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Hospital Incinerators
20. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are to be taken to eradicate harmful emissions from the chimneys of hospital incinerators in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Hospital incinerators currently in operation in Wales will lose Crown immunity from 1 April 1991, and will be subject to local authority control under the arrangements to be introduced by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Family Farms
21. Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policy for the future of family farms in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I recognise the importance of family farms within the structure of agriculture in Wales and their significance in social terms. I will continue to seek to ensure that these farms, along with others, are able to compete effectively and on equal terms within the single European market.
Brussels Office
22. Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to establish a permanent Welsh office base in Brussels.
Mr. David Hunt : No. The Welsh Office is already in close and sustained contact with the European Commission and with the office of the United Kingdom permanent representation in Brussels, which represents the interest of all Government Departments. The present arrangements work well and are the most cost-effective means of representing Welsh interests in the Community.
Economy
23. Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on prospects for the Welsh economy during 1991.
Mr. David Hunt : The progress of the Welsh economy in 1991 will be affected by world and United Kingdom conditions, which may lead to a fall in output and a rise in unemployment during the early part of the year. But this will be accompanied by a sharp fall in inflation and the successes of recent years mean that Wales is far better placed to cope with temporary difficulties and resume the growth path later in the year.
Local Government
24. Mr. Raffan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake a review of the structure of local government in Wales.
Computers (Security)
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to ensure the security of (a) his Department's computers in- house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by civil servants outside his Department's offices.
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Mr. David Hunt : It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and would therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures. These measures are kept under review.
Historic Monuments
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will update the figures in his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 9 February 1990, Official Report, columns 809-10, concerning CADW, providing the outturn for 1989-90 and the latest estimates for 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is in the table :
£'000
|1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92
|outturn |estimate |estimate<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic buildings grants |2,779 |3,138 |3,027
Ancient monuments grants:
Grants to owners |169 |250 |275
Grants to archaeological
trusts |633 |715 |730
Royal Commission on
Ancient and Historical
Monuments (Wales) |810 |830 |900
Civic Trust for Wales |25 |25 |25
<1>The provision for 1991-92 is subject to Treasury and Parliamentary
approval.
Polytechnic of Wales
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce any changes in the structure of the Polytechnic of Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We expect to announce our decision on the recommendations of the Price Waterhouse report concerning the future status of the Polytechnic of Wales in the near future.
Community Charge Registers
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the estimated cost for each change in poll tax registers ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) how many changes there have been to poll tax registers in Wales as a result of population movement ;
(3) if he will list in order the number of districts and boroughs in which there have been changes in poll tax registers ;
(4) how much it costs to keep poll tax registers up to date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The table shows the entries recorded by each authority in respect of the community charge register as at 1 December 1989 and as at 15 November 1990. These show the overall changes to the register rather than the number of changes there have been to community charge registers in Wales as a result of population movement.
The estimated cost for each change and the costs of updating the community charge register are not held centrally.
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Total entries on the community charge register<1>
|As at |As at
|December |15 November
Local authority |1989 |1990
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside |56,482 |56,615
Colwyn |45,525 |44,516
Delyn |51,758 |51,845
Glyndwr |33,728 |33,472
Rhuddlan |45,200 |45,266
Wrexham Maelor |92,437 |90,111
Carmarthen |45,015 |44,097
Ceredigion |53,190 |55,941
Dinefwr |30,399 |30,644
Llanelli |58,552 |59,585
Preseli Pembrokeshire |54,152 |54,111
South Pembroke |33,329 |33,420
Blaenau Gwent |60,113 |59,560
Islwyn |50,668 |51,348
Monmouth |60,217 |60,180
Newport |103,309 |103,609
Torfaen |69,720 |69,162
Aberconwy |42,778 |42,806
Arfon |45,529 |44,972
Dwyfor |24,319 |23,868
Meirionnydd |29,649 |29,168
Ynys Mon |52,699 |53,965
Cynon Valley |50,690 |51,095
Merthyr Tydfil |45,111 |45,902
Ogwr |104,800 |104,226
Rhondda |61,460 |61,095
Rhymney Valley |78,780 |78,346
Taff Ely |73,805 |74,608
Brecknock |33,025 |32,515
Montgomeryshire |41,867 |42,282
Radnor |18,501 |18,974
Cardiff |223,133 |222,050
Vale of Glamorgan |84,975 |85,847
Port Talbot |40,384 |39,756
Lliw Valley |47,818 |48,286
Neath |51,248 |51,239
Swansea |142,003 |142,917
|------- |-------
Total Wales |2,236,368 |2,237,399
<1>Includes personal community chargepayers, students, persons
subject to the collective community charge and standard community
charge properties.
