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Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the gross amount spent by each health board on community physiotherapy services in each year since 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information given in the following table relates to expenditure by health boards in Scotland on community paramedical physiotherapy services. Details have been taken from health boards' annual accounts and are available only from 1982-83. Figures for 1990-91 are not yet available.
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Community paramedical physiotherapy services
Health board |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90
|£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |102,352 |98,908 |98,292 |139,218 |102,577 |131,484 |173,945 |202,571
Ayrshire and Arran |33,576 |44,987 |60,963 |96,069 |85,988 |136,012 |213,166 |258,508
Borders |60,078 |58,490 |68,313 |69,898 |78,221 |88,387 |48,348 |52,761
Dumfries and Galloway |17,881 |21,791 |36,374 |40,147 |43,062 |62,393 |49,441 |83,203
Fife |100,751 |92,717 |101,416 |131,412 |151,998 |200,702 |205,368 |230,175
Forth Valley |82,556 |91,338 |100,170 |104,210 |121,331 |151,336 |208,384 |226,857
Grampian |89,829 |77,476 |67,506 |112,226 |142,875 |158,011 |224,401 |228,224
Greater Glasgow |282,081 |272,805 |371,183 |520,942 |591,712 |681,020 |610,291 |681,040
Highlands |34,293 |35,967 |42,512 |63,024 |74,117 |66,521 |75,788 |76,287
Lanarkshire |152,823 |182,324 |212,583 |228,768 |302,120 |350,691 |403,309 |440,670
Lothian |193,990 |214,789 |229,644 |359,441 |363,944 |476,449 |568,126 |628,319
Orkney |- |- |6,981 |8,075 |10,538 |18,238 |16,396 |16,953
Shetland |14,504 |19,174 |21,942 |24,520 |29,244 |33,459 |40,731 |38,375
Tayside |35,514 |36,006 |37,711 |38,757 |68,716 |72,798 |35,317 |100,632
Western Isles |16,275 |20,022 |24,326 |24,067 |3,448 |1,465 |607 |1,803
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |1,216,503 |1,266,794 |1,480,426 |1,960,774 |2,169,891 |2,628,966 |2,923,618 |3,266,378
Caliper Repairs
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contracts previously existed between the Common Services Agency and Glasgow firms for the repair of calipers ; when these were terminated ; which companies received new contracts covering the Glasgow area ; and how satisfactory their work has proved.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No contracts existed previously between the CSA and Glasgow firms. Up to 30 June 1989 health boards used contracts for the supply and repair of orthoses which had been nationally negotiated by the North West Thames regional health authority on behalf of the national health service. Among the suppliers was the company, Camp Cross Rhind based in Glasgow. There are no separate contracts for the repair of calipers. New contracts for the supply and repair of orthoses were arranged by the CSA from 1 July 1989 and Camp Cross Rhind were one of three existing suppliers who were unsuccessful in tendering.
Companies covering the Glasgow area at present are :
McLeod and Napier (Glasgow)
M. Galloway (Glasgow)
John Barrons (Kilsyth)
Gilbey Orthopaedic Footwear (Glasgow)
Buchanan Orthotics Ltd. (Glasgow)
R. Taylor and Son (Orthopaedic) Ltd.
Remploy Ltd.
Spencer (Banbury) Ltd.
Generally the work of these companies has been satisfactory and in keeping with the terms of the contract.
Road Tax
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions were recorded in Scottish courts for offences relating to the non-payment of road tax in each year since 1980.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The available information is set out in the table. Prosecutions are for offences under sections 8 and 12 of the Vehicle (Excise) Act 1971 and include failure to display a licence as well as keeping a vehicle without a licence.
