| Previous Section | Home Page |
Stratford School
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he was given by the governors of Stratford school, Forest Gate, London E7 on the application for grant-maintained status.
Mr. Eggar : A majority of the governing body of Stratford school was opposed to grant-maintained status, and advised rejection of the application.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the implications are for Newham council educational reorganisation and case for a secondary school in docklands of the decision to allow grant-maintained status to Stratford school, Forest Gate, London E7.
Mr. Eggar : The first phase of Newham education authority's reorganisation was approved by the then Secretary of State in April 1990, some six months before any decision was made about Stratford school. The possible long-term need for a secondary school in the docklands development area was not a factor in the decision to give grant-maintained status to Stratford school. My right hon. and learned Friend will consider any proposal for a new school in docklands on its merits.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many hon. Members contacted him expressing support for the granting of grant-maintained status for Stratford school, Forest Gate, London E7.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the number of pupils at Stratford school, Forest Gate, London E7 (a) before grant-maintained status was given and (b) at present ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Stratford school had 765 pupils in January 1990. I understand that there were 393 pupils on roll in January 1991. In March 1990 the school published proposals for the acquisition of grant-maintained status. These were approved in October 1990. The school will transfer to grant-maintained status on 1 April 1991.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will place in the Library copies of advice and memoranda from Her Majesty's inspectors of schools regarding the application for grant-maintained status in respect of Stratford school, Forest Gate, London E7 ;
Column 233
(2) pursuant to his answer of 8 February, Official Report, column 257, if the advice from Her Majesty's inspector of schools was in favour of granting grant-maintained status to Stratford school, Forest Gate, London E7 ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Eggar : Advice provided by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools is confidential to Ministers.
Education Resources
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to ensure that more resources are delegated to schools ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 234
Mr. Fallon [pursuant to his reply, 11 December 1990, c. 324-29] : We have now received the budget statement prepared by Waltham Forest local education authority under section 42 of the Education Reform Act. The two tables update the figures published in my original reply to include data from Waltham Forest and revised information from Barking and Dagenham local education authority.
Column 233
1990-91 budgets: percentage of potential schools budget delegated to schools
Local education authority<3> |Percentage of |Discretionary<2> |Central
|PSB<1> delegated to |exceptions as |administration as
|schools |percentage of PSB |percentage of PSB
