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Medical Records
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long it takes to transfer medical records from one general practice to another in each of the regions within his jurisdiction.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not available centrally.
Health Benefits Scheme
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total value of help given under the health benefits low income scheme per annum for the last three years for which figures are available.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not collected centrally. Under the scheme people receiving
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income support or family credit and their dependants are automatically exempt from NHS charges. Other claimants who are entitled to help towards the cost of meeting NHS charges are issued with a certificate authorising either full or partial exemption from any charges which they may incur. There is no limit on the number of occasions upon which a certificate may be used during the six-month period of its validity.Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations he is formally consulting on his review of the health benefits low income scheme.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The review will look in detail at the way in which the NHS low income scheme is currently administered. The report recently published by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux-- NACAB--is therefore particularly relevant to the review. Officials will be discussing with NACAB the matters that it has raised and its recommendations. There are no plans to consult formally with organisations other than NACAB, but any representations that are received will be considered as the review is taken forward.
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the value of each claim under the health benefits low income scheme is taken up with administrative charges.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is not available.
During 1990-91, a total of 1,017,739 claims for help under the National Health Service low income scheme were received by the health benefits unit at Newcastle and 957,886 certificates of full or partial exemption were issued. The average cost of processing each claim was £7.65.
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to publicise the existence of the health benefits low income scheme.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 require opticians to display prominently a notice showing possible entitlement to vouchers under the low income scheme. Dentists are required by their terms of service set out in the National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1990 to display prominently a notice, indicating National Health Service charges which are payable under general dental services and entitlement to exemption from and remission of National Health Service charges. In addition to these obligatory requirements, posters promoting the low income scheme are available for display at citizens advice bureaux, general practitioners' surgeries, pharmacies and in hospital out-patient departments. Claim forms and explanatory leaflets are also readily available from these and a number of other outlets, including welfare rights organisations and local offices of the Social Security Benefits Agency. The adequacy of existing forms and leaflets and their provision in languages other than English will be considered as part of the review of the National Health Service low income scheme.
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NHS Trusts
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each NHS trust the number of executive directors and chief executives receiving remuneration of over £40,000 in bands of £5,000.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The salaries of the chief executive and other executive directors of NHS trusts are a matter for the trust board. This information is not available centrally.
Occupational Therapy
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ring-fence the occupational therapy funding being devolved to regions.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Regional health authorities have been told that the moneys devolved to them for occupational therapy training are to be earmarked for that purpose until 1995-96.
Condoms
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the risks to users of condoms made from natural rubber latex subject to radiation processing by RVNRL vulcanisation technology ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The Department has no evidence of risks to users of condoms which have been vulcanised by an irradiation process. The process is understood to be used in the far east for some rubber latex products, mainly gloves. The major suppliers of condoms to the United Kingdom market employ other methods of vulcanisation.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Electoral Registration
Mrs. Irene Adams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are registered to vote in England and Wales.
Mr. Dorrell : I have been asked to reply.
The electoral register which came into use on 16 February 1991 contained 38,478,502 people qualified to vote in local government elections in England and Wales and 38,509,382 people qualified to vote in parliamentary elections.
HIV
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of the terms of the settlement of the litigation by those people who contracted HIV through infected blood products ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : I welcome the announcement today in court of the conclusion of this litigation and the acceptance of the terms of a settlement by the overwhelming majority of those in England and Wales who were pursuing action.
Under the terms of the settlement the payments to be made are :
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|£ each
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To each individual who is an infected haemophiliac:
Infant (person under 18 years old) |21,500
Single adult |23,500
Married adult without dependent children |32,000
Haemophiliac with dependent children |60,500
Infected intimates of HIV infected haemophiliac:
(a) adults or married infants |23,500
(b) unmarried infants |21,500
Category G plaintiffs (ie those litigants who have not
sero-converted and/or been infected with HIV to
their knowledge, but are at risk of doing so because
they are the intimates of haemophiliacs who have
sero-converted and/or been infected with HIV or
developed AIDS). |2,000
The payment amounts are those put forward by the steering committee of solicitors representing the HIV-infected haemophiliacs and their counsel, and agreed by the Government.
