincraig committee's report on parole and related issues in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind : When the Kincraig report (Cm598) was published in March 1989, I invited comments on the review committee's recommendations from all concerned. I am grateful for the very positive response which this elicited.
The Government's conclusions and proposals are published today in a paper entitled "Parole and Related Issues in Scotland--The Government's Response to the Report of the Review Committee", copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Our proposals are based very substantially on the review committee's recommendations and reflect full acceptance of the underlying principles which they identified. Accordingly, our main proposals are that
-- all prisoners should serve at least half their sentences in custody ;
-- release before the end of sentence should always be conditional, thus restoring meaning to the full sentence passed by the court ; -- parole should be available to prisoners serving sentences of four years or more, who would be eligible for parole from the half-way point in their sentences, and should be considered in the light of statutory criteria of which the most important should be whether the prisoner can safely be released without risk to the public ; -- there should be compulsory post- release supervision for all longer term prisoners, and, at the discretion of the courts, for prisoners sentenced to between one year and under four years. The aim of these proposals is that reformed arrangements for early release should be fairer than the existing arrangements, under which prisoners convicted of more serious offences may serve a smaller proportion of their sentence in custody than shorter-term prisoners, and that there should be a greater emphasis on the behaviour of offenders after their release from custody.
I shall seek a suitable opportunity to bring before Parliament the legislative changes which will be required to implement these proposals.
Teacher Shortages
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the geographic and subject areas in which there is a current teacher shortage in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 329
Mr. Lang [holding answer 24 July 1990] : Information about the number of vacancies in full-time teaching posts, by education authority and by subject, as on 31 January 1990 is given in the following tables.The present teacher supply situation in Scotland is broadly satisfactory. The Scottish Education Department will continue to monitor teacher numbers, and, with advice from the planning group on teacher supply, set up in 1989, and on which education authorities, colleges of education and the General Teaching Council for Scotland are represented, will consider and instigate measures required to maintain an adequate intake to the teacher force in Scotland.
Number of advertised vacancies for
full-time secondary teaching
posts, Scotland, 31 January 1990
Subject |Vacancies
--------------------------------------------
All subjects |49
Art |2
Business Studies |7
Classics, Greek, Latin |-
Computing |1
English |6
Gaelic |2
Geography |2
History |-
Home Economics |1
Mathematics |3
French |3
German |-
Other modern languages |-
Modern studies |1
Music |7
Physical education |1
Religious education |1
Biology |-
Chemistry |3
Physics |3
Speech and drama |1
Technological education |1
Learning support |4
Other |-
Number of advertised vacancies for
full-time secondary teaching
posts, Scotland, 31 January 1990
Subject |Vacancies
--------------------------------------------
All subjects |49
Art |2
Business Studies |7
Classics, Greek, Latin |-
Computing |1
English |6
Gaelic |2
Geography |2
History |-
Home Economics |1
Mathematics |3
French |3
German |-
Other modern languages |-
Modern studies |1
Music |7
Physical education |1
Religious education |1
Biology |-
Chemistry |3
Physics |3
Speech and drama |1
Technological education |1
Learning support |4
Other |-
Pre-school Education
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children received pre-five education in Scottish state schools during sessions (a) 1988-89 and (b) 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 24 July 1990] : There were 40,855 and 42,269 children in education authority nursery schools or departments in 1988-89 and 1989-90 respectively.
Column 330
Adult Education
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many adults enrolled in day-time classes in Scottish state schools in the following school sessions (a) 1987-88, (b) 1988-89 and 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 24 July 1990] : There were 12,900, 14, 010 and 13,525 persons aged over 18 years old who had resumed education in education authority schools in sessions 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90 respectively. This information was published in SED statistical bulletins 1/B1/1988, 5/B1/1989 and 9/B1/1990, copies of which are in the Library.
