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Mr. Sainsbury : I have no plans to initiate inquiries. Last year our exports to Germany increased by 18.5 per cent. in value over 1989.
SCOTLAND
Historic Buildings Council
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the commercial relationships between Mr. Marc Ellington and Mr. Richard Emerson of the Historic Buildings Council.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Mr. Marc Ellington is a member of the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland, a statutory advisory body appointed by my right hon. Friend. Mr. Richard Emerson is not a member of the council ; he is a principal inspector of historic buildings in Historic Buildings and Monuments, Scotland, which is part of the Scottish Environment Department. Mr. Ellington and Mr. Emerson have had no commercial dealings in any official capacity. My right hon. Friend is aware that reference was made in a television programme broadcast on Channel 4 on 10 March to the purchase by Mr. Emerson from Mr. Ellington of a plot of land at Crovie in 1985. This was an entirely proper private transaction between two individuals. Their public duties did not overlap, and Mr. Emerson informed his senior officer of his intentions in 1985. Mr. Ellington and Mr. Emerson both retain the complete confidence of my right hon. Friend.
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will obtain for his Department's library a copy of the "Scottish Eye" programme on Channel 4, broadcast on 10 March.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No.
Psychiatric Patients
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps his Department is taking to monitor and evaluate the continuing care of patients discharged from psychiatric hospital into the community, further to paragraph 1.29 of "Community Care into the Next Decade and Beyond" ;
(2) what steps he is taking to monitor and evaluate the continuing care of mentally ill people resident in the community.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 places a duty on local authorities and health boards jointly to prepare and publish, by 1 April 1992, in consultation with health boards, community care plans. We intend to monitor carefully the implementation of these plans, including the care of people with mental health problems discharged from psychiatric hospitals and resident in the community. The plans should define objectives and targets and include procedures for monitoring the achievement of effective community care.
Health boards will shortly be consulted on draft guidance on the introduction of care programmes for people with a mental illness. The main purpose of care programmes is to ensure that no person who has been treated for long-term mental illness is discharged from hospital without proper arrangements being made for his
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or her continuing care in the community. It will be for health boards and local authorities to satisfy themselves that there are relevant community-based health and social work services to allow each discharged person to live satisfactorily in the community.Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each health board (a) the number of patients discharged from psychiatric hospitals and (b) the number of readmissions to psychiatric hospitals, for the last three years for which figures are available.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information requested is given in the table :
Mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units
Area of residence |All discharges |Re-admissions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987
Argyll and Clyde |2,569 |1,533
Ayrshire and Arran |1,629 |860
Borders |455 |273
Dumfries and Galloway |1,075 |840
Fife |1,796 |1,028
Forth Valley |1,237 |773
Grampian |2,453 |1,549
Greater Glasgow |6,245 |3,858
Highlands |1,203 |800
Lanarkshire |2,437 |1,388
Lothian |4,270 |2,682
Orkney |36 |12
Shetland |58 |20
Tayside |2,208 |1,309
Western Isles |78 |41
Others |644 |375
All Areas |28,393 |17,341
1988
Argyll and Clyde |2,711 |1,596
Ayrshire and Arran |1,948 |1,053
Borders |503 |269
Dumfries and Galloway |1,020 |826
Fife |1,819 |992
Forth Valley |1,243 |752
Grampian |2,481 |1,430
Greater Glasgow |6,617 |3,818
Highland |1,086 |686
Lanarkshire |2,461 |1,434
Lothian |4,357 |2,812
Orkney |37 |17
Shetland |42 |25
Tayside |2,336 |1,365
Western Isles |85 |47
Others |661 |392
All Areas |29,407 |17,514
1989
Argyll and Clyde |2,702 |1,600
Ayrshire and Arran |2,083 |1,159
Borders |492 |337
Dumfries and Galloway |1,016 |794
Fife |1,692 |1,049
Forth Valley |1,262 |811
Grampian |2,513 |1,461
Greater Glasgow |6,461 |3,879
Highland |954 |632
Lanarkshire |2,372 |1,398
Lothian |4,664 |3,047
Orkney |38 |17
Shetland |55 |34
Tayside |2,367 |1,425
Western Isles |97 |52
Others |719 |415
All Areas |29,487 |18,110
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Educational Visits
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy on educational visits for schoolchidren.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This is a matter for education authorities.
