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Prescriptions (Fraud)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the steps his Department takes to prevent fraud when patients do not take all items on a multi-itemed general practitioner- written prescription ;
(2) what information he has on the incidence of prescription-based fraud in the past five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Checking procedures undertaken by the Department to prevent prescription fraud are not made public. Cases of suspected prescription-based fraud are referred by the Prescription Pricing Authority to the Family Health Services Authority for investigation. No centrally held information is available on the number of established cases of fraud.
Achondroplasia
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines he has issued to district health authorities concerning charging for fixators for achondroplasiac children from outside their area.
Mr. Dorrell : No specific guidelines have been issued on this matter. From 1 April, health authorities wishing to purchase limb lengthening for achondroplasiac children will be able to arrange contracts for this operation with hospitals or other units providing this service. General guidance on the purchase of services from 1 April to meet the health needs of local populations has been issued to health authorities.
Senior Citizens
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of senior citizen the Government use in respect of guidance issued to local authorities and other bodies.
Miss Widdecombe : I have been asked to reply.
The Government do not issue guidance of this kind. Local authorities are best placed to decide such a definition for themselves, according to local circumstances and the purpose for which it is required.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Sudan
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations are being made to the Sudanese Government to facilitate the
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transport of further food aid to rebel-held areas ; and what account has been taken of problems arising at the advent of the rainy season in southern Sudan.Mrs. Chalker : We take every opportunity to urge the Government of Sudan to facilitate the provision of relief supplies to the south of the country. The European Community issued a declaration on 7 February. The United Nations Assistant Secretary General, Mr. James Jonah, made representations on 18 February.
The United Nations co-ordinated Operation Lifeline Sudan takes into account the difficulties of transporting relief supplies in southern Sudan where it is recognised that conditions deteriorate in the rainy season.
Malaysia
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been offered under the aid and trade provision for the Pergau project in Malaysia ; and whether any appraisal measures additional to the regular appraisal procedure were carried out for this project.
Mrs. Chalker : We have offered to support from the aid and trade provision a soft loan of up to £308 million for eligible United Kingdom and other EC goods and services for this project. This compares with our original aid and trade provision offer in 1989 of a grant of up to £68.25 million as part of a mixed credit for eligible United Kingdom and other EC goods and services costing an estimated £195 million. The soft loan, like the originally proposed mixed credit, will have a grant element of 35 per cent. of the value of eligible goods and services provided. In accordance with our normal procedures a full appraisal of the project was undertaken.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Minors (Financial Institutions)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to make unlawful the soliciting of minors for business by financial institutions and companies.
Mr. Leigh : The Government intend, as soon as legislative time is available, to amend the Consumer Credit Act 1974 to tighten up the prohibition on the sending of credit circulars to minors. It also proposes to make regulations requiring persons licensed under the Act to take reasonable precautions to ensure that minors are not included on mailing lists for credit circulars.
Retention of Title
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the adequacy of the law on retention of title in the light of successor companies inheriting goods from an insolvent company which the latter has not paid for ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : I have received a few representations about the adequacy of the law on retention of title, but only one referring to the circumstances described in the question. In general, the Government are satisfied that the law on retention of title clauses is effective.
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Chambers of Commerce
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support his Department plans to provide to assist the development strategy of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce.
Mr. Leigh : I announced on 4 October 1990 that I would offer chambers of commerce support towards the implementation of their strategy, as set out in "Effective Business Support : a UK Strategy", to strengthen the ability of the chambers' movement to provide a consistent, quality assured and comprehensive service for members throughout the United Kingdom by the end of 1994. This support, at a cost of £1.2 million over four years, will involve meeting up to 50 per cent. of the salary costs of an extra member of staff in some 30 chambers for a maximum of two years. Additionally I have offered the Association of British Chambers of Commerce up to £130,000 to help with the costs of establishing an electronic information network. Parliamentary approval for this service will be sought in the 1991-92 main estimates for the Department of Trade and Industry-- class IV, vote 2. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £31,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.
Task Force Expenditure
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the expenditure of each task force set up by his Department for the year 1989-90.
Mr. Leigh : On the basis that this question relates to inner city task forces, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 23 January 1991 at columns 195 -96. I have nothing to add.