The Macfarlane (Special Payments) (No. 2) Trust which was set up on 3 May has already begun to make the payments. A similar offer has been made to settle the separate litigation in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The payments will also be available to HIV infected haemophiliacs and infected intimates who had not joined litigation against any Department and who undertake not to do so in future. While maintaining its denial of any negligence, the Government have provided £42 million to cover the cost of the payments. This is in addition to the £24 million made available in 1990 to provide a sum of £20,000 for each HIV-infected haemophiliac. We are also committed to ensuring that the original Macfarlane Trust set up in March 1988 with a Government grant of £10 million will continue to be able to give additional help where there is special need. These payments are in recognition of the very special and tragic circumstances of the haemophiliacs infected by HIV and provide a substantial measure of financial security for them and their families.
Furthermore, the Government remain committed to taking all reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate services and treatments are available to the haemophiliacs, their partners and all others infected with HIV to try to alleviate and delay the effects of this infection. We continue to contribute to the research effort both here and worldwide, primarily to find a vaccine against HIV infection and a cure for the disease itself. We also continue to give substantial ring-fenced funds, amounting to almost £150 million in the current year, to the NHS and other organisations as the Government's contribution towards the cost of preventing the further spread of HIV and of providing appropriate diagnostic, treatment, care and support services.
Birth Statistics
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 16 May, Official Report, column 250, if he will publish (a) the number of deliveries on which his figures were based and (b) the total number of women who delivered in England during the financial year 1989-90.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The estimates quoted in the Official Report of 16 May were based on detailed returns
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in respect of some 360,000 deliveries. In the same financial year--1989-90--there were 650,804 live births and 3,067 stillbirths in England, a total of 653,871 deliveries.Special Diets
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many prescriptions for special diets were issued by general practitioners in the last year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) in what circumstances general practitioners are able to issue national health service prescriptions for special diets ; what restrictions there are on the foods available on prescription ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is not the function of the NHS to provide food products on prescription. We recognise that in some cases GPs may consider their active intervention is needed to help patients keep to medically recommended diets. GPs may therefore prescribe from a range of food products recommended by the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances.
GPs are also free to prescribe other nutritional products, including vitamins and minerals, wherever necessary for their patients' treatment.
Products which the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances considers have no therapeutic use in the treatment of disease in the community are added to schedule 3A to the National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974, so that they cannot be prescribed by GPs at NHS expense.
Although the Department's prescribing statistics include the estimated number of prescriptions for nutritional products, many of these products have several uses and it is therefore not possible to identify those which are used in "special diets". In addition, a large number of these products are prescribed so infrequently that the statistics are not a reliable measure of the number of prescriptions issued.
Tobacco Advertising
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to challenge EC competence with regard to tobacco advertising ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : I have not yet received the revised draft of the EC directive on tobacco advertising. When I do so I will give it careful consideration.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) if he will give the number of energy audits carried out in the Privy Council Office in the past five years and for each audit a statement of its main conclusions ;
(2) if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers in the Privy Council Office and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year ;
(3) if he will give for each available year from 1978 the amount invested in improving the energy efficiency of the Privy Council Office in (a) cash terms and (b) 1990-91 money terms ;
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(4) if he will give for each available year from 1978, the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by the Privy Council Office, 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. MacGregor [holding answer 3 June 1991] : The position of the Privy Council Office remains as indicated in answers given by my predecessor on 5 June 1990, Official Report, column 459, 14 June 1990, Official Report column 299, and 25 June 1990, Official Report, column 54. The costs passed on to the Department in 1990-91 were £11,669 for electricity--representing approximately 203, 000 units--and £2,352 for gas. No costs were incurred in respect of liquid or solid fuels. The remaining information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Disabled People