Crime
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of (a) total crimes and (b) violent crimes in each police force area in Scotland in 1979 and 1990 or the most recently available date and the percentage increase, in each authority area.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is set out in the table.
Number of crimes<1>, crimes and offences<2> and violent crimes<3>
recorded in police force areas in 1979 and 1989 and the percentage
change.
Police Force Area |1979 |1989 |Percent-
|age
|change
1979-89
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central
Crimes |13,844 |21,066 |52
Crimes and offences |28,398 |44,493 |57
Violent crimes |1,271 |3,006 |137
Dumfries and Galloway
Crimes |4,835 |6,733 |39
Crimes and offences |17,934 |18,514 |3
Violent crimes |404 |1,037 |157
Fife
Crimes |14,257 |27,690 |94
Crimes and offences |31,779 |53,411 |68
Violent crimes |1,580 |3,164 |100
Grampian
Crimes |22,821 |34,034 |49
Crimes and offences |50,604 |76,538 |51
Violent crimes |3,088 |5,348 |73
Lothian and Borders
Crimes |62,502 |78,301 |25
Crimes and offences |116,828 |141,039 |21
Violent crimes |4,757 |8,489 |78
Northern
Crimes |8,711 |11,841 |36
Crimes and offences |27,104 |32,591 |20
Violent crimes |1,231 |1,896 |54
Strathclyde
Crimes |195,485 |275,134 |41
Crimes and offences |351,269 |465,187 |32
Violent crimes |16,625 |31,018 |87
Tayside
Crimes |24,225 |38,586 |59
Crimes and offences |50,039 |70,258 |40
Violent crimes |1,767 |3,574 |102
Notes:
<1> Comprises groups 1-5 of the Scottish Office Home and Health Department (SOHHD)
classification of crimes and offences.
<2> Comprises groups 1-7 of the SOHHD classification of crimes and offences.
<3> Comprises group 1 (non-sexual crimes of violence), the sexual assault category from group
2 (crimes of indecency) and the petty assault category from group 6 (miscellaneous offences)
of the SOHHD classification of crimes and offences.
Details of the SOHHD classification are given in the SOHHD statistical bulletin "Recorded
crime in Scotland, 1989", a copy of which is in the Library.
Homelessness
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will revise the code of guidance on homelessness legislation.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : We issued a revised draft of the code of guidance on the homelessness legislation for consultation in October 1990. A large number of responses were received ; these have now been carefully considered and the revised code will be published soon.
Fisheries Enforcement
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his plans to establish the Scottish fisheries enforcement services as a "next steps" agency.
Mr. Lang : I informed the House on 28 February of my intention to establish the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency as an executive agency on 1 April 1991. My noble Friend will preside at a launch ceremony on 12 April.
For the 1991-92 financial year I have set the agency the following targets :
|Targets
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aerial surveillance-per cent. of hours flown on
task |78 per cent.
Cost per aircraft sighting |£137
Marine surveillance-number of boardings at sea |2,750
Marine surveillance-cost per boarding |£2,263
Sea Fisheries Inspectorate-cost per £1 million of
fish landed |£4,838
50 per cent. of cases for prosecution to be reported
within 4 weeks of offence taking place and
90 per cent. within 6 weeks
Number of cases where court proceedings are
taken as percentage of offences reported for
prosecution |75 per cent.
In order to ensure that the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency uses its resources efficiently, I have set it a target to achieve cash-releasing efficiency gains of at least 1.5 per cent. and its running cost limit for 1991-92 has been set on that basis. The agency chief executive will be directly accountable to me for the agency's achievements of these targets, which will be reported in the agency's published annual report.
I will place a copy of the agency's framework document in the Libraries of both Houses.
Historic Scotland
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his plans to establish Historic Scotland as an executive agency.
Mr. Lang : I informed the House on 28 February of my intention to establish Historic Scotland as an executive agency on 1 April. I can now confirm that the agency will indeed be set up on that date and that I shall preside at a launch ceremony on 8 April.
For 1991-92, the first year of operation, I have set the following key performance targets for Historic Scotland :
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Number of monuments newly scheduled. The target is to schedule 280 monuments in 1991-92, in addition to the 4,800 already scheduled.Number of completed units of the resurvey of listed buildings. The target is to complete 200 survey units in 1991-92.