Year |Number of
|persons
|proceeded
|against
------------------------------
1980 |8,176
1981 |5,567
1982 |6,874
1983 |9,665
1984 |9,378
1985 |9,468
1986 |9,941
1987 |9,478
1988 |7,975
1989 |6,825
EC Funds
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what payments were made to Scotland from (a) the European social fund and (b) the European regional development fund in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : Awards to Scotland from the European regional development fund and the European social fund are set out in the table.
|ERDF |ESF
|(£ million)|(£ million)
------------------------------------------------
1979 |38 |<1>-
1980 |28 |<1>-
1981 |70 |<1>-
1982 |72 |<1>-
1983 |84 |<1>-
1984 |103 |<1>-
1985 |69 |<1>-
1986 |84 |<1>-
1987 |93 |15
1988 |95 |18
1989 |68 |29
1990 |84 |30
|------- |-------
Totals |888 |92
<1> Not available.
Note: Figures for the European social fund
prior to 1987 could only be provided at
disproportionate cost.
Gas and Oil Policies
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public money has been spent by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available to encourage firms involved in gas and oil to relocate all or part of their operations (a) from England and (b) from the rest of Europe ; and what assessment he has made of how effective the policy has been.
Mr. Allan Stewart : This information is not available.
The attraction of inward investment to Scotland, both from overseas and from the rest of the United Kingdom, is the responsibility of Locate in Scotland which is funded and run jointly by the Scottish Office Industry Department and Scottish Enterprise. The resources expended by
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Locate in Scotland in fulfilling this role are not allocated, nor capable of being assigned, to particular industrial sectors.Housing
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what income Scottish Homes has received from (a) enabling receipts, (b) stock disposal, (c) voluntary transfers, (d) house sales and (e) disposal of non-housing assets, in the fourth quarter of 1990-91 and in the first quarter of 1991- 92.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 May 1991] : The information for the fourth quarter of the 1990-91 financial year is set out in the table. Details for the first quarter of 1991-92 are not yet available.
|£ million
---------------------------------------------------
Enabling receipts |5.605
Stock disposal |0.410
Voluntary transfers |Nil
House sales |10.393
Disposal of non-housing assets |0.653
|-------
Total |17.061
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) new dwellings for rent were completed by housing associations, (b) new dwellings for rent were started by housing associations, (c) dwellings for rent were rehabilitated by housing associations and (d) other new dwellings were built for owner occupation, or improved for sale into owner occupation by housing associations, by Scottish Homes (or SSHA or HCS) in each calendar year and in each financial year since 1979 to the nearest available date.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 23 May 1991] : The information requested is set out in financial year form ; records are not held on a calendar year basis.
|New |New build |Rehab |Rehab for |Low cost
|build for |for rent |for rent |rent |home
|rent |completions|starts |completions|ownership
|starts |provisions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |1,274 |800 |2,261 |1,059 |-
1980-81 |911 |1,116 |2,325 |2,448 |-
1981-82 |1,169 |1,286 |2,323 |2,820 |30
1982-83 |1,682 |845 |3,056 |2,302 |308
1983-84 |1,145 |1,693 |2,262 |2,983 |211
1984-85 |1,935 |1,561 |1,455 |2,434 |25
1985-86 |652 |1,083 |1,469 |1,357 |230
1986-87 |1,742 |1,422 |<1>1,502 |<1>1,346 |169
1987-88 |1,454 |1,445 |<1>1,388 |<1>1,472 |230
1988-89 |2,095 |1,723 |<1>1,756 |<1>1,277 |387
1989-90 |2,287 |1,376 |<1>1,543 |<1>1,464 |340
1990-91 |2,419 |1,585 |<1><2>1,467|<1>1,496 |640
<1> Includes Partnership Areas and Community Ownership schemes.
<2> Includes Transfers from Local Authority Housing Stock.
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Hairmyres Hospital
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of days, or part of days, in each of the last four quarters when there were no acute medical beds available for admissions to Hairmyres hospital.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 13 May 1991] : The information requested is set out in the table.
|Number of
|occasions per
|quarter
------------------------------------------
1990
|27
|28
|31
1991
|30
|-------
Total |116
These figures take no account of the fact that two beds are kept available to provide for emergency admissions during the night. When no medical beds were immediately available at Hairmyres, GPs would contact one of the other acute hospitals in the area.