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Bolton |89.10 |10.90 |2.02
2. Berkshire |87.68 |12.32 |2.71
3. West Sussex |87.49 |12.51 |1.95
4. Sefton |87.44 |12.56 |4.45
5. Barking |87.01 |12.99 |3.34
6. Sunderland |86.86 |13.14 |3.10
7. Gloucestershire |86.78 |13.22 |3.65
8. Northumberland |86.54 |13.46 |3.10
9. Rotherham |86.13 |13.87 |3.74
10. Leeds |86.12 |13.88 |3.87
11. Bradford |86.04 |13.96 |3.87
12. Hampshire |85.78 |14.22 |3.34
13. Rochdale |85.74 |14.26 |2.55
14. Walsall |85.72 |14.28 |3.37
15. Suffolk |85.66 |14.34 |2.75
16. Surrey |85.57 |14.43 |6.17
17. Doncaster |85.45 |14.55 |2.29
18. Solihull |85.31 |14.69 |2.49
19. Warwickshire |85.24 |14.76 |3.90
20. Lincolnshire |85.13 |14.87 |2.68
21. Liverpool |84.91 |15.09 |4.07
22. Buckinghamshire |84.88 |15.12 |4.58
23. Kent |84.87 |15.13 |3.79
24. Northamptonshire |84.74 |15.26 |3.69
25. Staffordshire |84.61 |15.39 |4.51
26. Shropshire |84.60 |15.40 |2.48
27. Tameside |84.40 |15.60 |2.47
28. Trafford |84.38 |15.62 |3.49
29. Salford |84.37 |15.63 |3.19
30. Barnet |84.36 |15.64 |5.07
31. Cheshire |84.31 |15.69 |5.15
32. East Sussex |84.09 |15.91 |2.42
33. Essex |84.03 |15.97 |4.11
34. Bedfordshire |84.02 |15.98 |3.91
35. Dudley |83.98 |16.02 |3.62
36. Havering |83.87 |16.13 |2.28
37. South Tyneside |83.76 |16.24 |4.20
38. Brent |83.63 |16.37 |4.82
39. Cleveland |83.63 |16.37 |5.56
40. Norfolk |83.62 |16.38 |4.05
41. Cornwall |83.57 |16.43 |3.72
42. Sutton |83.44 |16.56 |4.05
43. Barnsley |83.38 |16.62 |2.86
44. Kirklees |83.38 |16.62 |3.98
45. Derbyshire |83.37 |16.63 |2.96
46. Gateshead |83.29 |16.71 |3.01
47. Wigan |83.28 |16.72 |3.70
48. St. Helens |83.27 |16.73 |3.69
49. Sandwell |83.24 |16.76 |3.75
50. Durham |83.13 |16.87 |4.35
51. Devon |83.11 |16.89 |3.06
52. Birmingham |83.04 |16.96 |4.36
53. Somerset |82.91 |17.09 |3.58
54. Wakefield |82.87 |17.13 |2.98
55. Nottinghamshire |82.72 |17.28 |5.24
56. Redbridge |82.71 |17.29 |4.91
57. Lancashire |82.66 |17.34 |3.65
58. North Yorkshire |82.62 |17.38 |4.15
59. Sheffield |82.61 |17.39 |3.49
60. Cumbria |82.53 |17.47 |4.04
61. Isle of Wight |82.48 |17.52 |4.68
62. Wiltshire |82.35 |17.65 |3.92
63. North Tyneside |82.30 |17.70 |5.03
64. Avon |82.30 |17.70 |3.40
65. Bury |81.92 |18.08 |4.70
66. Knowsley |81.91 |18.09 |5.07
67. Calderdale |81.86 |18.14 |4.84
68. Dorset |81.85 |18.15 |4.71
69. Wolverhampton |81.77 |18.23 |5.26
70. Humberside |81.71 |18.29 |3.57
71. Ealing |81.66 |18.34 |6.33
72. Oldham |81.64 |18.36 |4.98
73. Hounslow |81.59 |18.41 |5.19
74. Harrow |81.52 |18.48 |5.76
75. Enfield |81.50 |18.50 |5.56
76. Oxfordshire |81.37 |18.63 |5.46
77. Bexley |81.33 |18.67 |4.61
78. Coventry |80.93 |19.07 |6.00
79. Cambridgeshire |80.75 |19.25 |4.82
80. Bromley |80.70 |19.30 |4.49
81. Richmond |79.98 |20.02 |6.91
82. Merton |79.79 |20.21 |7.86
83. Newcastle |79.75 |20.25 |6.12
84. Waltham Forest |79.65 |20.35 |7.02
85. Haringey |79.36 |20.64 |6.04
86. Kingston |78.46 |21.54 |7.09
87. Westminster |77.97 |22.03 |8.20
Average |83.76 |16.24 |5.26
<1> PSB=General Schools Budget minus mandatory exceptions, school meals, home to school transport and transitional exceptions.
<2> Column 2 is the percentage of the PSB not delegated to schools, for example 100 per cent. minus the percentage in Column 1.
<3> All 87 LEAs which introduced LMS in April 1990 were required to publish budget statements for 1990-91 under Section 42 of ERA.