Number of general historic building repair grant cases in payment. The target is to effect payment to 400 cases in 1991-92, giving priority to the most important buildings.
Number of visitors to monuments in care where an admission charge is made. The target is to increase visitor numbers by 4.5 per cent. to 2.71 million in 1991-92.
Total income. The target is to increase income to £6 million in 1991- 92.
Conservation backlog on monuments in care. The target is to contain, and if possible to reduce, the backlog of overdue maintenance.
Value for money savings on maintenance of monuments in care. A target will be developed for 1992-93.
Surplus on commercial activities. A target will be developed for 1992-93.
Exchequer contribution to Historic Scotland's work. The target for 1991-92 is to keep the increase in the call on the Exchequer for net current expenditure at or below the level of inflation. In order to ensure that Historic Scotland uses its domestic resources efficiently, I have set it a target to achieve cash-releasing efficiency gains of 1.5 per cent. and its running cost limit for 1991-92 has been set on that basis.
The director of Historic Scotland, as the agency's chief executive, will be directly accountable to me for the achievement of these targets, which will be reported in the agency's published annual report.
I will place a copy of the agency's framework document in the Libraries of both Houses.
Scottish Enterprise
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he is making to publish the management statement for Scottish Enterprise.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The Scottish Enterprise management statement sets out the financial, managerial and operational framework within which Scottish Enterprise will operate.
I am arranging for copies to be laid in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
Community Health
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library the results of the research project "Community Health Promotion in a Deprived Area" funded by his Department.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 25 March 1991] : Copies of a report on a pilot project "Royston Wardieburn Community Health Project" and one on "Community Health Promotion in a Deprived Area" have been placed in the Library.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Single Parents
Dame Jill Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what improvements Her Majesty's Government have introduced to help the single parent obtain maintenance payments.
Mr. Jack : The Government have taken a number of steps to help parents obtain maintenance for their
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children. This Department has enhanced its action on recovery of maintenance for those claiming income support. For instance, we have improved our instructions on the interviewing of mothers who have never been married about the identity of the absent father. We have also introduced a number of measures that apply to all lone parents, whether divorced, separated or never married. We have strengthened the basis on which local social security offices assess absent parents' ability to pay maintenance. We have improved our ability to trace missing parents by reaching an agreement with the Inland Revenue to provide the address of an absent parent and the absent parent's employer. The Social Security Act 1990 gave the Department new powers to seek to include the costs of caring for children in orders obtained by the DSS for children, to transfer an order for a child obtained by the Department to a caring parent who leaves income support, and to enforce a caring parent's own private maintenance order. We have made clear the importance to be attached to this work in local offices and set targets to increase the amount recovered. In addition, the Home Office has introduced the Maintenance Enforcement Bill, which seeks to improve arrangements for paying maintenance under the current system.For the future, we have introduced the Child Support Bill, which aims to replace the present child maintenance system, which is fragmented, uncertain in its results, slow and ineffective, with a Child Support Agency which will use a formula to calculate child maintenance. This will be available to all seeking child maintenance and it is hoped that it will be fully operational by 1995.
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Incomes
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables similar to his Department's tax/benefit model table showing the net weekly spending power for each of (a) a single person, (b) a married couple with no children, (c) a couple with a child aged 11 years (d) a couple with two children aged eight and 11 years, (e) a couple with three children aged eight, 11 and 15 years, (f) a couple with four children aged three, eight, 11 and 15 years with weekly earnings of (i) £60, (ii) £80, (iii) £100, (iv) £120, (v) £140, (vi) £160, (vii) £180 and (viii) £200 under the existing tax and benefit system.
Mr. Jack : The information is set out in the tables. All assumptions are as set out in the published tax/benefit model tables. Each family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to its size and to pay estimated average rent and community charge. It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use hypothetical rents, so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay. The figures are for the system before the Budget proposals come into effect and do not reflect the effect of the Community Charges (General Reduction) Bill presently before Parliament.