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) if he has any plans to review the car parking facilities available for disabled people who (a) work within or (b) visit the Palace of Westminster ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) how many parking spaces are available in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster the use of disabled Members of Parliament and where these are located ; and if he will make a statement. (3) if he has any plans to review the facilities available for car-parking in the Palace of Westminster for Members of Parliament who are disabled ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : There are 12 parking spaces in Star Chamber Court and three parking spaces in the inner courtyard of Norman Shaw North reserved for the use of vehicles driven by or used by photo-identity pass holders who are disabled. At present, eight hon. Members, four Members' secretaries and nine staff of the House have been authorised by the Serjeant at Arms to use these spaces on a first-come first-served basis. In addition, authority for their use is given from time to time to disabled visitors and to photo-identity pass holders suffering from a temporary period of incapacity. The arrangements for disabled parking in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster are kept under continuous review by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee. They were reviewed and confirmed by the Sub-Committee in January 1988 as a result of a survey carried out into the use of the spaces for the disabled in Star Chamber Court. In March 1990 the Sub-Committee gave approval for an additional parking bay for disabled drivers to be set aside outside Norman Shaw North bringing the total in that area to three and the Sub-Committee agreed in March this year that these three bays should be transferred to the inner courtyard of Norman Shaw North.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to review access for disabled people to the Palace of Westminster ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. MacGregor : I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 3 June 1991, ( Official Report, column 16 ). In addition to improvements recently agreed by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee, it is proposed that a comprehensive study should be carried out to identify practicable and acceptable proposals for access by disabled and elderly people which marry the need for better facilities within the constraints imposed by the historic nature of the Palace of Westminster.Mr. McMaster : To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) when he next plans to meet representatives of the police to discuss the misuse of car parking spaces in the Palace of Westminster which are specifically designated for exclusive use by orange badge holders ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what action he proposes to take against hon. and right hon. Members who misuse car parking spaces in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster which are designated for the exclusive use of orange badge holders ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) how many complaints he has received regarding the alleged misuse or abuse of parking spaces in the Palace of Westminster designated for the use of disabled Members of Parliament ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. MacGregor : I have received no complaints of misuse or abuse of the spaces reserved for disabled people--they are not specifically set aside for orange badge holders. However, I have asked the authorities of the House to remind others who park their cars in Star Chamber Court not to use the spaces reserved for disabled people. I would welcome the co- operation of all right hon. and hon. Members in observing the recommendation of the Services Committee that the 12 marked spaces in Star Chamber Court and three marked spaces in the inner courtyard of Norman Shaw North should be for the exclusive use of disabled drivers.
Charles Stewart Parnell (Statue)
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Lord President of the Council, further to his answer of 26 March, Official Report, column 357, what further discussions he has held about moving the statue of Charles Stewart Parnell to a more appropriate location on the Committee floor.
Mr. MacGregor : I understand that the proposal will be on the agenda for the next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Works of Art in the House of Commons on 17 July.
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WALES
Inward Investment
13. Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest level of inward investment to Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The record levels of inward investment continue. Since 1 January Wales has secured 60 more projects, promising 7,196 new or safeguarded jobs and capital investment of over £342 million. From 21 June I shall be visiting the United States and Canada with Dr. Gwyn Jones, the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency, to secure further investment for Wales.
Seven-year olds (Assessment)
14. Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will report progress with the assessment of seven-year-olds in Welsh schools.
Sir Wyn Roberts : All primary schools in Wales have now concluded their assessments of seven-year-olds and reports will be made to parents by the end of the summer term.
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consider abolishing the assessment of seven-year-olds in schools in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Assessment forms an integral part of the national curriculum. The Government remain committed to the statutory assessment for seven, 11, 14 and 16-year-old pupils. The arrangements for testing seven- year-olds next year will be reviewed in light of the evaluation of this year's exercise currently being undertaken by the School Examinations and Assessment Council.
Welsh Language Board
15. Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Welsh Language Board ; and if he will make a statement on the future of the board and its responsibilities.
Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend and I last met the chairman of the Welsh Language Board on 23 May. Consultations on the proposals put forward by the board are currently taking place within Government. We will announce our response to these as soon as possible.
Agriculture (Incentive Schemes)
16. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the setting up of incentive schemes for young people setting up in agriculture.