1990-91 budgets: Percentage of the aggregated schools budget<1> allocated on the basis of pupil numbers and ages LEA<2> |Percentage ------------------------------------------- 1. Redbridge |89.30 2. Lincolnshire |87.25 3. South Tyneside |86.93 4. Barking |86.73 5. Bolton |85.73 6. Dudley |85.72 7. Tameside |85.57 8. North Yorkshire |85.51 9. Northumberland |85.49 10. Bromley |84.99 11. Oldham |84.77 12. Bexley |84.40 13. Gateshead |84.36 14. Wigan |84.35 15. Westminster |84.20 16. Staffordshire |84.00 17. Harrow |83.83 18. Kent |83.72 19. Coventry |83.52 20. Sefton |83.33 21. Trafford |83.28 22. Gloucestershire |83.22 23. Barnsley |82.80 24. Devon |82.64 25. Suffolk |82.57 26. Cambridgeshire |82.34 27. Avon |82.30 28. Solihull |82.29 29. Northamptonshire |82.19 30. Calderdale |82.17 31. West Sussex |82.13 32. Waltham Forest |81.99 33. Humberside |81.97 34. Rotherham |81.79 35. Salford |81.69 36. Isle of Wight |81.62 37. Bury |81.45 38. Cleveland |81.43 39. Hounslow |81.42 40. Wiltshire |81.00 41. Cornwall |80.93 42. Sunderland |80.69 43. Newcastle |80.66 44. Ealing |80.62 45. Durham |80.40 46. Sutton |80.29 47. Somerset |79.99 48. Warwickshire |79.89 49. Buckinghamshire |79.73 50. Berkshire |79.68 51. Enfield |79.21 52. Dorset |79.03 53. Leeds |78.90 54. Birmingham |78.63 55. Bradford |78.51 56. Merton |78.36 57. Haringey |78.25 58. Walsall |78.19 59. Kirklees |78.17 60. North Tyneside |78.00 61. Shropshire |77.91 62. Brent |77.81 63. Cheshire |77.78 64. East Sussex |77.41 65. Richmond |77.26 66. Sheffield |77.19 67. Essex |77.05 68. Bedfordshire |77.00 69. Kingston |76.84 70. Hampshire |76.63 71. Derbyshire |76.04 72. Norfolk |75.99 73. Cumbria |75.62 74. Oxfordshire |75.61 75. Doncaster |75.38 76. Havering |75.36 77. Wakefield |75.29 78. Barnet |75.19 79. Liverpool |75.00 80. Rochdale |75.00 81. St. Helens |75.00 82. Knowsley |75.00 83. Wolverhampton |75.00 84. Sandwell |74.94 85. Surrey |74.91 <1> ASB=Aggregated Schools Budget: the amount planned to be allocated through the LMS formula. <2> The budget statements produced by Lancashire and Nottinghamshire LEAs did not contain the relevant information.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
The Gulf
Mr. Madden : To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his remarks in the House on 14 February, Official Report, column 1002, who, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, has made representations to the broadcasting authorities concerning coverage of the Gulf war ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : No formal representations have been made.
HEALTH
Funding, Leeds
Dr. Hampson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much expenditure has been allocated to Leeds from regional and central funding in each year since 1979.
Mr. Dorrell : The information derivable from annual accounts submitted to the Department is shown in the table.
Leeds health authorities-total expenditure on
hospital and
community health services (HCHS)\#\
Year |Revenue |Capital
|expenditure|expenditure
|£000 (Cash)
------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |86,377 |7,735
1980-81 |111,821 |11,339
1981-82 |123,904 |14,297
1982-83 |131,728 |13,862
1983-84 |141,456 |13,135
1984-85 |150,450 |9,694
1985-86 |160,481 |9,919
1986-87 |172,071 |7,903
1987-88 |191,063 |8,618
1988-89 |213,367 |12,305
1989-90 |232,187 |13,761
Source:
Annual accounts of the Leeds Western and
Eastern health authorities (Leeds area health
authority for the years prior to 1982-83) and
those of the Yorkshire regional health
authority.
Notes:
1. HCHS covers all services directly managed by
the health authorities concerned including
hospital, community health and
other services. Expenditure on family
practitioner services (now family health
services) is not strictly attributable to
districts and is excluded. However, the figures
for the years prior to 1985-86 include small
elements relating to the administrative
expenses of the former Leeds family
practitioner committee which were included in
relevant annual accounts but are not separately
identifiable.
