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In-patients (West Midlands)
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the extra money allocated specifically to reduce in-patient waiting lists, by specialty, to each of the Birmingham health districts and the West Midlands health region in each year in which allocations have been made ; and what assessment he has made of its impact upon in-patient waiting lists by each Birmingham health district and the West Midlands health region.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 23 July 1990] : Information on the allocations is given in the tables. The West Midlands regional health authority has assessed the impact of waiting list funds on targeted specialties in 1989-90. During that year the region achieved an overall 10.9 per cent. reduction in its long wait in-patient lists, largely due to the successful targeting of waiting list funds. An assessment for each of the Birmingham districts and for Birmingham as a whole is given in the tables.
Effect of waiting list initiatives on targeted lists 1989/90 numbers
waiting over a year (in-patients)
|Lists with |Lists without
|initiative | initiative
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Birmingham
March 89 |338 |1,572
March 90 |175 |1,172
Difference |-163 |-400
percentage difference |-48.2 |-25.4
East Birmingham
March 89 |115 |600
March 90 |51 |409
Difference |-64 |-191
percentage difference |-55.7 |-31.8
North Birmingham
March 89 |498 |179
March 90 |281 |178
Difference |-217 |-1
percentage difference |-43.6 |-0.6
South Birmingham
March 89 |255 |326
March 90 |86 |782
Difference |-169 |456
percentage difference |-66.3 |139.9
West Birmingham
March 89 |150 |399
March 90 |22 |103
Difference |-128 |-296
percentage difference |-85.3 |-74.3
Birmingham Districts as a whole
March 1989 |1,206 |2,677
March 1990 |593 |2,541
Difference |-613 |-136
percentage difference |-50.8 |-5.1
Table file CW900726.034 not available
Table file CW900726.035 not available
Table file CW900726.036 not available
-------------------------------------------------- West Midland Region March 89 |9,053 |10,942|19,995 March 90 |5,783 |12,024|17,807 Difference |-3,270|1,083 |-2,188 percentage difference |-36.1 |9.9 |-10.9
West Midland Region
March 89 9,053 10,942 19,995
March 90 5,783 12,024 17,807
Difference 3,270 1,083 2,188
percentage difference 36.1 9.9 10.9
Intensive Care Baby Units
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was, for the most recent year, the number of babies born alive in England with birthweights of (a) under 1,000 grammes, (b) 1,000 to 1,499 grammes, (c) 1,500 to 1,999 grammes, (d) 2,000 to 2,499 grammes, (e) 2,500 grammes and over and (f) with unstated birthweights ; and what are the numbers of babies in each group who were admitted to special or intensive care baby units, the numbers discharged alive and their average lengths of stay ;
(2) for the most recent year, the number of babies born alive in England at gestational ages of (a) under 28 weeks, (b) 28 to 31 weeks, (c) 32 to 36 weeks, (d) 37 to 41 weeks, (e) 42 or more weeks and (f) with unknown gestational ages ; and what are the numbers of babies in each group who were admitted to special or intensive care baby units, the numbers discharged alive and their average length of stay.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 25 July 1990] : The information requested on live births by birthweight is as follows :
/
England 1989
|Birthweight
-----------------------------------------------
Under 1,000 grammes |2,325
1,000-1,499 grammes |3,891
1,500-1,999 grammes |8,283
2,000-2,499 grammes |28,127
2,500 grammes and over |586,749
unstated birthweight |19,982
Source: OPCS
Table file CW900726.039 not available
Information on gestation, type of care received and outcome are not included in birth registration data, but are being collected from 1988-89 in the maternity hospital episode system. Complete data for 1988-89, the first year of the system, are not available and the extent to which the incomplete data can be used to make reliable estimates is currently under consideration. Preliminary indications are that the percentage of live births by gestation are as follows :
Babies born alive by gestation 1988-89 England Number of |Per cent. weeks gestation ------------------------------ All |100 Under 28 |1 28-32 |1 33-36 |5 37-40 |70 41-42 |19 Over 42 |1 Unknown |4
More detailed analyses are available only at disproportionate cost.
Regional Health Authorities
Mr. Michael Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the new (a) membership and (b) chairpersons of the regional health authorities will be announced.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [pursuant to her reply, 20 July 1990, c. 766] : All the appointments of non-executive members of regional health authorities have now been confirmed and I have today placed a full list in the Library.
PRIME MINISTER
Official Meetings
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet the Federal German Chancellor Dr. Kohl ; and what matters she expects to discuss.