Column 441
Single person (aged 25 or over)
|£ per week
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assumed rent |19.15
Assumed community charge |6.61
Gross |Tax |National |Take home |Rent rebate |Community |Total net |Net income after
earnings |insurance |pay |charge benefit |income |rent and
|community charge
£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week
60.00 |0.55 |2.18 |57.27 |9.03 |2.95 |69.25 |43.49
80.00 |5.55 |3.98 |70.47 |0.00 |0.97 |71.44 |45.68
100.00 |10.55 |5.78 |83.67 |0.00 |0.00 |83.67 |57.91
120.00 |15.55 |7.58 |96.87 |0.00 |0.00 |96.87 |71.11
140.00 |20.55 |9.38 |110.07 |0.00 |0.00 |110.07 |84.31
160.00 |25.55 |11.18 |123.27 |0.00 |0.00 |123.27 |97.57
180.00 |30.55 |12.98 |136.47 |0.00 |0.00 |136.47 |110.71
200.00 |35.55 |14.78 |149.67 |0.00 |0.00 |149.67 |123.91
Married couple
|£ per week
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assumed rent |19.15
Assumed community charge |13.22
Gross |Tax |National |Take home |Rent rebate |Community |Total net |Net income after
earnings |insurance |pay |charge benefit |income |rent and
|community charge
£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week
60.00 |0.00 |2.18 |57.82 |19.15 |10.58 |87.55 |55.18
80.00 |0.00 |3.98 |76.02 |13.68 |9.31 |99.01 |66.64
100.00 |2.28 |5.78 |91.94 |3.33 |6.93 |102.20 |69.83
120.00 |7.28 |7.58 |105.14 |0.00 |4.95 |110.09 |77.72
140.00 |12.28 |9.38 |118.34 |0.00 |2.97 |121.31 |88.94
160.00 |17.28 |11.18 |131.54 |0.00 |0.99 |132.53 |100.16
180.00 |22.28 |12.98 |144.74 |0.00 |0.00 |144.74 |112.37
200.00 |27.28 |14.78 |157.94 |0.00 |0.00 |157.94 |125.57
Column 443
Married couple with one child aged 11
|£ per week
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Child benefit |7.25
Assumed rent |21.41
Assumed community charge |13.22
Gross |Tax |National |Take home |Family |Rent rebate |Community |Total net |Net income after
earnings |insurance |pay |credit |charge benefit |income |rent and
|community charge
£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week
60.00 |0.00 |2.18 |57.82 |50.35 |6.97 |7.24 |129.63 |95.00
80.00 |0.00 |3.98 |76.02 |37.61 |3.42 |6.42 |130.72 |96.09
100.00 |2.28 |5.78 |91.94 |26.46 |0.00 |5.71 |131.36 |96.73
120.00 |7.28 |7.58 |105.14 |17.22 |0.00 |5.11 |134.72 |100.09
140.00 |12.28 |9.38 |118.34 |7.98 |0.00 |4.52 |138.09 |103.46
160.00 |17.28 |11.18 |131.54 |0.00 |0.00 |3.74 |142.53 |107.90
180.00 |22.28 |12.98 |144.74 |0.00 |0.00 |1.76 |153.75 |119.12
200.00 |27.28 |14.78 |157.94 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |165.19 |130.56
Married couple with two children aged 8 and 11.
|£ per week
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Child Benefit |14.50
Assumed rent |23.43
Assumed community charge |13.22
Gross |Tax |National |Take |Family |Rent rebate |Community |Total net |Net income after
earnings |insurance |home |credit |charge benefit |income |rent and
Charge |pay |community charge
£ per week |£ per |£ per week |£ per |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week
|week |week
60.00 |0.00 |2.18 |57.82 |58.60 |6.94 |6.77 |144.63 |107.98
80.00 |0.00 |3.98 |76.02 |45.86 |3.39 |5.95 |145.72 |109.07
100.00 |2.28 |5.78 |91.94 |34.71 |0.00 |5.24 |146.39 |109.74
120.00 |7.28 |7.58 |105.14 |25.47 |0.00 |4.64 |149.75 |113.10
140.00 |12.28 |9.38 |118.34 |16.23 |0.00 |4.05 |153.12 |116.47
160.00 |17.28 |11.18 |131.54 |6.99 |0.00 |3.45 |156.48 |119.83
180.00 |22.28 |12.98 |144.74 |0.00 |0.00 |2.52 |161.76 |125.11
200.00 |27.28 |14.78 |157.94 |0.00 |0.00 |0.54 |172.98 |136.33
Married couple with three children aged 8, 11 and 15
|£ per week
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Child Benefit |21.75
Assumed rent |23.43
Assumed community charge |13.22
Gross |Tax |National |Take home |Family |Rent rebate |Community |Total net |Net income after
earnings |insurance |pay |credit |charge benefit |income |rent and
|community charge
£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week
60.00 |0.00 |2.18 |57.82 |72.75 |4.89 |6.30 |163.51 |126.86
80.00 |0.00 |3.98 |76.02 |60.01 |1.35 |5.48 |164.61 |127.96
100.00 |2.28 |5.78 |91.94 |48.86 |0.00 |4.76 |167.31 |130.66
120.00 |7.28 |7.58 |105.14 |39.62 |0.00 |4.17 |170.68 |134.03
140.00 |12.28 |9.38 |118.34 |30.38 |0.00 |3.58 |174.05 |137.40
160.00 |17.28 |11.18 |131.54 |21.14 |0.00 |2.98 |177.41 |140.76
180.00 |22.28 |12.98 |144.74 |11.90 |0.00 |2.39 |180.78 |144.13