2. The figures for capital expenditure include
amounts in respect of schemes within Leeds
districts but recorded in the annual accounts
of the Yorkshire regional health authority. All
other expenditure incurred by the latter
authority for the Leeds area or the Yorkshire
region as a whole is excluded. Expenditure met
on a national basis by other NHS organisations
or by the Department is similarly excluded.
3. Figures for capital expenditure at regional
and sub-regional levels tend to fluctuate year
on year mainly reflecting changes in the
pattern of capital investment throughout the
country.
Myodil
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on the Government's response to the side effects of the drug Myodil.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 13 December 1990 at columns 466-69.
Breast and Cervical Cancer
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time for results from cervical smear tests by region and district ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not available in the form requested. Health authorities are asked to ensure that laboratories return results of smear tests to the smear-taker within one month. A survey of laboratory backlogs and workload carried out in the second half of 1990 indicated that around two thirds of laboratories were meeting that target in July 1990. In those areas where backlogs existed the average processing time was 7.5 weeks.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cervical smear tests have been carried out on women for each year since 1980 (a) per region and (b) per district ; and if he will state by (i) district and (ii) region how many are still to be dealt with.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information on the number of cervical smear tests carried out on women for each year from 1980 to 1989 is given in the table by region. The 1988-89 figure is for 193 out of the 200 laboratories which submitted a return in that year. The information is collected from laboratories. It is not possible or relevant to produce it by district. Smears taken from women in a particular region are sometimes analysed by laboratories in other regions.
Information on the number of smears outstanding was collected for the 1988- 89 year, but the quality and completeness of the data were such that no useful figures can be produced.
Improvements are being set in hand to improve the quality of this new data collection system.
Column 239
Cervical Cytology
Smears examined by Regional Health Authority
Thousands England
Regional Health Authority |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987-88 |1988-89
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |152 |158 |154 |172 |186 |226 |224 |270 |300
Yorkshire |199 |211 |204 |224 |242 |271 |266 |299 |305
Trent |275 |288 |281 |297 |320 |359 |343 |393 |403
East Anglia |101 |104 |104 |121 |130 |145 |144 |159 |185
North West Thames |263 |261 |244 |260 |264 |302 |297 |317 |375
North East Thames |221 |230 |254 |275 |277 |316 |308 |325 |326
South East Thames |223 |225 |218 |233 |246 |282 |284 |317 |326
South West Thames |187 |193 |182 |195 |208 |231 |229 |248 |267
Wessex |155 |160 |160 |170 |182 |208 |211 |233 |233
Oxford |137 |137 |133 |151 |164 |195 |195 |222 |238
South Western |154 |161 |157 |173 |102 |214 |219 |247 |247
West Midlands |291 |292 |289 |310 |342 |395 |403 |465 |507
Mersey |90 |93 |91 |104 |118 |138 |154 |203 |212
North Western |333 |328 |322 |347 |370 |399 |416 |389 |392
Special Health Authority |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |11
England |2,789 |2,850 |2,809 |3,046 |3,245 |3,696 |3,709 |4,099 |4,326
Notes:
These figures relate to smears analysed by laboratories in each region.
Smears taken from women in one region are in some cases analysed in laboratories in other regions.
Figures for 1988-89 are for those 193 laboratories which submitted a return.
Sir David Price : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the national screening programme for breast and cervical cancer towards achieving its objectives ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This is the first country in the EC to have a nationwide call and recall scheme for both breast and cervical cancer screening.