National Museum of Wales
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1990 reported by the National Museum of Wales, including its outstations, with the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1989.
Sir Wyn Roberts : A total of 672,064 people visited the National Museum of Wales during 1990, an increase of 39 per cent. on the attendance reported for 1989.
Education and Training
Mr. Denzilk Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the latest available year how many 16 to 18-year-olds in Wales participated in full-time education and training.
Sir Wyn Roberts : There were 68,885 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education and training in the 1989-90 academic year.
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Mathematics
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the latest available year what percentage of all school children taking GCSE in Wales sat the examination in mathematics ; and what percentage of those sitting the examination in mathematics obtained grades of C and above.
Sir Wyn Roberts : In the summer examinations of 1990, a total of 81 per cent. of Welsh Joint Education Committee GCSE candidates sat an examination in mathematics at centres in schools. Of these, 38.4 per cent. achieved grades A to C.
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the latest available year, what percentage of pupils taking the A-level examinations in Wales took the examination in mathematics.
Sir Wyn Roberts : In the summer examinations of 1990, a total of 26.2 per cent. of candidates sitting Welsh Joint Education Committee A- level examinations at centres in schools sat an examination in mathematics.
National Health Service
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all documents of advice or guidance, all consultative documents, all circulars and all other publications produced by his Department since 1 April 1990 in respect of (a) the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act, (b) the implementation of other aspects of Government policy towards the national health service and (c) any other matters relating to the health service in Wales ; and if he will also list any such documents produced jointly with other Departments and any such documents which have been produced by other Government Departments, but which have any application to Wales, during the same period.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the comprehensive list of working papers and associated material pursuant to the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, which is updated quarterly and placed in the Vote Office and Libraries. The further information could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Welshpool Bypass
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the Welshpool bypass to be (a) started and (b) completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Start of work on the Welshpool scheme has been delayed by statutory procedures. Information on the timing of this scheme will be included in the Welsh Office departmental report and the supplement to "Roads in Wales" to be published shortly.
Newtown Bypass
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals for the construction of a Newtown bypass ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We have carried out a study of traffic in the Newtown area and the information obtained will be carefully considered to assess the need for a bypass.
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Countess of Chester Hospital
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of patients from north Wales who used the Countess of Chester hospital annually for (a) surgery and (b) physiotherapy.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : A total of 5,834 episodes of in-patient and day case care were received by residents from Clwyd and Gwynedd in the Countess of Chester hospital in 1989-90. Information on whether or not these episodes involved surgery is not held centrally. Information on the number attending that hospital for physiotherapy is not available.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what body will be responsible for the purchase of health services for the people of Pembrokeshire if the Pembrokeshire district health authority is turned into a national health service trust.
Mr. David Hunt : This will be for consideration if Pembrokeshire health authority decides to submit an application to form a Pembrokeshire health service trust.
Travel Concessions
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he will establish a scheme in Wales of assistance for retirement pensioners to travel free on road and rail transport at off-peak hours ;
(2) whether he will establish a scheme in Wales of assistance for retirement pensioners to travel at concessionary rates of 75 per cent. or 66 per cent. on road and rail transport in off-peak hours.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : We have no plans to change the present arrangements. Local authorities already have adequate powers to provide travel concessions in their areas and most local authorities in Wales operate concessionary fares schemes for travel on local public transport. Both British Rail and the main long-distance coach operators have their own travel concession arrangements.
Leukaemia Patients
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make extra financial provision available to consultants at the bone marrow transplant unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, to fund the prescription of the drug Alpha Interferon to leukaemia patients.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : South Glamorgan health authority is already appropriately funded for the cost of drugs for the approved regional bone marrow transplant programme.
Jobs
Sir Anthony Meyer : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had during the past two months with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency about the provision of new jobs for the safeguarding of existing jobs in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I have regular discussions with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency about a range of matters concerning the development of the Welsh economy.
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HEALTH
Abortions
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures he has received for abortions as a percentage of all conceptions (a) in England and Wales, (b) for each Thames regional health authority and (c) for each London district health authority.