200.00 |27.28 |14.78 |157.94 |2.66 |0.00 |1.79 |184.14 |147.49
Married couple with four children aged 3, 8, 11 and 15
|£ per week
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Child benefit |29.00
Assumed rent |23.43
Assumed community charge |13.22
Gross |Tax |National |Take home |Family |Rent rebate |Community |Total net |Net income after
earnings |insurance |pay |credit |charge benefit |income |rent and
|community charge
£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week |£ per week
60.00 |0.00 |2.18 |57.82 |81.00 |2.85 |5.83 |176.50 |139.85
80.00 |0.00 |3.98 |76.02 |68.26 |0.00 |5.01 |178.29 |141.64
100.00 |2.28 |5.78 |91.94 |57.11 |0.00 |4.29 |182.34 |145.69
120.00 |7.28 |7.58 |105.14 |47.87 |0.00 |3.70 |185.71 |149.06
140.00 |12.28 |9.38 |118.34 |38.63 |0.00 |3.10 |189.07 |152.42
160.00 |17.28 |11.18 |131.54 |29.39 |0.00 |2.51 |192.44 |155.79
180.00 |22.28 |12.98 |144.74 |20.15 |0.00 |1.91 |195.80 |159.15
200.00 |27.28 |14.78 |157.94 |10.91 |0.00 |1.32 |199.17 |162.52
Widows' Benefits
Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will identify the cost of extending widow's related benefits to widowers ; and if he will provide the costing for extending each of these benefits.
Miss Widdecombe : The annual costs would be approximately as follows :
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------------------
Widowers' £1,000 payment |25
Widowed father's allowance |90
Widowers pension (widowers aged 45-65) |300
|---
Total |415
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social security claimants have been (a) prosecuted and (b) found guilty of claiming benefit while working and receiving wages during each year from 1978-79 to the latest available date in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Scotland.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Supplementary Benefits
Mr. Ralph Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of people, including children, dependent on supplementary benefit for 1979 and 1990 ; what is the projected number for 1991 ; and what was the number of supplementary benefit recipients for each of the years.
Miss Widdecombe : The information for 1990 is not available. Figures are given for 1979 and 1989, together with those projected for 1991-92.
Year |Claimants plus|Claimants
|dependants
|000s |000s
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 Supplementary Benefit |4,370 |2,855
1989 Income Support |7,023 |4,161
1991-92 Income support |7,157 |4,240
Sources: Annual Statistical Enquiries for 1979 and 1989.
Estimates based on Departmental Report (Cm. 1514).
Carers
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give details of the social security benefits available to carers ; and what steps his Department is taking to publicise the benefits ;
Column 446
(2) whether he will introduce a special payment for carers ; and if he will make a statement on the financial position of carers.Mr. Scott : All social security benefits are available to carers provided that they satisfy the relevant entitlement conditions. Invalid care allowance is the benefit specifically designed for carers. It is available to someone who has forgone the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular and substantial care to a severely disabled person. From 8 April 1991 the basic rate of invalid care allowance will be £31.25 each week. In addition, from October 1990, a carer premium of £10 a week, increasing to £10.80 in April 1991, was introduced in the income-related benefits, income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit for those receiving, or with an underlying entitlement to, invalid care allowance. Information about invalid care allowance is contained in leaflet NI212, a revised and improved version of which will be available shortly. A leaflet about the carer premium (IS7) is available for professional advisers and the Department is currently working on the production of a leaflet detailing all benefits for carers which will be published later this year.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the oral answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 422, if he will publish the number of people on full social security benefit who were reimbursed for (a) the full 20 per cent. and (b) part of the 20 per cent. poll tax minimum payment in the current financial year.
