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Table 2
Rate income 1975-76 to 1987-88<1>
Year |Total |Domestic |Non-domestic
|£ million |£ million |£ million
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1975-76 |389 |165 |224
1976-77 |448 |185 |263
1977-78 |522 |213 |309
1978-79 |589 |196 |393
1979-80 |683 |222 |461
1980-81 |930 |305 |625
1981-82 |1,205 |395 |810
1982-83 |1,387 |452 |935
1983-84 |1,321 |380 |941
1984-85 |1,361 |392 |969
1985-86 |1,543 |458 |1,085
1986-87 |1,653 |505 |1,148
1987-88 |1,868 |580 |1,288
<1> The breakdown of rate income into domestic and non-domestic
rate income is estimated pro-rata to rateable values.
Table 3
Summary analysis of rate fund revenue account: 1988-89<1>
|1988-89
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenditure |£ million
Staff costs |2,812
Running expenses |1,616
Loans charges |539
Revenue contributions to capital |12
Rate fund contributions to housing and trading
services<2> |105
Adjustment<3> |-312
|-------
Total expenditure |4,772
As a percentage of total expenditure |Percentage
Staff costs |59
Running expenses |34
Loans charges |11
Revenue contributions to capital |0
Rate fund contributions to housing and trading services<2> |2
Adjustment<3> |-7
|-------
Total expenditure |100
Income |£ million
Rates<4> |1,973
of which domestic rates<5> |669
non-domestic rates<5> |1,304
Government grant RSG<6>
(a) needs element |1,690
(b) resources element |216
(c) domestic element |92
(d) specific grants and subsidies<7> |257
Total aggregate government grants
(a)+(b)+(c)+(d) |2,255
Rate rebate grants |190
Sales |29
Rents, fees and charges |288
Other income |92
|-------
Total income |4,826
Income less expenditure as a percentage of total
income |Percentage
Rates<4> |41
of which domestic rates<5> |14
non-domestic rates<5> |27
Government grant RSG<6>
(a) needs element |35
(b) resources element |4
(c) domestic element |2
(d) specific grants and subsidies<7> |5
Total aggregate government grants
(a)+(b)+(c)+(d) |47
Rate rebate grants |4
Sales |1
Rents, fees and charges |6
Other income |2
|-------
Total income |100
<1> Totals may not be exactly equal to the sum of their constituent
parts due to rounding.
<2> Excluding contributions to transport undertakings.
<3> Inter-account and inter-authority transactions deducted.
<4> Excluding rate rebates and domestic element of rate support
grant. Includes net cost of collection of rates.
<5> The breakdown of rate income into domestic and non-domestic
rate income is estimated pro-rata to rateable values.
<6> Near final figures as prescribed in RSG (Scotland) (No. 2) Order
1989.
<7> As defined in appendix C of the report on the Rate Support
Grant (Scotland) Order 1987 and as returned by local authorities.
<8> Includes rate rebates (DSS), disabled persons rebates, enterprise
zones rebates and revaluation rebates.
THE ARTS
Arts Funding
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Minister for the Arts what progress has been made in implementing the reforms in the structure of arts funding.
Mr. Renton : Good progress has been made since my statement to the House on 19 December, ( Official Report, columns 300-01). The chairs of seven of the 10 new regional arts boards have now been appointed with my consent, and a good
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start has been made in appointing other board members. All the new boards are on target to be in place and operational from 1 October. The Arts Council has also submitted the advice that I called for on the staffing structures for the new system, and on the initial stage of delegation of clients to the new boards from 1 April 1992. I have today written to the chairman of the Arts Council setting out my conclusions on these matters, and a copy of my letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.I am confident that the process of reform on which my predecessors and I have embarked will produce a system which delivers a better service to the public through a clearer definition of
responsibilities. I am anxious to ensure that one of the original aims of the reforms--that of securing administrative savings--is also achieved.
I have therefore asked the chairman of the Arts Council to build on the work already done by the Arts Council and the regional bodies to ensure that this is realised. To assist in this process I have set as a guideline the achievement of a progress administrative saving of at least £1 million per annum in current terms by 1993-94, by which time the present reforms will have been substantially implemented. This represents around 10 per cent. of current staff costs. I have every confidence that the Arts Council and the regional bodies will be able to achieve a saving of this order. It is a challenging but attainable target. It is most important that the public throughout the country get the opportunity to see more performances of quality and that arts organisations get a greater share of the public subsidy.
I have asked the Arts Council to ensure that the necessary further work is undertaken quickly to ensure that the new boards are fully operational from 1 October 1991 as planned.