Breast Screening Programme
Between 1987 and 1990 £55 million was allocated in England to set up and run the nationwide breast screening programme. Women aged between 50 and 64 will be invited every three years for mammographic screening. Specialised screening centres are now operating over most of the country and all eligible women throughout England should have been invited for screening by 1993. Figures for those centres operational for the whole of 1988-89 indicate that around 70 per cent. of women receiving invitations are accepting them. A report issued in January 1991 by the Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer Screening supported the current programme and concluded that it could reduce mortality in the eligible age group by around a quarter by the year 2000. Cervical Screening Programme
Computerised call and recall systems were implemented in all district health authorities by April 1988. Women aged between 20 and 64 should have been invited for screening by 1993 and will be recalled at least every five years. Health authorities must ensure that all abnormal smears are followed up and facilities for investigation and treatment are available. In the first six months since the introduction of the GP's contract 54 per cent. of GPs received payment for 80 per cent. coverage of women screened and 35 per cent. for 50 per cent. coverage. The NHS has set up the national co-ordinating network for the cervical screening programme which supports managers and others responsible at local level. £95,000 has been awarded to the network for each financial year 1990-91 and 1992-93. Abortion Mrs. Ann Winterton:To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to bring forward the necessary measures to implement the conscience clause of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:I announced on 14 February that a commencement order will be laid which will enable the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to assume its full powers on 1 August 1991. The commencement order will bring section 38 (conscientious objection) of the Act into force at the same time.
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement giving details of the proposed timetable for the implementation of the different sections of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A commencement order and regulations relating to the termination of pregnancy (section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act) will be laid shortly. A commencement order and regulations necessary to enable the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to function fully from 1 August 1991 will be brought forward later this year. The implementation of secton 30 of the Act (to facilitate parental orders where a surrogate mother is involved) depends on certain sections of the Children Act 1989 which are expected to come into force in the autumn of this year.
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he will respond to the 10th report of Session 1989-90 of the Social Services Committee on the working of the conscience clause of the Abortion Act--House of Commons Paper No. 123 ;
Column 241
(2) what action he has taken to ensure that candidates for medical school are no longer asked their views on abortion.Column 242
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : We are carefully considering the Committee's report and will be publishing our response shortly.
Column 243
Food Hygiene
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he proposes making any changes to the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 which introduce new temperature controls from 1 April.
Mr. Dorrell : New controls on the temperature of foods during production, storage, distribution and service to the consumer were announced on 18 July 1990 and regulations specifying relevant foods and control temperatures come into force in stages from 1 April. The requirements are introduced to help minimise the opportunity for growth of pathogenic micro-organisms such as listeria and salmonella. For many food businesses the regulations represent the first statutory requirement to maintain temperature control. The controls are additional to the general provisions contained in the Food Safety Act on the safety of food for the consumer.
I am concerned that requirements are not introduced which unnecessarily alter working practices where there is no overriding food safety reason for doing so. I am also concerned that the regulations should be practical to implement.
Together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods and the Welsh Office I have considered representations made on the way in which the regulations apply to certain foods. I believe that in certain areas it is reasonable for changes to be made to the regulations which would not present a public health risk. Officials will therefore be consulting interested parties on further changes to the regulations and a copy of the consultation document will be placed in the Library. When the consultation is complete, further amending regulations will be laid before Parliament.
The main changes proposed are :
to allow a two hour period immediately after baking before certain baked products need to begin to be chilled. Any micro-organisms present after baking would take at least two hours before starting to multiply to levels which could give rise to health concerns. I am satisfied that this relaxation would make a significant difference to the investment required by industry and is consistent with the food safety objectives of the temperature control regulations ; to allow certain uncut baked egg pastry products, such as custard tarts and Yorkshire curd tarts, to remain outside temperature controls if to be sold on the day of their production. I am satisfied that this exemption would allow craft bakers to continue their traditional practice whilst still safeguarding public health ; to allow an exemption of four hours outside temperature controls for foods displayed on premises such as railway buffet cars, mobile catering facilities, or marquees provided that no more food than necessary is displayed. This exemption extends to these facilities the exemption already available to catering premises ;
to extend the deadline for compliance with the temperature controls, which operate from 1 April 1991, to 1 April 1992 for some airline catering where compliance can only be achieved by refrigeration of highly specialised delivery vehicles ;
to exempt foods delivered by mail order through the post or by courier to allow industry more time to develop practical means of achieving necessary controls. Research studies have been commissioned by Government to identify ways of maintaining product stability in this area and further discussion with industry on practical solutions will be needed. This exemption will be kept under review and we shall be examining urgently ways of providing consumers with information on these products.