Miss Widdecombe : There is no specific amount for the community charge in any one individual's benefit. The amount originally included in income support rates towards the 20 per cent. contribution was based on the average amount claimants were expected to have to pay. This now forms an integral part of overall rates.
Benefits and Contributions Agencies
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will make an announcement about the establishment of the benefits and contributions agencies.
Mr. Newton : These agencies will come into being from April 1991 and I shall be formally launching them on 10 April. I am arranging for framework documents and business plans for both agencies to be placed in the Library.
Column 447
Benefits
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claim each benefit payable (a) at each of the Nottingham social security offices and (b) in the United Kingdom.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 18 March 1991] : Information for Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Information for the Nottingham area and for Great Britain is :
|Nottingham|Great
|area<1> |Britain<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Income support<2> |51,490 |4,492,000
Sickness benefit/Invalidity benefit |14,960 |1,623,000
Maternity allowance |227 |19,590
Severe disability allowance |2,817 |382,600
<1> All data relates to 30 November 1990 and are provisional and
subject to amendment.
<2> Derived from 100 per cent. count of cases in action, which
include a number where payment has ceased but other action is
continuing.
HEALTH
The Gulf
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what immediate assistance is being offered by his Department to (a) Kuwait and (b) Iraq to combat the outbreak of infections arising from the damage done to water purification systems in the Gulf war.
Mr. Dorrell : The International Committee of the Red Cross sanitation teams are helping to restore the distribution of purified water in Iraq. On 14 March 1991 their first two water purification units began producing potable water in Baghdad. The United Kingdom supports the International Committee of the Red Cross work and has contributed £2.5 million to its Gulf appeal. The Government of Kuwait have made arrangements for the supply of purified water to the population in Kuwait. The United Kingdom Government have also contributed US $1 million to the United Nations and agencies through the United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation for their work in both these countries. We will be offering full collaboration to the United Nations and agencies for the supply of foodstuffs and medical supplies.
Haemophilia
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 February, Official Report, column 86, (1) from what date the imported unlicensed high purity product from Kabi will be available to the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control for testing ; and what is the anticipated release date for patient treatment using this product ;
(2) on the Bio Products Laboratory, what assurances have been given by the Medicines Control Agency as to the safety of the unlicensed product due to be imported from Sweden relative to the licensed product available for the United Kingdom ;
(3) what assurance has been given that the Medicines Control Agency will be provided with full details of the
Column 448
patients and doctors involved in the named- patient import of the unlicensed high purity factor VIII produce from Sweden.Mr. Dorrell : In my reply to the hon. Member of 19 February at column 86, I explained that the Bio Products Laboratory's high purity product will be covered by arrangements leading to the removal of Crown immunity and is currently the subject of a full licensing application. The Medicines Control Agency will be considering this application. The product has already been tested by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control and is now available to clinicians under these arrangements and not on a named patient basis.
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions are in place to ensure that when Crown immunity ceases the Bio Products Laboratory will have to conform in all respects to the same controls of the Medicines Act and to the same fair trading and free competition practices as currently apply to the commercial plasma industry in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Dorrell : Officials of the Medicines Control Agency have for some months provided guidance and advice not only to Bio Products Laboratory, but to others in the NHS affected by the cessation of Crown immunity and the controls of the Medicines Act. This advice service will continue after Crown immunity ceases, and subject to the transitional arrangements for the removal of Crown immunity, the BPL will be treated under the Medicines Act in the same way as other pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 February, Official Report, column 86, on the Bio Products Laboratory if he will indicate which products and facilities are currently licenced under cover of the licensing requirements of the Medicines Act.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested in respect of Bio Products Laboratory is confidential by virtue of the restrictions on disclosure contained in section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968. In accordance with article 12 of the EC directive 65/65, the licensing authority publishes any grant of marketing authorisation in the Official Gazettes.
South Lincolnshire Health Authority
Sir Peter Tapsell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) consultants and (c) nurses were employed by the South Lincolnshire health authority in March 1979 and in March 1991.
Mr. Dorrell : The table shows information up to the latest available date, which is 30 September 1989.