DEFENCE
The Gulf
17. Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide his best available estimate of the number of casualties suffered by (a) Iraqi civilians, (b) Iraqi forces, (c) Kuwaiti civilians and (d) coalition forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Her Majesty's Government are not in a position to provide an overall estimate of the number of people killed during the Gulf conflict. A total of 25 British service men were killed in action.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the approximate distance and direction travelled by the 1st Armoured Division after 23 February.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : From its assembly area south of the Iraq-Saudi Arabian border, the ground campaign to liberate Kuwait took 1st (British) Armoured Division northwards on a course roughly parallel to but west of the Wadi al Batin, then east to a position just north of Kuwait city. In all, the division covered a distance of some 350 km.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the operations of the 1st Armoured Division undertaken to re-take Kuwait.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : The 1st (British) Armoured Division played a significant role in the allied operation to liberate Kuwait. The division proper went into battle late in the afternoon of Monday 25 February when it engaged elements of an Iraqi armoured division. The speed and success of this operation was typical of land engagements in Desert Storm. By the early hours of 27 February, the Iraqi troops had been rendered ineffective and around 200 tanks, 100 armoured personnel carriers and 100 guns had been captured or destroyed and some 6,000 prisoners of war had been taken. The skill, courage and speed with which the division achieved its objectives are an achievement of which all involved can feel justly proud.
Options for Change"
18. Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the future of the departmental review known as "Options for Change", following the Gulf war.
28. Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to revise "Options for Change" in the light of the Gulf war and the suppression of the Baltic states.
29. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review defence strategy in the light of the experience from the Gulf war.
Mr. Tom King : I hope it will be possible to publish the annual defence White Paper before the summer recess and in this to make clear the way ahead on Options for Change'. Main Battle Tank
19. Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce a decision on the competition for the replacement of the Chieftain tank.
Mr. Alan Clark : I hope that a decision on the equipment for our future main battle tank will not have to be delayed too long.
Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to award the contract for new battle tanks to Vickers Defence Systems and Challenger 2.
Mr. Alan Clark : No decision on the equipment for our future main battle tank fleet has yet been taken.
Arms Sales
20. Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the role of his Department in the sale of arms abroad ; and what information he has about where arms have been sold in the last three years.
Mr. Alan Clark : The Defence Export Services Organisation exists within my Department to assist United Kingdom defence industries to promote and sell their equipment abroad. Statistics of British defence exports by broad geographic region are set out in volume 2 of the annual Statement on the Defence Estimates.
Trident
21. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current cost of the Trident nuclear weapons programme.
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Mr. Alan Clark : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 12 February at column 383.Ministry Houses
22. Mr. Ashton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses owned by the Ministry of Defence are standing empty.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As at 31 December 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, 10,760 MOD-owned houses and flats were vacant. Many of these properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation, some were already allotted to service families who were due to move in shortly and others were being considered for disposal. In addition, 1,701 dwellings were in the process of being sold.
UN Peacekeeping Force
23. Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to make a British contribution to any United Nations peacekeeping force.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The arrangements for the security of the Gulf states are primarily a matter for the states of the region themselves. Any proposal for a United Nations peacekeeping or observer role would need to be considered carefully by the Security Council in the light of the wishes of the nations concerned.
Nuclear Test Veterans
24. Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on compensation to nuclear test veterans.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) on Friday 22 February 1991 at column 319.
Gulf Victory Parade
25. Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the participation of the armed services in the proposed victory parade.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Arrangements to mark our involvement in the Gulf conflict remain under consideration. An announcement will be made shortly.
Tornado
26. Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many export orders now exist for variants of the Tornado.
Mr. Alan Clark : My Department continues to receive inquiries relating to the potential future sale of Tornado aircraft. My hon. Friend will, of course, be aware that it has been the consistent policy of successive Administrations not to comment on individual defence exports or prospects.
Defence Establishments
27. Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to alter the regional balance of defence establishments.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 11 February 1991 at column 324.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to British participation in international negotiations on reductions in short-range nuclear weapons.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As was noted in the London declaration, negotiations on the reductions of short-range nuclear forces will be bilateral between the United States and Soviet Union. In conjunction with other NATO allies concerned, the United Kingdom will play an active part in the preparations for the negotiations.
Ceremonial Troops
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to cut the budget for ceremonial troops and horses ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : All areas of the Army are being considered under "Options for Change", but we are not yet in a position to take final decisions.
RAF Married Quarters
Sir John Hunt : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to be in a position to commence the disposal of the officers' married quarters at RAF Biggin Hill.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is our intention to commence sale soon after the RAF has vacated the site, currently planned for early 1993.
Sir John Hunt : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether sufficient married quarters accommodation will be available in Greater London to meet the expected demand when the RAF service families return from their postings in Germany.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Very few, if any, personnel returning from Germany are likely to be posted to London and the position with regard to availability of accommodation therefore remains as I explained to my hon. Friend on 20 November 1990, Official Report, column 79.
Radiation
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is investigating the merits of a compensation scheme for radiation-linked disease similar to the scheme operated by British Nuclear Fuels.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Arms Reduction
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likelihood of ratification of the CFE and START treaties.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : It is difficult to assess the prospects for ratification of the CFE treaty while key issues concerning its implementation by the Soviet Union remain unresolved. These issues were set out in my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State's answer of 15 March to the hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill). The CFE treaty will not enter into force until it has been ratified by all 22 signatories. We hope that a START treaty can be signed later this year. Ratification will be a matter for the two Governments concerned.Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Soviet Union concerning the CFE and START treaties.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have made a number of representations to the Soviet Union about proper implementation of the CFE treaty. These include representations by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister during his visit to Moscow on 5 March, and at ministerial and senior official level, bilaterally and jointly with our allies. The START treaty is a bilateral one between the US and USSR and we understand discussions are continuing.
