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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The cessation of outside arms supplies to all the Cambodian parties is vital for peace. It forms an essential part of the framework for a comprehensive political settlement which all the Cambodian parties have accepted in its entirety and the United Nations General Assembly has unanimously endorsed. We are working continually, with other interested parties, for the implementation of the framework. There is no Government involvement of any kind in training, equipping or co-operating with the Khmer Rouge forces.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available about the supply of Chinese weapons, particularly tanks, to the Khmer Rouge.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are aware that China provides a variety of military hardware to the Cambodian resistance. We understand that the Khmer Rouge has acquired a number of tanks.
Iraq
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) Hans Dietrich Genscher and (b) Gianni de Michelis about the visit to Iraq of Willy Brandt.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has explained to the German and Italian Foreign Ministers our view that the proposal for Mr. Brandt and other European politicians to visit Iraq under United Nations auspices would be contrary to the conclusions reached in Rome at the European Council.
Falkland Islands
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has given to the Falkland islands request to declare a continental shelf around the islands to sell licences for the exploration of oil and other minerals.
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Mr. Garel-Jones : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 31 October at column 567.HEALTH
Kidney Dialysis
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the North Western health authority region are currently receiving kidney dialysis treatment (a) in national health service centres and (b) contracted out to private facilities ; and at what cost in each category.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to write to Mr. R. B. Martin, the chairman of North Western regional health authority for the information he requires.
NHS Infected Blood
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will estimate the costs of a full trial of people who are claiming damages for contracting HIV through national health service infected blood or blood products.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is not possible to estimate the costs of such a trial at this stage.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department is negotiating with the solicitors of people who have taken court action claiming damages for contracting HIV through national health service infected blood or blood products.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We have not been engaged in such negotiations.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the costs, including legal fees and departmental resources, to the Government so far in the legal case of people who are taking action claiming damages for contracting HIV through national health service infected blood or blood products.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State gave the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 15 October at column 664.
Methylene Chloride
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been undertaken by his Department, consultants to his Department or in conjunction with other Departments to evaluate the carcinogenic properties of methylene chloride.
Mr. Dorrell : The Department's independent expert advisers have evaluated the available data and have concluded that methylene chloride should not be considered as a human carcinogen.
Pesticides
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to introduce a card system under which doctors would be required to report incidents of ill health in which pesticides may be implicated ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Dorrell : Clear-cut cases of poisoning by pesticides are reported to the agricultural inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. A card system could be useful and a pilot study is being undertaken on behalf of the HSE.
Medical Negligence
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of court cases in the last five years launched against the health authorities in respect of medical negligence ; and of these (a) the number which were settled out of court, (b) the number which were resolved by a final court judgment and (c) the number still outstanding.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not held centrally.
Listeria Monocytogenes
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on foodstuffs contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, in World Health Organisation categories 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.4, being sold within the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The public health laboratory service carries out regular surveys of a variety of foodstuffs including some from the two World Health Organisation categories identified in the question. The results demonstrate that listeria monocytogenes is widely distributed in the environment and that, as the WHO report concludes,
"the total elimination of listeria monocytogenes from all food is impractical and may be impossible."
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he is taking to protect (a) AIDS/ARC patients, (b) pregnant women, (c) people with impaired immune systems, (d) elderly persons and (e) new-born babies from contamination by listeria monocytogenes ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what action he is taking to protect (a) AIDS/ARC patients, (b) pregnant women, (c) people with impaired immune systems, (d) elderly persons and (e) new-born babies from contamination by listeria monocytogenes within national health service hospitals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : In February 1989 the chief medical officer issued advice to vulnerable groups that they should avoid eating certain types of cheese and to reheat cooked-chilled meals and ready-to-eat poultry until they are piping hot. He issued further advice to vulnerable groups in July and August 1989 about pa te. Copies are in the Library. If anyone is uncertain whether they should follow this advice, they should consult their medical practitioner. The Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990, which become operative in April 1991, will require more stringent temperature controls of chilled foods in the distribution chain.