Other detailed points are contained in the consultation document. Comments on these changes are being sought from consumer interests, industry, and enforcement
Column 244
agencies. I understand that my colleagues at the Scottish Office will also now be conducting a consultation on parallel draft Scottish regulations.The temperature controls are an important new measure in seeking to improve food safety and I shall continue to keep their operation and effectiveness under review to ensure they achieve the intended objectives while being practical. I am conscious that there will be an important period of education and learning for all concerned in the early stages of the new controls. Enforcement agencies will clearly want to bear in mind the proposed changes when considering advice and action to enforce the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990.
Blood Products
Mr. Gale : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps are being taken to ensure that products of the blood products laboratory meet the conditions laid down under the Medicines Act and enforced by the Medicines Control Agency ;
(2) what proposals his Department has to import unlicensed plasma products from unlicensed overseas sources.
Mr. Dorrell : The bioproducts laboratory is not at present covered by the licensing requirements of the Medicines Act because of Crown immunity. However, some of its products are so licensed and it will be seeking licences for other products under the arrangements leading to the removal of Crown immunity. For many years the BPL has been inspected by the medicines inspectorate and its products have been tested by the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control, as are similar licensed pharmaceutical products.
The Department has no plans to import plasma products.
Brook and Greenwich Hospitals
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received about the number of operations cancelled at the Brook and Greenwich district hospitals during 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : We do not collect information about the number of operations cancelled. We collect information about operating theatre sessions held and cancelled in each district health authority. This information is not broken down by hospital.
Fostering
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many responses he has received to paragraph 16 of his draft guidance notes on gay and lesbian fostering ; how many were (a) in favour and (b) critical of the proposals ; and if he will list those in each case from organisations ;
(2) what plans he has to review his guidance notes on gay and lesbian fostering, paragraph 16, following representations he has received.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The responses received on the foster placement consultation document are now being considered. We plan to issue guidance that the interests of children are paramount.
Column 245
I shall write to the hon. Member about the general responses, letters and pre-printed postcards.Diploma in Social Work
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diplomas in social work courses he expects to have been approved by October 1991.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Approval of courses is a matter for the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW). The council's current targets for full approval are a total of 19 by 31 March 1991 and 59 by 31 March 1992. Planning figures for March to October 1991 are not available.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the maximum number of diplomas in social work courses that he expects to be approved.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Approval of diploma in social work courses is a matter for the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW). The council has no plans at present for a maximum number of courses but expects a total of 109 throughout the United Kingdom by 1993- 94.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diplomas in social work courses he expects to be approved in the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work northern region.
Column 246
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work has set a target of 20 courses providing 1, 700 student places by the end of 1993-94.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is seeking a regional balance of diploma in social work courses.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Approval of diploma in social work courses is a matter for the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW). The council is seeking to ensure that there is a reasonable distribution of courses throughout the United Kingdom, and within each region of the United Kingdom, reflecting service needs.
Social Services Departments (Women Managers)
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women there are in senior management positions in local authority social services departments.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is not routinely collected centrally. However a recently published report of the social services inspectorate entitled : "Women in Social Services, a neglected resource" identified the following distribution of women senior managers in local authorities in England and Wales :
Column 245
Senior Managers in Social Services Departments in England and
Wales 1990
DirectorDeputiesAssistanTotalssiPercentages
Directors or
equivalent
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|M |F |M |F |M |F |M |F |M |F
English Counties |38 |1 |30 |3 |185|36 |253|40 |86 |14
English Metropolitan
Districts |31 |5 |24 |2 |111|26 |166|33 |83 |17
London Boroughs |25 |7 |12 |2 |79 |34 |116|43 |73 |27
Welsh Authorities |7 |1 |6 |1 |29 |5 |42 |7 |86 |14
------- ------- ------- -------
Totals |101|14 |72 |8 |404|101|577|123
------- ------- ------- -------
Percentages |88 |12 |90 |10 |80 |20 |82 |18
Note: Not all posts are included because of vacancies.
