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Local Offices
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the level of funding of community care loans and grants at his Department's offices in Greenock and Port Glasgow ; what has been his response ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : No representations have been received concerning either office. However, following a recent
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exercise to identify offices whose budgets were under severe pressure, an additional allocation of £30,000 for the loans budget at Greenock was made on 22 February.Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what change there has been in the numbers of claims and the time involved in (a) the assessment of a claim and (b) the notification of the assessment to the claimant in Greenock and Port Glasgow, following the installation of computer systems.
Miss Widdecombe : The installation of the computer systems in Greenock and Port Glasgow local offices to assess and pay claims for income support and retirement pension was completed in August 1990. From the latest information available, in January 1991, Port Glasgow local office received 341 claims for income support which were cleared in an average of 0.7 days. Prior to computerisation, in May 1989, the office received 327 claims for income support which were processed in an average of 1.7 days. In January 1991, the office also received 21 claims for retirement pension which were dealt with in five days. In May 1989, 25 claims for retirement pension were received which were also cleared in five days.
In January 1991, Greenock local office received 850 claims for income support which were cleared in an average of 0.7 days. Prior to computerisation, in March 1990, the office received 626 claims for income support which were processed in an average of 1.3 days. In January 1991, the office received 113 claims for retirement pension which were dealt with in 9.7 days. In October 1989, 112 claims for retirement pension were received which were cleared in 19.4 days. In general, the time taken to receive notification of entitlement depends on the type of payment. If payment is due within three days a girocheque is issued automatically by the computer system and sent by first-class post, with the entitlement notice enclosed. Alternatively, if payment is by order book, the book is issued to the Post Office by first-class post, and the pick-up notice, with entitlement information are sent second class direct to the recipient.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to alter the operations, or relocate workloads, from or to his Department's offices in Greenock and Port Glasgow ; what plans he has to reduce staffing levels in these two offices ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : The management of the Department's local office network is being restructured because changes as a result of the operational strategy project and the setting up of the Contributions Agency meant that the existing offices no longer formed viable management units. This restructuring will result in a modest overall staff saving at managerial level, but there are no plans to reduce the number of offices open to the public. A voluntary redundancy scheme is in place for staff.
District managers will be responsible for drawing up detailed plans to provide the best possible service to local customers in the most effective way. These plans will be drawn up in consultation with interested parties, including constituency Members.
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Medical Appeal Tribunals
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the total number of consultants to medical appeal tribunals in Scotland who are aged (a) under 40 years, (b) 40 to 50 years, (c) 50 to 65 years and (d) over 65 years ;
(2) how many female consultants have been appointed to medical appeal tribunals in Scotland in each year since 1979.
Miss Widdecombe : The administration of medical appeal tribunals is the responsibility of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, His Honour Judge Derek Holden. The hon. Member may care to contact his office direct to obtain this information.
Child Benefit
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children are expected to be in receipt of the higher-rate child benefit from 1 April in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow.
Mr. Jack : Information relating to child benefit is available only on a national basis and cannot be given for particular areas.
Disabled Employees
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those employed in his Department are disabled.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 22 November 1990 at column 214.
Care Home Trusts
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has now made of the likely financial implications for his Department of the creation of local authority care home trusts.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 29 January 1991] : Decisions on eligibility for income support are made individually for each case by local adjudication officers, and data on these decisions is not collated centrally.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance he has issued to local adjudication officers with regard to the payment of income support to residents in local authority care home trusts ;
(2) what guidance he has issued to local adjudication officers regarding the eligibility for income support of individuals suffering from senile dementia who are unable to exercise personal choice and are placed by a local authority in a care home trust.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answers 29 and 31 January 1991] : Eligibility for income support is defined by regulation and is available in respect of fees, up to certain limits, to residents of registered residential care homes and
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in certain other types of homes. Independent adjudication officers are provided with guidance on the interpretation of the regulations by the chief adjudication officer (rather than my right hon. Friend) in the published adjudication officers guide. Where an individual suffering from senile dementia is unable to act for himself a suitable person would be appointed to act on his behalf and eligibility for income support would be determined in the usual way, taking account of all the relevant circumstances.Income Support
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claim income support at the local offices of his Department in (a) Leeds, West, (b) Leeds metropolitan district council area, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) England both as a figure and as a percentage of total population.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 4 March 1991] : Data are not available for the total adult population on the date and for the precise geographical areas to which the information relates. The number of claimants receiving income support is as follows :
|Number
------------------------------------
Leeds West |10,830
Leeds Area |62,244
West, Yorkshire |181,528
England |3,693,297
Note:
All data derived from 30 November
1990 count of cases in action,
which include a number of cases
where payment has ceased but other
action is continuing. Data are
provisional and subject to
amendment.