I have also approved an initial list of bodies for delegation from the Arts Council to the new regional arts boards on 1 April 1992. As I said in my earlier statement, further significant delegation from 1993 will need to await the outcome of work on the national arts strategy, due for completion in the middle of next year. The Arts Council has proposed that there should be some scope for further delegation in the meantime.
I would see this happening on only a fairly limited scale, and where it is clear to all parties that this would be beneficial. The Arts Council has also proposed, and I have accepted, that the new boards should be involved now in the joint assessment of clients who in due course may be administered by them. This will be most important in building up the confidence of clients in the ability of the new boards.
A great deal of work has also been done to improve still further present systems of planning, budgeting and control. I have asked the Arts Council to ensure that this work is translated into a clear statement of policy objectives for all parts of the system, and that management systems, including an appropriate range of performance indicators, are developed to ensure that these objectives are achieved. These indicators will also need to assess customer satisfaction. I shall expect to see the results of this work reflected in the Arts Council's corporate plan for 1992-93, and in the corresponding corporate plans for the new regional arts boards. I expect these decisions to lead to a better structured and leaner arts funding system which will be able to
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manage the further delegation of clients with a corresponding benefit to the ultimate beneficiaries, the clients and the general public.SOCIAL SECURITY
Uprated Benefits
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) widows and (b) recipients of income support, who are liable to pay an increase in their council rents from 1 April will not receive their uprated benefit until 9 and 15 April respectively.
Miss Widdecombe : People in receipt of housing benefit have their entitlement recalculated to take account of any rent increase from the date on which the increase takes effect. Those in receipt of income support are entitled to maximum housing benefit which can meet up to 100 per cent. of their eligible rent.
The most recent information available shows that, in May 1989, there were 48,000 women in receipt of state widows' benefits and pensions, but not income support, who were also in receipt of housing benefit and living in local authority accommodation.
In February 1990 there were 1,760,000 people in receipt of income support who were also living in local authority accommodation.
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money is saved by the Government as a result of the arrangements for payment in arrears of widow's benefit and income support to those whose council rents were raised on 1 April.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Industrial Injury
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases of compensation for industrial injury have been discounted under the 14 per cent. rule in each year from 1986 to 1990.
Mr. Scott : Available information for such disallowances is as follows :
Period |Claims disallowed
---------------------------------------------------------------------
December 1986 to March 1987 |12,348
April 1987 to March 1988 |47,234
April 1988 to March 1989 |41,755
April 1989 to March 1990 |41,741
April 1990 to February 1991 |36,213
(latest date available)
Adjudication Regulations
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the total amount awarded by his Department under regulation 72 of the Adjudication Regulations for each year since 1987 ; and what was the average and median amount awarded in each case for each year, adjusted for 1991 prices.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available.
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Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases regulation 72 of the Adjudication Regulations has been used in each year since April 1987 for each (a) type of benefit and (b) claimant category.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available.
St. John Ambulance Brigade
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what facilities he has made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Miss Widdecombe : We have not made any special arrangements for staff to contribute to this appeal. However, it is possible for staff to contribute to St. John Ambulance under our arrangements for payroll giving to charities.
Criminal Injuries Compensation
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many people in England and Wales lost their entitlement to the reduced community charge rate of 20 per cent. as a result of receiving an award of criminal injuries compensation during 1990-91 ;
(2) in how many cases his Department was notified by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board of a compensation award to an individual receiving social security benefits ;
(3) in the last year for which figures are available, how many claimants of social security benefits ceased to receive benefits, or had their benefits reduced, as a result of receiving an award of criminal injuries compensation.
Mr. Scott : Reduction in benefits resulting from an award of criminal injuries compensation is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. I understand from him that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Social Fund
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of income support claimants in Leicestershire are repaying social fund loans ; and how much money is outstanding.
Mr. Scott : The administration of income support and the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. and learned Member with such information as is available as soon as possible and copies will be placed in the Library and the public information office.
Pensions (European Community)
Mr. Bendall : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the Government have received a reply from the European Commission to the letter of 9 October 1989 from the United Kingdom permanent representative to the European Communities seeking its views on the position of bridging pensions in the context of directive 86/378/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment in occupational social security systems.