The Prime Minister : I meet Chancellor Kohl several times during the year. We last met at the Houston economic summit on 9 to 11 July. I expect that there will be further contacts soon. Subjects for discussion include EC and NATO issues, east-west relations and German unification.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet her counterpart from the German Democratic Republic ; and what matters she expects to discuss.
The Prime Minister : I had interesting and valuable talks with Herr de Maiziere during his visit to London on 26 and 27 June. I hope that we shall meet again before long and continue our discussions about German unification, east-west relations and EC and NATO subjects.
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Mr. Morgan : To ask the Prime Minister (1) when she last met Lord Hanson in an official capacity ;(2) when she last met Michael Richardson of NM Rothschild in an official capacity.
The Prime Minister : My normal practice is neither to confirm nor deny meetings with private individuals even when no such meeting has taken place.
Dairy Products
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Prime Minister if the European Commission's decision on 19 July to raise export restitutions on dairy products is consistent with the agreement reached on 11 July at the economic summit in Houston ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The Commission maintains that the action it has taken does not contravene agreements reached in the GATT international dairy arrangement on minimum export prices. The increase in export refunds is nevertheless likely to be unhelpful in the context of the current Uruguay round negotiations. The Commission took its decision without consulting member states. We had, however, made clear on earlier occasions that we were opposed to any increase in export refunds in the dairy sector at this time. We also opposed the 1 per cent. increase in milk quota agreed towards the end of last year, because, although it was helpful to many producers in the short term, it was bound to worsen the Community's existing problem of overproduction.
Political Advisers
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the political advisers and public relations advisers currently employed in her Department, including those persons paid by other organisations and seconded to the Government, giving in every case the source of payment, rate of salary and expenses.
The Prime Minister : There are no public relations advisers. The special advisers currently employed in my office are :
Professor B. Griffiths
Mr. A. Dunlop
Mr. G. Guise
Mr. R. Harris
Mr. H. M. Harris-Hughes
Mr. I. K. Whitehead
All are paid from public funds. It is not our practice to reveal the salaries of individual advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential. Expenses may be paid within the normal civil service rules.
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister if she discussed the prospects for the forthcoming nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference with President Bush during her recent visit to Houston.
The Prime Minister : No, but the matter was part of the final conclusions of the economic summit in Houston.
Ministerial Responsibilities
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office will publish an up-to-date issue of the list of ministerial responsibilities.
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The Prime Minister : Copies of the list of ministerial responsibilities are expected to be available in approximately three weeks.
Correspondence
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Prime Minister whether she will take steps to remind all Ministers of the duty to ensure that--while their regular private office staff are away on holiday--all letters from Ministers to hon. Members have a copy thereof attached, as usual.
The Prime Minister : I have asked my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury to do so.
Film Industry
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Prime Minister what is her policy on (a) the timing and (b) the mechanism of disbursement of the £5 million support she announced for British film production, following her seminar on film policy.
The Prime Minister : The fund will be provided over three financial years : £1 million in 1991-92 and £2 million in each of the two following years. The mechanism for disbursement has not yet been decided.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Crown Immunity
Ms. Walley : To ask the Lord President of the Council what developments there have been in identifying the scope for removing Crown immunity from the Palace of Westminster.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : There are no developments to report. Consideration of the issues raised has disclosed no reason why the Palace of Westminster should not be subject to the same rules as Crown property generally.
Library Services
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he has any plans to change the use of the Textline facility in the branch Library by hon. Members and staff ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : The providers of Textline have recently given notice of substantial price increases and of a new charging structure, the consequence of which would be a very heavy increase in the costs of this service to the House within three years. The Library Sub-Committee of the Services Committee therefore decided that the Textline service should be withdrawn from the Branch Library with effect from early August 1990. Notices were posted in the Branch Library on 23 July informing users of the withdrawal of the service.
Dining Rooms
Ms. Walley : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will indicate the latest date for which a booking in the private dining rooms has been accepted.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : The latest date for which a private dining room has been booked is 18 December 1991.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will undertake a review of the current use of private
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dining facilities in the House with a view to making provision in advance of the development of phase 2 for constituents and visitors to the line of route.Sir Geoffrey Howe : It is understood that the Catering Sub-Committee will include the provision of refreshments for visitors as part of its review this autumn of observations received in response to the Services Committee's first report of this Session on the future development of refreshment facilities in the House (HC 234). No doubt all possible options will be considered at that time.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Bilateral Aid
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the percentage of United Kingdom bilateral aid spent on procurement of United Kingdom goods and services for each year since 1979, using the same criteria as were used for the figure on page 13 of the "Government's Expenditure Plans 1990-91 to 1992-93", chapter 2.