Claimants
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are dependent on (a) income support, (b) family credit and (c) housing benefit broken down into claimants, dependants and children for (i) Leeds, West, (ii) Leeds metropolitan district council area, (iii) West Yorkshire and (iv) England.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 4 March 1991] : Information for Leeds, West, Leeds metropolitan district council area and West Yorkshire is unavailable and could be obtained only at
disproportionate cost. The information in respect of England is as follows :
D
|Income |Family Credit<2>
|Support<1>
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Claimants |3,429,000 |264,000
Dependants |599,000 |164,000
Children |1,688,000 |569,000
Total |5,716,000 |997,000
<1> Data derived from 1989 Annual Statistical Enquiry
<2> Data derived from 5 per cent. sample of Family Credit caseload
at 31 July 1990.
Information for Leeds, West is unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information in respect of the metropolitan borough of Leeds, West Yorkshire and England is as follows :
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|Claimants<1> |Dependants<1>|Children |Total<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metropolitan Borough of Leeds |63,700 |18,000<2> |n/a |81,700
West Yorkshire |159,100 |44,800<2> |n/a |163,900
England |3,153,000 |902,000<2> |n/a |4,055,000
Income Support, Leeds
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claims in the Leeds metropolitan district council area are from (i) pensioners, (ii) families, (iii) single parents and (iv) people with disabilities as a figure and as a percentage of all income support claims.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 4 March 1991] : The information is not available in the form requested. It is, however, possible to identify the number of current claims from pensioners and lone parents aged less than 60 in the five local offices in the Leeds metropolitan area. This information is in the table.
T
|Total number |Percentage of claims
|of claims |in the Leeds area
|per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pensioners |23,198 |38.5
Lone Parents |11,016 |18.3
Note:
Data derived from 30 November 1990 count of cases in action, which include a number
of cases where payment has ceased but other action is continuing. Data are
provisional and subject to amendment.
WALES
Common Land
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the progress made with the designation of common land in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the registration of common land in Wales.
Current information on the progress of registration is not held centrally as statutory responsibility for this function lies with local authorities.
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The Arts
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of people attending events associated with the arts in Wales in each of the past five years ; what was the total amount spent by the general public on arts events during the same period ; what has been the total turnover of the arts in Wales over the past five years ; and what are the total figures for employment in the arts over the past five years.
Sir Wyn Roberts : This information is not held centrally.
Local Authority Complaints
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each year since the establishment of the Commission for Local Administration in Wales (i) the number of complaints submitted against each local authority, (ii) the number of complaints investigated, (iii) the number of complaints of maladministration upheld and (iv) the number of (iii) as a ratio of the electorate of the local authority area.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The investigation of maladministration by local authorities in Wales is a matter for the Commissioner for Local Administration in Wales. Much of the information the hon. Gentleman requires can be obtained from a study of the annual reports of the Commissioner published each year since 1975.
Secure Accommodation (Juveniles)
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the requirement for secure establishments in Wales for juveniles awaiting trial to be provided and operated by commercial companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : None. Private provision of secure accommodation for young people was ruled out during the passage of the then Children Bill ; the Secure Accommodation Regulations 1991, to be made under the resulting Children Act 1989, will specifically prohibit the provision of secure accommodation in voluntary or registered children's homes.