The presence of adults in the classroom is beneficial both to the pupils and to the adults themselves, and I expect that more adults will choose this path to continue their education in future. It is, however, for education authorities themselves to decide how far they wish and can afford to go in providing school education beyond the statutory requirements.
WALES
Local Offices
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes are currently being proposed to the pattern of local employment offices in Gwynedd ; if he will give details of the assessed annual financial savings arising from these changes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : Operational issues are a matter for the chief executive of the employment service. I have referred the hon. Gentleman's question to the director for Wales.
Inward Investment
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of inward investment by foreign-owned companies into Wales for each year from 1978-79 to the present.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is as follows :
Year |Number of |Capital
|projects |investment
|£ million
--------------------------------------------
1979 |18 |-
1980 |16 |-
1981 |20 |-
1982 |17 |-
1983 |31 |-
1984 |45 |164
1985 |48 |144
1986 |50 |155
1987 |59 |159
1988 |56 |1,048
Information on inward investment projects in Wales by foreign-owned companies is held by Welsh Development International only for the years 1984 onwards. Capital investment associated with projects is that supplied by companies at the time. Final figures for 1989 are not yet available. Project numbers for the years prior to 1984 are those notified to the Invest in Britain Bureau.
Column 331
Mentally Handicapped People
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how far in advance changes in the ownership or management of private institutions for mentally handicapped people have to be notified.
Mr. Grist : There is no specified period in which changes in the ownership or management of private homes for mentally handicapped people have to be notified in advance.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what checks a social services department, health authority or any other relevant authority is obliged to make in respect of the suitability of (a) the proprietor, (b) the manager and (c) anyone with a position of responsibility in respect of a private establishment for mentally handicapped people.
Mr. Grist : In assessing the fitness of persons concerned or intended to be concerned with a private home for mentally handicapped people, registration staff are expected to consider individuals' qualifications, health skills, proven experience, and, where appropriate, financial acumen. Registration authorities should also ascertain whether applicants for registration have been convicted of any offence under the Registered Homes Act 1984. Furthermore, authorities are advised to inquire into whether applicants have any other criminal convictions, including "spent" convictions within the meaning of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will undertake a review of the arrangements under which the suitability of people involved in the management and/or ownership of private establishments for the mentally handicapped is monitored ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : No. It is the responsibility of the registering authority to monitor the arrangements for assessing the suitability of people involved in the management and/or ownership of private establishments for people with a mental handicap under guidance issued by the Department.
Countryside Council
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was anticipated to be the date upon which the Countryside Council for Wales would commence its activities on 1 January ; and if he will make a statement.
(2) when he expects the Countryside Council for Wales to commence its activities ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if there has been any delay in the financing, establishment and starting date of the Countryside Council for Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Subject to the passing of the relevant legislation, the Countryside Council for Wales will take over the responsibilities of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission in Wales with effect from 1 April 1991 as originally envisaged. The council will, however, be formally established before then, on a date to be determined, to enable it to prepare for its new role. The council will receive grant-in-aid from the date of its formal establishment.
Column 332
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the composition of the Countryside Council for Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend has already announced his intention to appoint Mr. Michael Griffith as the first chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales. My right hon. Friend and I are also currently considering the names of a number of candidates for other appointments to the council. An announcement will be made in due course.
Hospital Catering
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken in relation to South Glamorgan health authority, to ensure that all necessary physical conditions and procedures are satisfactorily met in the catering departments at its district general hospitals.
Mr. Grist : The Department issued the latest guidance to district health authorities on food hygiene and pest control in the NHS in 1988. Responsibility for inspecting hospital catering premises and for monitoring food hygiene procedures generally within hospitals rests with the relevant local authority environmental health departments.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice his Department has given regarding the use of cook-chill methods (a) generally and (b) in national health service institutions in Wales ; and if he will place copies of any guidance in the Library.
Mr. Grist : General advice on the subject was contained in the press release "Advice to the Public on Listeria and Food" issued by the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health on 10 February 1989. This advice was drawn to the attention of all chief environmental health officers and medical officers of environmental health.
