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North West Surrey CommunityWessex RHA
Bath Mental Health Unit
Bournemouth and Christchurch Acute Unit
Poole Acute Unit
East Dorset Community Services
Oxford RHA
Aylesbury Vale Priority Care Services Unit
Horton General Hospital
Kettering Priority Services Unit
Milton Keynes Acute and Maternity Services Unit
Milton Keynes Community and Mental Health Services Unit West Berkshire Mental Health Unit
Wexham Park Hospital
Wycombe Health Services
South Western RHA
Avon Ambulance Service
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Acute and General Services Gloucestershire Ambulance Service
Plymouth Community Unit
West Midlands RHA
Coventry Walsgrave Health Services
East Birmingham Acute
Good Hope Hospital
Herefordshire Community Services Unit
South East Staffordshire Community and Mental Health Unit South Warwickshire Community and Handicap Services Unit
Mersey RHA
Aintree Hospitals Trust (Walton and Fazakerly)
Liverpool Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit
Mersey Regional Centre for Radiotherapy and Oncology
St. Helens and Knowsley Community Unit
Southport and Formby Acute Hospitals Unit
Mersey Regional Centre for Medical and Surgical Neurology Macclesfield Acute Services
Macclesfield Community Services
North Western RHA
Burnley Provider Unit
Oldham Acute and Community Services
Rochdale Acute and Community Services
Wrightington Health Services
These expressions of interest do not commit the hospitals or other units to applying for Trust status.
The following four expressions of interest have been received from colleges of nursing.
Colleges of Nursing
Avon College of Health Studies
South West College of Health Studies
Normanby College of Health Care Studies
Portsmouth Education Services
I shall be considering further how best these colleges can achieve the flexible management arrangements they desire in the future. I believe that the scale of the response to the trust initiative shows the very real enthusiasm of those working in the NHS to take advantage of the benefits of trust status and, over time, I expect to see trust status becoming the natural model for all units providing patient care.
Delighted as I am at the real success of the trust initiative I should emphasise that it forms only a part, albeit a very major part, of our overall programme of reform of the NHS. That programme is making steady progress. When trusts become operational, they will do so as part of a radically changed NHS, in which there is a clear separation between purchasers and providers of care and a system of contracting which will begin to achieve a closer match between resources and needs and will help to drive forward further improvements in quality and value
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for money. The first wave of GP fund holders will be able to exert greater influence over the care their patients receive. Medical audit will be in place across the NHS. These developments, put in place in a relatively short time, taken together, will represent an immense achievement by those working in the NHS and will enable the service as a whole to deliver significant improvements in patient care.Hospital and Ward Closures
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list hospital and ward closures in each district in Herefordshire since 1987.
Mr. Dorrell : The following hospital in Herefordshire was approved for closure :
Year |Hospital/
|Facility
---------------------------------
1989 |Old Priory
Information on ward closures is not held centrally.
Drugs
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the illnesses for sufferers of which drugs are available free of charge ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : People who suffer from one or more of the following medical conditions are entitled to claim exemption from all NHS prescription charges :
A permanent fistula which requires continuous surgical dressing or an appliance.
Epilepsy for which continuous anti-convulsive therapy is essential.
A continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving home without the help of another person.
Diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone Myxodema (hypothyroidism).
Hypoparathyroidism.
Diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism.
Forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison's disease for which specific substitution therapy is essential.
Myasthenia gravis.
In addition, there are extensive general exemption arrangements which are designed to protect those who are likely to have difficulty in paying charges. Anyone who is not exempt, but who needs a lot of prescriptions, is able to limit their outlay by buying a prepayment certificate ("season ticket"). As a result of these arrangements, a charge is paid on less than one in five items dispensed.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated annual cost of the free provision of drugs for patients suffering from life-threatening cancer ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not available.
Hospitals
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements exist for national health service hospitals to provide a casualty service at a lower level of service than a full accident and emergency unit.
Mr. Dorrell : Health authorities determine the level of accident and emergency services they consider necessary to meet the needs of their population and thereafter make suitable arrangements for such provision.
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Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the regulations and guidelines which influence staffing levels and related issues in national health service hospitals.Mr. Dorrell : There are no regulations or standards set centrally on staffing levels in the national health service.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Accountants' Pay
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many accountants in the Treasury received pay increases in excess of 29 per cent. in the pay settlement years 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990, taken individually.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : There are no instances of accountants in the Treasury receiving increases in excess of 29 per cent. in respect of any of the pay settlement years 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990.
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CIVIL SERVICE
House of Commons Disqualification Act
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what arrangements are to be made to provide hon. Members with information about the amendments contained in the resolution tabled on 26 November updating schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act.
Mr. Renton : A detailed explanatory note on the revised resolution tabled on 3 December is available from the Vote Office.