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Administrators
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report, for each local authority in Wales, the number of administrators employed in (a) education departments and (b) social services departments.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Information on the numbers of administrators employed in local authority education departments is not held centrally. The following staff, who are not directly employed in the delivery of services, were employed in local authority social service departments at 30 September 1990.
|Number |Whole time
|equivalent
-------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |167 |156.0
Dyfed |139 |127.9
Gwent |203 |190.0
Gwynedd |111 |105.0
Mid Glamorgan |339 |319.0
Powys |52 |48.5
South Glamorgan |240 |225.6
West Glamorgan |183 |178.1
|--- |---
Wales |1,434 |1,350.1
Note: The following staff groups are included:
Senior directing, managing, professional and
advisory staff who carry a high level of
responsibility for particular areas of work (eg
consultants, advisors, inspectors, etc.), senior
staff concerned with administration, finance or
resources and also telephonists and other
administrative, clerical and secretarial staff
based at headquarters, area offices and
hospitals.
Multi-disabled Young People
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many multi- disabled, visually impaired young people under the age of 20 years there are in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This information is not held centrally.
Public Bodies (Appointments)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales to which posts in public bodies he appoints individuals where the posts are (a) part -time and (b) remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum.
Mr. David Hunt : The chairmanship of the Welsh Development Agency-- four days per week at a salary of £58,750.
Amputees
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review the national health service contract with Vessa Ltd. for the supply of artificial limbs and appliances for amputees in Wales in the light of the proposed 30 per cent. rundown in local supply, fitting and manufacture at the ALAC centre at Rookwood hospital, Cardiff.
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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The terms of the contract with Vessa Ltd. and any issue of contract compliance are matters for the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from ex-service men's organisations and others regarding the artificial limb and applicance services available to amputees in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : None. Nor would I expect to since management and operational responsibility for the artificial limb and appliance service was transferred to the Welsh Health Common Services Authority on 1 April 1988.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to restore the standard supply of one spare artificial limb to amputees requiring artificial limbs.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Decisions on such matters are for the management of the service taking account of the specialist clinical advice available to it. I understand that there has been no change of policy on the supply of spare artificial limbs.
Libraries and Information Services Council
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the reports produced by the Libraries and Information Services Council for Wales in each year from 1986 to 1990.
Sir Wyn Roberts [holding answer 27 February 1991] :
Year and publication.
1986
Annual Report 1985-86.
1987
Annual Report 1986-87.
1988
Annual Report 1987-88.
The Report of a Working Party on Public Library
Services.
1989
Annual Report 1988-89.
A survey of Information Technology in Academic
Libraries in Wales.
Into the 21st Century : A Plan for the Development of
Library and Information Sevices in Wales.
1990
Annual Report 1989-90.
The Report of a Working Group on Libraries in
Maintained Secondary Schools in Wales.
Coal and Steel
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of investment profitability and manpower in the coal and steel industries in Wales in 1990 and in 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt [holding answer 4 March 1991] : The information is given in the following table :
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Industry |Capital<1> |Profitability<1>|Manpower<2> |Output/man |Output
|investment |shift
|£ million |£ million |('000 tonnes) |('000 tonnes)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979
Steel |<8>- |<8>- |<3>55,274 |<6>- |6,935.7
British Coal (Deep Mines) |35.9 |-15.9 |<4>28,581 |1.46 |8,560
British Coal (Opencast) |1.5 |10.2 |<5>310 |<6>- |156.822
1990
Steel |<8>- |<8>- |<3>18,000 |<6>- |<7>5,792.6
British Coal (Deep Mines) |12.4 |-7.09 |<4>3,000 |3.17 |4,040
British Coal (Opencast) |4.2 |20.5 |<5>213 |<6>- |92.862
<1> Details relate to the financial year 1978-79 and 1989-90.
<2> Details as at 31 December 1979 and 1990.
<3> Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.
<4> Figures relate to men on colliery books.
<5> Figures only include employees of British Coal Opencast Executive.
<6> Information on output/man shift not available.
<7> Latest figures from the Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.