Mr. David Hunt : Over the past year I have received a number of representations from farming unions and others about incentives for young people to enter the industry.
Welsh Language
17. Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that there will be an adequate supply of Welsh language teachers to meet the needs for the national curriculum.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : The requirements of the national curriculum including those in relation to Welsh, are being taken fully into account in setting the intakes to initial teacher training, in the revision of criteria for initial teacher training courses, devising recruitment policies and in the planning of the grants for education support and training programme.
Hospital Services
18. Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met chairmen of health authorities in Wales to discuss the standard and range of hospital services.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met health authority chairmen on 31 January. I have met every health authority chairman since 1 January this year during my frequent visits to NHS establishments throughout Wales.
Family Farms
19. Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to safeguard the future of family farms in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I recognise the importance of family farms within the structure of agriculture in Wales and their significance in social terms. I will continue to seek to ensure that those farms, along with others, are able to compete effectively and on equal terms within the single European market.
Area Health Authorities
20. Mr. Ray Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he intends to meet the chairmen of area health authorities in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : A date for the next meeting between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and DHA chairmen has yet to be finalised.
Hospitals, Monmouth
21. Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit Monmouth to establish the effect of Government policy on local hospitals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : My right hon. Friend and I have recently made a number of visits to the Monmouth area and I visited Nevill Hall hospital on 15 May 1991. I shall be making a further visit to health service establishments in Gwent in July.
Education
22. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met Welsh county councils to discuss education provision in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : I meet with Welsh local authorities from time to time to discuss a wide range of issues including, of course, provision for the education service.
25. Sir Anthony Meyer : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes to take to improve further and higher education in Wales.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : The measures that we propose to take to improve further and higher education in Wales are contained in the White Papers "Education and Training for the 21st Century" and "Higher Education--A New Framework", published on 20 May. Our objective is to encourage young people to maximise their potential through increased participation in further and higher education and training. The reforms that we have announced will make it easier for this objective to be met.26. Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to implement the proposals relevant to his Department's function in the recent education White Paper ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The proposals in the White Papers will require new legislation. This will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time permits.
Roads Programme
23. Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has made any recent additions to the Welsh roads programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 14 May.
Rail Services
24. Mr. Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next proposes to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss rail services in the principality.
Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with the chairman of British Rail to discuss a range of issues. They hope to meet again soon.
Forestry
27. Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he evaluates environmental considerations in the development of forestry policy in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The Government's forestry policy fully recognises the environmental benefits that forests can provide if planned and managed in a sensitive way.
Since 1985 the Forestry Commissioners have had a statutory duty to endeavour to achieve a reasonable balance between the needs of forestry and those of the environment in carrying out their functions. We have introduced a number of other measures to ensure that environmental factors are taken into account in forestry developments. For example, under the Environmental Assessment (Afforestation) Regulations 1988, the Forestry Commissioners may require applicants for grant to draw up an environmental statement if they consider that new planting proposals are likely to have a significant effect on the environment. The Commission's woodland grant scheme is also designed to ensure that planting schemes meet high standards which are in sympathy with the landscape and meet relevant environmental considerations, as set out in guidelines published by the commission. Those policies are subject to regular monitoring and evaluation.
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NHS Trusts
28. Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next intends to meet the chairmen of district health authorities to discuss NHS trusts in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : My right hon. Friend and I discussed NHS trusts with the chairmen when we last met them on 31 January. A date for the next meeting has not yet been arranged.
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications he has received to date from hospitals in Wales for national health service hospital trust status.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To date no application for trust status has been received from any unit in Wales, but an expression of interest has been lodged by Pembrokeshire DHA and a formal application is expected shortly.
Labour Statistics
29. Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the increase in unemployment in the Monmouth constituency since June 1990.
Mr. David Hunt : Since June 1990 the number of unemployed claimants in the Monmouth constituency has increased by 622.
Consultancy Contracts
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount spent by his Department in the 1990-91 financial year on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; and if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1990-91, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm, the subject of the assignment and, if appropriate, the executive agency for whom the contract was carried out.
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