South Lincolnshire Health Authority
Staff in Post at 30 September each year.
|Nursing and |Junior Staff<1>
|Midwifery
----------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |1,720<3> |<2>n/a
1982 |1,800<4> |61.1
1989 |2,100 |80.0
Junior Staff
<1> Grades include Registrars, Senior House Officers, House
Officers and Other Staff. Numbers of staff at Senior doctor
level are available by region only since the contracts for
these staff are held by their regional Headquarters.
<2> 1979 and 1991 figures are not available.
<3> Figures not adjusted to take account of the reduction in
nurses' working hours during 1980-81 (from 40 to 37.5 hours per
week).
<4> Reorganisation of District Health Authorities took place in
1982. Figures for 1979 are therefore not directly comparable.
NHS Estate Directorate
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress establishing his Department's NHS estate directorate as an executive agency.
Mr. Dorrell : I am pleased to announce that the estates directorate will be established as the NHS estate management and health building agency on 1 April, the first executive agency in the Department of Health. The agency's roles are (a) to provide Ministers, the NHS management executive and the NHS with professional and technical policy advice and support in the fields of NHS estate management and health building, and (b) to develop and make available to NHS authorities, trusts and others a range of specialist guidance and other products and services which embody key national policies and standards and reflect current best NHS practice. The agency's detailed aims, objectives and functions are set out in a framework document, copies of which are available in the Library. In accordance with "next steps" principles the agency will be free to propose further adaptations to it if changing circumstances make this appropriate.
The chief executive has been set the following key performance targets for 1991-92 :
To keep within the 1991-92 agreed public expenditure survey baseline.
To make at least a 2 per cent. efficiency saving on the operating costs that are within this control.
To deliver 80 per cent. of all contracts on time and within estimated costs, which will then act as the baseline for further improvements in succeeding years.
To agree the business plan and key performance targets with Ministers by 30 June 1991.
Over the next four years, in keeping with the spirit of the wider NHS reforms, I will be setting the agency a range of key performance targets to ensure that it delivers progressive improvements in the quality and efficiency of its services to the NHS.
Census
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made in the 1991 census to protect the confidentiality of forms for households where the enumerator is known to them.
Mr. Dorrell : Census officers have been given a general instruction not to place enumerators in enumeration districts where they are likely to be widely known. However, there are some places where--because of the geography of the area or the shortage of applicants--it is impossible to do otherwise. More particularly, in some remote rural areas it may be necessary to appoint an enumerator who lives in the locality.
The Census Regulations 1990 provide a facility to cover such situations : the form filler may ask for an envelope in which the completed form may be sealed before it is collected ; the enumerator is prohibited from opening it. Enumerators are instructed to offer a sealed return envelope if they come across anyone they know. The same facility is available under the Census (Scotland) Regulations 1990.
Column 450
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in deciding which small voluntary follow-up surveys will use the 1991 census as the sampling frame.
Mr. Dorrell : Initial proposals for such surveys were given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health in December 1989 during the debate on the draft Census Order, cols. 10-11, Report of Fourth Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments, &c. The state of progress on each of the surveys mentioned in these initial proposals is given later. No others are proposed.
Plans are well advanced for surveys to check the accuracy of census information, the completeness of electoral registers and vacant accommodation in Scotland.
A research proposal has been produced for the Department of Environment on the proposed surveys in England on households occupying privately rented accommodation and households sharing accommodation. If these surveys go ahead, the field work will be carried out in late 1991 and early 1992.
Discussions are also being held with relevant departments on follow-up surveys of people with nursing qualifications and paramedical qualifications but not employed in these specialisms and of persons with social work and probation officer qualifications. Decisions on whether these surveys should go ahead will be made in early 1992. The census will not now be used as the sampling frame for a survey of out-of-service teachers.
The information leaflet to be delivered to each household with the census form in the 10 days before the census on 21 April includes the following statement :
"A very small sample of people and households will be asked to take part in one of several voluntary surveys. One survey will help the Census Offices check how well the Census itself worked. The other surveys will gather fuller information than it is possible to collect in a Census. Information gathered in any such survey will be handled entirely within the Census Offices. It will be treated in the same strict confidence as information given on the Census form." The confidentiality of information collected in these surveys will now be covered by the Census Act 1920, as amended by the Census (Confidentiality) Act 1991, which received Royal Assent on 7 March.
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