Islay
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what alternative proposals are under consideration by the Scottish Office and the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland regarding geese on Islay ; which interested parties will be consulted ; when he expects a conclusion to be reached ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 17 May 1991] : A number of alternative approaches to the question of the effect of geese on agriculture in Islay are under consideration including proposals from the National Farmers Union of Scotland. Consultation will take place in due course with appropriate bodies representing farming and other interests. There is at present no specific date for a conclusion to be reached, but my right hon. Friend is aware of the concern on Islay about this matter.
Health Boards (Remuneration)
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual rate of remuneration of (a) chairman of health boards and (b) members of health boards as at April 1988, 1989, and 1991.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 21 May 1991] : The levels of remuneration paid to health board chairmen reflect the significant increase in their workload and time commitment in recent years and are thus not directly comparable.
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Health Board |Chairman's |Chairman's |Chairman's
|remuneration at|remuneration at|remuneration at
|1 April 1988 |1 April 1989 |1 April 1991
|£ per annum |£ per annum |£ per annum
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater Glasgow |14,863 |18,594 |22,960
Lothian |13,158 |16,724 |20,695
Grampian; Tayside |11,460 |14,855 |18,430
Lanarkshire; Argyll and Clyde |9,758 |12,986 |16,165
Ayr and Arran; Fife; Forth Valley; Highland |8,068 |10,826 |13,550
Borders; Dumfries and Galloway |6,368 |8,655 |10,920
Orkney; Shetland; Western Isles |3,903 |5,299 |6,575
Health board members did not receive remuneration prior to April 1991. From 1 April 1991 remuneration of £5,000 and £2,000 per annum is paid to the non-executive members of mainland and islands health boards respectively.
Local Authority Care
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole were received into local authority care where the cause was (i) family homelessness and (ii) alleged abuse or neglect in each year since 1979.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 21 May 1991] : The full information requested is available only from 1988 and is given in the table.
Year ending |Family |Abuse or
31 March |homeless |neglect<1>
------------------------------------------------
Strathclyde
1988 |8 |1,085
1989 |5 |765
Scotland
1988 |18 |1,442
1989 |7 |1,307
<1> Includes all children who were made subject
to compulsory measures of care, whether on a
residential basis or in the community, in
relation to grounds (b), (c), (d) or (dd) of
section 32(2) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act
1968.
Foxes
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 414, to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce), when he expects to make a statement on Government grants for fox destruction, following research by Dr. Ray Hewson of Aberdeen university.
Mr. Lang : I have considered the report "Victim of Myth" and whether as a result of its findings any changes should be made to the present arrangements for the payment of grants to fox destruction clubs in Scotland. These grants are designed to meet 50 per cent. of the cost of the clubs with the balance being met by the members. While the study is to be welcomed, I do not, however, consider that it supports conclusively the claim that the killing of foxes in the interest of sheep farming cannot be justified in Scotland. The evidence is that foxes do predate on lambs, possibly at about 2 per cent. of all births, and that, as the report itself points out, if foxes are numerous predation on lambs may increase. Group activity by farmers has proved effective in reducing their losses.
I therefore intend to continue the present scheme of grants to clubs for the purpose of controlling predation by foxes on sheep.
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EMPLOYMENT
Paint (Safety)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence has been reported by the World Health Organisation that painters in the construction industry have an above-average chance of contracting cancer.
Mr. Forth : The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organisation, reported in 1989 that, on the basis of an extensive analysis of epidemiological data from a number of countries, a raised risk of cancer in those occupationally exposed as painters, including painters in the construction industry, had been identified.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which states in the European Community have banned solvent-based paint.
