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EMPLOYMENT
Repetitive Work
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many improvement notices and how many prohibition notices have been issued by health and safety inspectors in each year since 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 in relation to workplace health and safety problems associated with repetitive work.
Mr. Forth : The information requested is not readily available centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are his plans to publicise the risks and remedies in relation to musculo- skeletal disorders which are associated with repetitive work.
Mr. Forth : The Health and Safety Executive is currently undertaking a major publicity initiative on musculo-skeletal disorders at work. It has recently published a booklet "Work Related Upper Limb Disorders--a guide to prevention" which gives advice on the prevention of
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musculo-skeletal disorders caused by work activities, and in August this year will be launching a year long campaign aimed at raising the awareness of musculo-skeletal injuries and their prevention.Employment Statistics
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for (a) full-time workers, (b) part-time workers and (c) all workers (i) the number and
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(ii) the percentage earning less than £130 for (1) women, (2) men and (3) all workers, excluding overtime pay in (x) Scotland, (y) the regions of Scotland and (z) Great Britain.Mr. Jackson : For Scotland and the regions of Scotland, the information requested is available only for full-time employees. For Great Britain, figures are also available for part-time employees and all--full- time and part-time employees.
The figures from the new earnings survey are given in the tables.
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April 1990
Full time employees on adult rates with Number in the sample Percentage of total
weekly earnings excluding overtime
less than £ 130
|Women |Men |Total |Women |Men |Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |1,205 |719 |1,924 |28.6 |9.7 |16.6
Borders |49 |16 |65 |59.8 |<1>- |33.2
Central |74 |29 |103 |35.1 |7.6 |17.3
Dumfries and Galloway |39 |24 |63 |40.6 |11.4 |20.6
Fife |80 |39 |119 |32.3 |9.2 |17.8
Grampian |115 |72 |187 |31.3 |7.9 |14.6
Highland |48 |27 |75 |32.4 |11.0 |19.1
Lothian |175 |120 |295 |21.5 |9.2 |13.9
Strathclyde |497 |311 |808 |27.0 |9.8 |16.1
Tayside |118 |72 |190 |32.5 |12.8 |20.5
Islands |10 |9 |19 |<1>- |11.7 |17.0
Highland and Islands |58 |36 |94 |31.7 |11.2 |18.6
Great Britain |10,056 |6,308 |16,364 |23.0 |7.6 |13.0
<1>Sampling error too large or numbers too small for reliable estimates.
Part time employees on adult rates with Number in the sample Percentage of total
weekly earnings excluding overtime
less than £ 130
|Women |Men |Total |Women |Men |Total
Great Britain |22,763 |3,117 |25,880 |89.8 |85.0 |89.2
All employees on adult rates with weekly Number in the sample Percentage of total
earnings excluding overtime less than
£ 130
|Women |Men |Total |Women |Men |Total
Great Britain |32,819 |9,425 |42,244 |47.6 |10.9 |27.2
Source:New Earnings Survey 1990
Note:
The survey excludes significant numbers of part-time employees with low weekly earnings.
Part time employees on adult rates with weekly earnings excluding overtime less than £130 Number in the sample Percentage of total
Women Men Total Women Men Total
Great Britain 22,763 3,117 25,880 89.8 85.0 89.2
All employees on adult rates with weekly earnings excluding overtime less than £130 Number in the sample Percentage of total Women Men Total Women Men Total
Great Britain 32,819 9,425 42,244 47.6 10.9 27.2
Source : New Earnings Survey 1990.
Note :
The survey excludes significant numbers of part-time employees with low weekly earnings.
Footwear and Textile Industries
38. Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the footwear and textile industries in each month since September 1990.
Mr. Jackson : The number of employees in employment in the footwear and textile industries in Great Britain were as follows :
Thousands unadjusted for seasonal variations
|Footwear |Textile
|SIC Group 451|SIC Class 43
--------------------------------------------------------
1990
September |44.5 |190.4
October |44.6 |193.8
November |44.3 |193.3
December |44.1 |188.2
1991
January |44.2 |185.0
February |44.1 |185.6
Health and Safety Legislation
39. Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation covering health and safety in the agricultural industry for the (a) distance from private housing, (b) distance from public highways and footpaths and (c) size and height, of bales or wheels of straw and hay stored in open fields.
Mr. Forth : I have no current intentions of doing so. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which applies to agricultural undertakings. The HSE recommends that stacks should always be placed at a reasonable distance from property and roads to minimise potential risks. The HSE has produced a guidance booklet "The Killing Fields" which deals with the siting and stacking of bales in relation to other fire hazards.
Existing general duties and enforcement powers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 are considered adequate to deal with any problems that may arise on this matter.