AIDS
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are his Department's criteria for increasing awareness of the AIDS problem for people under 21 years of age ;
(2) how much was spent increasing the awareness of the AIDS problem among people under 21 years of age, in the first six months of the current year ;
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(3) if he has any plans to initiate a campaign to counteract the idea of AIDS invulnerability among people under 21 years of age.Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The AIDS public education campaign advocates prudence in personal behaviour, while providing young people with the information they need to protect themselves from infection. Government policy is that teaching about HIV and AIDS should be set in the wider context of health and sex education, and should encourage pupils to have due regard for moral considerations and the values of family life. The science order of the national curriculum requires that pupils should understand the need to have a responsible attitude to sexual behaviour.
The Government have promoted HIV/AIDS awareness in schools through a range of measures, including the designation of HIV and AIDS as a priority issue, the provision of guidance for teachers and a video package for use in schools. In addition, many colleges of further education include HIV/AIDS information in vocational and induction courses. A sum of £7 million has been provided this year to enable local education authorities to provide training for teachers and employ health education co-ordinators, for whom AIDS and HIV is a focal issue.
Young people aged 16 to 24 are a primary target audience for the Health Education Authority's HIV/AIDS public education programme, which aims to equip young people with the knowledge and understanding to avoid behaviour likely to place them at risk of infection, and to encourage them to act responsibly. The authority has also produced a pack for secondary school teachers, mass media advertising aimed at young people, a campaign aimed at young holiday travellers, and cinema advertising designed to reach young people with messages about personal responsibility. A further TV and cinema campaign is planned for later this year, which will address the issue of personal risk and behaviour. The HEA was allocated £10 million for AIDS work this year.
The Department of Health has asked health authorities to develop community- based HIV prevention initiatives, using earmarked AIDS allocations. It is expected that up to £20 million will be spent in the current year and this will include initiatives aimed at young people.
National drug prevention campaigns aimed at young people have emphasised the danger of spreading HIV through sharing injecting equipment. About £2 million a year has been spent on this work.
Eritrean Refugees
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consultations he has had with the local authority associations about the costs faced by authorities in providing child care services for unaccompanied Eritrean refugee minors ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will call for a report from the London borough of Hillingdon on the cost of providing accommodation for children from Eritrea and adjacent territories ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Following a meeting with the local authority associations on 25 September, the Department wrote to the association on 22 October asking for information about the cost faced by authorities,
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including Hillingdon, in providing child care services for unaccompanied Eritrean children seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. We will consider what action, if any, should be taken when this information is received.Listeria Ivanovi
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is currently being carried out by his Department into listeria ivanovi.
Mr. Dorrell : There have been no recorded cases in this country of human infection caused by listeria ivanovi, and only a handful of such cases recorded world wide. Listeria ivanovi is known to occur in the environment, although it has been only very rarely found in food. A small proportion of animal infections is caused by this organism. The division of microbiological reagents and quality control at the PHLS central public health laboratory is involved in general research in listeria and routinely tests for listeria ivanovi.
Listeriosis
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the trend in the incidence of listeriosis among pregnant women since September 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is given in the table compiled by the division of microbiological disease surveillance centre at the PHLS central public health laboratory.
Confirmed cases of Listeriosis
among pregnant women
September 1989 to September
1990
(England and Wales: Reports to
CDSC and DMRQC)
|Number of
|cases
--------------------------------
1989
September |4
October |1
November |3
December |4
1990
January |4
February |0
March |1
April |1
May |1
June |2
July |3
August |1
September |4
|--
Total |29
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide statistics showing the incidence of listeriosis by serotype for the last five years of available records.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is given in the table compiled by the division of microbiological reagents and quality control at the PHLS central public health laboratory.