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Miss Widdecombe : A reply was received from the head of directorate general 5 of the European Commission on 17 April 1991. I am arranging for copies of his reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and to be sent to those organisations and individuals who have expressed an interest in the issue.Low Incomes
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he makes, on the best available evidence, of the numbers of persons, and the percentage of the total population, who were living on incomes less than 60 per cent. of the national average in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1990, or in those years nearest to these dates where the relevant information is available.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 6 December 1990] : Information in precisely the form requested is available only for the years for which "Households Below Average Income"--HBAI--has been published. Other information is available for earlier years, but the methodologies and
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definitions used differ substantially and it is therefore not appropriate to make direct comparisons throughout the whole period. It is also important to remember that real personal disposable income per head in the United Kingdom has risen substantially during this period. The percentage of the population who were living on incomes below any constant threshold has fallen. Thus, for example, the numbers of people living below 60 per cent. of the 1979 national average equivalised income, before housing costs, fell from 9 million in 1979 to 6.9 million in 1987.Sources are the CSO's annual redistribution of income--ROI--articles and the published family expenditure survey--FES--reports ; the estimates listed in the table are made from the most appropriate published source for each year. All the pre-HBAI analyses are in terms of numbers of households rather than population, and none of them used equivalisation to adjust for differing household sizes and compositions. Various different definitions of income have been used, and the one from the FES reports in 1960-61 and 1965-66 is a pre-tax gross income measure.
All the figures are derived from the family expenditure survey and thus cover only the household population.
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Source |HBAI |RoI |RoI |FES Report
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Equivalised household
Income measure |disposable |Household disposable |Household final |Household gross
Unit analysed |Persons |Households |Households |Households
Coverage |Great Britain |United Kingdom |United Kingdom |United Kingdom
Percentage with less than 60 per cent. of mean income
1987 (13.8 million people) |25.5 |- |- |-
1985 (10.9 million people) |20.1 |34 |- |-
1980 (9.4 million people) |17.8<1> |30 |- |-
1975 |- |28 |27 |-
1970 |- |- |28 |28
1965-66 |- |- |- |26
1960-61 |- |- |- |26
<1> Average of figures for 1979 and 1981.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Late Payment Charges
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the revenue coming to the Exchequer from charges and penalties for late payment of (a) VAT, (b) income tax, (c) national insurance and (d) corporation tax in each financial year since 1979 ; and what was the number of individuals and companies paying such penalties in each year.
Mr. Maude : Information is not available on the total numbers paying penalties or charges for late payment of tax, nor on receipts for all the years requested. The available information is :
Receipts from interest charges and penalties for late
payment
(£ million)
Year |VAT<1> |Income tax |Corporation
|<2><3> |tax<2>
------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |- |77.8 |43.0
1984-85 |- |86.9 |50.6
1985-86 |- |100.5 |53.7
1986-87 |- |117.6 |64.7
1987-88 |24.8 |133.8 |77.4
1988-89 |71.2 |156.7 |92.8
1989-90 |82.1 |187.1 |131.1
1990-91 |83.2 |- |-
<1> No charges or penalties for late payment of VAT prior
to
introduction of VAT default surcharge from 1 October 1986;
negligible receipts in 1986-87.
<2> Information for 1990-91 is not yet available.
<3> Includes small sums in respect of class 4 (
self-employed) national
insurance contributions. Penalties generally for late
payment of NICs
were introduced in the Social Security Act 1990, with
effect from
1990-91.
Manufactures
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the balance of trade (a) in manufactures and (b) in manufactures, less erratics, with the EC at current prices on a balance of payments basis in 1989 and 1990.
Mr. Mellor : Information on trade in manufactures with the EC on a balance of payments basis is available on the Central Statistical Office database which may be accessed through the Library of the House. The information requested for manufactures less erratics is not available on a balance of payments basis.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the balance of trade in manufactures, less erratics, on a balance of payments basis for each year since 1970 in terms of 1990 prices together with the corresponding figures for imports and exports.
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Mr. Mellor : Information from which trade in manufactures less erratics at 1990 prices may be derived is available on the Central Statistical Office database which may be accessed through the Library of the House.Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the balance of trade in finished manufactures, less erratics, on a balance of payments basis for each year since 1970 in terms of 1990 prices, together with the corresponding figures for imports and exports.
Mr. Mellor : Information from which trade in finished manufactures less erratics at 1990 prices may be derived is available on the Central Statistical Office database which may be accessed through the Library of the House.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the balance of trade in manufactures, less erratics, with the EEC Twelve on a balance of payments basis for each year since 1970 in terms of 1990 prices, together with the corresponding figures for imports and exports.
Mr. Mellor : Information on trade with the EC is not available at constant prices.
Pensions
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income was spent on retirement pensions in each year since 1975.
Mr. Mellor : Retirement pensions paid out by the national insurance fund, together with pensions and other benefits paid by public and private sector occupational pension schemes are estimated to have amounted to the following percentages of national income :--
|Per cent.