Agency Status
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list in the Official Report all the executive agencies that have been established, their parent Department, the date on which they were established and the numbers of staff employed.
Mr. Renton [holding answer 3 December 1990] : The current list of established executive agencies is as follows, together with their parent Departments, date of establishment and staff employed :
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Agency name |Parent department |Date of |Staff
|establishment |numbers<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building Research Establishment |Environment |2 April 1990 |680
Central Office of Information |-<2> |5 April 1990 |740
Central Veterinary Laboratory |Agriculture |2 April 1990 |560
Civil Service College |Office of the Minister for the Civil Service|6 June 1989 |200
Companies House |Trade and Industry |3 October 1988 |1,100
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |Transport |2 April 1990 |5,300
Driving Standards Agency |Transport |2 April 1990 |2,100
Employment Service |Employment |2 April 1990 |33,800
Historic Royal Palaces |Environment |1 October 1989 |330
Her Majesty's Stationery Office |-<2> |14 December 1988 |3,200
Hydrographic Office<3> |Defence |6 April 1990 |890
Information Technology Services Agency |Social Security |2 April 1990 |2,900
Insolvency Service |Trade and Industry |21 March 1990 |1,400
Intervention Board |-<2> |2 April 1990 |860
Laboratory of the Government Chemist |Trade and Industry |30 October 1989 |320
Land Registry |-<2> |2 July 1990 |10,800
Meteorological Office |Defence |2 April 1990 |2,250
National Engineering Laboratory |Trade and Industry |5 October 1990 |520
National Physical Laboratory |Trade and Industry |3 July 1990 |830
National Weights and Measures Laboratory |Trade and Industry |18 April 1989 |50
Natural Resources Institute |Overseas Development Administration |2 April 1990 |330
Occupational Health Service |Office of the Minister for the Civil Service|2 April 1990 |100
Ordnance Survey |-<2> |1 May 1990 |2,550
Patent Office |Trade and Industry |1 March 1990 |1,150
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre |Environment |6 July 1989 |60
Radiocommunications Agency |Trade and Industry |2 April 1990 |460
Registers of Scotland |-<2> |6 April 1990 |1,000
Resettlement Agency |Social Security |24 May 1989 |530
Royal Mint |Chancellor |2 April 1990 |970
Training and Employment Agency |Northern Ireland |2 April 1990 |1,700
Vehicle Certification Agency |Transport |2 April 1990 |70
Vehicle Inspectorate |Transport |1 August 1988 |1,600
Veterinary Medicines Directorate |Agriculture |2 April 1990 |70
Warren Spring Laboratory |Trade and Industry |20 April 1989 |300
|-------
34 in number |79,720
<1>Figures based on staff in post as at 1 April 1990.
<2>Indicates an Agency which is an independent Government Department.
<3>Defence Support Agency. Figure does not include service personnel.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list in the Official Report all those units of central government that are under consideration for agency
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status, their parent Department, the target date for establishment as an agency and the numbers of staff employed.Column 85
Mr. Renton [holding answer 3 December 1990] : The current list of activities announced as candidates for agency status, together with their parent departments and staff employed is as follows. Target dates for the establishment of these activities are a matter for the responsible Minister.Column 85
Candidate Name |Parent Department |Staff
|number<1>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments) |Welsh Office |220
Central Science Laboratory |Agriculture |400
Central Statistical Office | <2> |1,000
Chessington Computer Centre |Treasury |430
Child Support Agency |Social Security |Not Known
Civil Service Commission (The Recruitment Agency) |Office of the Minister for the Civil Service|340
Defence Research Agency |Defence |11,700
Directorate General of Defence Accounts<3> |Defence |2,100
Farm and Countryside Service |Agriculture |2,550
Fisheries Protection Services |Scottish Office |170
Forensic Science Service |Home Office |580
Fuel Suppliers Branch |Environment |30
Historic Scotland |Scottish Office |570
Military Survey<3> |Defence |850
NHS Estates |Health |130
Passport Office |Home Office |1,200
Planning Inspectorate |Environment |550
Pollution Inspectorate |Environment |210
Property Holdings |Environment |1,600
RAF Training<3> |Defence |2,500
Royal Parks |Environment |570
Service Children's Schools<3> |Defence |1,000
Social Security Benefits Agency |Social Security |68,200
Social Security Contributions Unit |Social Security |6,200
Valuation Office |Inland Revenue |5,700
Youth Treatment Service |Health |220
Ordnance Survey |Northern Ireland |200
Rating Division |Northern Ireland |270
Social Security Operations 29 in number |Northern Ireland |5,000
Customs and Excise<4> | <2> |26,900
Inland Revenue<4> (excluding Valuation Office) | <2> |60,400
|-------
|<5>201,790
<1>Figures based on staff in post as at 1 April 1990.