Mrs. Chalker : Procurement of United Kingdom goods and services under bilateral aid programmes, including both technical cooperation and financial assistance, using the criteria requested, has been as follows :
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Year |Per cent.
---------------------------------
1979 |77
1980 |67
1981 |67
1982 |70
1983 |66
1984 |61
1985 |63
1986 |71
1987 |70
1988 |69
|Not yet
1989 | available
Aid
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the amount of British aid in each of the last five years to Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea, India, St. Lucia, Grenada and the Philippines.
Mrs. Chalker : The amount of gross bilateral aid, including new investments by Commonwealth Development Corporation, given by the United Kingdom in each of the last five years to Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea, India, St. Lucia, Grenada and the Philippines is as follows :
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£000's
|1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Malawi |22,356 |15,346 |24,865 |46,494 |42,114
Namibia |605 |733 |969 |2,033 |1,543
Zimbabwe |23,636 |12,503 |12,498 |24,127 |21,385
Papua New Guinea |2,329 |4,873 |6,646 |14,643 |11,466
India |106,466|143,481|78,464 |101,045|99,498
St. Lucia |530 |1,018 |3,174 |2,848 |8,872
Grenada |1,450 |776 |739 |1,225 |1,352
Philippines |1,840 |205 |262 |1,042 |11,913
Note: The 1989 figures are provisional.
Third World Debt
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the total interest payments on the external debts of the least developed countries as a percentage of all official development assistance to this category of countries.
Mrs. Chalker : According to recent OECD figures, total interest payments made in 1988 by countries classified by the United Nations as least developed were US$2.2 billion. Official development assistance to this group of countries on a net basis--that is, after subtracting principal payments on concessional loans was US$13.9 billion. Figures for previous years, and provisional figures for 1989, are similar.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries within the least developed country category that Britain has been able to assist to date through implementation of the Paris club Toronto terms ; and if he will make a statement on the debt relief gained by these countries.
Mrs. Chalker : The countries within the United Nations least developed category which have so far rescheduled debt in the Paris club on concessional "Toronto Terms"
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are Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. No debts to the United Kingdom were covered by the reschedulings for Equatorial Guinea, Guinea- Bissau and Chad. The deferral of all due payments, together with the reduction in interest payable on the deferred amounts, will substantially ease the financing constraints on these countries as they pursue programmes of economic reform designed to lay the basis for sustained growth.Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the debt service ratios for each of the least-developed countries between 1980 and the latest available figures.
Mrs. Chalker : Figures for the ratio of debt service paid to export receipts are available for all the least-developed countries except Afghanistan, Djibouti, Kiribati and Tuvalu in the "World Debt Tables 1989- 90", published by the World Bank, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Figures are available in all cases for 1988 ; in some cases, figures to not extend as far back as 1980.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make it his
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policy to support an early review of measures by multilateral institutions to ease the debt burden on the least developed countries.Mrs. Chalker : The multilateral institutions have played their part in tackling the balance of payments problems faced by heavily indebted countries in the 1980s by providing financial support for programmes of economic reform. We have played a major part in ensuring that such support to the poorest countries is provided on highly concessional terms-- especially through the IMF's enhanced structural adjustment facility and the World bank's International Development Association. It is important for the future functioning of the multilateral institutions that their preferred creditor status is maintained.
Power Stations
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all coal-fired power stations funded from the aid-trade provisions and from the regular aid programme, since 1979, indicating the size of the power stations ; which power stations use flue-gas desulphurisation technology ; which power stations use other technology to limit sulphur dioxide emissions ; and the sulphur content of the coal used ; and for which stations an environmental impact assessment was carried out before aid was approved.
Mrs. Chalker [holding answer 24 July 1990] : The following list gives information on all coal-fired power stations funded from the aid -trade provision and from the regular aid programme since 1979.
Date on |Country |Site |Size |Sulphur
which |content in coal
financing |percentage
agreed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982 |Botswana |Morupule |3X30MW |1.5 (1.06+2.0
|blend)
1982 |Brazil |Jacui |350MW |0.54-1.06
1988 |China |Yueuang |2X350MW |0.28-0.31
1984 |India |Balco |4X67MW |0.3-0.5
1982 |India |Rihand |2X500MW |0.3
1980 |India |Titigargh |4X60MW |Not available
None of the power stations is fitted with flue gas
desulphurisation equipment or uses other technology specifically to limit sulphur dioxide emissions, other than by generally maximising the overall efficiency of the plant. Sulphur contents are significantly lower than coal currently burned in United Kingdom power stations which has typically up to 3 per cent. sulphur content.