Women make up 86.5 per cent. of the local authority personal social services work force and 12 per cent. of senior management.
Miscarriage Association
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will now announce the core grant for central administrative costs to the Miscarriage Association for the next three years.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Recipients of awards made under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 will be informed about their grants shortly.
Female Circumcision
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will obtain a videocassette and transcript of the BBC 2 "Forty Minutes" television programme on female circumcision to be shown on 21 February for his departmental library.
Column 246
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Yes. The Department is already aware of the proposed broadcast and will obtain a copy.
DEFENCE
Night Flying
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the comparative noise levels at take-off and requirement to conduct flying exercises at night as between F15 and F111 aircraft operated by the USAF from Lakenheath.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The F15Es to be introduced at RAF Lakenheath are expected to operate to the same night flying restrictions which apply to the F111F aircraft presently stationed at the base, with an increase of around 12 sorties a month currently planned. Noise levels generated by F111F and F15E aircraft are very similar. It is our practice to review existing compensation
Column 247
arrangements when aircraft deployments change, and this will apply at RAF Lakenheath once the F15E aircraft are in place.The Gulf
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the adequacy of supply of sunglasses to troops serving in Operation Desert Storm.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : To date some 49,000 pairs of sunglasses have been dispatched to the Gulf. This is an adequate supply to provide one pair of sunglasses to each of the troops serving there.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a soldier aged 17 years and three months and eligible to serve with the British Army in the Gulf can be required to take part in military action.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in the reserve forces have refused to serve in the Gulf ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton [holding answer 14 February 1991] : Of those reservists issued with compulsory call-out notices 33 made successful appeals for exemption on the basis of difficult personal circumstances or conscientious objection. A small number of reservists have failed to report for duty without apparent good reason. A decision on what action should be taken in respect of these non-reporters has yet to be made.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) British service personnel and (b) service personnel from each of the coalition forces have been killed or injured in the Gulf since 17 January to date ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what are his estimates of dead and injured Iraqi military in Iraq and Kuwait since 17 January to date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Her Majesty's Government are not in a position to provide overall estimates of the number of allied or Iraqi military personnel killed or injured so far during hostilities. The United Kingdom has no personnel confirmed as killed or injured as a direct result of hostilities.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the major producers of small arms ammunition which have been given contracts to replace the munitions being used by British forces in the Gulf.
Mr. Alan Clark : The question of replacing small arms ammunition used in the Gulf has not yet arisen.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in the reserve forces, who volunteered to serve in the Gulf, were refused ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton [holding answer 14 February] : No Royal Navy or Royal Air Force reservists who volunteered for service in the Gulf were rejected. Of the 1,124 Army reservists who volunteered, 206 were rejected for various reasons.
Column 248
Call-out procedures have proved satisfactory and the requirement has been met largely on a voluntary basis.RAF Honington
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of RAF Honington.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As part of our studies following the statement on "Options for Change" by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 25 July 1990 at col. 470, we are considering the future of a number of RAF stations in the United Kingdom, including Honington, but no decisions have yet been taken.
Defence Quality Assurance
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has determined a date for the relocation of the directorate general of defence quality assurance.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : It was proposed to move some 1,600 posts of the directorate general, defence quality assurance to
Stockton-on-Tees between 1993 and 1995. This project is now being reassessed and I will make an announcement in due course.
Military Exhibition, Baghdad
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any of his officials attended the first international exhibition for military production held in Baghdad in 1989.
| Next Section
| Home Page |