<8> The information on the level of investment and profitability of the steel industry in Wales is not separately available
from that for the whole of the United Kingdom.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees ; when it next plans to do so ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : After a number of regional pilot studies in the early 1980s the Department completed its survey in 1987 of the ethnic origins of staff by means of voluntary questionnaires. The database is kept up to date with the addition of information on new staff and leavers.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1-7) and overall in the Ministry are (a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.
Mr. Curry : The information requested, as at 1 April 1990, is set out in the table. Ethnic origin figures derive from a voluntary questionnaire which about 90 per cent. of staff completed. Programmes of action to achieve equality of opportunity for women and people of ethnic minority origin in the civil service are in place in the Department.
---------------------------------------- 1 |- |- |- |- 2 |- |- |- |- 3 |1 |4.2 |- |- 4 |- |- |- |- 5 |10 |9.0 |1 |0.93 6 |10 |7.6 |1 |0.79 7 |121 |12.5 |9 |0.99 All staff |4,624|44.7 |399 |4.10
Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at his Ministry.
Mr. Curry : The Department is committed to a policy of equal opportunities. Senior grades are recruited on the Department's behalf by the Civil Service Commission following the principles of fair and open competition. The Commission has taken a series of measures to aid recruitment of members of the ethnic minorities including action on publicity, training and selection policy.
Column 182
Illegal Poisoning
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of reported incidents of poisoning of (a) birds, (b) wild animals and (c) household pets by illegal baits in the latest year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The current figures for England and Wales for 1990 are as follows :
G
Total number of incidents of suspected poisoning reported was 343
|Numbers |Confirmed |Illegal
|reported |involvement |poisonings by
|of pesticides|pesticides
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Birds |132 |50 |37
Wild animals |102 |15 |11
Household pets |96 |40 |31
Note: Animals from more than one category may be involved in a single
incident.
In addition, there were 16 suspected illegal poison baits reported. Of these, nine were confirmed as illegal baits. The hon. Member will be pleased to know that a long-term campaign against the illegal poisoning of wildlife has been launched today. It is a joint initiative by this Department together with the other Agriculture Departments, the Department of Environment, and many non-government organisations which have interests in farming, gamekeeping and conservation. It will give a clear message-- that the practice is cruel, dangerous, a threat to wildlife, and unnecessary. To back up the campaign we will be co-ordinating the efforts of enforcement agencies ; ensuring that those landowners, gamekeepers and farmers with genuine pest control problems know where to go for advice ; and keeping a careful check on the present statutory controls on those substances most abused.
The campaign is a long-term one aimed at changing permanently the attitudes of the minority who abuse pesticides, thereby safeguarding our wildlife against cruel and unnecessary suffering.
Public Bodies (Appointments)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to which posts in public bodies he appoints individuals where the posts are (a) part-time and (b) remunerated by more than £50,000 per annum.
Mr. Curry : All ministerial appointments to public bodies are listed in "Public Bodies" published annually by
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the Cabinet Office (OMCS), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. All such appointments by MAFF are part- time, but none is remunerated at more than £50,000 per annum.Fruit Juices
Mr. Speed : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has been carrying out quality and sample tests of fruit juices for domestic consumption ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : As stated in the reply of 8 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway), a report from the food safety directorate on "Comparison of Methods for the Detection of Added Substances in Orange Juice" indicated that a large proportion of samples of orange juice on retail sale did not fully match the description on the packaging. Ministry officials are now carrying out further investigations into the sources of these wrongly described products.
Agriculture Council
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 4 and 5 March.
Mr. Gummer : I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting of the Council accompanied by my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon, the Parliamentary Secretary in my Department.
There was a first debate on the Commission's proposals for 1991-92 farm prices. I offered broad support for the Commission's proposals, but suggested a number of detailed ways in which they might be improved. I stressed in particular the need to adapt policies so that expenditure can be contained within the guideline in 1991 and the following years. I emphasised that proposals must be consistent with the need to increase agricultural efficiency and avoid discrimination between producers or member states.
The lack of realism among many member states in the face of the mounting budget overrun was particularly disappointing.
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