India
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from Her Majesty's high commissioner in India about the political situation in that country.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We receive regular reports from our high commissioner in New Delhi about the political situation in India.
Cartagena Convention
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will be represented at the forthcoming meeting of the Cartagena convention in Kingston, Jamaica.
Germany
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the German Government ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon . Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Chancellor Kohl, Herr Genscher and other German Ministers in Bonn during the Anglo-German summit on 11 March. They had excellent discussions on a wide range of topics including the Gulf, the Soviet Union and eastern Europe and issues affecting the European Community and the NATO alliance.
Kuwait
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with Kuwait's ambassador in London concerning the rebuilding programme in that country.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have brought to the attention of the Kuwaiti ambassador the range of experience and capabilities available from British industry to assist in the reconstruction of Kuwait. Similar action has been taken by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary with senior members of the Kuwaiti Government.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from Her Majesty's ambassador in Yugoslavia about civil unrest in that country.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Her Majesty's ambassador at Belgrade reports regularly on all aspects of Yugoslav politics.
Soviet Union
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will detail plans for financial aid to the Soviet Union.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have no plans to provide financial aid to the Soviet Union. With our EC partners we have agreed to provide £177 million in food assistance and £350 million as a credit for food purchases. We also aim to offer technical assistance from our know-how fund, to the sum of £20 million over two years.
European Common Defence Policy
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the intergovernmental conferences' discussions about a common defence policy.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There are a range of views among our partners on whether the Twelve should take on a defence role. In our view European defence, although it must become increasingly
self-sufficient, will continue to depend on the alliance and the north American role. We do not believe that the common foreign and security policy of the Twelve should be expanded to include defence.
Indonesia and East Timor
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list and number the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council which relate to Indonesia and East Timor ; if he will summarise their demands and indicate the action Britain took when the voting occurred ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : United Nations Security Council resolution 384 of 22 December 1975 deplored the armed Indonesian intervention in East Timor. United Nations Security Council resolution 389 of 22 April 1976 confirmed the right of the East Timorese to self-determination and called on the Indonesians to withdraw. The United Kingdom supported both resolutions.
With most European Community partners, the United Kingdom abstained on resolutions in the fourth committee on East Timor between 1976 and 1982.
United Nations General Assembly resolution No. 37/30 of 1982 invited the United Nations Secretary General to encourage a bilateral settlement and initiate discussions with the parties concerned.
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The United Kingdom has welcomed the United NationsSecretary-General's initiative, which began in 1982, to promote contacts between Indonesia and Portugal to achieve a just settlement.
Tibetan Refugees
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the nature and extent of any assistance extended by Her Majesty's Government to Tibetan refugees since May 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Tibetan refugees in the United Kingdom are treated in exactly the same way as any other refugees in this country. Our assistance to refugees overseas is channelled through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In the financial year 1989-90 we contributed £19.1 million to the UNHCR.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Wildlife Investigation Scheme
Mr. Clifford Forsythe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to adopt in Northern Ireland a scheme along the lines of the wildlife investigation scheme in England, Scotland and Wales.
Mr. Hanley : It is intended to have a wildlife incident investigation scheme introduced in Northern Ireland later this year. This will be similar to a scheme in operation in other parts of the United Kingdom.
New University of Ulster
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the number of students on each campus of the new university of Ulster who are from (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Great Britain, (c) the Irish Republic, (d) other EC countries and (e) elsewhere, or as much of such information as is available.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is as follows for the 1990-91 academic year :
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(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Total
Northern Great Republic of Other EC Elsewhere
Ireland Britain Ireland
|Full-|Part-|Full-|Part-|Full-|Part-|Full-|Part-|Full-|Part-|Full-|Part-
|time |time |time |time |time |time |time |time |time |time |time |time
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast |534 |16 |67 |- |71 |- |11 |6 |- |- |689 |16
Coleraine |1,896|428 |327 |4 |526 |30 |119 |1 |49 |- |2,917|463
Jordanstown |4,116|3,186|92 |2 |400 |42 |43 |2 |79 |8 |4,730|3,240
Magee |651 |566 |41 |- |158 |118 |10 |1 |9 |- |869 |685
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |7,197|4,196|527 |6 |1,155|190 |178 |4 |148 |8 |9,205|4,404
Farm Effluent
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what educational facilities on environmentally safe methods for disposal of farm effluent are available to farmers.
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