------------------------------
1975 |10.9
1976 |11.1
1977 |11.3
1978 |11.3
1979 |11.4
1980 |12.2
1981 |13.7
1982 |14.1
1983 |14.2
1984 |14.2
1985 |14.4
1986 |15.2
1987 |15.2
1988 |14.2
1989 |14.2
Consumer Goods
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing consumption of consumer goods other than food and fuel as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1961 together with his estimate of the proportion supplied by imports.
Mr. Mellor : Information requested for the first part of the question can be derived from data on the CSO's database, which may be accessed through the Library. The database identifiers are : GDP at market prices (CAOB)
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Consumers' expenditure on goods other than food and energy productsSum of :
Durable goods (AIIL)
Alcohol and tobacco (CDFH)
Clothing and footwear (CDDE)
Other goods (CCED)
In respect of the final part of the question, information on the proportion supplied by imports is not available. Such information as is available on the import content of demand is given in CSO's periodic input-output tables, for example, tables 2 and 3 of the 1984 tables. Information on import penetration has also been provided in "Business Monitor" MQ12.
Trade Statistics
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the gross output of manufacturing industry, excluding inter-industry transfers, in 1970, 1973, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1989, and a forecast for 1990.
Mr. Mellor : The information on gross output for manufacturing is published annually at current prices in "Business Monitor PA1002' Report on the Census of Production" summary volume. Copies of this volume up to 1988 are available from the Library. Transfers of goods produced by a business to departments not covered by the census, including other businesses in the same enterprise group, are treated within output as sales, valued as if sold to an independent buyer. Forecasts of gross output are not available.
Central Office of Information
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum paid out in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by the Central Office of Information in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991- 92. Mr. Maples : No fees have been paid by the Central Office of Information in the furtherance of privatisation. However, the COI has been involved in privatisation publicity campaigns. Details for years 1979-80 to 1989-90 were given at column 167 on 13 March 1990. Details for the year 1990-91 are as follows :
December 1990 Electricity : Distribution companies
March 1991 Electricity : Generators
The costs of these campaigns have been included in answers provided by the Government Department concerned.
Current Account
Mr. Lawson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, for each year from 1970 to 1990, inclusive, together with the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" forecast for 1991, the current account payment surplus or deficit expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The information requested is as follows :
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United Kingdom current
account balance as a
percentage of money
GDP
|Per cent.
------------------------------
1970 |1.6
1971 |1.9
1972 |0.3
1973 |-1.3
1974 |-3.8
1975 |-1.4
1976 |-0.6
1977 |-
1978 |0.7
1979 |-0.2
1980 |1.2
1981 |2.6
1982 |1.7
1983 |1.2
1984 |0.6
1985 |0.8
1986 |-
1987 |-1.0
1988 |-3.3
1989 |-3.9
1990 |-2.4
<1>1991 |-1.0
<1>FSBR forecast.
British Telecommunications(Government Shareholding)
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to sell the Government's residual shareholding in British Telecommunications plc.
Mr. Maude : As my right hon. Friend announced in his Budget speech on 19 March, the Government intend to sell part of their residual shareholding in BT in the coming year. No decisions have been taken about the precise timing and the number of shares to be sold. We have, however, begun to appoint advisers to certain of the key roles. Preliminary and main expenses incurred in connection with the sale of shares will be met from receipts from the sale. Parliamentary approval of the expenditure will be sought in a token new estimate in the summer supplementary estimate round. Expenses incurred in advance of the sale will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.
Once the sale is complete and the final costs are known, a supplementary estimate will be presented to provide substantive provision for the main sale expenses of the sale and a compensating increase in appropriations-in- aid. The balance of the receipts will be paid into the consolidated fund.
Crown Property (Rates)
Mr. Burns : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have for the payment of contributions in lieu of rates on property occupied by the Crown ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maples : My right hon. Friend the former Prime Minister announced on 15 December 1989 at column 834 that responsibility for the valuation of the Government's estates for rating purposes would be transferred to the Inland Revenue valuation office from April 1991. The Government have since decided that, for reasons of efficiency and economy, the other responsibilities of the Rating of Government Property Department should also
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be transferred to the valuation office. The valuation office is, in consequence, responsible for the payment of contributions in lieu of rates on Government property and recovery from occupying Departments. It is also responsible for payment of rates and diplomatic property as well as for recovery of a portion of the community charge and rates from foreign missions and international organisations.Taxes
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of total central Government revenue is raised by corporation tax in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany ;
(2) what proportion of total central Government revenue is raised by income tax in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 22 April 1991] : Figures for tax revenues disaggregated by tax for the United Kingdom, France and Germany on a comparable basis are published in "Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries" which can be found in the Library.