The ODA did not carry out formal environmental impact assessment on these projects but it examined, in the course of appraisal, environmental factors, including the results of environmental assessments carried out by the recipient Governments, in order to establish the likely impacts of the projects.
Since 1988 all projects have been subject to ODA's new environmental appraisal system.
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EMPLOYMENT
Disabled People
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to how many public sector organisations in Germany meet a (a) 6 per cent. quota, (b) 5 per cent. quota, (c) 4 per cent. quota and (d) 3 per cent. quota, for the employment of disabled people.
Mr. Jackson : I regret that information about the public sector organisations in Germany that meet their quota obligations is not available in the form requested.
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to how many organisations and companies in France meet a (a) 6 per cent. quota, (b) 5 per cent. quota, (c) 4 per cent. quota and (d) 3 per cent. quota, for the employment of disabled people.
Mr. Jackson : The current quota system in France has only recently been introduced and compliance figures are not yet available.
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has carried out any studies into the operation and effectiveness of the German quota/levy system for disabled people.
Mr. Jackson : No formal studies of the German system have been carried out by this Department. However, my officials are in regular contact with their European counterparts about all aspects of provision for people with disabilities, including the operation of quota/levy systems.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he plans to hold with disability organisations on his Department's proposals for employment services for disabled people.
Mr. Jackson : All disability organisations known to the Department have been written to seeking their views on the proposals contained in "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities". We are looking forward to receiving their comments.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which organisations are being formally consulted on his Department's review of employment services for disabled people.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 25 July 1990] : The results of the review were published on 29 June in a consultative document "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities". Copies have been sent to a wide range of organisations and individuals ; including the all-party disablement group, the Select Committee on Employment, the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People, committees for the employment of disabled people, organisations of and for people with disabilities, providers of employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities, the CBI, the TUC, local authorities and professional bodies with an interest in the employment and training of people with disabilities. Copies of the document are available to anyone who wishes to comment.
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Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has carried out any studies of the operation and effectiveness of the new 6 per cent. French quota system for disabled people.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 25 July 1990] : No formal studies of the French system have been carried out by this Department. However, my officials are in regular contact with their European counterparts about all aspects of provision for people with disabilities, including the operation of quota/levy systems.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has evaluated and costed the feasibility of establishing a disablement commission to investigate cases of unjustifiable discrimination against disabled people.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 25 July 1990] : No formal evaluation or costing studies have been conducted. Were such a commision to be established, the cost would undoubtedly be substantial.
Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action his Department is taking to ensure adequate health and safety standards in bed-and-breakfast hotels ; what is being done to ensure that all hotels used for the accommodation of homeless families are upgraded to higher standards ; and how often bed-and-breakfast hotels are visited and inspected by environmental health officers to ensure that they are upgraded to desirable standards.
Mr. Forth : Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) it is the employer's responsibility to do everything that is reasonably practicable to protect the health and safety of workers and others who may be affected by his work activity.
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the HSWA in bed-and- breakfast hotels. The frequency of visits and inspections is at the enforcing authority's discretion. No information is available centrally on the frequency of such visits.
Political Advisers
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the political advisers and public relations advisers currently employed to advise Ministers in his Department, including those persons paid by other organisations and seconded to the Government, giving in every case the source of payment, rate of salary and expenses.
Mr. Howard : Two special advisers are currently appointed to advise Ministers in the Department of Employment : Ms. C. Stratton and Mr. T. Collins. It is not our practice to reveal the salaries of individual advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential. The normal civil service rules apply with regard to expenses for special advisers. There are no public relations advisers paid by other organisations and seconded to the Department.
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Tourism
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans his Department has to aid the funding of the English tourist network automation system.
Mr. Forth : In the 1989-90 financial year, the English tourist board gave support amounting to £50,000 towards the development of the English tourist network automation system. In the 1990-91 financial year, a further £120,000 has been allocated to support the system.
Chipboard Manufacture
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has made any assessment of the health and safety implications involved in the process of the manufacture of softwood chipboard ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The Health and Safety Executive has not conducted any specific comprehensive assessment of health and safety aspects of softwood chipboard manufacture. However, standards applicable to chipboard manufacturing processes are contained in existing safety legislation enforced by HSE. It has no evidence to suggest that standards involving this manufacturing process are unsatisfactory.
National Council for Vocational Qualifications
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out in 1990 prices, the 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 budgets for the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.
Mr. Jackson : A total of £5.4 million was provided for the National Council for Vocational Qualifications in 1989-90, and provision is currently estimated at some £5.2 million for this year. The plans for 1991-92 currently provide for a total of £5.7 million.
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