Mr. Forth : On the basis of information available, I understand that no state within the European Community has banned solvent-based paint.
Health and Safety (Publications)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies have been printed, and at what cost respectively, of the Health and Safety Executive publications (a) the "Control of Substances Hazardous to Health in the Construction Industry", (b) "Essentials of Health and Safety at Work" and (c) "Health Surveillance under COSHH".
Mr. Forth : The numbers printed and costs are as follows :
Title of publication |Copies |Cost £
|printed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Control of Substances Hazardous |30,000 |17,303.02
to Health in the Construction
Industry
(b) Essentials of Health and Safety at |130,000 |201,818.93
Work
Essentials of Health and Safety at |200,000 |6,956.23
Work (leaflet)
(c) Health Surveillance Under |25,000 |11,669.87
COSHH
Redundancy
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to amend the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 to allow the Secretary of State for Employment to award interest payments from the statutory redundancy fund to those whose statutory redundancy claim has been settled in their favour but whose case has taken a considerable time to conclude.
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Mr Forth : I have no plans to do so. A major part of the redundancy payment procedure is outside the control of the Department of Employment and interest payments would therefore be inappropriate. Additional resources have been allocated to the redundancy payments service in 1991 and new procedures and equipment have been introduced to improve the speed of payment. These efforts will continue.Mr Robert Jordan
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those bodies to which he has appointed or nominated Mr. Robert Jordan, formerly group managing director of FOSECO.
Mr. Forth : Mr. Robert Jordan has not been nominated or appointed to any bodies sponsored by this Department.
Meadowell Estate, Tyneside
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to include the feasibility study by residents of the Meadowell estate in north Tyneside in the study being prepared under the chairmanship of his Department's regional director.
Mr. Forth : The regional director of the employment service in Northern region under the aegis of the Tyne and Wear city action team, chairs a multi-agency group, which includes local authority and Tyne and Wear urban development corporation representatives. The group has been charged with determining the feasibility of a co-ordinated approach to the regeneration needs of the Meadowell estate in North Shields and has commissioned a study. Members of the group have received copies of the report prepared by residents and have attended a presentation given by the residents. The study team has been asked to take the report findings into account when preparing recommendations for consideration by the agencies involved.
HORIZON Grants
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans his Department has to issue guidelines and application forms to United Kingdom organisations for HORIZON grants to increase employment opportunities for disabled people, along the lines of those issued by other EC countries.
Mr. Forth : The amount of funding available to the United Kingdom for HORIZON was recently notified by the European Commission. My Department is now therefore in a position to compile the overall operational programme that has to be submitted to the Commission by the end of June. Guidelines and further information will be issued shortly.
TECs
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of training and enterprise councils.
Mr. Forth : Excellent progress is being made in setting up training and enterprise councils. All 82 TECs in England and Wales are now in place with 75 fully operational. The whole network will be operational later this year, nearly two years ahead of schedule.
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Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each available year from 1978 the amount invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in (a) cash terms and (b) 1990-91 money terms.
Mr. Forth : The information requested in the form shown could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, records of investment have been kept from 1 April 1990 and the amount invested is £523,000.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of energy audits carried out in his Department in the past five years and for each audit a statement of its main conclusions.
Mr. Forth : Over the last five years, energy surveys have been undertaken on 251 buildings. Because of the large number of surveys and the wide variety of recommendations it is not practical to list the main recommendations of each of the surveys.
Implementation of the recommendations of the surveys has led to reduced energy consumption and cost savings.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers in his Department and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year.
Mr. Forth : The Department has two dedicated energy managers, covering the major estates in the Employment Department Group. In addition we have a part-time departmental energy manager. Energy management also forms part of the duties for those staff engaged in estate management.
The total number of person-years devoted to energy management in 1990-91 was six.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each available year from 1978, the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, expressing the figures in (a) cash terms, (b) 1990-91 money terms and (c) units of consumption for electricity in kilowatt hours, gas in therms, liquid fuel in litres and solid fuel in tonnes ; and if he will give the square footage of accommodation to which these figures relate.