Food and Drink
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the United Kingdom's trade in (a) food and (b) drink is forecast to be in deficit in 1991.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 22 April 1991] : The Treasury does not forecast trade balances in food and drink. The Budget forecast is for the overall visible trade deficit to fall from £18 billion in 1990 to £12 billion in 1991.
HEALTH
Water Fluoridation
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the incidence of decayed, missing or filled teeth among 12-year-olds in the South and East Cumbria health authorities' areas ; which of the Northern region's 16 authorities had a higher figure ; and if he will estimate the reduction which might ensue if South and East Cumbria's whole population received water at optimum fluoride levels, if the response was similar to that over the United Kingdom as a whole where water supplies had been brought to the World Health Organisation's optimum level.
Mr. Dorrell : The most recent survey of caries prevalence conducted for the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry in 1988-89 showed the following results in the 16 health districts in the northern region :
District |Decayed,
|missing and
|filled permanent
|teeth
----------------------------------------------------
South Cumbria |1.82
South Tees |1.80
North Tees |1.64
Northumberland |1.55
East Cumbria |1.53
Darlington |1.39
South Tyneside |1.38
Durham |1.38
South West Durham |1.36
West Cumbria |1.32
North West Durham |1.32
Sunderland |1.30
North Tyneside |1.25
Newcastle |1.22
Gateshead |0.91
Hartlepool |0.71
In the north-west Durham, Newcastle, Gateshead and Hartlepool districts all 12-year-old schoolchildren are likely to have received fluoridated water at a level of 0.7 parts per million and over since birth. The incidence of decayed, missing or filled teeth in those districts which are similar to other districts where water fluoridation has been introduced at the World Health Organisation optimum level, is an indication how the dental health of schoolchildren in south and east Cumbria could be improved. Hartlepool has the best record in England and Wales.
Salmonella
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of the public health laboratory service survey for salmonella in eggs carried out on samples collected from high street outlets during February.
Mr. Dorrell : The public health laboratory service's survey involves the testing of some 43,000 United Kingdom-produced eggs that will be purchased from various retail outlets. It is intended that 15 PHLS laboratories will each test eggs in four seperate months spaced throughout the year, the last being in November. The survey has been structured to include investigation of any seasonal variations that might exist. When the investigation is completed at the end of 1991, the data will be collated and analysed.
Smoking
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the yearly mortality in the United Kingdom attributable to (a) heavy passive smoking and (b) average active smoking.
Mr. Dorrell : The independent scientific committee on smoking and health has concluded that the number of deaths from lung cancer among non- smokers associated with a lifetime's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke might amount to several hundred in the United Kingdom each year. The number of deaths caused by active smoking is estimated at around 110,000 in the United Kingdom each year. This figure represents the death toll for all smokers, but the vast majority of deaths occur among regular smokers with a long-standing history of tobacco use.
Renal Services
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the coverage and delivery of renal services.
Column 474
Mr. Dorrell : The planning and provision of renal services is a matter for health authorities to decide, taking into account local needs and priorities.
Cholesterol Testing
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will establish a national campaign to encourage medical practitioners to test all patients who have high blood pressure for blood cholesterol levels.
Mr. Dorrell : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 April at columns 282-83. Decisions about cholesterol testing will be taken in the light of the outcome of consultations on the Standing Medical Advisory Committee's report.
Health Education Authority
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total sum paid out in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by the Health Education Authority/Health Education Council in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Donald Maitland, the chairman of the Health Education Authority, for details.
Policy Objectives
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he is yet in a position to announce his Department's policy objectives for 1991-92.
Mr. Waldegrave : I have agreed a statement of the mission, goals and priorities for my Department for 1991-92 and the following three years. It identifies specific aims for the different areas of the Department's business. The NHS policy board has agreed a separate statement of the strategic goals for the NHS management executive for 1991-92, which flow from those departmental aims. Copies of both statements have been placed in the Library.
Research and Development (NHS)
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for research and development in the NHS following the White Paper "Priorities in Medical Research" and the appointment of his Department's first director of research and development.
Mr. Waldegrave : I am pleased to announce a major initiative for research and development. A new R and D strategy and programme for the NHS will be introduced to provide a firm scientific basis for improving health. It will focus on the introduction of improved methods of health care arising from research and on the cost-effective use of resources.
Because of the importance I attach to the development of a research base for the health service I believe it is important to move towards the use of up to 1.5 per cent. of NHS expenditure to be used for research and development.
The key principles of the R and D strategy are :
1. That research and development is a prerequisite for achieving a cost effective service responsive to changes in health needs and innovation ;
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