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Serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes from human cases of listeriosis in Britain and Ireland
Year <1>1990 1989 1988 1987 1986
Serotype |Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/2 |21 |(37) |46 |(17) |65 |(21) |41 |(17) |36 |(33)
4b |36 |(63) |170 |(64) |216 |(70) |181 |(73) |66 |(61)
4bx |0 |- |49 |(18) |27 |(8) |23 |(9) |0 |-
Other |0 |- |1 |- |1 |- |3 |- |6 |(6)
|-------
Total |57 |- |266 |- |309 |- |248 |- |108 |-
<1>First six months.
Speech Therapy
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of speech therapy for children in west Cumbria.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The provision of speech therapy for children in west Cumbria is a matter for the district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. E. Urquhart, the chairman of that authority, for the information he requires.
Non-urgent Operations
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average waiting period within the South West regional health authority area for non-urgent operations relating to hip replacement, hernias, hysterectomy, prostate, cataracts and varicose veins.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information about waiting times is available only by specialty, not by specific condition.
Romanian Children (Adoption)
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for all local authority social services departments information available to him on the current status of applications by couples requiring home study assessments for the adoption of Romanian children.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information is not available in the form requested. All cases associated with entry clearance applications are kept under review by the Department. We are satisfied that local authorities are seeking to respond to requests in accordance with the Department's recent guidance as set out in CI(90)17, a copy of which is available in the Library.
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Disabled People (Care Arrangements)
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Act Now's survey of local authorities with regard to the making of payments directly to disabled people for making their own care arrangements, a copy of which has been sent to his Department.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It has been read with interest.
TRANSPORT
Rail Electrification
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much it would cost, at 1990 prices, to electrify the railway lines between (a) Edinburgh and Glasgow via Polmont, (b) Edinburgh and Glasgow via Shotts and (c) Edinburgh and Aberdeen ; and what would be the difference in cost if all three lines were electrified together as one investment project.
Mr. Freeman : This is a matter for the British Railways Board.
Enforcement Agencies (Checks)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list all defects and contraventions discovered by checks carried out by his Department, the Health and Safety Executive and the police to assess on-the-road compliance with the regulations for the transport of dangerous goods by road during the past three years ; (2) if he will list the total numbers of roadside checks carried out by his Department, the Health and Safety Executive and the police on lorries during the past three years ; and if he will estimate these checks as a percentage of all lorry journeys.
Mr. Chope : Details of all such checks carried out by these enforcement agencies are not available. The following information is available :
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HGVS examined at roadsidTachograph cDangerous goods (a) as percentage of to
|(a) |(b) |(c)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |228,370 |<1>(16,921)|984,015 |n.a. |- |51
1988-89 |322,645 |<1>(24,301)|1,375,481 |9,537 |<1>(45) |70
1989-90 |314,343 |<1>(25,980)|1,629,881 |10,213 |<1>(84) |66
<1> Figures in brackets are prohibitions/prosecutions.
n.a. Not available.
The police carry out additional roadside checks. Goods vehicle journeys in the United Kingdom are estimated at 238 million in 1987-88.
The main thrust of Health and Safety Executive inspection and enforcement policy on dangerous goods is to assess compliance during visits to premises.
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Dangerous Goods
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will consider introducing new regulations or amending existing regulations for the transport by road of ammunition, propylene and other potentially explosive substances ;
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(2) whether he intends to amend existing regulations or to introduce new regulations on the transport of dangerous substances by road ;(3) if he will consider amending the regulations that permit the transport of dangerous goods on flat-bed lorries.
Mr. Chope : The relevant existing regulations--the Road Traffic (Carriage of Explosives) Regulations 1989, the Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations and the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages) Regulations --are regularly reviewed by the Health and Safety Commission. They will be updated as necessary.
New regulations to implement EC directive 89/684/EEC on driver training will be put out to consultation early next year. The current regulations already require loads to be stowed safely in a suitable vehicle.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the number of (a) archaeological sites, (b) sites of special scientific interest and (c) areas of outstanding natural beauty which are likely to be (i) lost or (ii) damaged as a consequence of the proposals set out in "Trunk Roads, England into the 1990s" ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : It is not possible to make such an estimate in respect of road schemes which are in the early stages of preparation. I assure the hon. Member that all road schemes are designed to avoid unnecessary adverse impact upon the environment and to maximise the environmental gains which result from new roads.