Mr. Dorrell : The latest available information, for 1988, is shown in the table. The figures show the proportion of conceptions terminated by abortion under the 1967 Abortion Act ; those which led to an illegal or a spontaneous abortion are excluded. Figures for district health authorities are not available centrally.
Percentage of conceptions terminated by abortion under the 1967
Abortion Act
Area of usual residence of |Number
women
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England and Wales |19.7
Regional Health Authorities
North West Thames |25.8
North East Thames |27.5
South East Thames |24.4
South West Thames |23.0
Health Expenditure
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide (a) the total gross allocation to England for health expenditure in the year 1991-92, (b) a breakdown of the revenue and capital allocation components of the total gross allocation and (c) a breakdown of the total gross allocation, and the revenue and capital allocation components of it, for each of the English regional health authorities.
Mr. Dorrell : The information is not yet available in the form requested. The table sets out the main revenue and capital allocations to regional health authorities for 1991-92.
£ millions
Region |Revenue |Capital |Total
|allocation|allocation|allocation
--------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |985.3 |76.5 |1,061.8
Yorkshire |1,121.0 |89.1 |1,210.1
Trent |1,406.5 |112.3 |1,518.8
East Anglian |595.7 |49.1 |644.9
North West Thames |1,097.2 |75.7 |1,172.9
North East Thames |1,295.5 |86.2 |1,381.7
South East Thames |1,221.2 |89.0 |1,310.2
South West Thames |946.8 |69.4 |1,016.2
Wessex |872.1 |73.9 |946.0
Oxford |675.4 |55.0 |730.4
South Western |1,000.0 |81.6 |1,081.6
West Midlands |1,566.8 |131.4 |1,698.2
Mersey |775.2 |60.0 |835.2
North Western |1,295.0 |104.1 |1,399.1
All RHAs |14,853.7 |1,153.5 |16,007.2
Notes:
1. Totals may not add due to rounding.
2. The table shows allocations for resident populations and
excludes allocations for special purposes, some which will be
made later.
3. An adjustment will be made to regions' capital allocation
in respect of the NHS trust programme.
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Breast Cancer
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average waiting period for women being screened for breast cancer and the average period of time for the results to be made known in (a) Sunderland, (b) Durham and (c) Hartlepool.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of the health authorities concerned.
Computers (Security)
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure the security of (a) his Department's computers in- house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by his civil servants outside his Department's offices.
Mr. Dorrell : It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures. These measures are kept under review.
National Health Service Laundries
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the Audit Commission to carry out a study of the true costs of laundry services provided by national health service laundries.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We will bear the suggestion in mind in discussions with the Audit Commission on its future programme.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings his Department would make were no notice given of oral questions to Ministers and they were answered without civil service time being used on briefings.
Mr. Dorrell : No savings would be made and costs would almost certainly increase significantly. If the oral question is known in advance briefing can be tightly focused, thus avoiding the cost of producing a detailed brief, covering all subjects that could possibly arise.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of time taken and the average cost involved of officials' time in his Department preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions.
Mr. Dorrell : the time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in the Department of Health. Estimates are made where there is a likelihood of exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold (currently £250). Following an inter- departmental exercise in 1972, an assessment was made of the average cost throughout all Departments of answering an oral question. This assessment was based on staff time, using average rates of pay and associated costs for the grades concerned, together with a share of the costs of parliamentary sections and any substantial non-staff costs. This figure is regularly updated and currently stands at £99.
Column 75
Ambulance Services
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for any variation in the designation or standards relating to Orcon levels of response for ambulance services.
Mr. Dorrell : Response times have always been recommended rather than mandatory and will remain so. The management executive recently issued a guide to good practice in the ambulance service which included a re- classification of services which are now termed urban or rural dependent upon population density. New emergency response standards for urban services have been slightly relaxed in recognition of increased traffic density ; standards for rural services have been slightly tightened because of improved road networks. Non-emergency transport standards are now for local discretion based on the requirements of clinicians and unit managers. The guide to good practice is available in the Library.
Environmental Health Officers
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many environmental health officers are currently in post ; what is his estimate of the cost ; how many additional environmental health officers he estimates will be required to implement the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1991 ; and what is the estimated additional cost ;
(2) how environmental health officers were consulted before the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations were drafted ; and what responses were received ;
(3) how the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations will be enforced ; and what is his estimate of the cost to central and local government.