Further advice was provided in a letter entitled "Listeriosis and Food", copies of which were sent to all doctors in Wales on 21 February 1989.
The most recent guidelines on cook-chill and cook-freeze catering systems were issued to the NHS in Wales on 5 July 1989.
Copies of all these documents have been placed in the Library of the House.
Pollution Inspectors
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who is the officer of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution with responsibilities for Wales ; what are his other duties ; how much time he has spent in Wales in the current year ; and when he last met him.
Mr. Grist : The head of west division of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP), based in Bristol, has overall responsibility for Wales. I have not yet had an opportunity to meet him, though our officials do so on a regular basis. There are also seven pollution inspectors with responsibility for Wales based in Cardiff.
Column 333
Pollution, Port Talbot
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to pollution from British Petroleum Chemicals at Port Talbot in the last two months ; and what steps he intends to take to remedy the situation.
Mr. Grist : I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply given to him on 20 July at columns 758-59.
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will ask Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to monitor on a day-to-day basis industrial pollution at Port Talbot for the next three months.
Mr. Grist : Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution assures me that it will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities in conjunction with the local authority as necessary.
Severn Crossing
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a liaison committee consisting of representatives of local community councils, Monmouth borough council, Gwent county council, the contractors and a representative of the Welsh Office to safeguard the environmental interests of people living near the construction of the second Severn crossing.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The most effective way of establishing liaison between the contractors and local communities on the environmental and other issues involved in this major project is currently under consideration.
Emergency Provision
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that, following the implementation of the relevant sections of the National Health Service and Community Care Act, allowance will be made for sums to be paid by the health authorities of patients who receive emergency or other treatment while on holiday in another district health authority area to be held over for expenditure in the succeeding financial year.
Mr. Grist : Patients will of course be entitled to emergency treatment while on holiday, and it is the responsibility of each health authority to provide adequate accident and emergency cover in its area. When a patient is admitted to hospital for emergency treatment, the authority in which he or she lives will be responsible for meeting the costs of the treatment required. There will be no question of patients being unable to get treatment they urgently need because of uncertainty over payment. Health authorities will need to set aside funds for such eventualities, and we expect settlements to be made promptly--normally within the financial year--to protect the financial position of the hospitals providing treatment.
BISF Houses
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet a delegation of hon. Members, peers and residents to discuss steel-framed houses and the Parnham report on BISF houses ; an assessment of condition.
Mr. Grist : I understand the Parnham report is specific to the Nottingham area. In those circumstances, a meeting would not seem appropriate.
Column 334
Year of the Disabled
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to promote 1991 as the Year of the Disabled in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State delivered a speech,a copy of which is in the Library of the House, at a Wales Council for the Disabled event on Friday 20 July 1990, in which he stressed the importance of 1991 as the Year of the Disabled in Wales : a year in which substantial progress is made for people with disabilities and their carers to have ready access to the facilities and opportunities which able-bodied people take for granted. I fully support this objective.
To this end, on 8 May 1990 my Department issued to all health and local authorities and other interests in Wales guidance on good practice in the provision of services for people with physical or sensory disabilities. We will shortly publish details of the targeted grants which will be available in Wales from April 1991 to help provide more flexible forms of domiciliary care.
Help is also available through the new renovation grants regime for disabled people to receive financial support--up to 100 per cent. where appropriate--to help them to live independently in their own homes. For those who need to rent, nearly all the homes provided through Housing for Wales are built to mobility standards and a significant proportion of the annual programme goes to meet specific special needs provision.
We will take every opportunity to reiterate the key messages to all with a part to play, including public bodies, the private sector and the community at large and ensure that they are taken forward as part of the comprehensive programme for the improvement of social and community care as set out in White Paper "Caring for People" and in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 18 July.
| Next Section
| Home Page |