Minch (Tanker Traffic)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to dissuade tankers from using the Minch, and to prefer routes west of the Minch ; and what advice is being provided by the marine pollution control unit.
Mr. McLoughlin : The deep water route (DWR) to the west of the Hebrides was established by the International Maritime Organisation, at the Government's request, in 1987. The route is clearly marked on charts with a note recommending that, weather permitting, laden tankers of over 10,000 gross registered tonnage should use this route instead of the Minch. It is important that tanker masters retain the freedom to use the more sheltered waters of the Minch in adverse weather conditions.
A survey last year showed that some laden tankers do not use the DWR even when the weather appears to be suitable. The Government are deeply concerned at this and have asked other Governments, through the International Maritime Organisation, to ensure that mariners are aware of the DWR and to encourage them to use it. My Department has written to the owners of tankers seen using the Minch in good weather to ask for their reasons and to urge them to use the DWR. My Department is preparing a notice to mariners to be issued to the masters of all tankers calling at Sullum Voe, urging them to use the DWR.
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The marine pollution control unit is not responsible for issuing this advice, but, of course, it takes every opportunity to remind oil companies of the sensitivity of the Minch.Rail Bridges
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the number of bridges owned by British Rail that presently require structural repairs or underpinning ; and if he will estimate the cost ;
(2) what are his Department's criteria for funding structural repairs to bridges, which carry roads over rail, owned by local authorities ;
(3) what are his Department's criteria for funding structural repairs to bridges which carry rail over road, owned by British Rail.
Mr. Freeman : Most road bridges over railways in England belong to British Rail. Responsibility for them is shared by British Rail and the relevant highway authority. Their respective responsibilities are governed by sections 117 and 118 of the Transport Act 1968 and the Railway Bridges (Load-Bearing Standards) England and Wales Order 1972.
British Rail bridges over roads are solely the responsibility of the board itself.
It is for British Rail and for highway authorities respectively to determine their own spending priorities for structural maintenance and other work. From 1991-92, local authority expenditure on the structural maintenance of all the bridges which carry their roads will be eligible for transport supplementary grant.
The Department does not hold details of all the bridges owned by British Rail or of the work that needs to be done to them.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of traffic accidents causing structural damage to British Rail bridges in July, August and September of the current year ; and what was the cost.
Mr. Chope : The number of reported traffic accidents causing structural damage to British Rail bridges in the current year was as follows :
|Number
------------------------
July |8
August |5
September |8
Information on the cost of these incidents is not available.
Lavatories (Trains)
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received on the danger to public health of British Rail trains having lavatories which flush directly on to the track ; when British Rail first revealed to his Department the 1957 report on this practice ; how many trains have since been provided with containers that can be emptied at depots ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : The railway inspectorate has received a report from a senior employment medical adviser of the Health and Safety Executive that the risk of contracting disease from deposits on the track is slight. This matter is kept under regular review by the railway industry advisory committee of the Health and Safety Commission.
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Retention tanks are, or will be, fitted to new InterCity stock : mark III sleeper stock, mark IV and mark V stock, which are designed to run at high speeds ; to certain Network SouthEast trains, for example, the class 319 which operate through the Thameslink tunnels ; and the channel tunnel stock, which will operate both at speed and through tunnel. It is not practicable retrospectively to fit retention tanks to existing stock.Prestwick Airport
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the loss of power and subsequent loss of air traffic control service at Atlantic house, Prestwick on Friday 2 November ; if he will set up an inquiry into the incident ; what action he is taking to ensure there is no recurrence, and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The power failure at the Scottish and oceanic air traffic control centre, which occurred at 2.37 pm on 2 November, lasted for eight minutes and resulted in radar data on the height and position of aircraft being unavailable to air traffic controllers at the centre for a period of 13 minutes. Ground-to-air VHF communications links were maintained throughout this period and standard procedures for reverting to a manual mode of operation were immediately activated. The transition to the manual mode of operation was achieved by the controllers professionally and without incident. Safety standards were unimpaired, although some flights were delayed.