<2>Indicates an agency candidate which is an independent Government Department.
<3>Defence Support Agency. Figure does not include service personnel.
<4>Moving towards operating fully on next steps lines, as set out in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement of 25 July 1990.
<5>Plus numbers in the Child Support Agency, when known.
Many other areas of government are under consideration, including prisons, and other parts of the Ministry of defence.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Broadcasting Ownership
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is in a position to announce the supplementary ownership rules which he proposes to implement by order under schedule 2 of the Broadcasting Act 1990.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The ownership rules will contain the following provisions :
(a) it will be permissible for one body to hold a controlling interest in two regional Channel 3 licences as long as they are not both large. Of the 15 regional Channel 3 areas, we shall designate the top nine (in terms of NAR share) as large, and the bottom six as small.
(b) in relation to regional Channel 3, national Channel 3 and Channel 5 licences, where a person owns two licences (in the case of regional Channel 3) or one licence (in the case of national Channel 3 or Channel 5) he will be permitted to have a maximum of a 20 per cent. stake in one further such licence, and a maximum stake of 5 per cent. in any further licences.
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(c) where a person has no controlling interest in any licence, he will nevertheless be permitted to have more than a 20 per cent. interest in two regional or one national licence, a maximum of a 20 per cent. interest in one further such licence and a maximum of a 5 per cent. interest in any further licences.(d) national newspaper proprietors will not be permitted to have more than a 20 per cent. interest in any local radio licence. No national or local newspaper proprietor will be permitted to have more than a 20 per cent. interest in a domestic satellite service licence.
(e) no public telecommunications operator will be permitted to have a controlling interest in any Channel 3, Channel 5, national radio or domestic satellite licence.
(f) there will be a points scheme to indicate the maximum ownership permitted of local radio stations. All stations (with their associated channels) will be awarded points on the basis of their audience reach. It will be permissible to own stations which correspond to a maximum of 15 per cent. of the total number of points in the system.
I have placed a more detailed set of proposals in the Library. I hope to place an Order before the House in December.
Deportation
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women have been deported after serving sentences in British prisons for the last five years for which figures are available.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : Figures in the form requested have been held centrally only since September 1986.The figures in the table relate to deportations under section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971, where recommendation for deportation made by a court was part of a custodial sentence, and under section 3(5) (b) of that Act where deportation on conducive grounds was deemed to be appropriate following a custodial sentence.
|Section 3(6)|Section |Total
|3(5)(b)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |38 |3 |41
1988 |52 |9 |61
1989 |69 |6 |75
Prisoners (Suicides)
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) suicides and (b) attempted suicides for (i) prisoners and (ii) those on remand in prison for each year for 1985 to 1989.
Mrs. Rumbold : The number of deaths at their own hand of inmates at Her Majesty's prison service establishments for each year from 1985 to 1989 is shown in the table. A figure is also given for the number of incidents of self-injury in 1989 which were regarded as attempted suicide. Information about the status of inmates who attempted suicide is not readily available. Only partial information is available on the number of suicide attempts in earlier years.
Number of deaths at own hand of inmates at Her Majesty's Prison
Service establishments 1985-1989
Deaths at Own Hand<1>
Year |Unconvicted|Convicted |Total |Attempted
|suicides
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |19(16) |10(7) |29(23) |-
1986 |14(12) |7(5) |21(17) |-
1987 |<2>29(28) |17(14) |46(42) |-
1988 |21(19) |16(12) |37(31) |-
1989 |27(18) |21(16) |48(34) |543
<1> The figures in brackets denote number of deaths for which a verdict
of suicide was returned at the coroner's inquest.
<2> Includes one inmate who was detained under the Immigration Act and
who was not therefore on remand.
Electoral Records
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the legal provisions in addition to the Representation of the People Act 1983 which entitle a person to obtain access to the parliamentary ballot papers and counterfoils and the
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marked electoral registers, returns, declarations and other election documents in the custody of a returning officer or the Clerk of the Crown.Mrs. Rumbold : The only statutory provisions concerning the retention of, access to and disposal of the documents used at a parliamentary election are those laid down in schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Shotguns
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many semi-automatic and pump action shotguns have been certified as shotguns after being modified from section 1 firearms classification under the terms of the Firearms Act 1988, up until the latest available date or as much of such information as is available to him.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the masters of the proof houses that, to date, approximately 47,000 adapted smooth-bore guns have been certified by the proof houses so as to enable the guns to be retained on a shot gun certificate. 30,000 of these were dealt with in Birmingham and the remainder in London.
Open Prisons (Escapes)
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted of drug and drug-related offences have absconded from open prisons in each of the past three years ; how many were recaptured ; and which open prisons were involved.
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