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Geomagnetic Survey
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the funding of the geomagnetic survey and its contribution to North sea safety.
Mr. Forth : The Health and Safety Executive is contributing up to a maximum of £475,000 over a five-year period towards the funding of the geomagnetic survey being undertaken by the British Geological Survey. This contribution will assist in enhancing the safety of offshore drilling.
Employment Service
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the 1991-92 annual budget for the Employment Service ; and what is the percentage allocated to staff costs.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fodgen, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Factory Fire, Mansfield Woodhouse
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of the dangers posed to the health of local people of Mansfield Woodhouse from the fumes from the fire at a plastics factory on 6 May.
Mr. Forth : As this fire was not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Incidents, diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985, the HSE is not carrying out an investigation. However based on its knowledge of the factory, the HSE has advised the emergency services and other official bodies involved that the health of the people of Mansfield Woodhouse is unlikely to have been put at risk by the fumes from the fire.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Heart Surgery
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in Northern Ireland are at present awaiting heart surgery.
Mr. Hanley : A total of 901 as at 31 December 1990.
Gynaecological Services, Belfast
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many admissions for gynaecology were recorded at (a) the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast, (b) the Mater hospital, Belfast and (c) the Belfast city hospital during 1989.
Mr. Hanley : The information is not held in precisely the format requested. The data held relate to discharges rather than admissions.
The numbers of in-patient discharges (including deaths) in gynaecology were as follows :
|1989
----------------------------------
RVH |1,604
Mater Hospital |795
Belfast City Hospital |2,435
Rate Collection Agency
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the 1991-92 annual budget for the Rate Collection Agency ; and what is the percentage allocated to staff costs.
Mr. Needham : The budget for the Rate Collection Agency for 1991-92 is £5.925 million of which £4.83 million--81.5 per cent.--relates to running costs of the agency.
Training and Employment Agency
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the 1991-92 annual budget for the Training and Employment Agency ; and what is the percentage allocated to staff costs.
Mr. Needham : The approved 1991-92 main estimates provision for the Training and Employment Agency is £172 million of which almost 15 per cent. is allocated to staff costs.
Deaf People
Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf people are registered in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : There is no statutory register of deaf people in Northern Ireland. The number of deaf people in contact with the health and social services boards during year ending 31 March 1990 was 1,120.
Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf people in Northern Ireland are in receipt of attendance allowance in each age bracket (a) under 10 years, (b) 10 to 18 years, (c) 18 to 65 years and (d) over 65 years.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Inter-party Talks
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at what location will the third strand of the Northern Ireland talks relating to the British and Irish relationship be held.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 13 May 1991] : No decisions have yet been taken.
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what facilities, travelling allowances, and daily allowances are paid to those participating in the inter-party talks at Parliament buildings, Stormont.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 13 May 1991] : Each party has been provided with a suite of three offices consisting of one for the party leader, one for delegates and a fully equipped office. Delegates are entitled to claim travel and subsistence allowances at normal civil service rates in respect of days when talks take place. A daily allowance of £78.50 is payable to those delegates who lose earnings or incur additional business overheads because of their attendance at the talks.
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons from each political
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party qualify for allowances and expenses in connection with the inter-party talks at Parliament buildings, Stormont.Mr. Brooke [holding answer 13 May 1991] : Each of the four parties has accredited a delegation of 10 persons who are entitled to claim allowances and expenses. In addition, up to three members of each party's support staff may claim travel and subsistence allowance at normal civil service rates.
HEALTH
National Health Service Trusts
13. Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further progress he can report on the establishment of self-governing hospital trusts.
Mr. Waldegrave : Fifty-seven trusts became operational on 1 April this year. In total, 130 expressions of interest have been received for trust status for April 1992, of which 88, as at close 13 May, have so far submitted applications.
16. Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to name the chairmen or chairwomen-designate for the second wave of national health service trusts.
18. Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to appoint chairpersons-designate for the second wave of national health service trust hospitals.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No national health service chairpersons or non-executive directors can be formally appointed until an NHS trust is established. Our current programme for second wave NHS trusts envisages formal establishment in the autumn of this year, the names of the chairpersons will be provided around the same time.
20. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made any assessment of possible job losses as a result of national health service trust applications for 1991-92.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. Trust applications discuss service developments and their consequences in broad terms only.
21. Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct the management of the national health service to cease all progress towards the establishment of trust hospitals pending a full inquiry into the business plans of those trusts so far constituted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no intention of stopping the establishment of national health service trusts. We are greatly encouraged that 57 trusts have already been established ; and that we have received approximately 130 expressions of interest in the second wave.
27. Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assumptions he made about the future activity levels of national health service trusts in reaching his decisions on trust status.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : When reaching a decision about whether each hospital or unit was suitable for trust
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status my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State considered its application against four criteria. Each trust gained approval by demonstrating that : it would deliver benefits and quality of service to its patients ; had effective leadership and management ; key professional staff, especially clinicians, would be involved in management ; and it would be financially viable.Sir David Price : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals within Wessex region which have applied for trust status under the first and second phases of the trust programme, respectively ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Applications in the first wave which were approved and became operational on 1 April 1991 are as follows : The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust West Dorset Mental Health NHS Trust
The West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust
West Dorset Community Health NHS Trust
Second wave expressions of interest have been received from : Bath and District (Mental Health Unit)
Bournemouth and Christchurch Acute Unit
Poole Acute Unit
East Dorset Community Services
Royal United Hospital, Bath
Wiltshire Healthcare (Bath and Wiltshire Community Unit) Avon and Somerset Community Unit
Formal applications for NHS trust status have now been submitted from all the above.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology
14. Dame Jill Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that hon. Members are given the opportunity to debate the draft code of practice to be adopted by the Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority before he takes a decision on whether to approve it.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The question of a debate at this stage is a matter for the Leader of the House. In any event, hon. Members have the opportunity to comment on the draft code of practice, copies of which are available in the Vote Office.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
15. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will add myalgic encephalomyelitis to the list of notifiable diseases ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : No. The main considerations for making an infectious disease notifiable are that it should be capable of clear diagnosis, and intervention to limit its spread should be feasible. At present, myalgic encephalomyelitis does not meet these criteria.
GPs (Computers)
17. Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent by general practitioners on computers over the last five years.
Mr. Dorrell : Information in the form requested is not available. However, a scheme to encourage the development of GP computing, by reimbursing GPs a
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proportion of their costs, was introduced from 1 April 1989. An estimated £17 million was reimbursed in the period to 31 March 1991 and a further £19 million is available in 1991 -92. In the period from January 1988 to March 1990 the number of computerised practices increased from 9.8 to 47.5 per cent.NHS Salaries
19. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of current national health service expenditure is accounted for by salaries and wages.
Mr. Dorrell : The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities in England for 1989-90--the latest year available--shows that salaries and wages costs accounted for some 75.6 per cent. of the total revenue expenditure.
NHS Funding
22. Dr. Goodson-Wickes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the national health service in 1979, and how much this year.
Mr. Dorrell : This year expenditure on the national health service in England is expected to be some £26.6 billion, a real-terms increase of 51 per cent. over the 1978-79 figure of £6.5 billion.
26. Mr. Watts : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current proportion of gross domestic product that is being spent on health ; and what the comparable figure was in 1979.
Mr. Dorrell : Total United Kingdom national health service spending as a proportion of GDP was 5.2 per cent. in 1989 compared with 4.7 per cent. in 1979.
Nottingham Health Authority
23. Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure of the Nottingham health authority in 1978-79 and in 1990-91 in real terms ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The Nottingham health authority was established on 1 April 1982. Between 1982-83 and 1989-90, the latest year for which figures are available, revenue expenditure increased from £113.1 million--cash --to £184.3 million--cash--and capital expenditure from £6.6 million--cash--to £15.3 million--cash. These represent increases in real terms of 13 per cent. for revenue and 59.9 per cent. for capital, measured at 1989-90 prices.
Day Care Centres
24. Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authorities charge for attendance at day care centres.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : During the year 1988-89, the latest for which records are available, 84 local authorities were charging for attendance at day care centres. These centres include family centres, day centres, social clubs and adult training centres.
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Competitive Tendering
25. Mr. Lord : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total annual savings for domestic cleaning, catering and laundry services, covered by the national competitive tendering initiative for the national health service since their inception.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Total annual savings achieved since the introduction of the Government's competitive tendering initiative for these three services is estimated to be in the order of £120 million.
Health Inequalities
28. Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce targets for the reduction of inequalities in health between social classes.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A forthcoming consultation document will set out proposals for the development of health targets covering the whole population in England. The counties of the rest of the United Kingdom either have or are developing their own strategies, which include health targets.
Bristol NHS Trust
29. Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future funding of Bristol united hospital national health service trust.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The United Bristol Healthcare national health service trust, like all other trusts and directly managed units, obtains its income from contracts to provide health services to health authorities and GP fund holders who purchase such services on behalf of their residents.
The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Thomas Durie, the chairman of the trust, for details.
Children Act 1989
30. Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to ensure that there has been sufficient preparation for the implementation of the Children Act 1989.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Summerson) on 13 May at columns 33-35.
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