The Civil Aviation Authority has already set up a full inquiry into the incident, whose purpose is to establish beyond doubt the causes of the failure and to take the necessary remedial action to prevent a recurrence.
Dock Workers
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in relation to the dock labour scheme, he will list (a) the estimated number of registered dockers who were expected to leave the industry by individual port, given as a percentage of the total of registered dockers as well as the actual figure, (b) the estimated contribution from the Government to the redundancy compensation scheme also by individual scheme port, (c) the actual number of registered dockers who have left the industry to date, by individual port, given as a percentage of the total of registered dockers as well as the actual figure and (d) the actual contribution from the Government to the redundancy compensation scheme also by individual scheme port.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Government made no estimate before the compensation scheme was introduced either of the likely number of registered dock workers--RDWs--who would be made redundant or of the Government's contribution to their compensation on a port-by-port basis. The number of former registered dock workers at each scheme port who had been made redundant or had been given notice of redundancy by 9 November 1990, and the Government's contribution towards their compensation, are as follows :
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Ports |Number of |Percentage of|Government
|RDWs made |RDWs in |contribution
|redundant |port |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberdeen |149 |100 |4,921,500
Ardrossan |15 |100 |250,500
Ayr |14 |100 |215,250
Barrow |1 |12 |12,500
Barry |65 |100 |1,131,500
Bristol |419 |87 |4,019,000
Blyth |35 |67 |498,000
Boston |59 |68 |1,015,000
Cardiff |157 |96 |2,784,000
Charleston |1 |100 |12,500
Clyde |110 |87 |1,894,000
Dundee |95 |100 |3,063,500
Falmouth |7 |100 |114,500
Fleetwood |44 |100 |741,000
Forth |151 |65 |2,500,750
Fowey |44 |100 |770,000
Garston |108 |100 |2,170,500
Goole |135 |82 |1,396,500
Grimsby and Immingham |532 |74 |14,283,750
Great Yarmouth |101 |100 |2,937,000
Hull |572 |85 |9,762,000
Ipswich |64 |53 |989,500
Kings Lynn |41 |77 |717,500
Liverpool |610 |52 |13,124,500
London |948 |54 |16,657,800
Lowestoft |40 |100 |340,000
Manchester |162 |100 |3,435,000
Medway |110 |20 |1,905,500
Newport |91 |45 |1,439,500
Par |28 |100 |484,000
Penzance |8 |100 |129,000
Plymouth |17 |74 |297,500
Port Talbot |6 |14 |105,000
Seaham |10 |63 |130,750
Sharpness |9 |23 |157,500
Silloth |1 |33 |5,500
Southampton |458 |67 |7,839,500
Swansea |81 |83 |1,335,000
Sunderland |31 |100 |524,500
Tees and Hartlepool |454 |93 |4,336,125
Tyne |63 |54 |1,019,000
Weymouth |11 |100 |168,500
Wisbech |11 |92 |332,500
Workington |10 |63 |143,000
SOCIAL SECURITY
Care Homes
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the full cost of the recent Price Waterhouse survey of care home costs.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The costs of individual studies are not made public as that could breach commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy with regard to the payment of housing benefits to care home residents.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Sir Geoffrey Finsberg) on 29 October at columns 368-70.
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Child Benefit
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, under the new rules, (a) the first child of any woman, (b) the first child of any man and (c) the first child of a couple who may separately have other children, will be eligible for child benefit.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : It is proposed that the additional payment of £1 announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in his statement on 24 October should go to all families receiving child benefit. It will be paid in respect of a child who, at any given time, is the only, elder or eldest child for whom the family is being paid child benefit. The question whether a child is the first child of a woman, man or couple is not of itself a determining factor. If a couple are getting child benefit for other children in their family, for example, from a previous marriage or marriages it will be the elder or eldest child overall who will qualify for the additional payment.
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