Mr. Dorrell : Information on numbers of environmental health officers in post is not collected centrally. It is for local authorities to consider how best to deploy their resources to enforce food safety requirements. In doing so they will take into account priority areas of concern. No funds have been made available centrally specifically for the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990. The Government have made available to local authorities £30 million for extra enforcement responsibilities placed on them under the Food Safety Act 1990 dealing with improvements in food safety generally.
A draft of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 was issued for consultation in July 1989 to a wide range of organisations including local authorities. Many comments were received on various aspects of the regulations, including their enforcement. The regulations were made in July 1990.
Guidelines on how the regulations affect industry and on how they will be enforced have also been widely consulted upon and will be issued in final form very shortly.
Smoked Meat and Fish
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the definitive draft of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations will be available ; and when guidelines for the smoked meat and fish industry will be issued.
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Mr. Dorrell : The regulations were made on 16 July 1990 and laid before Parliament on 18 July 1990. They come into force in stages from 1 April 1991. Copies are available in the Library.
A consultation exercise on guidelines describing the implications of the regulations for all sectors of industry and for enforcement officers has just been completed. Final guidelines will be issued very shortly.
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to smoked salmon in the past three years ; and in how many cases had the smoked salmon been delivered by post ;
(2) how far negotiations concerning the implementation of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations have progressed with the smoked meat and fish industry ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to smoked meat and fish delivered by post in the last five years ;
(4) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to smoked meat and fish in the last three years.
Mr. Dorrell : Most cases of food poisoning are sporadic and it is not usually possible to identify a vehicle of infection for a specific case. Routine statistics on sporadic cases are therefore unhelpful in identifying particular foods as vehicles of infection--whether they have been in the post or not.
The Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 introduce temperature controls for foods which should be kept chilled because they may contain pathogenic micro-organisms which, if not controlled by chilling, can grow rapidly and become a threat to health. Research is taking place to see how the mail order trade, including smoked fish, can best adapt to the new regulations and we expect to be in a position to consider results with colleagues in MAFF, Scottish Office and the Welsh Office shortly.
Population Statistics
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Mr. Dorrell : The latest estimate of resident population in the United Kingdom (relating to mid 1989) is 57.2 millions.
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the projections, by percentage, of the population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the years (i) 2000, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2020 for those (a) aged 101 or over, (b) aged between 91 and 100 years, (c) aged between 81 and 90 years, (d) aged between 71 and 80 years and (e) aged between 61 and 70 years.
Mr. Dorrell : The available information based on the 1989-based projections of resident population produced by the Government Actuary's Department is as follows :
Age last Percentage of projected United Kingdom
birthday |population in the year
|2000 |2010 |2020
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
61 to 70 |9.0 |10.5 |10.8
71 to 80 |7.0 |6.6 |7.9
81 to 89 |2.8 |3.2 |3.2
90 and over |0.6 |0.7 |0.8
Population figures for the United Kingdom cannot be reliably projected by single years of age beyond the age of 90.
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the total population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is (a) aged 101 years and over, (b) aged between 91 and 100 years, (c) aged between 81 and 90 years, (d) aged between 71 and 80 years and (e) aged between 61 and 70 years.
Mr. Dorrell : The information available, based upon mid 1989 estimates of resident population, is as follows :
----------------- 61 to 70 |9.9 71 to 80 |6.7 81 to 89 |2.7 90+ |0.4
Population figures by single year of age cannot be estimated reliably above the age of 90.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the district health authorities in England which have expressed an interest in opting out to become a national health service trust on an all- authority basis and indicate which of these he is allowing to proceed into the process of public consultation.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has agreed that 123 hospitals and other units can proceed to work up applications to become trusts on 1 April 1992. These expressions of interest will only proceed to public consultation if a formal application for trust status is submitted. Of these expressions of interest, 12 provide all the services currently managed within their respective health authorities. They are ; Darlington health services.
North Tees acute and community services.
North West Durham hospital and community services.
Airedale Health Services.
Harrogate Health Services.
Northallerton Health Services.
Scarborough Health Services.
East Hertfordshire Acute, Priority and Community Services. Hastings Provider Services.
Wycombe Health Services.
Oldham Acute and Community Services.
Rochdale Acute and Community Services.
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