Mr. Forth : I regret that this information is not available from 1978 to 31 March 1990. Before 1 April 1990 the Property Services Agency was responsible for energy monitoring and did not retain this information in the form requested. From 1 April 1990 we have been responsible for paying our own bills and monitoring cost and consumption. However, utility companies are still submitting bills for the final quarter of 1990-91. Therefore the latest information which is available is for the first three quarters of 1990-91, which is as follows :
|Consumption|Cost
------------------------------------------------------------
Electricity |52,082,398 |KwHours |3,938,749
Gas |3,029,381 |Therms |1,219,556
Oil |670,016 |Litres |86,067
The square footage of the estate to which the figures relate is 11,579,518.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Terminal Illness Claims
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the success rate for (a) initial claims and (b) reviews of claims for attendance allowance under the terminal illness rules for his Department's offices in the Doncaster area ; and if he will list the number of refusals by grounds for refusal ;
(2) how many claims for attendance allowance under the terminal illness rules have been received by his Department's offices in the Doncaster area since the new rules came into force ; what is the average number of days between day of claim and the date of decision for such claims ; what are the shortest and longest clearance times to date ; and what is the average clearance time for reviews.
Mr. Scott : I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Agencies
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for social security-related agencies (a) those that have published their business plans for 1991-92 and (b) those that have not.
Miss Widdecombe : All DSS agencies have published their 1991-92 business plans and copies are available in the Library.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the total staff of the Benefits Agency are on secondment from (a) his Department and (b) other Government Departments.
Miss Widdecombe : The Benefits Agency, along with other DSS executive agencies, is a part of the DSS. Accordingly it is staffed by departmental civil servants.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is (a) the establishment of the Benefits Agency and (b) the annual salary for each category of employee ; and what savings his Department is expected to make in connection with this agency.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Pensioners
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response the Government made to the European Commission on its proposals for a European travel card for British pensioners ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Worsley (Mr. Lewis) on 25 March at column 290. I will send him a copy of my letter to Members of the European Parliament issued on 28 February.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost currently incurred
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weekly by pensioners in the Doncaster area for (a) heating, (b) lighting and (c) travel ; and what were the comparable figures for (i) five and (ii) 10 years ago.Miss Widdecombe : The information is not available in the form requested.
Sir Ian Gilmour : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham of 29 January, Official Report, column 486, how many (a) single and (b) married pensioners in 1987 had no income other than the state basic pension and/or means-tested benefits.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 20 May 1991] : In 1987 there were 810,000 single pensioners and 150,000 pensioner married couples with no income other than state retirement pensions (including net additional and graduated retirement benefit), supplementary benefit and housing benefit.
Mr Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost to his Department of (a) paying pensions to foreigners retired in the United Kingdom and (b) topping up the state pensions paid to them by their country of origin.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available. The United Kingdom retirement pension is paid to anyone who meets the national insurance contribution conditions, irrespective of nationality.
Appeals
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants in the Doncaster area for severe disability premium are awaiting the decision of the appeal tribunal.
Miss Widdecombe : The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Single Parents
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each month of 1990 and 1991 to date, for his Department's offices in the Doncaster area, the number of single parent (a) mothers and (b) fathers of small children who have lost benefit by working.
Miss Widdecombe : I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Community Care
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the level of funding of community care loans and grants at his Department's offices in the Doncaster area ; what has been his response ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Scott : No such representations have been received.
National Insurance Fund (South-West)
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) the number of employers in the south-west region, and (b) nationally, defaulting on
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payments into the national insurance fund, (c) the number of employees involved, (d) the cost to the fund, and (e) the number of prosecutions made for the offence, for each year since 1988-89.Mr. Jack : The number of employers defaulting on payments into the NI fund is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
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